Forest Department Develops New Eco-Tourism Excursions for Cox’s Bazaar Tourists
January 24, 2008 1:39 pmrepublished from www.Nishorgo.org
Cox Bazaar, January 07, 2008:
Forest Department’s Nishorgo Program has taken 15 leading Cox Bazaar tour operators and hotel owners to newly established eco-tourism areas at Mochoni Nature Park and Kudum Cave within the Teknaf Game Reserve, as part of an effort to expand the excursion outings from the increasingly crowded Cox Bazaar town and beach.
These leading tourism company owners hiked to the edge of the “Bat Cave” and then to the hilltop of Mochoni Nature Park, from where they had clear views of both the Bay of Bengal and Myanmar. Promotion of sustainable eco-tourism is an important element in the Department’s efforts to conserve this 11,000 hectare forest under Nishorgo, a Program jointly financed by the Government and by the American people through USAID.
The guided visit for these tour operators is undertaken with a view to raising awareness of the natural beauty of the peninsula as a target excursion for the nearly 200,000 visitors to Cox Bazaar each year. With the beautiful and famous Cox Bazaar becoming often crowded, Nishorgo has made these ecotourism excursion opportunities available to expand tourist options. Soon, the Government – together with Government-recognized local Teknaf collaborative management committees – will begin collecting small entry fees from visiting tourists, the revenue from which will be shared with local people as an incentive for conservation.
Outings were organized and conducted jointly with the Tour operators Association Cox Bazaar (TOAC). Worldwide experience proved that eco-tourism is positively linked with nature conservation as eco-tourism provides economic incentives to local community for taking part in conservation. The unparallel natural beauty makes Teknaf Game Reserve an ideal site for developing eco tourism. Sprawling over 11,615 hectares of hilly range, Teknaf Game Reserve has unique biodiversity due to its assemblage of sea, hills and river. It has some thing to offer for every kind of nature lovers be it sea viewing or mountain trekking. Nishorgo Support Project have developed hiking trails, trained local youths to operate as Eco-tour Guides, placed signage.
A visitor’s interpretation center at Mochoni Nature Park is under construction and should be opened to the public in early February, 2008. Further, Nishorgo has facilitated to set up locally owned eco-cottages in the peninsula. The tour operators visited one such eco-cottage in middle of serene nature near Mochoni Nature Park. The Tour Operators opined that now tourists seek more natural places to go in addition to conventional Cox Bazaar – St. Martin route. TOAC president Mr. Kibriay praised the Nishorgo initiative and said that these sites are now ready to receive tourists. Another Tour Operator Mr. Kapadia praised Forest Department for opening up to private sectors. Forest Department also assured that now in addition to Forest Guards, community patrolling team will also work to ensure security for the Eco-tourists. Nishorgo Program is hopeful that from this winter, Eco-tourists will come and enjoy natural beauty and benefit the local community at Teknaf Game Reserve.
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