Eco-Tourism at Skyline Business School

1. Eco-Tourism - AritroDasgupta

2. Relevant Quotes • “Being the best kept secret is not a good strategy when you are in the tourism industry”- David Kenney • “The average tourist wants to go places where there are no tourists”- Sam Ewing

4. Origins of Ecotourism • Conventional tourism poses a lot of threats to environment & society • To increase commercial viability, tourism firms violate environmental & societal norms at will • Leads to multi fold problems- environmental, social, cultural, safety & even economic • These problems took time to be identified as that can only be done over a period of time when impacts start showing

5. Origins of Ecotourism • Developing nations with a large number of people below poverty line & with a heavy reliance towards tourism for foreign exchange, worst hit • Educated people presently are very conscious about environment due to increased awareness on topics like global warming, climate change, sustainable development, carbon footprint etc. • So need was felt for an alternate mode of tourism which does not cause undue harm to environment

6. Evolution • Up to the 1980s various terms were in popular use to denote alternate tourism- wildlife tourism, jungle tourism, sustainable tourism etc. • Eco-tourism was one among half a dozen odd such terms • It was Mexican environmentalist- Hector CeballosLascurain-who popularized the term • Eco-tourism over a period of time attained a totally different meaning to the other terms  

7. Evolution • Globe 90 Conference in 1990 laid emphasis on sustainable tourism • World Tourism Organization (representing governments), World Travel & Tourism Council (representing private players) & the Earth Council (representing NGOs) established Agenda 21- towards environmentally sustainable tourism

8. Definition & Meaning • Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial (Mass) tourism • It has various criteria, following each of which is necessary for the operators to be accredited as an ecotourism venture • Should have multiple benefits – Triple Bottom Line concept

9. Target Benefits of Eco-tourism • Environmental • Social • Economic • Educational

10. Environmental • Minimum environmental damage • Off limit to plastic bags • No noise pollution zones; music from instruments allowed only up to minimum permissible limits • Waste water treatment • Feeding or teasing of wild animals (monkeys) strictly prohibited • Use of renewable, clean forms of energy like wind or solar energy • Limited use of lights, dinner often under candlelight

11. Environmental • Limited number of vehicles & operators allowed for safari in the jungle • Limited honking of horns by those vehicles once inside jungle • Some non-permanent structures constructed for tourists’ accommodation to merge with the ambience, & not create contrast with surrounding forest • Basic accommodation; comforts to be provided but no excess electronics like TVs • Use of wireless for communication so telephone towers need not be constructed

12. Social • Local empowerment • Revenue generation via tourism venture to remain in the area • Employment opportunities for the local people • Indigenous technology • Encouragement of local industry • Removal of taboos & discriminatory practices among people through exposure to tourists • Due to employment opportunities, anti-social activities like poaching are curbed

13. Economic • Huge economic potential as educated people looking for alternate, more peaceful forms of tourism • Rates much higher to discourage mass tourism, thus profit margins higher • In the guise of simplicity & earthiness, fixed costs are often lower. eg: lower use of electricity, fixed food options, locally sourced material, local employees (no need to recruit substantial number of hotel professionals), simple room structures etc.

14. Economic • Many indirect benefits as conservation leads to better forests, which leads to better capture of fresh water & protection against natural calamities • Conservation can also provide international reward points; form of niche tourism gives better opportunities for international recognition so greater chances of foreign exchange

15. Educational • Tourist must derive some learning; eco-tourism not just for fun • Tourist must go back home with the confidence & assurance of having experienced wildlife & local culture in its true form • Sensitization on socio-environmental issues

16. Ecotourism Spectrum • Supply Factors: nature & resilience of resources- cultural or local community preferences & types of accommodation • Demand Factors: types of activities & experiences- degree of interest in natural or cultural resources & degree of physical effort

17. Continuum of Ecotourism Paradigms

18. Tourism Venn

19. Ecotourism Principles • Minimizes negative impacts to the environment & local people • Increases the awareness & understanding of an area’s natural & cultural systems & subsequent involvement of visitors in issues affecting those systems • Maximizes early & long-term participation of local people in the decision making process that determines the kind & amount of tourism that should occur

20. Ecotourism Principles • Contributes to conservation & management of legally protected & other natural areas • Directs economic & other benefits to local people that complement rather than overwhelm or replace traditional practices (farming, fishing, local systems etc.) • Provides special opportunity to local people & nature tourism employees & learn more about the wonders that other visitors come to see

22. 12 Pillars of Sustainability Source: UNEP & WTO 2005

23. APPA Framework • Method of creating & finalizing eco-tourism destinations • Appreciative Participatory Planning & Action (APPA) • Contains 4 components (4 Ds): • Discover • Dream • Design • Deliver

24. Development of APPA • Developed by Mountain Institute • Developed the general management concept of Participatory Learning & Action (PLA) into the ecotourism concept of APPA • Empowers all stakeholders & participants • Promotes policies & activities based upon capacities, skills & assets of participants & environments which are creative & innovative

25. Underlying Philosophy • “If you look for problems you will find them; or conversely if you look for successes you will find more successes.” • “If you have faith in your vision or ideas for the future, and these are believable, then you will be able to achieve success (substantial progress) without waiting for government or an outside donor to take you there.”

26. Problem Solving Approaches

27. Problem Solving Approaches

28. Discover • Collective identification & valuing of “good things” about a community as assets • Natural features, resources and attributes, such as mountains, forests, landscape • Cultural sites, traditions, and history, including festivals, local food and dress, legends • Location and proximity to other tourism sites, building upon regional assets • Accessibility: distance from main cities, air service, road conditions, telephone service

29. Discover • Popularity or fame of tourism assets: national or international recognition • People skills/knowledge, technology: local knowledge of plants and animals • Local institutions, their capabilities and alliances: effective community mobilization • Access to financial assistance: availability of credit, joint investment potential

30. Dream • Collectively visualize how their community can develop and benefit • Define what the community sees as the desirable form and characteristics of Community-Based Tourism in the future • Build upon the tourism assets and strengths identified in Discovery • Give clear and positive direction to the development of a community tourism plan

31. Dream Questions • what types of visitors are coming • what they are attracted to • When are they coming • what they are doing • where they are staying • who is hosting or guiding them • who else is benefiting from their visit • how the attractions are managed and maintained

32. Design • Assess the products of the Dream phase against the objectives of Community-based Tourism, and eliminate those that do not meet these objectives • Selection of the most viable products or sets of products • Strategy development for Community-based Tourism through an assessment of factors that contribute to success • Formulation of action plan(s) for Community-based Tourism • Monitoring and Evaluation design

33. Design- Key Points • The value of prioritization (based on key objectives of community-based tourism) and the role of elimination • What information do we have, do we need more information, on what, how do we collect this information • Analyzing information in designing tourism activities – assessing the factors that will help lead to successful Community-based Tourism • Generating action plans, identifying responsibilities and resources

34. Deliver • Relevance – significance with respect to specific needs and issues • Effectiveness – performance in relation to objectives • Efficiency – rate and cost at which activities lead to results • Impact – relevant ecological, economic, social political consequences • Sustainability – continuation of impacts after external support is withdrawn

35. Thank You