Travel Operators for Tigers (TOFT) India - Supporting tigers and other Indian wildlife conservation in partnership with our travel and toursim partners.

The provision of accommodation and services needs careful, cooperative planning and execution if it is to affect the ecotourism equation, remain sustainable and satisfy the responsible tourist.

Members of Travel Operators for Tigers aim to help you enhance your accommodation provision and services and to become successful and profitable partners in the sustainable wildlife tourism business.

Ensure your accommodation does not encroach into National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, is a safe distance from the boundary of any protected area and operates in accordance with the Forest Conservation Act, Environmental Protection Act and the Wildlife Protection Act.
All accommodation services must operate within the national laws applicable to wildlife, forests and the environment.
Employ local people and train them as necessary for better-paid jobs and management
Seek to source or set-up the provision of locally produced foodstuffs in cooperation with local people.
Seek and encourage local artisans to provide souvenirs/art through your local cooperatives.
Ensure that clients have the opportunity and are encouraged through literature or signage to give monies to tiger conservation or other local projects.
Seek to use and encourage quality control from local transport services.
Ensure that careful provision is made for the use and disposal of water, sewage and waste. Ensure all guests are made aware of these issues, the use of water and disposal of waste in their rooms, through appropriate signage.
Ensure energy consumption is kept to a minimum and that outside lighting is used only as necessary so as to avoid light pollution or disrupt nocturnal wildlife movements.
Noise at all times is kept to a minimum so as not to disrupt the ‘wildlife experience’ that lodges seek to offer.
Ensure that LPG and solar power are the primary forms of energy for cooking and lighting, thereby minimising the use of firewood. Any firewood used must come from legal sources.
Provide a high quality briefing for visitors to include local customs and cultures, local sensitivities and park and lodge rules and regulations.
Ensure the lodge guiding personnel have a good knowledge and understanding of wildlife and are capable of communicating this to your clients. They should also act within park regulations. A channel for complaints should be shown in clients’ rooms or on a notice board.
Ensure that vehicles (Gypsies or other 4x4’s used in parks) carry guidebooks and maps necessary to show clients appropriate information as necessary.

Future commitments:

Develop responsible locally run ecotourism programmes to empower local communities and enhance local economies, through training, increased interaction and access to finance. Look to enhance the provision of services in the area through training of local guides and helping local communities gain access to finance for new services that enhance tourism interaction including providing accommodation, home visits, farm visits, nature walks etc.
Support and cooperate with Park staff in their conduct of scientific research, conservation efforts and monitoring for the presence or absence of wildlife and its movements.
Encourage visitors to seek more than just ‘star’ attractions and to train guides to a quality that allows them to do this.