*Leading Tour Operators Consider Madagascar * *Arlington, Virginia (December 17, 2008)* – Conservation International (CI), working in close collaboration with the National Tourism Board of Madagascar, Responsibletravel.com and the Adventure Travel Trade Association, is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of a 12-day familiarization trip to Madagascar by 12 U.S. and U.K. tour operators.
Supported by funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and following extensive research, key operators from the United Kingdom and United States were invited to Madagascar to learn more about the destination, and to inform the national strategy for ecotourism, poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation. The familiarization trip culminated in the presentation of the first ever Madagascar Responsible Tourism Awards. In addition to viewing the scenic beauty of Madagascar, targeted networking opportunities were provided throughout the familiarization tour to build relationships at the regional and national levels with hoteliers and ground handlers to facilitate future negotiations. Participants reported a new understanding of both the destination, and the demands of the U.K. and U.S. source markets, which research indicates provides improved yield and therefore improved opportunities for conservation and poverty alleviation in Madagascar. CI and the project participants are grateful to USAID and the Government of Madagascar for their support of this important initiative, as well as the valued input and contributions of the participating tour operators. *Winners of the Madagascar Responsible Tourism Award:* Menabe: Travel Flying Services [email protected] +261 33 11 177 70 / +261 32 40 199 90 CAZ: Eastern Tours [email protected] +261 20 53 315 79/ +261 32 11 566 31 www.mananara.net/ Companies Participating in the familiarization trip: US *Company Company website* Wildland Adventures www.wildland.com Geographic Expeditions www.geoex.com Butterfield & Robinson www.butterfield.com REI Adventures www.reiadventures.com Myths & Mountains www.mythsandmountains.com OARS www.oars.com UK *Company Company website* Blue Ventures www.blueventures.org Discovery Initiatives www.discoveryinitiatives.co.uk/ Explore www.explore.co.uk The Adventure Company www.adventurecompany.co.uk ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For more information, please contact: Madagascar: Tsitohaina ANDRIAMANOHERA National Tourism Board of Madagascar BP 1780, Ambatomena, Antananarivo Madagascar +261 20 22 661 15 [email protected] www.madagascar-tourisme.com United States Neel Inamdar Senior Advisor, Ecotourism Conservation International 2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22202 USA Tel: 703-398-1091 [email protected] www.conservation.org
