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Eco-Tourism An Investigation Into The Conceptual Framework PDF
Eco-Tourism An Investigation Into The Conceptual Framework PDF
Golam Moinuddin*
Halima Begum**
Abstract
Sustainability considerations have been making ways in each and every development initiative in the
last two-decades or so. In line of this trend, the concept of eco-tourism emerged and later on, turned
out to be an environment friendly and economically beneficial industry taking over a considerable
bulk of mass-tourism activity and offsetting some of its negativities. Such a transformation has
ultimately positioned eco-tourism to be the substitute of mass-tourism in many tourist destinations.
In view of such reality, this article attempts to investigate on the conceptual dynamics and benefits of
eco-tourism and explores reflective state of these theoretical underpinnings on the basis of two case
studies drawn from successful eco-tourist destinations. In light of such investigative out-puts, the
article focuses on the prospects of eco-tourism industry and makes an effort to provide a broad policy
framework for the development of the same in Bangladesh. It identifies areas of intervention required
in promoting the eco-tourism industry in the country. Finally, it attempts to define and differentiate
the respective roles of the private and public sectors in the flourishment and sustainable growth of
the sector in the country.
Introduction
Tourism industry contributes considerably to the society, economy and to the
environment - either man made or natural (Harrington, 2001). Despite its positive
contributions, the negativities of this industry have become quite a concern over the last
couple of decades. The negative action destructs the social-norms, creates economic
disparity within the native entity, attempts to impose alien culture and destroys the
natural resource base slowly but in an irreversible fashion (Krippendorf, 1992).
Alongside, the infrastructural requirements for this industry can be harmful for the built
environment’s harmony in urban and regional context. Harrington (2001), in this regard,
illustrated that unregulated development of hotels in London threatened the quality of
life in the city. Krippendorf (1992) recognized that the resource base acted as the raw
material for tourism sector, which through improper use and overuse, loses it’s value.
This is especially true for those tourist activities that are based upon natural resources,
e.g. forest camping, hunting of wild animals and river cruising are sensitive to
ecosystems. The ultimate effect of such uncontrolled and profit based industry has been
the slow and irreversible destruction of ecosystem’s carrying capacity.
Such observations by the researchers, planners, and environmentalists have brought a
shift in the tourism activities in the 1980’s. This shift has been towards alternative forms
of tourism over mass-tourism that has given the way for the globalization of markets,
super segmentations, new technologies and most of all, an increased sense of social and
*
Assistant Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-
1342, Bangladesh. E-mail: h0199025@graduate.hku.hk
**
Lecturer, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342,
Bangladesh. E-mail: halimasn@yahoo.com
Jahangirnagar Planning Review, Vol. 2, June 2004 2
ecological responsibility (Fayos-Sola, 1996). The new paradigm calls for a partnership
between public, private and non-profit agencies leading to a more symbiotic relationship.
This sense of partnership between concerned quarters has been the key concept for the
development and flourishment of ecologically or eco- friendly tourism industry in recent
era. Damage to the environment by tourist activities can be minimized through
coordinated planning and regulations, incentives to encourage or discourage particular
activity and on and off-site awareness building and raising education (UNEP, 1998).
Hjalagar (2001) stressed the need for being more innovative in terms of planning,
management of tourism industry and protection of natural resources. An interagency co-
operation can play a major role in making future policies and regulations to limit
tourism’s negative impact on environment. This is where the concept of “eco-tourism”
comes into the scene. Eco tourism encompasses a broad spectrum of societal concerns
related to complex social, ecological and economic relationships. It is about framing a
“win-win” situation for all the involved interests and striking a balance between
environmental sustainability and community’s economic development.
Conceptual Dynamics
The Definition
Eco-tourism is a sustainable form of natural resource-based tourism that focuses
primarily on experiencing and learning about the nature (Gerafe et al, 1994). It is ethically
managed to have minimal impact on the environment. Its nature is non-consumptive and
locally oriented. It typically occurs in natural areas, and should contribute to the
conservation or preservation of the same. According to Fennell (1999), eco-tourism is
“Nature tourism encompassing all forms of adventurous, low-impact tourist activities
which uses natural resources in a wild or undeveloped form – including species, habitats,
landscape, scenery and salt and fresh water features”. Eco-tourism is primarily a low-
impact nature tourism which contributes to the maintenance of species and habitats
either directly through a contribution to conservation and/or indirectly by providing
revenues to the local community which are sufficient for local people to value, and
therefore, protect their wildlife and heritage areas (Fairbrain et al, 1998). By nature, eco-
tourism is dependant upon a number of “eco” resources, e.g. natural, cultural and
heritage resources (Fairbrain et al, 1998).
or aboard. And finally it is about involving the tourists along with the other components
of tourism industry in activities that are meant for the sustenance of eco-tourist
resources”(Blangy et. al., 1998).
Mclaren (1998) identified several principles, which underlie the concept of eco-tourism:
• It should not degrade the resource base and should be developed in an
environmentally-sensitive manner;
• It should involve education among all parties - local communities, government, non-
governmental organizations, industry, and tourists;
• It should provide first hand, participatory and enlightening experience;
• It should incorporate all party in recognition of core concerns related to the intrinsic
values of the resource;
• It should involve acceptance of the resource on its own terms and in recognition of
its limits which involves supply-oriented management;
• It should promote understanding and involve partnership between many players;
• It should promote moral and ethical responsibilities and behaviour by all players;
and
• It should provide long-term benefits: to the resource, the local community and to the
industry.
Eco-tourism is the fastest growing segment of tourism industry today (Fairbrain et al,
1998). More destinations are becoming interested in eco-friendly “green” tourism,
cultural tourism and are considering eco-tourism as part of their tourism strategy
(Fairbrain et al, 1998). Many places are aggressively marketing their attractions to eco-
tourists.
Obviously, eco-tourism is not new in the industry. What is new, however, is the growing
eco-tourism market and the strategies to capitalize on this new trend (Boo, 2001).
Compared to other economic options, eco-tourism holds the promise of private sector job
creation, while preserving environment and culture. If used wisely, eco-tourism policies
can accomplish more than providing the jobs needed to build a private sector-based
economy — they may support and maintain desired traditional practices, which visitors
come to see (Boo, 2001). Destinations that intends to limit tourism, eco-tourism is
preferable to traditional mass tourism since it can:
• provide a more stable and flexible means of modernization,
• use more local labour and capital,
• reverse the loss of traditional economic activities, and
• prevent further depletion of resources or pollution. (Eagles, et al, 1999)
For example, in popular destinations eco-tourism can diversify mass tourism by offering
visitor activities like nature walks, eco-tours, and other nature experiences, as well as
encourage the development of conservation areas and cultural centres in rural areas.
Jahangirnagar Planning Review, Vol. 2, June 2004 4
Goals of Eco-tourism
Boo (2001), has recognized four goals of eco-tourism. These are:
• protection of the environment —economies that are experiencing loss of resources
due to population growth, hurricanes and extractive industries like fisheries, eco-
tourism can provide economic support for the protection of the environment.
• economic sustainability —economies that are facing the loss of revenue in the near
future and rely heavily on imports, eco-tourism can provide a ready means of
foreign exchange. The goals of eco-tourism are also to benefit residents by ensuring
sufficient financial returns and an equitable distribution of costs and benefits.
• cultural integrity and enhancement — the word ‘ecology’ in eco-tourism implies a
two-way relationship between visitors and residents involving cultural exchange,
but also mutual respect and reciprocity. If these elements are missing at a tourist
destination, the warm welcomes could soon turn into resentment.
• educational value — this can be seen in the education of both visitors and
residents in creating awareness and appreciation of the natural environment and
cultures, including what is passed down to the next generation.
Benefits of Eco-tourism
The benefits of eco-tourism are clearly seen by governments in both developing and
developed nations for a variety of reasons. For example, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Kenya
are usually mentioned as models of successful eco-tourism (Eagles, et al, 1999). These
destinations, which offer unique environments and wildlife, earn much-needed foreign
exchange through eco-tourism (Eagles, et al, 1999). A few years ago, Belize reassessed its
tourism development plans and held an eco-tourism conference in order to redirect its
tourism efforts in the direction of greater environmental preservation (Horwich, et al,
2001). Other countries like Australia, New Zealand, and Canada are vigorously investing
in and promoting eco-tourism to diversify their tourism base (Liu, 1998). In the Pacific
and South-East Asian region, much of tourism development potential falls within the
scope of eco-tourism (Liu, 1998). Some examples of eco-tourist activities are nature treks,
village stays, bed and breakfast accommodations, and visits to nature parks. Eco-tourism
is being used as a means to guide small-scale tourism development in the Hawaiian
Islands.
Apart from revenue earning, eco-tourism does offer some other benefits to the concerned
society. According to Kusler (2000), eco-tourism:
• can conform to existing infrastructure, accommodation, facilities, and societies
— the visitors stay at local-style hotels, bed and breakfasts, villages; they eat local
food and participate in local activities;
• is intensive-intensive and encourages desirable types of employment — local
residents own and manage businesses, make handicrafts, host visitors, earn money,
and share their culture with the tourists;
• can help to protect the natural and cultural values of an area by attracting
visitors who are respectful and appreciative of the destination — eco-tourists do
not require luxury, but want to experience the local conditions, culture and food;
• can provide financial support to protect natural and cultural areas that are being
destroyed by over-fishing or other activities — appropriate fees and taxes can be
5 Eco-Tourism: An Investigation into the Conceptual Framework and Policy
between resource protection and tourism value – economic, personal and community
enhancement. In fact, eco-tourism is being identified as nature–oriented travel that
promotes and finances conservation and resource protection (Ziffer 2001). Moreover,
examples can show that eco-tourism is also stimulating greater collaborative interaction.
For example, the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITD) in Hawaii has taken
a joint initiative with Green Flag International to promote sustainable development (Liu,
1998).
In terms of the provision of income and jobs creation - the most commonly used tool to
justify tourism expansion; eco-tourism does offer the prospect of running quite parallel to
mass-tourism (Lindberg et al, 2001). Unlike mass-tourism, eco-tourism sends valuable
contribution to the economy by way of income, jobs, government revenue, balance of
payments, and investments-experiences from Kenya, Venezuela, Sri-Lanka, etc do justify
this proposition (Lindberg et al, 2001).
Unlike mass-tourism, eco-tourism provides a wide range of indirect jobs ranging from
the construction trade to professions in accounting, law, and education. In addition to
that, eco-tourism would provide extra employment opportunities in environmental
science, heritage and the arts, recycling, handicrafts, etc.
Although there are no formal studies yet, the evidence suggests that eco-tourism would
provide higher multiplier values compared to mass tourism and therefore, have a greater
per unit contribution to the economy (McIntyre, 1999). This occurs due to greater
linkages (purchases of goods and services) in the local economy and, thus, fewer
leakages. Leakages are ways in which income “leaks” out of the economy through:
• imports of goods and services;
• expatriated wages and salaries of imported labour;
• remittances of profits, interests, and rent;
• travel abroad by residents;
7 Eco-Tourism: An Investigation into the Conceptual Framework and Policy
Community Awareness
Building through on
and off site Education
For the effective implementation of policy instruments, both the public and private
sectors need to play some specific roles. These respective roles might be the following:
• guarantee law and order, and the just settlement of disputes— government should
ensure the protection of property rights, while finding ways to resolve differences
on desired projects in a fair and equitable manner.
• ensure the provision of appropriate infrastructure— government needs to support
eco-tourism businesses with physical infrastructure.
• ensure the development of human resources— government can do much to
encourage certification, education and training programs through the educational
institutions, offices of tourism, and other agencies.
• protect the public interest without obstructing private sector activity with too
many regulations— government should encourage self-regulation as much as
possible. But where regulations are needed, government can help businesses follow
them by providing informational programs and on-staff specialists for efficient
energy use, recycling, design of buildings, etc.
• acknowledge the role of small business entrepreneurs and facilitate their
activities— they are the hope of the future for providing income and jobs for the
tourist destinations. Governments must provide a supportive role in establishing the
financial and regulatory environment to facilitate the easy entry and smooth
operation of eco-tourism enterprises. Both need to cooperate in order to achieve the
highest standards possible in business management and environmental protection.
• take into consideration community attitudes, and cultural values and concerns-
including local customs and beliefs, in the planning of tourism projects —
ultimately, the cooperation of people in the community will determine the success
or failure of eco-tourism industry.
• include environmental assessment as an important step in considering any
tourism site or project — the developers of tourist projects must implement and
comply with the environmental assessment guideline(s), framed by the government
in order to ensure “eco value” of the project.
• make sure the assessment procedures consider the total, as well as the individual,
environmental effects of all developments combined — while individual projects
might be able to show only minimal effects, the total impact of all the projects
combined might need to be controlled. Concerned developers need to look at the
total picture and keep the community informed.
• encourage regular environmental and social audits of practices throughout the
tourism industry and encourage necessary changes to harmful practices—
business sector, in consort with the government, needs to establish quality standards
that educate people about the necessity for maintaining these standards.
• increase the awareness of environmental and conservation principles in tourism
management and amongst the staff - encourage an understanding of each
community’s customs, cultural values, beliefs and traditions, and how they relate to
the environment - informational and training programs for tourism personnel and
the community at large are needed.
• include conservation principles in education, training, and planning of eco-
tourism business - incentives and awards programs can help create awareness and
motivation; e.g., the Kenyan Tourism Operators Association has produced an
educational video on eco-tourism for school children to enhance their level of
appreciation for the valuable natural resources.
• enhance the tourists’ appreciation and understanding of the environment by
providing accurate information and appropriate interpretation - certification and
interpretation programs are needed to improve the quality of information given to
visitors prior to and during the trip.
And, finally follow all environmental laws at all levels of business.
Dilemma or Trade-offs
A number of interrelationships are important when viewing eco-tourism within the total
picture. Eco-tourism is very complex since it involves ecology, culture and business.
Naturally, there is a need to find a proper balance. It is helpful to consider a number of
trade-offs, namely:
nature and insist on upholding proper environmental practices. They may even
boycott a place if appropriate environmental practices are not followed.
Government can help by providing appropriate environmental guidelines for both
visitors and residents.
Conclusion
Sustainable development emphasizes the positive cultural–economic change, which is
embedded within the concept of eco-tourism. Thus, a successful eco-tourism industry is
about integrated policies, planning and social learning. In fact, eco-tourism has captured
the interest of conservationists, biologists, and wildlife specialists as well as developers
because of its above-mentioned characteristics. And this is how it proposes a way
towards environmental sustainability on the development of eco-tourism facilities in
future. Besides, the cooperation between private and public concerns is vital in this
connection, as it would ultimately strengthen the cohesion between socio-economic
institutions. Primarily, as Stewart et al. (1999) mentioned, eco-tourism requires (a)
integration of non-financial objectives and (b) planning process which encourages
participatory decision–making encompassing entrepreneurs, land managers, host
community, and interested tourists visitors.
This is much dependent on the cooperation between the private and the government
enterprises. There has to be a strong local understanding that the two forces are working
together to a high degree, producing not only economic betterment but also increased
public support for resource protection.
Sustainable development speaks in favour of striking a balance between development
and conservation. Eco-tourism, by default, appears as the ultimate alternative to mass-
tourism, and it is against any harmful act towards the natural environment. In the end, it
can be stated that eco-tourism is about linking environmental sustainability and
community development.
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http://www.ecotourism-culturaltourism.com/Advisory-line.htm
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