TOFT India Working Committee

What Ritish thinks about TOFT:

"We (my wife and me) own and manage Camp Forktail Creek on the periphery of the Corbett Tiger Reserve.

We live and operate entirely out of Camp; we have seen how tourism has become a big conservation tool in this area over the years. So much so that now unregulated and mass tourism is seen as a nuisance and is detrimental to a National Park.

TOFT provides a good base solution to the problem. The tour operators can be at the right end to demand changes in a protected forest area and can help bring about a major change in the policies and working of tourism related activity, which in turn would reduce conflicts between tourism and conservation.

Effectively tourism can be used as a conservation tool. "

What Aditya thinks of TOFT:

“Responsible practices make sound business, ecological and social sense. Most accommodation providers realize this and are striving to achieve the same. The process can be speeded up by “support” inputs by organizations like TOFT. Most of us are not even aware about how to improve our practices. TOFT by applying pressure through the supply chain and by providing technical and other support to the different links of the chain can small accommodation providers like us, improve our practices, which in turn would help the campaign”.

Vishal is a passionate about conservation and travel savvy. He has wealth of local connections and regional knowledge. His childhood was spent in Tea Estates on fringes of the Kaziranga National Park where at a early age experienced human animal conflict and degradation of forest cover. His schooling is from Indian’s premier public school Mayo College in western India, and then Graduation from Welcome Graduate School of Hotel Management in southern India. He worked with Sheraton in Mumbai and Delhi did then did his MBA for IMI and established Royal Expeditions. He has been associated with TOFT since its inception.

What Balendu thinks about TOFT:

"The very foundation of businesses run by TOFT members is directly linked to the success of conservation programmes in India.

The ideals of TOFT help us in providing Yeoman services to conservation initiatives, by creating continuous employment opportunities. This helps in decreasing biotic pressure on the land bordering our National Park. It also creates conservation awareness linked with economic and social upliftment of the local community.

TOFT with its international membership can create awareness and generate public opinion which assists in policy formation.  TOFT ideals help in putting pressure on both Public and private sector to practice sustainable Wildlife Tourism."

What Shyamendra thinks about TOFT:

"Travel Operators for Tigers (TOFT) is much more than its name speaks, as it involves the lodge management and staff, the local and foreign tour operators and the guests. It has provided the much needed bridge between all stake holders in tiger conservation and wildlife tourism and taking it forward to guests is building a large strong base of wildlife supporters. Though most lodge operators are aware of good wildlife tourism practices, seldom are they put into practice?  With TOFT initiative and surveys it has provided motivation and a check to ensure good practices. Our team will continue to support and patronize TOFT"

Abhishek qualified with an MSc degree in Conservation & Tourism from the Durrell Institute of Conservation & Ecology (DICE), University of Kent, UK. He was actively helping TOFT for 2 years in the UK where his MSc dissertation research focused on local community benefits from UK travel operators and conservation organisations at Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (Research sponsors: WCS - India IPSG & University of Kent).

He started his conservation career with Kids for Tigers (A Sanctuary Tiger program) Coordinator - Delhi (India's largest schools awareness program on tiger conservation). While in the UK, Abhishek worked with the Northumberland Wildlife Trust where he participated on protected area & habitat management research. His job takes him frequently to 6 national parks in India and works with fellow TOFT Representatives on wildlife conservation issues.

Recently TOFT & Abhishek Behl won the ABN-AMRO Sanctuary Wildlife Awards 2007 for category ‘Wind under the Wings’. Abhishek strongly believes when communities benefit economically, they get incentives to protect wildlife, by doing so it sustains the growth of wildlife tourism and promotes responsible travel.