The Sundarbans Ecovillages Network action will improve and expand the lodging services available in the Sundarbans “Cultural Corridor” villages, develop community-based natural and cultural tour experiences, and support the marketing and sales needs of Community-Based Tourism (CBT) destinations. The result of these activities will be CBT destinations where visitors spend multiple days exploring the Sundarbans natural and cultural resources.
Lodging
Lodging acts as an “anchor” product for tourism destinations in that it facilitates visitors spending multiple days at a site, which in turn results in those visitors purchasing other tourism products and services such as guided tours, crafts, food and transportation. Without lodging, tourism spending is extremely limited. Therefore, existing CBT lodging in the Ecovillages Network will undergo improvements such as painting and signage, new furniture and bedding, and skills training in lodging operations and management. A crowd-funding campaign will also be launched via the GlobalGiving platform to source funding for new Ecocottages to expand the network.
Attractions & Experiences
The tourism attractions in the Cultural Corridor are primarily cultural experiences. For example, organized groups that present Hindu songs and dances to visitors. However, the real opportunity that exists here is to create experiential opportunities for visitors to immerse themselves in the traditional lifestyle of rural Bangladeshi village life. Opportunities include:
- A culinary experience where visitors prepare a meal in a local kitchen alongside community members.
- An experience where visitors learn traditional fishing and farming techniques.
- A crafts workshop where visitors learn from and work alongside local artisans.
- A forest walk that includes interpretation of medicinal plants, wildlife and forest spirits.
Marketing & Sales
The primary marketing & sales strategy for the Ecovillages network will entail the creation of an “umbrella” brand as well as a marketing and sales entity that will represent all of the CBT destinations within the Ecovillages Network. The umbrella brand will help to represent and communicate the authentic qualities of the Ecovillage Network destinations, as well as facilitate multi-day itineraries that link complementary destinations. The marketing and sales entity will support key promotional activities such as an Ecovillages website and social media content, as well as set-up centralized communications, reservations, and payment systems.
