GREAT ORANG UTAN PROJECT AWARDED IN LONDON

Great Orangutan Project, a project run by Way Out Experiences, has been highly commended in the Best volunteering organisation category at this year's Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards. This award which was launched in 2004 are run in association with partners World Travel Market, Metro Newspaper and Geographical Magazine industry.

The award was handed over during the World Travel Market (WTM), Docklands, London today November 10th. The central tenet of the Awards is that all types of tourism - from niche to mainstream - can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people. This is an example of animal protection tourism where travel can help save endangered animals for future generations.

In Sarawak, Sarawak Forestry Corporation embarked on a conservation partnership with Way Out Experiences based around volunteerism at Matang Wildlife Centre. The programme started in Oct 2005 and continues till today. Way Out Experience markets and sells in the UK, volunteer placements at Matang Wildlife Centre.

The programme which is made up of 2 placement programmes namely:

1)     4-week volunteer placement : 12 times/yr; max 9 volunteers per placement

2)     2-week volunteer placement : 6 times a year; max 12 volunteers per placement

At the centre the volunteer is required to feed, clean, observe and monitor the released animals as well as to maintain the facilities. Apart from this the volunteer is also to interact with visitors to the centre and provide interpretation.

Since the inception of the programme in 2005 a total of 235 volunteers have signed up for the programme and numbers are increasing year on year. 

Sarawak Tourism Board as part of its promotional efforts have also assisted to publicise this programme by supporting print and electronic media in carrying out documentaries on this project. During the year it has assisted in arranging Australia’s number one national travel show – Gateway TV featuring famous Melbourne model, Kelly Landry volunteering at Matang Wildlife Centre. Seven Network, Australia’s highest rating television network, based in Sydney has also done documentaries on this project. TV and print media from Europe have also shown an increase interest in this project and the centre.

Courtesy of Sarawak Tourism Board
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