We are delighted to announce the winners of the 2009 Tourdust Scholarship
Three exciting local tour operators in Mongolia, Canada and India who deliver ground-breaking adventure holidays and cultural tours that immerse the traveller in the local place enhance the local community.
Tourdust is a growing directory of adventure holidays and cultural tours from specialist tour operators with local expertise, knowledge & passion. The scholarship is a part of the Geotourism Challenge 09 and the winners were chosen for their passion for their place and activity and their success in putting on fantastic experiences whilst supporting local communities. They receive financial support and mentorship to grow their businesses internationally.
The 2009 winners:
Ger to Ger provides deep cultural immersion in Mongolia offering homestays, guided trekking, and horseback expeditions along nomadic trails. Ger to Ger trains nomadic herders and teams them up with local guides to give travellers a thoroughly authentic taste of Mongolia. Tourdust co-founder, Ben Colclough says, “It was a stay with a nomadic family in Mongolia that inspired us to start Tourdust, so we are delighted to recognize an innovative approach to pairing up travellers with nomadic herders. We think it is fantastic they “Mongolize” the visitors rather than westernising the nomads.”
Cape Race is a unique eco-cultural experience in Newfoundland, Canada. You stay in three spectacular historic coastal homes and explore unique and out-of-the-way nature sites, pubs and music venues under your own steam. The key is a tailor-made professional guide book written specifically for your trip and full of local contacts. Colclough says, “Cape Race strives to facilitate the ultimate aim of any independent traveller, to explore and get to know a place as only a local could. We love that they try to give you real local contacts at each pub or place they recommend. Importantly they also strive to ensure local encounters are spontaneous and authentic and never staged.”
RiverIndia offers culturally-immersive white-water rafting, kayaking, and fishing expeditions on the undiscovered but epic Siang River. While the region is undiscovered and the river is truly epic, what really makes River India stand out is their approach to protecting the river environment and supporting the local economy. River India supports and operates a river skills school which trains and supports locals to set up their own companies on the river. Colclough says, “So many adventure holidays are all about the adventure and forget about the local people and place. River India serves up the ultimate river adventure whilst putting you up in traditional local bamboo huts and dishing up local food. That they can manage this and put so much back into the local community is awe inspiring.”
To read more about the prize and the winners visit www.tourdust.com/blog/tourdust-scholarship-winners
