Lecture 4 - Ecotourism and Local Communities PDF

Ecotourism and Local Communities Definition of Community Community refers to a heterogeneous group of people who share residence in the same geographic area and access a set of local natural resources. The degree of social cohesion and differentiation, strength of common beliefs and insti...

Ecotourism and Local Communities Definition of Community Community refers to a heterogeneous group of people who share residence in the same geographic area and access a set of local natural resources. The degree of social cohesion and differentiation, strength of common beliefs and institutions, cultural diversity and other factors vary widely within and among communities (Schmink, 1999).  The Role of the Community in Ecotourism In recent years, conservationists have come to recognize the crucial role rural and coastal communities play in conserving biodiversity; many protected area managers have developed mechanisms to incorporate these communities as stakeholders into the planning and management process. the growing interest by tourists in learning from and experiencing different cultures has led the tourism industry to incorporate communities into its activities. In the 1990s, numerous indigenous and other local groups adopted ecotourism as part of their development strategy (Wesche, 1996) Not all communities or community members will wish to be involved in tourism activities, and planners and developers should respect this. For those that do seek involvement, they may choose from a range of degrees of participation, including: ❖ renting land to an operator to develop while simply monitoring impacts; ❖ working as occasional, part-time or full-time staff for private tour operators; ❖ providing services to private operators such as food preparation, guiding, transport or accommodation, or a combination of the above; ❖ forming joint ventures with private tour operators where the community provides most services while the private sector partner manages marketing, logistics and possibly bilingual guides; and ❖ operating as independent community-based programs  Protected Areas and Ecotourism For ecotourism to thrive, the attractions must be protected. These attractions may be within a national park or within a community reserve. The buffer zones of national parks can be ideal places for communities to establish reserves to facilitate ecotourism activities. National park managers should seek to collaborate with such communities and integrate them into the management planning. They may also wish to dedicate a percentage of income generated from visitor use fees to neighboring community compatible economic development projects, as is the case with the Galapagos National Park (Government of Ecuador, 1998). Potential Positive Impacts Sustainable Income - When communities engage in ecotourism, new sources of income can be generated for the community as a whole as well as through individual employment opportunities. This income could be generated through collecting fees for access to trails, providing accommodation or guiding services, preparing and selling food and handicrafts and so on. Improved Services To the degree that the community as a whole receives new income from, for example, fees paid to a community fund, there is the potential for improving health and education services. These fees can have the long-term effect of improving conservation consciousness within the community and reducing threats. Better health services can improve the overall attractiveness of a community and give it the upper hand in attracting tourism Cultural Empowerment and Cultural Exchange Visits with traditional and indigenous communities are often the highlights of a trip to a natural area. Natural attractions take on an added level of interest for tourists if they can relate to them through the eyes and words of people who live with them. The opportunity to learn from a traditional culture is increasingly valued by travelers, and community participation adds considerable value to an ecotourism program. At the same time, traditional communities can feel greater self- esteem as a result of the respectful interest shown by visitors, especially if outside attitudes have tended to belittle them. Potential Negative Impacts Price Increases - Price increases may become a problem when visitors and local residents want the same goods and services, including groceries, gasoline and restaurants. Prices are likely to escalate because outsiders are willing to pay much more for goods and services than the local market dictates  There are a few possible solutions for this inflation. One is to have two-tiered price systems — one for residents, one for visitors Vendors and entrepreneurs can then take advantage of visitors’ relative affluence while respecting local residents’ ability to pay. Different price systems may be hard to set up and execute, but they allow for an equitable balance between the income levels of both groups There are a few possible solutions for this inflation. One is to have two-tiered price systems — one for residents, one for visitors A similar solution that communities often enact is to create goods and services exclusively for tourists. Certain foods or handicrafts are produced for the tourist market alone, and prices are established accordingly. These alternatives for tourists often help local people maintain access to their traditional products. There are a few possible solutions for this inflation. One is to have two-tiered price systems — one for residents, one for visitors Another solution to rising prices is to increase the supply of goods and services. Some communities are unable to do this, but others may realize a means for growth and economic development. Tourists are not just competitors, they are new markets to serve. Outside Control A threat related to price increases is that of outsiders taking “too much” control of tourist areas. This is often a subjective call but can be a source of concern for residents and others who care about these areas. Outside developers and investors have plentiful financial resources and years of experience in tourism development. Local residents may be squeezed out of business opportunities if they cannot match the outside expertise and funding Economic Leakage An economic concept often equated with outside control is “leakage.” Leakage happens primarily when local tourism businesses are not available or adequate for the demand. Seeing a gap, international businesses import products and services rather than develop local markets. In other cases, tourists purchase international goods rather than local products because they feel these goods are superior. In either case, money that potentially could strengthen the local economy leaves the area. Cultural Change Cultural changes caused by tourism can be positive or negative. Many outsiders do not want indigenous populations to change because they want their cultures to be preserved. Other outsiders see indigenous groups as new markets to influence and want them to change and diversify. Indigenous peoples themselves have mixed feelings. Some want to modernize their cultures and so actively solicit changes. Others are looking for new means of economic development and simply accept the cultural changes that accompany this pursuit. Still others see no reason to change and do not want to modify their traditions and customs. Key Considerations for Ecotourism Development at the Community Level These days, most conservationists recognize that working with communities is fundamental to achieving protected area goals and conservation strategies, including ecotourism. There are a number of basic principles that should be considered in planning for community involvement in ecotourism activities. Create Partnerships Ecotourism organized at the local community level can rarely be successful without assistance or cooperation from tourism operators. Links to the market, language skills and poor communications are three major aspects which limit communities’ ability to “go it alone” in ecotourism. Ecotourism operators can make ideal partners to provide the missing links for communities in exchange for (sometimes exclusive) access to community resources Avoid Putting All Eggs in the Ecotourism Basket An ideal community setting should consist of interesting, accessible attractions, local people with the interest and initiative to take advantage of opportunities, and leaders who will interact, learn and work with the protected area managers, NGOs and tourism operators. Ecotourism must be seen as one of several activities in a community’s development portfolio. To rely solely on ecotourism as an alternative source of income is not usually a wise development strategy (Brandon, 1996). Link Ecotourism Benefits to Conservation Goals For ecotourism to promote conservation, local people must clearly benefit and understand that the benefits they receive are linked to the continued existence of the protected area (Brandon, 1996). There must be a close working relationship between the protected area administration and the surrounding communities. Unfortunately, the limited benefits provided by many tourism projects frequently are not recognized by local residents as connected to the protected area