| BEST
FOR POVERTY REDUCTION
|
HIGHLY COMMENDED Jungle Bay Resort & Spa, Dominica
Island of hope JUNGLE BAY launched onto the Caribbean holiday scene in 2005 as a radical alternative to traditional Caribbean sun’n’sand resorts. The 55-acre boutique hotel is unique in many ways – not least of which is its founder, local-born businessman and developer Sam Raphael. It’s rare for upscale Caribbean properties to be developed and operated by local Caribbean people. The resort features 35 wooden cottages perched on stilts, in the midst of the rainforest. Amenities include an open-air restaurant, pool, spa, yoga centre and nature trail. And Dominica doesn’t fit the Caribbean profile. This relatively unknown rainforest island has almost no beaches, above-average rainfall, a rugged coastline and no direct flights from major destinations. The most radical departure, however, is Jungle Bay’s philosophy; that it is possible to develop and profitably run a luxury hotel that conserves the environment and creates jobs and
spa attendants, cooks, room attendants,
a garden and access to fresh water. But the
economic opportunity for the local population.
maintenance people and managers.
collapse of an entire industry required a new
Around the turn of the century, the
The story of the resort forms part of the
mind-set – and Jungle Bay provided it.
island’s economy came to a shuddering halt
experience for visitors who can also visit
with the demise of its subsidised agricultural
some of the many community projects
in the tourism industry in the Caribbean,’
trade, sending 8,000 small Dominican
Jungle Bay supports, including the House of
said Raphael. ’The Jungle Bay philosophy
banana farmers into bankruptcy.
Hope, a home for disabled orphans, which
is beginning to blossom. The real Jungle
will expand to house the elderly and battered
Bay story is that out of an unfortunate set
built over five years by large numbers of
women and their children. One unexpected
of circumstances, the Caribbean tourism
previously unskilled ex-banana farm workers
sideline was a decision by the staff to donate
industry might have a viable alternative
using discarded rocks and reclaimed timber.
ten per cent of their tips to help such projects.
to old practices, one which will be more
Jungle Bay filled part of that void. It was
Because tourism was new to the southeast
The success of the Jungle Bay model has
‘This is the beginning of a quiet revolution
sustainable in the long run.’
region of Dominica, Raphael and his wife
not gone unnoticed. The government is now
Glenda set up a local NGO, the South East
convinced that low impact tourism is key
Tourism Development Committee to lay the
to the future of Dominica, and Jungle Bay is
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID:
groundwork for its brand of ecotourism, such
seen as the ‘signature resort’.
‘JUNGLE BAY is a leader in responsible
as developing trails, and training guides.
Accepting a World Saver award earlier
www.junglebaydominica.com
tourism and poverty reduction in Dominica
this year, Sam Raphael said Jungle Bay was
– 85 per cent of the payroll goes to local
and fishermen have had a new market for
changing an entire community. This lush
employees, the resort supported the
their fresh organic produce, handicraft
island, more akin to a chunk of Costa Rica,
development of local enterprises to create
producers and heritage dancers have had a
doesn’t match the familiar poverty image of
employment and to supply organic produce,
venue for their trade and 60 villagers have
subsistence farming in a dry, dusty landscape
fish and craft production; and runs a House
been trained to host visitors as tour guides,
parched by drought. Most Dominicans have
of Hope for disabled children.’
Since Jungle Bay opened, small farmers
r:travel | 87