Tibetan Village Project is pleased to launch a new website www.ConsciousJourneys.org that offers voluntourism programs consisting of Tibetan culture immersion, spiritual journeys, sustainable travel, and service projects in Tibet. Conscious Journeys, a mindful Tibetan volun-tourism program, is an effort by Tibetan Village Project to bring volunteer tourists into Tibet as a way of serving the Tibetan communities’ needs and enriching your travel experiences.
Conscious Journeys is a program of the Tibetan Village Project, a nonprofit, non-political organization dedicated to promoting sustainable development while preserving the rich cultural heritage of Tibet. Coordinated by a socially responsible team of Tibetans, our balanced blend of mindful tourism and volunteerism creates positive outcomes for travelers and local Tibetan communities. Since 2005, participants of Conscious Journeys described the program as 'life changing experience.’
Tamdin Wangdu, the founder and executive director, has combined his experience of growing up in Tibet with a deep knowledge of Western culture to create Conscious Journeys. Tibetan tourism has the potential to have both positive and negative effects on the local environment and peoples. Tamdin believes making a conscious decision about how individuals travel can make a difference in the mark left on the Tibetan communities.
China has completed building a railway linkage between Tibet and Mainland China in 2006 and many Tibetan supporters call the railway ‘cultural genocide’ as it brings millions of Chinese migrants to Tibet. Additionally, in the first six months of 2007 alone, more than 1 million international tourists traveled to Tibet, a rise of 86.3% from the previous year. The major tourist companies are primarily not run by Tibetans, therefore, decreasing the direct benefit to individuals in the Tibetan communities. This has caused concerned for mindful travelers about how their tourist dollars may be producing a negative impact on the community.
To learn more about our program and schedule of 2009 trips, please visit www.consciousjourneys.org or email info@tibetanvillageproject.org.
