Community based ecotourism and beyond: The Bolivian experience

1. Community based ecotourism and beyond: The Bolivian experience Prepared by: Cándido Pastor; Steve Edwards, Eduardo Forno, Marcelo Arze CBC - Andes Presented by: Marcelo Arze CI – Bolivia

2. Content • First steps • Community based ecotourism • Scaling up • Ecotourism and protected areas • On site (destination) tourism management • The broader vision • Advocacy and policymakers • Lessons from our experience • An adaptive approach • Key lessons learned

3. 95 05 First steps:Chalalán A history of success in community based ecotourism • San José de Uchupiamonas. An isolated and poor community within Madidi National Park • Funded by IDB, CI and the community • Five years of development and three years of consolidation • High investment in infrastructure and training Outcomes • Annual gross income $300,000 (equivalent to 20 years of community income before project) • Reduced pressure on the forest and other resources - The forest is the main asset in the business • Largest indigenous company in Bolivia • A $12 million project funded by IDB based in this experience

4. 95 05 First steps:Chalalán Breaking paradigms • Distance and accessibility • One hour flight from La Paz, and 6 hours by boat from Rurrenabaque to reach the eco-lodge • Self-sustainability • Financial: • To date, five years of sustainability. • Social: • Strong organization. • Half of the shares in community organization hands, and the other half divided equally among the families of San Jose • Business and community governance compatible • Environmental: • Increased wildlife populations, monitored by the ecotourism guides • Business • Possibility of the community to be self managed

5. 95 05 First steps:The saga Initiatives inspired in Chalalán in development • San Miguel, funded by CARE, SGP-UNDP and CI, and after eight months of operation has reached the breakeven point • Mapajo, developed by a CAF funded project and received market access support by CI. To date has passed the breakeven point • Chalalan Effect there are more than sixty different activities, some with CI participation but many funded by others, mainly in alliances

6. 95 05 First steps:The saga Creative models of communal ecotourism • Kawsay Huasi: More capacity building, less infrastructure • 80% of the investment in training processes (more than 800 hrs. training) • Based mainly in nationals and has as externality the impact on public awareness • An increment of 270% of tourists in three years, expecting more than 10.000 tourists by the end of 2007 (baseline of 2002 was 1740 tourists) • Strategic alliance with private sector • Possibility to develop tourism in a conflictive region • The “A Day for the Communities” (TES) and “El Cebú” models: Merging ecotourism with cultural and agricultural tourism • Inclusion of marginal attractions in a tourism circuit: One additional day for the tourist and new economic activities for the community • Low investment project

7. First steps:The saga

8. 95 05 Scaling up:Ecotourism and protected areas Benchmarks in a long journey: The PA authority role • Ecotourism on PA regulation established • Site specific tourism regulations for Madidi PA passed • Payment system and income genaration by tourism in PA in place • A specific policy on indigenous and communal organizations involvement on PA ecotourism presented From site to landscape activities • Pilón Lajas Indigenous Land and PA Tourism Plan • Participatory • Lead by indigenous organization and PA Authority • Carrasco National Park Tourism Strategy • Lead by PA Authority

9. 95 05 Scaling up:On site tourism management Municipal and Destination level • Destino Verde- Verde turismo • On Site Destination Management Organizations (OGDs) • Small and medium ecotourism businesses capacity building • Best practices • Ranking • New project – Poverty Reduction through Tourism, supported by UNWTO / SNV • Marketing and promotion. Indigenous lands level • Land use planning including tourism • Indigenous organization capacity building

10. 95 05 The broader vision: Advocacy and the policy makers National Committee on ecotourism • An initiative of many stakeholders involved in ecotourism processes supported by CI • Participants: Government; National NGOs: International NGOs; Private sector; Indigenous and community companies; Donors: Other networks • The main outcome was the two Ecotourism Summits (June 2002 and February 2006 with more than 1400 participants) and the development of an ecotourism development plan. • Development of the ecotourism law and national policy. • Bolivian Ecotourism best practice award • Quality self evaluation in ecotourism, first step to certification. • Investment analysis and lessons learned • Bolivia ecotourism marketing strategy

11. 95 05 Lessons from experience:An adaptive approach

12. Lessons from experience:Key lessons learned Initiatives development • Participatory processes are essential for success • Processes to develop a communal ecotourism take long term and need commitment • A clear leadership in the community is essential • Is impossible to develop a sustainable ecotourism product without understanding the local and national context • Is key to understand and take care on social and cultural issues • The market is key to success Capacity building • Strengthen the indigenous organization and their identity is essential for success • Help to integrate the indigenous company into the market through business training • The project focus should not be in infrastructure

13. Lessons from experience:Key lessons learned Alliances • Less investment and less time to develop depends on the strength of alliances: among many supporters (both technical and financial) and the communities • Partnership with private sector: Links to businesses are an essential part of the commercialization chain Government role • The Government will both regulate and provide incentives for ecotourism development • Ecotourism development is mainly private (indigenous, campesino, businessman, etc) but need the support of government and NGOs Monitoring and documentation • The need of clear baseline and indicators to follow up the initiatives and document the experiences

14. Thanks marze@conservation.org