Direct involvement of local communities in implementation of
the project, operation of the tourism center by WPA
on behalf of the local people and tourism revenues will
contribut in sustainability of this intervention.
For the operational of tourism center will hire a tourism enterprise
manager, cleaner and guard are selected among the young
people and the mason and labours that working for construction
are young people. also tourism guides, translator, cook and
drivers all keen to work and support the tourism center valentire
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
Organize and conduct a meeting in Ishkashim to resolve tourism
problems relating to Wakhan national park, also conduct
questionnaire survey from the tourist that visit from Wakhan
National Park.
Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
The project will be implemented by local people of Ishkashim
and Wakhi will be the direct benificiaring.
Capacity - Building Component
The tourism enterprise manager and WPA director board will
be get training about the financial statment and hospitility
by WCS.
Inovative Financial Mechanisms
The tourism/ business centre has already been constructed
and with this effort it will become operational. By the end of
this funding period it is planned that there will be some tourism
revenue collected from all foreign tourists visiting Wakhan,
rent from the other organizations and businesses working out
of the centre will contribute some financing to the running
costs of the centre and if needed with a small help from WCS
for two more years this will be enough to keep the centre
running until it is planned in the future for there to be an
increase in tourists visiting Wakhan and therefore covering
the costs of the centre.
Replication of project activities
There is a potential that this modality of this community led
tourism center to be replicated in other protected areas
in the country.
Policy Impact
There will not be any policy impact by this project
Policy Influence
This project supported involvement and capacity of local
communities in Wakhan National Park for better participation in Protected Area co-management process which is a focus area of National Protected Area System Plan as the main relevant national policy.
Gender Focus
This project will benefit both male and female members of
local communities and tourism population visiting Wakhan
National Park both during its implemnentataion and also durring
operation of the tourism centre. The project will facilitate employment
of minimum 30% female staff for operation of the tourism cnetre
and office manager,guard, cleaners (at lease 30% women will
be hired) and will be trained on how to deliver high quality
standard job on their duties. Tourism promotion in Wakhan
Nationa Park and increase in capacity of locla communities
to benefit from tourim servicers in their areas will be a gernral
benefit to the female and male local community members in
Wakhan and Ishkashim including children and youth. Development
of some facilities inside the tourism centre like the constrution
of two toilets (one for women and one for men) will benefit
both female and male staff and visitors.
Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
With implementation of the project many poor people will
benifeted from the project.
Project Results
The Wakhan Pamir Association (WPA is an established Community Based Organization in Wakhan). It is consisting of Indigenous communities of Karighiz and Wakhies. With the technical support from the Wildlife Conservation Society, WAPA took the initiative of establishing a tourism information and management center for promoting eco-tourism.
WAPA established a Tourism Center and equipped with the necessities. The tourism center is situated ideally to facilitate international tourists in visiting Wakhan corridor in the Badakhshan province of northern Afghanistan. Wakhan district and Afghan Pamir form the largest protected area of Afghanistan where tourism is promoted as alternative livelihood source to decrease pressure over dependence of natural resources and livestock forming that are key threat to the biodiversity and environment.
