Tourism Promotion Services of the Aga Khan Fund for Development http://www.akdn.org/agency/akfed_tourpromo.html
AKFED's Tourism Promotion Services (TPS) seeks to develop tourism potential in selected areas in the developing world, particularly in under-served regions. It builds, rehabilitates and manages hotels and lodges that contribute to economic growth and the overall investment climate in an environmentally and culturally sensitive manner. AKFED owns and manages properties in Afghanistan, Kenya, Mozambique, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Tanzania and Uganda, operating under the brand name Serena. Serena hotels and lodges contribute to the local economy through the training of skilled manpower, the reinvigoration of artisans and craft industries, and through sensitive conservation or development of the surrounding area. This includes placing priority on the hiring and training of local residents for employment at all levels of the organisation. TPS often seeks to develop properties in less-travelled areas that require accommodation of an international standard -- accommodation that supports tourism and business development -- but which often are ignored by commercial hotel chains. At each hotel, the policy is to minimise the impact on the local environment while seeking to maximise socio-economic benefits to the local economy. In Tanzania, for example, prior to the creation of new facilities in the country's national parks, four environmental impact studies were carried out. The Serena Hotel in Mombasa maintains a sanctuary for indigenous butterflies and also works actively with local residents on a programme to protect sea turtle nesting sites. These measures have earned the Serena hotels numerous environmental awards.
