21 | Luxlife Magazine Ecotourism Enterprise of the Year - Indonesia TheWOWBorneo storybegan in 2008whenGayeThavisin and LornaDowsonCollins, awe-inspired by the vast rivers, wildlife, and culture of Indonesia, converted a traditional Kalimantan river vessel into a comfortable cruise boat. So, they began inviting guests to float along the river while connecting with unique local traditions and the extraordinary diversity of the flora and fauna – including the mighty orangutan. In the past, tourism operations provided by the likes of Tanjung Puting National Park catered to the local Indonesian market, providing low-paying day trips, and to the international backpacker market. The offering was small local boats with sleeping arrangements in the form of mattresses on deck under mosquito nets and shared basic bathroom facilities. However, WOW Borneo introduced a new concept – that of a small luxury, traditional cruise boat that could take high-end ecotourists on a journey into the forest in comfort, with great food, and English-speaking expert guides leading visits into local villages where Dayak culture is very much alive – topped with the experience of witnessing magnificent wildlife. WOWBorneo was the first of its kind to offer airconditioned cabins, deliciously fresh local food served by trained cooks, and a range of sofas and easychairs givingplentyof choice for guests to relax whilst watching the forest slowly slip by. There is access to specialised Borneo bird and mammal guidebooks, too, which provide expert information and supplement the field knowledge of the guides. Dining arrangements on deck also enhance the experience for guests as the boat drifts along the river. “We tell our clients to just come,” Gaye says intrepidly. “We’ll collect them from the airport; provide all food, accommodation, drinks, and off-boat experiences; and finally return them to the airport – Making the journey into the jungle as easy as possible!” The particular landscape in Borneo and the age-old use of the rivers as highways to the hinterlands, with stunning riverboat designs in each area, is what inspired Gaye and Lorna’s decision to pioneer high-end cruising from Palangka Raya. The rivers are still used as arteries for transports and trading, however, with the development of roads, usage of rivers has dropped off. WOW Borneo is one of the only dedicated river cruise operators in Kalimantan, or Indonesian Borneo,which occupies the south of themystical island of Borneo. Kalimantan boasts some of the world’s most beautiful, biodiverse forests and is home to the iconic and endangered orangutan. The idea behind WOW Borneo is simple: to nurture the local community and environment by creating a serene ecotourism experience with excellent service and fabulous food. To achieve this, the company sees itself as a social enterprise with a firm focus on recruiting, training, and supporting local people. It also actively supports the foundations that rescue and rehabilitate orangutans, as well as other local cultural events and activities. Not only is it the natural environment of Borneo that appeals, but Gaye also loves how the locals are among the most hospitable she has ever met, with her telling us, “We choose local people to work on our boats and the success of this company is due in a large part to their work, commitment, and loyalty. They often receive thanks and recognition from the guests, but I would like to express my gratitude to them!” It is a small team that operates more like a family, where each member is aware of the role and responsibilities of the other, providing support to each other when needed. She says, “In providing the best service to our guests, our staff are encouraged to learn from our experienced personnel, to attend staff training sessions, and to discuss and analyse past cruises and guest management approaches. We keep up-to-date with additional skills, such first aid training and bread making, which all or selected staff are expected to attend.” Meanwhile, in order to keep the enterprise sustainable and buoyant, it is important that it responds to any changes in government regulations in Indonesia and tourismpreferences in the wider world. The management team proactively update their knowledge and are also keenly listening to the staff and crew about how things can be done better on the boats. Gaye goes on to say, “Important for us has been the search for quiet power solutions. Our first boat has been operating with solar panels for power needs onboard, and next year, we hope, with this experience under our belts, we will focus on the conversion of all of our boats.” Now, bookings for this year are looking very promising, having taken equal to 50% of the company’s best year in 2019. Gaye comments, “This is very encouraging for us and as most of our bookings are taken in the three months prior to a trip. We are thus expecting – cautiously – a very good year ahead. Most of our current energy through to the end of Q1 will be expended on getting the boats into very good order to meet the demand we expect.” Company: Wow Borneo Contact: Gaye Thavisin Email: [email protected] Website: www.wowborneo.com
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