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Surama Eco-Lodge, a community-based tourism initiative in Region Nine, was honoured at the U.S. Educational Travel Conference (ETC) which took place in New Orleans, Louisiana, recently.As the Responsible Tourism Showcase Honoree for 2009, Surama received recognition at the opening plenary session as well as press and visibility in front of tour operators from museums, schools, alumni associations, and other US-based institutions with international travel programmes.Surama Eco-lodge also received a monetary award,Cheap NFL Football Jerseys, and will be recognised and featured on the ETC website and in outreach programmes throughout 2009.The exposure will result in international recognition for Surama’s community tourism programmes, and should serve to increase awareness of the ecological and cultural preservation efforts underway throughout Guyana.The California-based Geographic Expeditions and North Vancouver-based Small Planet Consulting (SPC) played leading roles in Surama’s success.Judy Karwacki,Wholesale Authentic Jerseys, President of SPC, has since 2006 been the Tourism Director of the Guyana Sustainable Tourism Initiative (GSTI) – a joint project of the Guyana Tourism Authority and the United States Agency for International Development/Guyana Trade and Investment Support (USAID/GTIS) project.She invited Geographic Expeditions to visit Guyana on a familiarisation trip in 2008.Geographic Expeditions was highly impressed by Surama, and agreed to work with Karwacki to prepare the Responsible Tourism Showcase application, and then nominated Surama Eco-Lodge for Showcase Honoree.“Our clients are looking for opportunities to visit places where their tourism dollars contribute to local communities’ own efforts to preserve their culture, land, and traditional way of life,” said Jim Sano of Geographic Expeditions.“One can support local economies and conservation efforts by choosing to visit communities like Surama in Guyana, where every dollar spent contributes to local educational, conservation, and economic development programmes,Jerseys Cheap,” he added.Given the pressing need to develop new conservation models for the world’s remaining rainforests, it is vital for communities like Surama to thrive, Sano stated, noting that Surama is a perfect example of this ideal.On the selection of Surama as the award winner, Sherry Schwarz of the ETC said: “There were some outstanding applications this year and the selection process was quite difficult, which speaks even more highly to the merit of Surama Eco-lodge’s responsible tourism programming.”“Many of us didn’t know about this Guyana community, and were fascinated to learn about its commitment to preserving its indigenous traditions and its environment. It’s really a perfect match for the Responsible Tourism Showcase Award.”Sydney Allicock, who has championed the tourism programme at Surama,Cheap Jerseys, said the community was honoured to be granted such an award.“The award means a lot to the Eco-Lodge: more publicity, more clients,Brian Urlacher Bears Jersey, and a greater sense of ownership by management and the people of Surama. The years of continued dedication by workers are slowly paying off as a community business.”Mr. Allicock also said the community has already decided how the award money will be used.“There has always been a problem for lights and charging batteries for clients,Cheap Jerseys From China Online,” he reported. “Plans are already afoot to use the funds to support a proper power source for lights, charging batteries and use of computers.”True to Surama’s conservation beliefs, the community will be investing in a solar system for the Eco-Lodge.Surama village is home to roughly 300 Makushi Amerindians. The village is set amongst five square miles of the Rupununi Savannah that are surrounded by the jungle-covered Pakaraima Mountains.This idyllic setting – complete with the meandering Burro Burro River and a dense collection of flora and fauna – has proved an ideal location for community- based ecotourism in Guyana.The Surama Eco-lodge and all tours in and around Surama are managed and operated solely by the local Makushi Amerindians.More than 70 people in the village are employed,John Gibson, either directly as hospitality staff, guides, cooks, artisans and drivers, or indirectly as farmers, hunters, fishermen, tailors, and construction and maintenance workers.