Ecotourism requires a holistic approach in order to provide tourists with experiences that bring them close to the natural surroundings they choose to visit, including the people who inhabit them. And with tourism often involving limited and fragile resources in areas where stakeholders desire rapid growth, “sustainable” now manifests its place as a partner adjective to tourism.
As such, the Ecotourism / Sustainable Tourism Consulting Group incorporates the principles of sustainability: balancing environmental, economic, and social aspects, as the main pillars for tourists.
Cayuga’s experience meets the ubiquitous challenges presented with local intricacies specific to ecotourism and sustainable tourism businesses, gained through consulting assignments spanning the entire globe. We maintain flexibility and capability in order to adapt to trends and growing consciousness about “eco” while backed by Cayuga’s proven track record, unsurpassed hospitality experience, vast network of hospitality professionals and wide range of services offered.
Ecotourism / Sustainable Tourism Services:
- Development of ecotourism components within hospitality and tourism projects
- Market and financial feasibility analyses for ecotourism businesses
- Ecolodge and ecopark concept development, planning, management and interim management
- Capital raising from funding sources specializing in ecotourism ventures
- Development of nature-based and community-based tours and activities
- Structuring and positioning of and within ecotourism packages
Valuations of sustainable tourism businesses
- Identification and implementation of ecotourism certification
- Identification and implementation of carbon-neutral programs
- Capacity building for employees and supply chain operations
- Strategic planning and market positioning for sustainable tourism operations
- Sustainable tourism integration and improvement within broader tourism development
Advisory Members
The following members are available through Cayuga to provide a full range of consulting services.
Neel Inamdar (Washington, DC)
A Partner in Hospitality Sustainability Solutions, with more than 20 years experience developing, financing, operating and marketing hospitality projects in East Africa and the US, including 300-bed all-inclusive resorts, 15-bed luxury safari camps and community ecolodges. He has worked closely with some of the world’s largest international conservation organizations, community groups and corporations to bridge the gap between tourism and conservation in some of the poorest, yet bio-diversely rich regions of the world. Neel is Senior Advisor on Ecotourism for Conservation International in Washington, DC, responsible for the leadership and restructuring of their ecotourism program. He is also a former Executive Director of the Turtle Bay Beach Resort and the African Conservation Centre in Kenya. Languages: English, Kiswahili and French.
Anne Loehr (Washington, DC)
Co-creator of Hospitality Sustainability Solutions, whose consultants offer extensive, hands-on experience in East Africa, Europe and the U.S., having worked closely with private investors, landowners, local community groups, non-profit organizations, foundations, international donors and governments to create sustainable destinations. This experience spans from working with 300-bed beach resort operations, to working with community ecolodges and national park systems. Anne owned and operated international eco-friendly hotels and tour companies for over 15 years. During this time, she worked with the Ecotourism Society of Kenya to create Kenya’s national hotel eco-rating criteria, the first of its kind in Africa. Anne is also a Certified Executive Coach and author of “A Manager’s Guide to Coaching”, with 5 years experience coaching hospitality CEOs and senior management. Languages: English, French and Kiswahili.
Hans Pfister (San Jose, Costa Rica)
President of Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality, based in Costa Rica, with Partner Andrea Bonilla, offering hospitality management and consulting with a focus on sustainablity: high end ecolodge / sustainable resort operations and marketing; feasibility analysis and concept development; and, sustainable tourism in Costa Rica and Central America. Hans and Andrea have operated the world renowned Lapa Rios Ecolodge on the Osa Penninsula in Southern Costa Rica for more than eight years. They also opened and operated the Harmony Hotel and the Arenas del Mar, both in Costa Rica, and handled the feasibility analysis, concept development and operation of Morgan's Rock Hacienda & Ecolodge in Nicaragua.
Eric Ricaurte (Washington DC)
Consultant specializing in ecotourism and sustainable tourism businesses, offering services in concept development, product implementation, feasibility, market analysis, operational analysis and tool building. Eric’s experiences include managing a rainforest lodge and tour operation in Costa Rica; managing operations at Xel-Há; serving on the operations committee for the parks of Xcaret, Xel-Há, and Garrafón in the Mexican Caribbean; launching nature tour operations and a community-based nature park in Brazil; and, managing the case study content for the World Tourism Forum for Peace and Sustainable Development. Author of the novel The Costa Rican Dream. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, conversant in French.
