“Mosquito Coast Route” RARE Project Wins Tourism For Tomorrow Investor in People Award

Within one of the largest remaining tracts of rainforest in Central America, home to expansive wetlands and indigenous groups, lies a remote region of Honduras known as “La Moskitia”, or the Mosquito Coast.

Modern-day travellers now visit this unique region as guests of La Ruta Moskitia – an alliance of five indigenous communities and RARE, an international conservation organisation who worked with local villagers to launch this community-based tourism project to address poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation in the Rio Plátano Biosphere Reserve – a two million acre UNESCO World Heritage Site that is located in the heart of La Moskitia.

Through capacity building, training, and self-empowerment, La Ruta Moskitia has created 150 rural community jobs and supports more that 750 immediate family members. Eighty-two percent of all income generated from the Alliance stays directly with the indigenous communities involved, who manage their own funds for both community development and investment in tourism product infrastructure.

The Alliance offers multi-day tours that feature bird watching, jungle trekking, and authentic cultural exchange as determined by the local communities themselves. Guests travel in dugout canoes, and stay in comfortable community-owned ecolodges and palm-thatched cabañas.

Rio Plátano Biosphere Reserve, a two million acre UNESCO World Heritage Site was recently nominated as one of the world’s seven natural wonders. The reserve boasts jaguars, sea turtles, manatee, as well as nearly 400 bird species. These species are threatened by massive deforestation from fishing, illegal hunting, and a lack of effective forest management.

“Creating economic opportunities for indigenous communities is only the first step for La Ruta Moskitia,” said the alliance’s Executive Director Elmor Wood. “The longevity of La Ruta Moskitia and the jobs it has created depend upon local people taking a stance in protecting our lands and culture.”

“This year, La Ruta Moskitia communities will support a number of conservation projects ranging from environmental education, to reforestation, to waste management. We are developing an army of environmental activists here in La Moskitia.” Those projects will be supported in part by La Ruta Moskitia’s “Conservation Fund” which collects 10 percent of all gross tour sales.”

Along with winning the Virgin Holidays “Responsible Tourism” award last year, and being named to the Condé Nast Traveler “Green List” in 2006, La Ruta Moskitia has now achieved the trifecta of international recognition with the Tourism for Tomorrow award. La Ruta Moskitia was also recently selected as one of National Geographic Adventure’s “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.”

“La Ruta Moskitia embodies the opportunity for community-based tourism to not only support local economies, but to also contribute to the conservation of the world’s most endangered natural areas,” said Rare President and CEO Brett Jenks. “Rare is proud of La Ruta Moskitia, of our role in its formation, and of the Tourism for Tomorrow Award.”

www.LaRutaMoskitia.com

Valere Tjolle