Praveen Moman The artisan of ecotourism

This former political advisor, who returned to the Ugandan lands of his childhood, decided in 1997 to launch into ecotourism in Africa. Since then, success and international recognition have been there. In the tradition of Indian migration to Africa from the 1850s, his family arrived in Kenya in 1930, then quickly settled in Uganda. It was there that Praveen Moman was born, to a civil servant father and a school principal mother, and where he lived good years until the expulsion of the Indians by Idi Amin Dada in 1972. This terrible episode traumatizes the teenager and his family, who draw a line under Africa and settle in Great Britain. He completed his schooling there, then studied at Cambridge, before embarking on a career as a political advisor to the British government, then to the European Union. ALLIANCE OF TOURISM AND AID Praveen Moman did not set foot on the African continent again until the mid-1990s, during a political visit to South Africa and Uganda. He then cannot repress a love at first sight mixed with nostalgia for his native land. After several return trips and the observation of political appeasement in the region, he decided in 1997, with an associate, to create Volcanoes Safaris in Uganda, to revive the great ape safari. He continued his momentum and, in 2000, he would be the first to implement an international company in Rwanda. He will also attempt to open in the Democratic Republic of Congo, without success.

Praveen Moman focuses his activity on luxury ecotourism, practiced intelligently: without putting the gorillas in danger, and by helping local communities. “The rich are interested in monkeys, the poor are interested in daily bread,” he explains. So he is looking for a way to establish a connection between tourists and populations, and not simply to build lodges for the wealthy. Natives view wild animals as potential food. But by working closely with them, they end up buying into and collaborating on projects. According to the founder of Volcanoes Safaris, “helping is a very delicate process, because it is about providing support without being paternalistic, without protecting too much, without orchestrating a spectacle of the poor for the rich. We must know how to preserve the dignity of populations.” For each tourist received, the lodges donate $100 to the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust, a charitable organization that funds many community projects. The lodges accommodate a maximum of eight people at a time. The stay rarely exceeds four days, with an immutable ritual: departure for the safari at 6 a.m. and return for a late lunch. In the afternoon, ecotourists can explore other animals or get involved in a charitable project. In Uganda, all animals are found, except the rhino. The country is home to 1,200 species of birds, while Rwanda has 700. The safari consists of walking in the forest or jungle in search of gorillas. You cannot approach them within seven meters. Generally, they are found in groups composed of many individuals. The observation lasts approximately one hour.

A THIRST TO SUCCEED Praveen Moman is proud to see the progress made by his employees in terms of learning and quality of services, taking into account the conditions in which they live. This thirst to learn and succeed with their teams motivates him and his wife every day. Not to mention the association between tourism and conservation, and this link that is created between very well-off clients, mostly Americans, and the local population, which is very touching. Praveen Moman realizes on a daily basis how terribly threatened the natural environment in Africa is. His dream is to be able to get the message across to government authorities and businesses so that they pay more attention, because many projects are based on a dangerous short-term vision. The destruction of forests for mass tourism construction kills ecosystems, with dramatic consequences. This is further aggravated by the demographic explosion and the exponential increase in consumption. For Praveen Moman, we should think together about the right balance between the needs of economic development and environmental conservation in Africa. MAKING A DIFFERENCE Is it easy to do business in Africa? Praveen Moman smiles before answering. "It's not simple. I came back believing that I could recreate the Africa of my childhood. I was very naive and full of enthusiasm.

The reality is different. Skill levels are very low in my area. We had to start with the B. A. BA and progress step by step. All lodge employees are black Africans. In the offices, there is more diversity. We motivate staff and help them make progress. We must avoid clichés. The goal is to give everyone the opportunity to make a difference in the company, in their own family and in their life. Managing an ecotourism business in Africa is a headache.” Praveen Moman and his wife sold their assets to invest in this life project, because it was difficult for them to obtain a loan. They created three separate entities to avoid complications, one in Uganda, one in Rwanda and a third in the United Kingdom. Rwanda has the highest turnover with 65% annual occupancy. Uganda employs the most people with a team of around 180 people. The London office is very small and mainly manages marketing. And if we had to do it again? He laughs heartily: “It is easier to build and manage a large hotel in the city than a small lodge in the bush. With us, everything is small, handmade, tailor-made and therefore very expensive. This sector is only suitable for passionate entrepreneurs, working for the long term, and for whom the primary objective is not to enrich themselves, but to serve.” Praveen Moman has just completely renovated Mount Gahinga Lodge. The adventure goes on.

By Nadia Acogny