How to help
VISITOR TO INDIA | TOUR OPERATOR OR TOURISM SERVICE
As a Visitor to India
As a visitor to India you have enormous purchasing power and exactly how you spend your money has immediate effect on your hosts and at the wildlife destinations you visit. Well thought through and responsible nature tourism can be a positive conservation tool and an critical part of eradicating poverty. Alternatively, poorly conceived and badly run nature tourism can have a very detrimental effect on your hosts and their livelihood, and ultimately wildlife conservation.
Using one of the TOFT Tour Operator, or TOFT Destination Management companies for your tours or travel programme in India will not only mean you will donate a small sum from your holiday price to Tiger Conservation but also actively encourage more responsible tourism activities by choosing and company prepared to act within best practice guidelines and use accommodation verified by the PUG Audit.
But you can help us further by:
- Using one our members to book your holiday in India. CLICK HERE to see our members
- Adhering to the Travellers Code of Conduct.. Copies of a TOFT leaflet should be in your lodge bedroom, or given to you by your agent.. DOWNLOAD leaflet
- Buy locally produced crafts and use local services wherever possible.
- Encourage and support lodges and services that strive to minimise their environmental 'footprint'. Ask questions of them about their efforts and local initiatives and show you care about their wilderness and wildlife.
- Reporting to us and the lodge any actions deemed irresponsible or inappropriate, and reporting any incidents deemed illegal. This can be done confidentially or otherwise through our email info@toftigers.org
- Make further financial donations to Tiger conservation efforts through sending back the TOFT leaflet. CLICK here for a copy. Alternatively you can give further contributions to your Tour guide or Tour Operator, or Lodge, where this is this option or send them direct to the TOFT address.
As a Tour Operator or nature tourism service in India.
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The campaign is aimed at every tour operator or travel agent selling Indian willdife as part of a holiday, whether they are local companies, regional or International, and and take their clients to any of 6 key Tiger and wildlife destinations in India.
The campaign maintains an inclusive approach believing that the best results will be achieved by collective willpower and partnership by all those of us involved in the nature tourism equation.
If you would like to join Travel Operators for Tigers as a International Tour or Travel Operator:
Your responsibilities will include:
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Support, endorse, help, publicise and advocate the
Code of Conduct for all those involved in the deliver of your service to your clients. This includes sending the code to:
i) Your agents in India
ii) Your leaders and guides in India
iii) Your accommodation and service providers in Tiger reserves
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Add the Visitors Code of Conduct to
i) Your pre departure literature
ii) Use in your client briefings where appropriate
iii) Highlight clients, leaders and guides ability to record infringements or bad practice through the TOFT comments email
info@toftigers.org for appropriate recording and action by the TOFT Executive and NGO's
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Add a minimum of £15 (US$30 or EU30) per client to a fund managed by Global Tiger Patrol. This can be collected in the best way possible for your organisation. E.g. Added to tour price, added to invoice, collected by leaders or guides in host country etc. Each quarter you will be asked to submit funds collected on an 'honesty basis' to the appropriate account.
Each travel operator in return:
1) Can state its support for Travel Operators for Tigers in literature and brochures and incorporate a Travel Operators for Tigers 'logo' when required
2) Will be linked to the recipient charity's website as a 'Travel Operators for Tigers' member
3) Will be acknowledged as a member of Travel Operators for Tigers campaign in literature and PR that is undertaken to promote tiger tours and better tiger conservation efforts in India and Nepal.
4) Will be informed of events, projects, initiatives, training and activities that are carried out by Travel Operators for Tigers and the recipient charity.
5) Will be given examples of activities, projects and interesting conservation initiatives that are possible to include on your clients' itineraries.
6) Will be provided with good examples of best practice for your service providers to follow or imitate.
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM FOR TOUR OPRATORS