KUONI SUPPORTS “GREEN CROSS INTERNATIONAL GANGES EXPEDITION”
Kuoni, the UK’s leading travel specialist tour operator, is supporting a major environmental initiative launched by Green Cross International (GCI). The Ganges River is to be the scene of a spectacular expedition, departing mid September 2009, which will study the river from its source in the Himalayas to its mouth in the Bay of Bengal.
Andy Leemann, a Swiss expedition leader who has travelled the Amazon, Orinoco, Mekong and Zambezi is working with Kuoni and GCI to plan this 2,500 kilometre journey which will be navigated in inflatable boats. The expedition will take approx 30 days.
The aim of the expedition is to: -
- Document the state of the Ganges River in 2009 - looking at the impact of climate change, pollution related issues and highlight the consequences for local populations
- Showcase the potential of the region for tourism and the need to preserve the unique biodiversity along the riverbanks
- To bring a deeper knowledge and understanding of the whole region and its natural beauty to a broader public
- To examine the concept of a steady influx of discerning travellers and the income this generates for the region and its locals. With particular emphasis on how this extra income could be used to help sustainable development and the protection of nature
- To generate video and image material for multi-media communication ahead of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference
- To prepare a mobile exhibition on the Ganges for UN events in Geneva, Barcelona and Copenhagen
Indian Producer and camera man, Apal Singh, will be generating over 40 hours of video footage during the journey.
A media launch in Delhi (planned for 14 Sept 2009) will be attended by international media along with VIP’s including Shah Ruka Khan (Bollywood star), Mohan Munashinghe (Nobel laureate) and Jean Michel Cousteau.
Kuoni is financially supporting this expedition and the initiative is part of the company’s overall Corporate Responsibility programme.
Kuoni is committed to support sustainable tourism. Kuoni’s goal is to minimise the negative impact of tourism on people and the environment and strengthen its beneficial effects. Kuoni has launched and successfully implemented over 30 projects to date in its four focus areas of protecting children and adolescents from sexual exploitation, ensuring fair working conditions and good water supplies and mitigating the consequences of climate change.