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Gorongosa Inclusive Tourism Initiative

The development of an Inclusive Tourism Eco-lodge within the

Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique

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Contents

Executive Summary 3.

Mission Statement/Vision 4.

Market Opportunity 5.

Background: Gorongosa National Park 6.

Proposed Eco-Lodge Development 7.

Accommodation and Operations 8.

Activities 9.

Access 10.

Future Expansion by Endeavour Safaris Mozambique 10.

Original employment opportunities 11.

Marketing Strategy 11.

Management Summary 12.

Company Summary – Endeavour Safaris 13.

Ownership of Endeavour Safaris Mozambique 13.

Potential Concerns 14.

Human Rights Treaty 14.

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Executive Summary

Mozambique has one of the fastest growing tourism sectors in Africa and is fast becoming a top tourist

destination in southern Africa. It has traditionally been a beach and diving destination, however, this is

set to change as one of the biggest National Park resurrections in history occurs within its boundaries;

the restoration of the majestic Gorongosa National Park. The Carr Foundation, a non-profit organization

established by the world renowned philanthropist Greg Carr to promote the protection of natural

resources, is working closely with the Mozambique government to return the park to its former standing

as one of the premier wildlife havens in Africa, and as such as top safari destination. This development

will give Mozambique the “perfect” combination of top quality wildlife safari destination and a tropical

beach experience, undoubtedly making it a top holiday destination within Africa.

Endeavour Safaris Mozambique is currently involved in a tender process to develop an ecotourism lodge

within a prime, private 28,000 hectare concession within the National Park. Uniquely, our lodge will be

accessible to both able-bodied and disabled guests, and as such will be the first “Inclusive Tourism”

operation in Mozambique. The lodge will form a perfect balance between offering a space that is

accessible to both the able-bodied and disabled, in terms of both accommodation facilities and safari

activities, whilst still being an attractive, aesthetically pleasing and ecologically sensitive holiday

destination.

Our project will also offer both training and employment to disabled people from local communities,

demonstrating to others within the hospitality industry the substantial capabilities of this, often

discriminated against, sector of society.

This business plan was constructed to encourage investment in this pioneering Inclusive Tourism eco-

development.

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Mission Statement/Company Vision

Endeavour Safaris Mozambique aims to provide the best Inclusive Tourism experience within southern

Africa. Utilising the latest green technology, we will give both able-bodied and disabled guests an

exceptional safari experience; providing high quality, ascetically pleasing yet fully accessible eco-lodge

accommodation and safari activities.

Through Inclusive Tourism, Endeavour Safaris Mozambique aims to provide training and employment

opportunities for disabled people within Mozambique, and ultimately increase their employment within

the mainstream hospitality industry.

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Market Opportunity

Mozambique has one of the most rapidly growing tourism sectors in the world (WTCC). Between 2004

and 2009 the number of tourists visiting Mozambique more than tripled from 711,000 to 3.1million.

However, the number of hotel beds increased by only 7,000 in the same period, suggesting that there is

sufficient room for growth within sector. In 2009 the sector generated $195 million for Mozambique, a

figure that the Tourism Minister expects to increase to $2 billion within the next five years.

Our unique design of an eco-lodge that is attractive and accessible to both able-bodied and disabled

tourists will allow us to target a larger market compared to a typical safari operator. Inclusive Tourism;

the provision of tourist accommodation and activities accessible to both able-bodied and disabled

people is experiencing substantial growth. Within Europe, 127million people are disabled and up to 70%

of these people have sufficient economic funds to travel. In the United States, where Inclusive Tourism

is more established it is estimated that people with disabilities spent $13.6billion on 31 million trips last

year. A study into travel by people with disabilities undertaken by Deloitte & Touche found that

disabled people rarely traveled alone, the majority travelling with at least one other person. Our

experience has demonstrated this multiplier effect, in fact around only 20% of our clients are disabled,

the majority being friends, family or carers of that individual who have no disability themselves. This

effectively multiplies the number of people who require Inclusive Tourism destinations, creating a

tourism market worth an estimated Euro 166billion worldwide.

However, the provision of accessible tourist destination within southern Africa remains highly limited.

To make an area an attractive destination for people with disabilities it must contain facilities that allow

their basic needs to be met. This includes the provision of accessible accommodation with suitable

toileting and washing facilities, accessible transport, medical facilities as well as accessible activities and

excursions. Whilst some hotels and guest houses within southern Africa provide a limited number of

adapted rooms suitable for disabled guests, few lodges are accessible to disabled people and none are

wholly inclusive. Rooms adapted for disabled guests are often viewed as unappealing for able-bodied

guests due to their differing layout and presence of specialist equipment, limiting the number hotels

wish to install, whilst the adaption of vehicles and other equipment for activities and excursions is often

expensive. The lack of accessible hotel and lodge rooms makes travel complicated for disabled tourists,

especially when travelling in groups. As experienced operators, and market leaders, of Inclusive safaris

within Botswana, Namibia and South Africa we have demonstrated that once accommodation needs are

met and activities made accessible to all, disabled tourists enthusiastically travel to remote and

previously considered inaccessible areas. We believe that the development of a Inclusive eco-lodge

within the Gorongosa National Park, the first of its kind within the sub-region, will provide an exciting

group travel destination to both disabled and able-bodied guests including the lucrative group and

family travel sector.

After detailed discussions with integral personal involved in the Gorongosa TDA development,

Endeavour Safaris Mozambique has been encouraged to tender for a prime 28,000 hectare private

concession. The concession will be secured on a 20 year renewable contract, with an automatic first

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role over, guaranteeing an initial 40-year lease. In this concession Endeavour Safaris Mozambique will

development a ground-breaking Inclusive Tourism eco-lodge with a variety of safari activities.

Background: Gorongosa National Park

Gorongosa National Park, lies within the Sofal Province of central Mozambique. Covering 4,000km2 this

diverse and beautiful park lies within the southern extension of the East African Rift valley system.

Map illustrating the location of Gorongosa National Park and the stunning Lake Urema

www.gorongosa.net

The park protects a vast area surrounding the imposing Lake Urema. The ebb and flow of the rivers

flowing into the valley from the Barue Plateau, the Cheringoma Plateau and Mount Gorongosa, creates a

rich mosaic of temporally flooded savannah grasslands and woodlands, supporting a wide variety of

flora and fauna species. These include apex predators such as lions, leopards, African wild dogs and

spotted hyena, numerous herbivore species including elephants, hippo, zebra, buffalo, hartebeest, sable

and oribi, over 400 bird species and many species of reptiles including the Nile crocodile.

Whilst the park’s wildlife population substantially decreased during the Mozambique civil war,

historically mammal densities were among the highest in Africa; aerial surveys during the 1960’s

recorded 200 lions, 2,200 elephants, 14,000 buffaloes, 5,500 wildebeest, 3,000 zebras, 3,500

waterbucks, 3,500 hippos and hundreds of eland, sable and hartebeest within the 4,000km2 reserve.

Since the end of the civil war the Mozambique government has worked hard to restore this majestic

park to its former glory. In 2004 the Mozambique government entered into a partnership with the Carr

Foundation, a US-based non-profit organization, to rebuild the Park's infrastructure, restore its wildlife

populations and promote local economic development. Through the investment of over $10 million

between 2004 and 2007, with another $40 million pledged over the next 20 years, the foundation is

working closely with local communities and government departments to re-establish the Parks integrity

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as a wildlife haven and tourist attraction and ensuring its long-term preservation through the

development of a 5,000km2 Sustainable Development Zone, buffering the park through protection of

forests and watersheds along its boundary.

Wildlife populations are already recovering, more recent aerial surveys show a steady increase in many

herbivore populations, including approximately 450 elephants. Natural population growth is being

accelerated by the annual re-introduction of many of the crucial herbivore species including buffalos,

wildebeest and zebra. The park is also now well protected against illegal activities due to the

deployment of a well trained and dedicated team of 144 game rangers. Trained in conservation law

enforcement these rangers, employed for local communities, patrol the park protecting wildlife from

poachers, illegal fires and bush clearance.

With such support, the naturally highly productive Gorongosa ecosystem will, without doubt, in time

return to its former glory, supporting substantial populations of wildlife within a beautiful and varied

ecosystem.

Proposed Eco-Lodge Development

As part of the Tourism Activity Development initiative that is currently underway within the Gorgongosa

Naitonal Park, Endeavour Safaris Mozambique plan to construct a 3-4*24 bed eco- tented lodge within a

designated Tourism Development Area (TDA) in the western region of the Park. The 28,000 hectare

concession lies between the Barue Plateau and the shore of Lake Urema, providing access to a wide

variety of habitats and therefore the opportunity for our guest view the widest possible variety of

wildlife. The area is equally well suited to game drives, boat tours, canoe excursions and guided walks,

making it an excellent safari destination where guests can experience the African bush in many different

ways.

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Uniquely the our development will be a fully Inclusive Tourism destination, providing accommodation

and activities that are equally accessible for disabled as well as able-bodied tourists.

Accommodation and Operations

The lodge will be built in an attractive, yet ecologically sustainable Mozambique style utilising

sustainably harvested wood and grass thatch. The lodge will comprise of a 270m2 communal guest

dining and lounge area, adjacent to extensive decked areas for bird watching and relaxing, a swimming

pool, curio shop and guest toilets. Eight standard guest units, of 70m2, will comprise of a large open plan

bedroom area and en-suite bathroom facilities, whilst two larger family units, will comprise of two

bedroom areas with shared en-suite bathroom facilities. In keeping with the Inclusive Tourism theme all

areas will be designed for both ease of use by able-bodied and disabled guests as well as aesthetic

appeal. The communal guest areas will be large and on one level to ensure easy access for wheelchair

users and the visually impaired. The guest rooms will be large and open plan, utilising moveable hoists

to assist mobility impaired guests. Such a design will allow hoists to be temporarily installed in

predetermined locations within the guest units when needed by disabled guests, but removed when not

needed, ensuring that rooms are equally appealing to all types of guests.

We believe Responsible Tourism is key to all tourism operations within Africa and our development will

strive to achieve a lodge that is ecology sensitive and socially responsible. To maximise the lodge’s eco-

credentials, it will utilize the most up-to-date solar energy technology to both generate power and heat

water, minimizing the use of fuel hungry generators. Power will be generated through a new Sanyo HIT

technology, a combination of crystalline and thin film technology. Solar photovoltaic panels will be used

to charge 2Volt deep cycle batteries, enabling the system to cope for up to three days without solar

input. In the event of sustained overcast weather the system would switch to a super silent back-up

generator. All hot water will be generated using evacuated tube solar geysers. Sewage and waste

water will be fully treated on site in an above ground sewage treatment plant that processes black liquie

waste to better than WHO drinking stanadars, ensuring there the output from the lodge does not

negatively affect groundwater quality and the surrounding environment. All aspects of lodge operations

will be assessed through an environmental management plan, allowing any potential negative impacts

to be identified and minimized.

All our employment and staff management will be base on socially responsible principles. We will work

closely with the local community to maximise

employment and training opportunities. Our ability to

include disabled members of community within the

staff contingent will ensure that this typically

discriminated sector of community is not excluded

from this capacity building.

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Activities

The diverse nature of the Gorongosa ecosystem allows a wide variety of guest activities. Day and night

game drives, within especially adapted vehicles, will allow guests to observe the wide variety of wildlife

found within the Park. The vehicles, fitted with hydraulic lifts and removable chairs, make them suitable

for all guests including those with impaired mobility. Please see the attached information about how we

adapt our vehicles.

Lake Urema and its tributaries make the area ideal for water activities, including motor boats and

canoes, and these will be offered as daily activities at the lodge. Both are easily adapted for disabled

access, with non-slip ramps and removable chairs.

Other optional activities will include canoeing and guided game walks.

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Access

The park is easily accessible by both land and air.

Beira’s International Airport is only three and a half hours drive from the Park, all on well maintained tar

roads. This receives daily flights from Johannesburg in South Africa (journey time 2hours), a major

international hub, as well as flights from

other regions of Mozambique.

As part of the development we will build a

light-aircraft landing strip within our

concession, dramatically decreases transfer

times to and from the lodge. Guests would

also be able to use the Chitengo airstrip

within the southern regions of the Park.

Alternatively guests could be driven in from

Beira airport or further afield.

Future Expansion by Endeavour Safaris Mozambique

Once we have established our Gorongosa eco-lodge we plan to further develop the Inclusive Tourism

market in Mozambique by providing a

beach destination which tourists may visit

before or after visiting their safari

experience. Safari/beach combination

holidays are very popular within the

industry. As this would be the first such

itinerary to be fully Inclusive for disabled

tourists we believe it would be well

received and very popular.

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Original employment opportunities

One of the most exciting aspects of this project is the opportunity to provide employment for disabled

member of the local Gorongosa community, a commonly discriminated against sector of society.

In keeping with the accessible design of the lodge’s front of house, back of house will also be designed

with disabled accessibility in mind. Examples include lowered work tables in the kitchen, a spacious

restaurant with large gaps between tables to allow easy waiting, modified tray tables to assist

wheelchair bound waiters, standardized room layouts to allow visually impaired people to work in

housekeeping and the laundry, strobe light alarms for the hearing impaired and adapted transport.

Once the lodge has been developed and is fully operational we aim to develop an associated training

area to train disabled people in the hospitality trade. A training classroom, kitchen and workshop will

allow us to train disabled individuals in safari guiding, lodge cooking, waiting, bar-work, housekeeping,

laundry and maintenance. We hope that through this training provision we will be able to increase the

employment of disabled people within the hospitality industry across the whole of southern Africa. In

time we plan to establish a charity to support these activities, allowing interested guests to donate time

or knowledge to this vital project.

Marketing Strategy

The lodge will be marketed as a pioneering Inclusive Tourism eco-lodge through our head office in Cape

Town. The company directors and marketing team will also make use International travel fairs,

specialized disabled tourism trade shows and road shows to maximise exposure.

The lodge will be marketed separately to its two markets, the traditional able-bodied safari market and

the disabled tourism market. Separate marketing literature will be drawn up for both markets ensuing

maximal exposure and highlighting the number of facilities available to both able-bodied and disabled

guests.

We plan to utilize other established safari companies within the region to maximise uptake by the

traditional safari market and to date have received positive feedback regarding the inclusion of the

lodge as part of a major companies lodge portfolio. Such inclusion would ensure maximal exposure of

the lodge in the lucrative American and European eco-tourism market, ensuring higher occupancy rates

from opening.

Our marketing strategy will target variety of disabled people, as well as their families and carers,

through specialized marketing channels. These will include those with:

• Mobility Impairments (Paraplegics, quadriplegics, other related physical movement)

• Hearing Impairments. Deaf or impaired hearing

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• Visual Impairments. Blind or low vision

• Kidney Dialysis.

• Oxygen users

• Senior travelers

Through our Inclusive Tourism operations over the last 10 years we have established close relationships

with the specialized agencies promoting disabled travel for individuals, families and larger groups.

Approximately 70% of our agent bookings come from specialist disabled travel companies from both

Europe and the USA. We also benefit from an extensive past client database, many of whom have

already been on more than one of our trips. We will also use the internet to advertise the lodge; this

avenue presently accounts for 40% of our safari bookings. Utilising our image as a company able to

offer unique, high quality, yet personal holidays we believe successfully market the lodge as the primary

Inclusive Tourism eco-lodge destination within southern Africa.

Management Summary

Within camp we will have a staff of 44, with 5 guides and four managers. Due to a lack of qualified local

people we will employ experienced hospitality employees from surrounding countries to establish camp

procedures and train local staff. All junior staff will be employed from local communities around the

Gorongosa region, where possible people with disabilities will be employed. With good training it is

hoped that over time people from the local communities will up to management structure, maximizing

local capacity building and economic empowerment.

We will establish a head office in Maputo to deal with:

• Reservations

• Local marketing

• Accounts

• Ordering and arranging delivery of camp consumables

• Handling of medical emergencies

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Company Summary – Endeavour Safaris

Endeavour Safaris was borne out of the vision of making Southern Africa accessible to all! With the

vision of making Africa accessible for all, regardless of age or disability, we have adapted vehicles and

use specialized en-suite tents making our trips accessible to those with a wide variety of disabilities,

including those with impaired mobility, visual and hearing impairments and oxygen users. Uniquely our

facilities are just as comfortable for able-bodied guests, making our safari experiences truly Inclusive

regardless of ability.

Utilizing this equipment we guide tours across South Africa, Botswana and Namibia, exploring a wide

variety of the regions most spectacular areas, including the Okavango Delta, Chobe, Etosha National

Park, the Kalahari Desert and Kruger National Park. With both set-date departures for our most popular

itineraries and private fully personalized itineraries for families and groups, we offer a world-class, high-

end safari experience suitable for all.

Since its establishment in 2001, we have experienced rapid growth during the last 10 years and enjoy

excellent client loyalty, both at individual and travel agency levels. Many of our clients are repeat guest,

and some have travelled with us over four times, whilst 20% of our new bookings come through word-

of-mouth. Of the remaining 80%, half come through agents and half through internet bookings. We

believe we are in an excellent position to increase our safari destination portfolio by adding our

Gorongosa eco-lodge to our already popular portfolio or safari destinations.

Please see the additional document for additional information and CVs.

Ownership of Endeavour Safaris Mozambique

Laurindo Saraiva – Mozambique Citizen

Laurindo Saraiva completed his PhD in political science and economics at the University of Milan and

LSE, and is a fully trained and certified lawyer. He moved to Italy and was employed by the Mozambique

Ministry of Tourism to promote tourism and investment within Mozambique. He is extremely

experienced in both international marketing, fund management and company processes in

Mozambique.

Michael Hill – South African Citizen.

Mike has worked in the safari industry since leaving school, working his way up from safari guide to

senior management before setting up Endeavour Safaris in 2001. Through his passion for the African

bush and his belief that it should be accessible for all, regardless of disability, he has established

Endeavour Safaris as the market leader of Inclusive Tourism safaris within southern Africa. As well as

being a highly experienced guide, he has extensive experience in safari logistics, camp management,

mechanics and business management.

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Potential concerns

High cost of the holiday due to expensive international and national flights.

• Whilst these will increase holiday costs they are not likely to differ substantially from costs

associated with visiting Botswana, where tourism is very successful.

Malaria and Tsetse flies.

• However, these are found in most safari destinations and with suitable prophylactics and insect

repellant may not cause a problem.

Current Wildlife experience when compared with neighboring countries such as Botswana and South

Africa.

• Whilst wildlife concentrations are presently lower than parks in neighboring countries, they are

expected to rise steadily though the Carr Foundation Gorongosa restoration project. Historically

this park had some of highest mammal densities in Africa and with support and investment is

will undoubtedly return to its former state as a premier wildlife viewing destination.

• Development opportunities within this region are highly limited. By taking advantage of the

opportunity of developing an attractive eco-lodge during the early stages of the restoration

project we are ensuring that we are in place and ready for the market surge that should occur

once wildlife populations are returned to their former levels. Additionally, once all concessions

are allocated new development opportunities within the National Park will not be available for

at least 40years.

Human Rights Treaty

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol were adopted by the

United Nations General Assembly on 13 December 2006, and opened for signature on 30 March 2007.

On 30 March, 81 Member States and the European Community signed the Convention, the highest

number of signatures of any human rights convention on its opening day. 44 Member States signed the

Optional Protocol, and 1 Member State ratified the Convention. The Convention was negotiated during

eight sessions of an Ad Hoc Committee of the General Assembly from 2002 to 2006, making it the

fastest negotiated human rights treaty. The Convention aims to ensure that persons with disabilities

enjoy human rights on an equal basis with others.