Consultation on Community-based Ecotourism (CBET) Feasibility Assessment completed

A team from RSPN together with the experts from the Eco call Consultancy and Athang Pvt. Ltd. has successfully completed the consultation meetings with the key tourism stakeholders at the National, District, and Gewog levels in six project sites (Dagana, Tsirang, Punakha, Wangduephodrang,  Zhemgang and Trongsa districts). The team also made field visits to the potential tourism sites. The stakeholder consultation meetings kickstarted in April 2022.

The assessment is aimed to identify potential sites for the establishment of Community-based Ecotourism programs to enhance the socio-economic wellbeing of the local communities residing in the WBH habitats. This feasibility assessment will guide proper planning and coordination for future strategic interventions.

Community-based Ecotourism is one of the key livelihood programs that demonstrate the importance of conservation by engaging and empowering the local communities.

Realizing that the communities are fundamental in the conservation of the critically endangered White-bellied Heron, enhancing Sustainable Livelihoods is one of the key strategic interventions under the project.  In order to make the project interventions meaningful and garner community participation in the conservation programs, local communities are incentivized through the establishment of community-based ecotourism programs.

The activity is part of ongoing project funded by Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), Germany through the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and co-funded by MAVA Foundation, Switzerland and RSPN.