| Jungle Lodges has turned 25. Even as it celebrates its Silver Jubilee, it has changed its focus from being merely an eco-tourism organiser to being an eco-tourism consultant and trainer of naturalists.
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| It has so far worked as a consultant for the Orissa and Tripura governments. Using its expertise in eco-tourism it has advised Orissa and Tripura governments on eco-tourism and also about the fauna and flora in the respective states.
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| They are being provided advise on where to find wild animals and kind of services that can be offered to eco-tourists. Jungle Lodges has also been conducting training programmes for naturalists as part of its diversification effort.
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| “It was our expertise in conducting eco-tourism which saw states like Orissa and Tripura approach us. Gujarat has shown interest and so has Andaman and Nicobar Islands,” said Vinay Luthra, MD, Jungle Lodges & Resorts.
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| Jungle resorts, which saw revenues of Rs 12 crore this year, had seen Rs 8 crore in revenues the previous year, a jump of 50 per cent in its revenues. “We hope to grow at the same pace this year too,” said Luthra.
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| As of now, foreign tourists make up 20-25 per cent of the occupiers of the lodges offered by Jungle Lodges. “But, we earn about 40 per cent of the revenues from foreign tourists,” he added.
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| On the origin of the tourists, he said that about 70 per cent of the foreign tourists are Europeans. Interestingly, tourists from the US who make up a big chunk are mostly made up of NRIs.
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| Jungle Lodges, which started as a single property resort, today has over a dozen resorts. It is working on two new projects — Bhadra in Chikmagalur and Dubare in Kodagu. While Bhadra is a tiger reserve, Dubare is an elephant camp.
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| At an event on June 5 to celebrate its silver jubilee, Jungle Lodges will felicitate people closely involved with it. It is offering a discount on all its properties from June 15. |
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