Approximately 85% of the Maldives' Gross National Product comes from tourism operations built around tropical beaches and coral reefs in an environment not dissimilar to Fraser Island.
The group were keen to develop 'best practice' ecotourism in their country using KBRV as their case study. Resort Senior Management presented lectures and tours on topics including the resort's architectural design, energy efficiencies, the sewage treatment as well as tourism education, interpretation and best practice.
After the visit, the officials returned to implement the policy, at government level, to encourage ecotourism ventures and reduce environmental impacts. Following this success, we worked with a group from the Cook Islands.
UPDATE: In October 2012 the resort also worked with the University of the Sunshine Coast and the work they are doing to facilitate an Indonesian Australian Leadership Award Fellowship (ALAF) program. The aim of the program is to assist the ALAF Indonesian Fellows in building their knowledge and skills to develop integrated, collaborative and sustainable policies, plans and practices which address current environmental and social problems, and enable the most well-known tourism destination: Gili Matra to be maintained as a well-managed tourism destination for the economic and social benefit of the local population and the NTB Provincial Government.
The program included theory, workshops, case studies, on-site visits to four exemplar Queensland island tourism destinations - including Fraser Island - and facilitated discussions with leaders in sustainable coastal tourism management. The team from Kingfisher Bay Resort hosted the delegation on several eco tours including our worm, herb and sewerage treatment farm.
