THE RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AWARDS 2005

Basecamp Masai Mara has won the Responsible Travel Award for 2005 in competition with 700 nominated hotels,lodges and camps from all over the world.

Basecamp Masai Mara - the first establishment of six “Basecamps" within the Basecamp Explorer Group - have been awarded the Responsible Tourism Awards, Category Protected Areas.

The Award is regarded as one of the most prestigious international awards within its field. The award is initiated and managed by responsibletravel.com. World Travel Market (WTM) (the worlds largest tourism fair), the Times and Geographical Magazine in the UK. The prize was officially  announced during the World Travel Market event on 16th November 2005.

Around 700 applicants had been  nominated and evaluated by a professional jury. The winners were selected for 12 different categories. In relation to conservation and community based tourism - tourism in protected areas is regarded as one of the imperative award categories. Basecamp Masai Mara emerged as the winner of this particular category for its pilot project, “Sustainable Development through Community Based Tourism".

The  Eco-Warrior Award 2005

The Eco-tourism Society, ESOK, is working to make Kenya’s tourism sustainable and more responsible. In the year 2002 ESOK initiated an eco-rating system whereby the entire tourism sector can be rated and certified on a voluntarily basis. Today more than 20 corporate businesses and organisations have been assessed and certified according to a vast number of pre-set standards, which are related to what is regarded as best practice in eco-tourism in developing countries today.

The ESOK rating is a score-card system, which generates a total score that, in turn may lead to a certification on three different levels - bronze, silver and gold. A separate assessment and score-card is available for each level and you must achieve the lower level before moving on to the higher level. As for now, only the bronze level is applicable to Kenya.

Annually, ESOK identifies outstanding achievements within eco-tourism in Kenya, which targets individuals, organisations and businesses active within the tourism sector. The Eco-Warrior award manifests the achievements that qualify for this particular recognition.

Basecamp Masai Mara was assessed and received its eco-rating score-card and bronze certification in 2004. According to the score-card number we achieved the highest score ever in Kenya that technically qualified the camp for a gold certification. As a consequence, Basecamp was presented the Eco-Warrior Award by ESOK in 2005.

The concept and its various projects have been developed since 1998. It has been essential throughout these years to maintain a close partnership with the local Masai community, bordering the Masai Mara National Reserve. The projects include among others - the Masai Arts & Crafts Project, the Masai Mara Cheetah Conservation Effort, Reforestation and Firewood Production, Support for Education of Masai Youth, Training and Education of Locally Employed staff. Basecamp Masai Mara is operated on ecological principles, which entails  solar produced electricity, solar heated water, waste management etc. It is evaluated by the Eco-tourism Society of Kenya and top ranked in the country as an eco-tourism destination.

Basecamp Masai Mara today welcomes around 1800 international guests yearly, and is experiencing a very positive trend. Without doubt, the integrated concept of an extraordinary wildlife, genuine Masai culture and sustainable community projects, is one that has become highly appreciated by all our visitors.

It is our pleasure, as one of our partners, to inform you about the two Awards and we thank you for your trust and collaboration.
We are determined to do our best to deserve the award also in the future.

With the best regards,

Svein Wilhelmsen    
Group Managing Director    

Dr Lars Lindkvist
Executive Chairman Kenya

Read more: www.responsibletravel.com/awards