Facilitate positive change in people’s lives
For Rainforest Cruises, facilitating positive change means enhancing the quality of life for the inhabitants of the Amazon River. This commitment to positive change comes in two ways.
Firstly, by elevating our customers' awareness of the Amazon’s constant environmental pressure, their daily decisions can be made with the world’s health in mind.
Secondly, with so much pressure on the Amazon region from a variety of economic interests, such as mining, oil production and logging, we feel that tourism offers possibly the best alternative for bringing much-needed wealth to the region, while at the same time maintaining the unique habitat.
Residents of the Amazon
When considering the problems the Amazon region faces, it is not uncommon to overlook the very people who inhabit this majestic rainforest. Often, news and information on the Amazon will cover business developments, environmental destruction, or the disappearance of a particular species. We believe that these topics are of the highest importance, but we also believe that any conservation efforts put forth should consider the needs of local populations. Inhabitants of the Amazon region have needs which have to be met just as we do. Access to health, food, education, safety, and economic opportunity ring true in Amazonia as much as they do in any other region. Unless the world realizes this, and drafts conservation plans inclusive of local population needs, successful conservation will be a dream.
Rainforest Cruises understands the needs for economic opportunities in the Amazon River, which is why we offer Amazon River cruise boats that have a vested interest in local communities. When you enjoy your tour of the Amazon with us, you will see that the cooks, guides, servers, support staff, even pilots are hard-working men and women from the various communities lining the riverbanks. The Amazon riverboat cruises operating in Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, and Bolivia often have programs assisting specific communities to help themselves as well. Many cruises offer opportunities for travelers to purchase locally-produced craft goods, directly injecting much needed money into local communities. Teaching communities to help themselves is a better return on investment than simply offering assistance.
Tourism brings positive change
We firmly believe that tourism is one of the best vehicles to promote local development, while simultaneously protecting the environment. When local communities along the Amazon River can earn a fair livelihood by sharing their wonderful treasures, future generations, both local and from abroad, will be grateful their natural treasures have been preserved. When travelers from distant lands arrive at the banks of the mighty Amazon River, eager to begin their tour of the Amazon, they soon realize the powerful beauty and fragility of the River. This paradox is important to experience first-hand, as it helps travelers to understand the vital importance the Amazon has on their lives, and that it is the responsibility of every citizen of the world to protect our natural wonders.
We hope that all of our Amazon riverboat cruise passengers will return home with a new understanding of the realities of life in the Amazon, and tell others that we should all collectively make the effort to ensure it is preserved for future generations.
We strive to inform as many people as possible that an Amazon riverboat cruise is a life-changing experience that will bring happiness for years to come, benefiting both travelers and local communities.
