Ecotourism in Northwest Yunnan  
 

 

Northwest Yunnan
Ecotourism Itineraries
Why Travel with Us
For Tour Operators     

 

 

Why Travel With Us

Ecotourism is one of the fastest growing markets of the tourism industry.  But with many companies claiming to offer "ecotourism," how can you be sure that your travel experience is really helping the environment?  When you choose one of our tours, you'll contribute through the following ecotourism principles:

Nature conservation
Community development
Cultural heritage preservation

Positive impact on nature conservation

  • Alternative income generation:  Through employment with community-based ecotourism companies, local villagers are able to earn much-needed income that replaces income earned through destructive activities such as charcoal-making, hunting, illegal logging and fishing.
  • Alternative energy and waste management:  Biogas, solar panels and in some cases wind or hydropower help reduce the strain on natural resources that tourism can bring to a community.  Waste management policies are also a key component of the operations of each of our ecotourism companies.
  • Financial contributions:  All of our companies donate 10% of their net profit to a conservation and community development fund which provides financial support for community development and conservation projects in local areas.  A Management Committee including NGO, government and community representatives oversees and approves all projects initiated with fund monies.  Visitor entrance fees, conservation taxes and visitor donations are other ways your visit may help provide financial support. 
  • Visitor management and impact monitoring: To ensure that visitor activities do not have any significant negative impacts on the resources of the area, visitor management systems are being established that include zoning  to control areas and numbers of tourists in certain areas, codes of conduct for ecotourists and tour operators, village ecotourism monitoring teams and enforcement regulations and mechanisms.

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Positive impact on community development

  • Community employment and training:  Managers and employees of our companies are local community members who benefit directly through skills training such as nature guiding, hospitality services, business management and English language.  
  • Community-owned and managed: Our companies are owned and managed by local community members, enabling the community to direct and influence the development of tourism in their area, and keeping the majority of income earned within the community.
  • Community development financing:  A portion of profits generated through these itineraries goes to funding community development projects, such as micro-hydroelectricity, irrigation, education and health services.  Community members determine what types of projects should be implemented. 

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Positive impact on preservation of cultural heritage

  • Increased cultural value: By seeing the interest and enthusiasm that visitors have for learning about local cultural traditions and heritage, the value of this cultural heritage increases among community members.   Our itineraries are designed to educate visitors about the local Naxi and Yi cultures and provide opportunities to directly experience some of the traditions and customs of these cultures.
  • Community vision guidelines and impact monitoring: For the villages where our companies operate, a community vision has been discussed by community members to identify cultural traditions that they wish to preserve.  With these guidelines in place, the impact of tourism on traditional customs can be measured and controls can be established if it is determined that tourism is having an negative effect on the local cultures.   Tourist and tour operator codes of conduct help reduce the potential impact.
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  Codes of Conduct 

 

  About Our Companies

 


  About the Area


 

   Itineraries

 

 

 

 

This web site is a project of the Northwest Yunnan Ecotourism Association and has been developed to introduce you to unique ecotourism opportunities around Lijiang and beyond. By developing and promoting ecotourism in Northwest Yunnan, our goal is to support environmental protection, preserve the areas’ diverse cultural heritage and contribute to community development.  Read more about this project.

Copyright © 2002 Northwest Yunnan Ecotourism Association