Policy Matters

1) WTO/UNEP Summary of Regional Preparatory Conferences
to serve as Discussion Paper for the World Ecotourism Summit

This report contains the summaries of the debates held and conclusions reached at the World Ecotourism Summit and its preparatory process, as well as the Quebec Declaration on Ecotourism.

The World Ecotourism Summit, was held in Quebec City, Canada from 19 to 22 May, 2002. This was the principal event to mark 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism.

The Summit was an initiative of the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It was hosted by Tourisme Québec and the Canadian Tourism Commission. These four organisations were the partners responsible for the Summit.

The purpose of the Summit was to bring together governments, international agencies, NGOs, tourism enterprises, representatives of local and indigenous communities, academic institutions and individuals with an interest in ecotourism, and enable them to learn from each other and identify some agreed principles and priorities for the future development and management of ecotourism.

Main themes
UNEP and WTO, in consultation with other organizations and ecotourism stakeholders, had defined and adopted the following main discussion themes for the International Year of Ecotourism and for the Summit.

Theme A - Ecotourism policy and planning: the sustainability challenge
Sustainable ecotourism plans, policies and programs at international, national and local levels; integration of ecotourism policies into sustainable development plans and frameworks; land use planning; use of natural parks and protected areas; balance between development and conservation objectives in policies; development agency programs on ecotourism and their role in funding related pipeline investments; plans for human resource development in ecotourism.

Theme B - Regulation of ecotourism: institutional responsibilities and frameworks
Legislation, norms and other regulations for ecotourism activities; voluntary schemes and self regulation; certification, accreditation and ecolabels; international and inter-governmental guidelines, principles and codes; roles of different stakeholders in ensuring compliance with regulations or voluntary schemes.

Theme C - Product development, marketing and promotion of ecotourism: fostering sustainable products and consumers
Building sustainable ecotourism products; multistakeholder cooperation for product development especially in protected areas and biosphere reserves; market research, marketing techniques and promotional methods; information to tourists; ethical behaviour; environmental education for consumers; public-private sector relationships for marketing and promotion; co-operative marketing for small ecotourism operations.

Theme D - Monitoring costs and benefits of ecotourism: ensuring equitable distribution among all stakeholders
Measuring economic, ecological and social costs and benefits of ecotourism; contribution to conservation; assessing potential and actual environmental and socio-cultural impacts of ecotourism; taking precautionary measures at local, national, regional and international levels; integrating monitoring and evaluation procedures; research needs and adaptive management systems.

Cross-cutting themes
Throughout the discussions on the four themes the focus was on two main cross-cutting issues:

The preparatory process for the Summit
During the latter half of 2001 and the first four months of 2002, 18 preparatory conferences were held. These conferences took place in all the regions of the world, either under the aegis of WTO or of UNEP (in association with The International Ecotourism Society). A list of the conferences can be found later, in the reports of the regional panels. The preparatory conferences provided an opportunity for all kinds of stakeholders in ecotourism to come together to present their experiences and discuss matters of local, regional or international concern. In total over 3,000 delegates attended the conferences and over 300 papers were presented at them.

The preparatory conferences addressed each of the four main themes of the Summit. The combined results of the conferences were summarised in four papers, one for each of the themes, which together formed a discussion paper circulated at the start of the Summit. A copy of this paper can be found in Annex 1.

During April 2002, a web conference was held. This enabled any individual or body, at no cost, to participate in the debate about the four Summit themes. There were 948 registered participants in this conference, a summary of which can be found in Annex 2.

Participants and presentations
A total of 1,169 delegates attended the World Ecotourism Summit, from 132 different countries. The range of delegates included:

Registered delegates were invited to submit statements relating to the Summit themes. A total of 180 statement proposals were received. From these, 120 were selected for presentation during the event, considering time limitations of the three-day programme. The selection was based on the relevance and originality of the contribution and on the need to achieve a representative balance of presentations from different types of organisation and parts of the world. In addition to the registered statements, participants had the opportunity to intervene freely throughout the debate sessions.

All statements, whether presented or not, which were received by the deadline were included in a CD-Rom, which was distributed to each delegate. This CD also included the reports from the preparatory conferences.

Structure of the Summit
Following introductory presentations from the partners, the Summit consisted of the following elements:

Summit outputs
This report, including the annexes, sets out the issues, key points, recommendations and conclusions arising from the Summit.

The main output from the Summit is the Quebec Declaration on Ecotourism. This has been taken forward to the World Summit on Sustainable Development at Johannesburg, 2002, and has been widely circulated. The full text is included in this report.

The complete text of this report, also the content of the above mentioned CD-Rom, including all statements received and the final reports of the preparatory conferences are available at the following websites:

The opportunities presented by ecotourism and the need for its careful management are apparent in all regions of the world. Evidence from the preparatory conferences suggested that the fundamental principles and issues relating to the development of ecotourism are similar in all areas. However, it was also apparent that differences in resources, ecosystems, markets and socio-economic structures, mean that priorities and practicalities vary from region to region.

These similarities and differences were brought out during the reports of the regional panels at the Summit. During each panel session, short presentations were made by selected spokespersons on the preparatory conferences held in that region. In the main, these conferences had focused on the region in which the conference was held, but in a few cases the conferences covered types of destination (e.g. islands, deserts, Arctic lands) irrespective of continent.

Following the presentations on the preparatory conferences, the sessions were opened up to interventions from the floor and a discussion. At the end of each session, the key points that had arisen were identified by the rapporteurs.

Session on preparatory meetings held in Africa

Four reports were presented to the Summit on the preparatory meetings held in the following locations:

The presentations in this panel demonstrated that ecotourism is one of the main forms of tourism in which Africa has a comparative advantage.

Africa features extensive protected areas hosting a variety of ecosystems and traditional cultures that are major attractions for nature-oriented tourism. In many African countries, vast national and wildlife parks count for many forms of ecotourism activities.

Ecotourism seems the best way to prevent controversial effects and negative impacts on prevailing ecosystems, local communities and traditional cultures and to be a viable source of economic benefits for African countries, if developed and managed in a sustainable manner.

The specific circumstances and needs for different areas were separately identified.

Africa's international comparative advantage: National parks and protected areas
Ecotourism is a great opportunity for African countries and its parks, reserves and protected areas are an international level resource. Thus, many African countries can base their tourism development on exploiting their natural assets on the condition that the rules of sustainable development - the basis of ecotourism - are respected. Conservation of natural resources can become mainstream to socio-economic development in Africa. National parks and reserves in Africa should be considered as a basis for regional development, involving communities living within and adjacent to them. Given their strong international recognition, parks and reserves can be turned to sort of brands, providing advantage in tourism marketing and promotion.

Small islands and coastal zones
Particular attention must be focused on tourism development in small islands as development, even ecotourism development, can be at the origin of environmental and social problems - even before large number of tourist arrivals. This is the case of coastal zones in small islands where ecosystems, notably lagoons, are particularly vulnerable. Appropriate liquid and solid waste treatment systems must be put in place whenever any ecotourism activity is created.

Moreover, ecolabels are particularly important for small insular countries as shown in the example of the Seychelles. Ecolabels can be very useful for achieving landscaping and beautification objectives, such as by encouraging better use of gardens, and for stimulating environmental management, such as energy conservation, waste treatment plants and recycling systems.

Due to the natural and economic specificities of tourism in small islands it is not realistic to focus on ecotourism in the stricter sense. Rather, the broader concept of "sustainable tourism" is often a more effective policy position, though ecotourism plays an important role in further setting the standards for the protection of the natural and cultural environment.

The fragility of island ecosystems must be the cornerstone of any ecotourism plan and any action must respect the island's local, natural and cultural environments.

Desert areas
Desert areas represent comparative and even absolute advantages for Africa, which has the largest desert in the world. Deserts are also some of the largest conservation areas in the world. The seminar in Algiers concluded that there are great opportunities for ecotourism in desert areas - particularly for Africa because of its location near the large tourist generating markets of Europe. Desert areas represent complex ecotourism attractions, showcasing natural, geological, and archaeological features, nomad and other specific cultures and traditions. A special attention should be paid in ecotourism development and management in desert areas to the fragility of ecosystems, the extreme meteorological conditions, the presence of unique archaeological and geological remains, the scarcity of water resources and the difficulties of access.

Importance of trans-boundary cooperation
Many natural zones cross the political borders of several countries and this must be taken into account when developing ecotourism. Indeed, it is impossible to envisage diverging or even opposed development policies in zones shared by several States where there is natural, human and social unity. In this case, trans-boundary cooperation is fundamental for all types of ecotourism development, which implies common policies between countries in the same region. This cooperation is particularly necessary in areas where wildlife crosses administrative and political borders.

The development and management of trans-boundary natural resources and parks has to become a central issue in Africa, recognizing the need to maintain ecological integrity and free movement of wildlife in certain territories that are divided by country frontiers.

The need to find commercial and financial solutions
The commercial viability of ecotourism initiatives is a recurring theme in the debates such as in the case studies presented in the preparatory seminars, specifically in Maputo. Participants emphasised the importance of strengthening small and medium enterprises and particularly micro enterprises to enable them to successfully engage with the tourism industry in Africa. The importance of identifying and demonstrating to funding sources the value of conservation and of ecotourism to national economies in Africa has to be recognised.

The need to reinforce capacity building
There is a lack of awareness of tourism among African local communities. Local communities need to appreciate the benefits and the demerits of tourism. It is important for governments to ensure that communities are trained to administer joint ventures, as without capacity building it is difficult to sustain an equitable approach to management. Capacity building is essential if local communities are to be real stakeholders in the development of ecotourism in Africa.

African necessity to focus on benefits for local people
Speakers and participants identified the need to generate local community benefits from Africa's natural heritage tourism as the critical issue. Ecotourism as a concept has most to offer in the African development context, linking to the rural economy to avoid leakages and maximise local economic benefit from tourism. In Africa, national parks, wildlife reserves and other protected areas have to play a significant role in encouraging local economic development by sourcing food and other locally produced resources.

Five reports were presented to the Summit on the preparatory meetings held in the following locations:

The papers and debates from the Session on Asia and the Pacific highlighted a number of issues and perspectives, as follows.

Need for baseline studies
The importance of baseline studies was highlighted, in order to provide a better knowledge on ground conditions, and changes over time. It was recommended that innovative approaches be examined, instead of reliance on government, particularly in under-resourced areas. Suggestions included involving volunteer organisations (e.g., those that provide programmes in which conservation and community development work is combined with educational, cultural exchange and tourist activities), or involving educational institutions (e.g., through PhD students).

Commoditisation in tourism
Particular mention was made of commoditisation in tourism in the region, in large part due to poverty. Commoditisation refers to the degradation of the intrinsic value of cultural items, beliefs, goods, and practices, and may even refer to treating a human being as a good for sale. This trivialisation of culture is demonstrated by the sale of culturally related trinkets, and even by people selling themselves (sexually) to visitors. Organisations developing or managing ecotourism are urged to focus on the improvement of basic human conditions.

Managing Impacts
A range of approaches were mentioned for managing impacts, from pricing and fees, to diversification of product offers (to alleviate crowding). However, a serious impact with no solutions offered, was that of global warming in the region.

The need to integrate a range of perspectives, with communications being key
In some Asia-Pacific destinations, ministries try to push their own agendas on other departments and vice versa (e.g., Tourism and Forestry). This achieves very little except resistance. There needs to be awareness and capacity building in government departments, to understand that ecotourism can be a force to assist both mandates.

It was observed by some participants that some NGOs always feel government actions are wrong, and governments tend to pay less attention to constant criticism. Other participants felt that NGOs have some valid perspectives whether in critique of governments or not, and that NGO comments deserve appropriate attention. It was also felt that some NGOs or governments actually undermine private business. The issue that emerged was: how to integrate the range of perspectives, and how to cooperate to mutually beneficial ends.

Challenges of implementing community participation
The challenge of how to implement sustainability through empowerment and participation was discussed, since local participation has an important role in preserving biodiversity.

It was acknowledged that time is required for awareness and capacity building, so that communities are able to participate effectively and make decisions.

Community control of local resources was said to be a key need in the Asia-Pacific region. It was suggested that communities should be involved in all levels of activity, including management.

Participatory management was said to be a key tool in ensuring participation in planning, decision-making and management. An example was given of Sri Lanka, where both poachers and policemen communicate together, and although it has taken five years (as well as time, patience, energy, and the efforts of the Eco-Development Committee), both parties now have confidence in the process, and poachers are using their locally-developed skills in a more sustainable way.

It was agreed that ecotourism is best developed to enhance and complement current community lifestyles and economic activities, rather than basing community economies solely or predominantly on ecotourism, or introducing a completely new activity. It was also frequently stated and agreed that communities should have control over ecotourism, including whether they wanted to have it at all, and if so how much, where, when and of what type.

Human resource development is required
It was recommended that there should be a bigger emphasis on training for local people. In the Asia-Pacific region there is a very great need to incorporate local indigenous peoples into any training programs. It was also felt that communities in general need to have awareness training or information related to ecotourism, and also to be made aware that they may have a choice about tourism or other activities.

A challenge related to this topic was how to develop mechanisms to ensure that revenues from ecotourism activities are invested in training (e.g., on-the-job training, management training, or sending workers to attend conferences).

Regulation and monitoring is required
Regulations can either have a positive role in facilitating movements of tourists and foreign exchange in SE Asia, or can be restrictive. It was suggested that very often poor planning has had adverse consequences and needs to be improved. Also, the lack of enforcement of current regulations is a problem.

Session on preparatory meetings held in The Americas

Six reports were presented to the Summit on the preparatory meetings held in the following locations:

The Americas are probably one of the regions in the world where ecotourism is developing fastest. There is also an increasing concern about the involvement of indigenous peoples and local communities both in the planning and development of ecotourism.

The preparatory conference reports showed clearly three main concerns about the development of ecotourism: the involvement of local communities; the need for certification schemes easily accessible to everybody regardless of their economic capacity; and much needed training at all levels. In general, there is consensus about the fact that ecotourism can and is contributing actively to nature conservation in the region, and also to a better quality of life for local people. It has also been recognised that it is very important to learn from past mistakes as well as successes.

Planning
One of the issues raised around planning was the specific problem of trans-boundary areas where there is a need for international regulations. Another important point was that very often not all available scientific information is used for planning.

A further concern was that it is important to have a diverse range of activities besides ecotourism such as agriculture, livestock, forest non-timber products, and others, thus avoiding over-dependence on ecotourism. Shifting from traditional sustainable use of resources (when these uses are sustainable, which is not always the case) to ecotourism is a high-risk strategy for local communities. Besides, in areas where ecotourism products mix with other kinds of tourism, it is agreed that there is a need to increase the sustainability of all tourism products.

Regulation and certification
A suitable approach regarding regulation is to follow a process leading from optional guidelines to obligatory regulations. Codes of conduct need to be established as well as procedures and all stakeholders should adopt these. The importance of ethics among operators, the community and consumers was also identified as one of the key issues.

Another important point raised was that regulation of ecotourism needs stakeholders sharing a similar concept of ecotourism.

It was agreed that there is a need for more transparency in certification processes and that these should relate both to environmental aspects as well as quality and participation of local communities. International certification systems are believed to be too expensive and it was suggested that local initiatives should be recognised by international systems. It was suggested that certification should occur at different levels that are more suited to specific regional and local conditions and allow community-based companies to take part in the process. There were proposals to establish incentives for certified companies. Finally it was recognised that in some areas there is a risk of a proliferation of eco-labels.

Participation of indigenous and local people
One of the main concerns was the lack of public participation in the process of planning for ecotourism in many places. It was stressed that local communities need to be the main actors and that they must take part not only in the planning process but also in the management of ecotourism products, which generally means also taking risks. A particularly sensitive issue was the concern among indigenous people about the fact that in some of their lands ecotourism development is being imposed by governments and private companies, without proper consultation and participation.

Capacity building and training
Capacity building and training were identified as key points in the proper development of ecotourism in the region. This included the need for capacity building of local communities, training and technical support. An important point raised was that training needs to be realistic, not creating too high expectations for local communities.

Policy makers were also identified as important targets for training and it was shown that they need to learn about ecotourism in the field. Very often policies are in the hands of people with very little practical experience in the subject. Another target much in need of education about ecotourism is the media in general, who very often cover ecotourism but without reflecting properly its real essence.

Marketing
A fairly common problem in the Americas is that marketing generally focuses in landscape, wildlife and cultural issues and does not put enough emphasis in social, environmental and sustainability aspects, which should be part of responsible marketing communications and very often can be of interest to potential visitors.

In recent years there has been a great development of communications within the region and the Internet has become an important tool for marketing, even for small companies and communities, as well as in remote areas where Cybercafés can be accessible. The Internet can fulfil its potential only if capacity-building and access to modern technology is provided in order to empower ecotourism stakeholders for the adequate use of this media.

Four reports were presented to the Summit on the preparatory meetings held in the following locations:

Although the term 'ecotourism' is less frequently used in Europe than in other continents, the presentations showed that the principles and concepts associated with it are equally important here as elsewhere. Europe has many wilderness areas, yet in much of the continent attractive rural landscapes and biodiversity are dependent on traditional land management practices. There is increasing recognition within Europe of the important and mutually supporting relationship between tourism, agriculture, viable rural communities and the conservation of nature.

The preparatory conference reports demonstrated the contrasts to be found within Europe, in terms of landscapes, climate, culture and management priorities. The specific circumstances and needs of different areas were separately identified.

Mountains
Mountains are important locations for ecotourism. The report from the conference in Austria recognised the important linkages between the objectives of the International Year of Mountains and the International Year of Ecotourism, both declared for 2002 by the UN. Mountainous areas often display a particular cultural richness, economic fragility, a decline in traditional populations and activities, and sensitive biodiversity. Mountain communities can use ecotourism to address these issues. There is a close relationship between the needs and opportunities of ecotourism and sustainable activity tourism in mountains.

The Mediterranean
This area receives some of the largest volumes of tourist arrivals in the world, concentrated on the coastal belt. Yet, this is an area of rich biodiversity and also has immense cultural resources. The report from the conference in Greece identified the opportunity for ecotourism in the coastal hinterland and more remote inland areas, as a way of improving the image of Mediterranean destinations, diversifying the offer, reducing seasonality and bringing economic benefits to areas suffering depopulation. Careful planning will be essential.

The CIS countries
These countries have extensive natural areas including forests, wetlands, plains and mountains. Potential for ecotourism is considerable. However, as economies and societies in transition they have particular needs, especially in terms of the general services and infrastructure for tourism. Important issues include clarifying national objectives for ecotourism, stimulating and catering for the domestic market, filling knowledge gaps, easing visa restrictions and promoting cross-border cooperation.

The Arctic
This is a sensitive area with its own particular needs. The traditional values and practices of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, in protecting and using natural resources, should be recognised, as should their rights over land and water. The report from the conference held in Sweden identified the need for certification programmes for ecotourism which take account of the particular circumstances of the Arctic. Appropriate codes of conduct for visitors and operators need to be applied. A restructuring of the cruise ship licensing system was called for, with local people having control over the use of their areas for ecotourism.

In addition to these priorities relating to specific areas or ecosystems, a number of general themes of particular importance in the European context can be identified from the presentations and the subsequent discussion.

Taking an integrated approach to destination planning
There is strong recognition in Europe of the need for a holistic approach to the planning and development of destinations for sustainable tourism, both in terms of providing a quality experience for visitors and addressing all the impacts of tourism. Ecotourism should be seen within this context. There should be concern about physical infrastructure, destination marketing and information services, linkages with other economic sectors, and relationships with other forms of tourism.

The important role of local authorities in supporting the development and management of sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, is well understood in Europe. This is helped by well-established local democratic structures, effective land use planning and development control processes. At the same time, the need to foster a participative approach at a local level, for example through engaging village communities, is recognised.

Addressing transport and other access issues
The use of transport to, and within, the destination was a key concern of the preparatory conference in Austria. Where possible, ecotourism should be based on forms of mobility which have low environmental impact. Discussion at the Summit widened the debate on access, with a call for more attention to be paid to facilitating access to rural and natural areas, including mountains, for example through networks of hiking trails.

Being concerned about demand and equity amongst users
Demand management was felt to be an important issue in the European context. Points made about this during the discussion included:

Showing responsibility in promoting ecotourism in less developed countries
Europe is a source region for much global ecotourism. The responsibility of European governments and operators in encouraging more sustainable forms of ecotourism, and in providing technical advice and support in this field, is recognised.

The second full day of the Summit was devoted to four separate working groups on the four Summit themes.

Each working group meeting started with the presentation of a report from an expert, appointed by WTO and UNEP, which summarised the results of the preparatory conferences and served as discussion paper for the Summit concerning the theme in question. These reports are reproduced in Annex 1.

A total of 71 presentations were made to the four working groups. These were restricted in time, to enable a range of topics to be covered and to give as many people as possible a chance to speak. Two presentations from the host country, Canada, were made during the first session of each group. The presentations were grouped into four sessions throughout the day, and after each one at least half an hour was allowed for interventions from the floor and for debate. In the closing session, the WTO/UNEP experts summed up the main points to be taken forward to the final day of the Summit, and these were further discussed and expanded by delegates during a final hour of debate.

On the third and final day, a report from each working group was made to a full plenary session of the Summit. This was followed by a discussion period which enabled all delegates to have a chance to make further points about each theme, and to comment on the conclusions of the working groups.

The four reports which follow set out the issues discussed and the key points and recommendations arising from the working groups, while also taking account of the points raised in the final plenary session.

These reports build on the summary reports of the preparatory conferences, adding to, illustrating and emphasising points made in them. A short resume of the key points arising from the preparatory conferences is given, before the points arising from the Summit are presented. Reference should be made to Annex 1 for the full coverage.

Many of the points made were repeated in more than one workshop. This is inevitable as most of the principles of ecotourism relate to all of the themes and each of the topics are interdependent. For example, ecotourism planning needs to take account of product development and regulation issues, and vice versa.

Working group - A

Ecotourism is a complex activity, often seeking to meet a range of objectives, involving a variety of stakeholders and taking place in environmentally and economically fragile locations. It therefore needs careful planning. This working group was concerned with the frameworks, structures and processes of ecotourism planning and policy-making to maximise sustainability and local benefit.

The relationship between ecotourism and sustainable tourism
It was suggested that planning and policy development for sustainable tourism was the appropriate context for ecotourism planning, since ecotourism embraces the principles of sustainable tourism concerning the economic, social and environmental impacts of tourism. On the other hand, it was also suggested that there was merit in highlighting the particular characteristics of ecotourism, bringing positive benefits for conservation and communities and not simply avoiding negative impacts. It was recognised that ecotourism products may vary considerably, but that all should adhere to basic ecotourism principles.

Lack of appropriate infrastructure and services in destinations
In many destinations with ecotourism potential, it is felt that there is a lack of infrastructure (e.g., accommodation) and services (e.g., well-trained guides).

Foreign ownership or low levels of local jobs minimise local benefits
The issue of foreign ownership draining many of the benefits at the local level was raised. This is particularly the case with respect to infrastructure. In addition, the level and quality of jobs in which local people are employed is too often inadequate (e.g., in Senegal).

Ecotourism brand
The themes of the Summit are in many cases strongly interrelated. Within the Planning and Policy Development sessions, there were discussions about the desire to prevent the use of the word ecotourism by those who do not adhere to its principles, through some type of trademark or branding protection, although the difficulties in this were also acknowledged. This whole topic was the focus of considerable discussion in Session B, and reference to that section provides further insight.

Uncontrolled penetration of ecotourism activities into new areas
The penetration of ecotourism (or other forms of tourism) to remote areas can create management and monitoring problems. For example, in Egypt treks go to very remote areas of the country, which are mostly desert. The difficulty of monitoring tourism operations in remote areas enables the stealing of artefacts, fossils, etc.

A number of key points and recommendations arising from the working group were specifically related to conservation, economic development, social benefits and stakeholder participation. However, there were many points that cut across these issues and these are presented first.
Key crosscutting recommendations

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

Using transboundary management approaches

The need for trans-national policies was emphasised, related to many aspects of tourism, such as easier movement of peoples between regions, and cooperation with respect to shared ecosystem management.

Humans should be recognised and acknowledged as being a part of the ecosystem (as opposed to only using ecosystems). Transboundary movement possibilities should be built into plans and policies.

There was a recommendation that a world fund be established to enable appropriate ecotourism development particularly at the trans-national level, with the focus intended to be on enhancing cooperative activities between jurisdictions. However, no specific proposal was made on the nature and source of the fund.

It was proposed that global regions (e.g., the Caribbean) should come together for a range of planning and policy development functions (e.g., to highlight issues which have regional relevance)
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Taking a collaborative approach to planning and policy development

There should be an overall national vision of how ecotourism can serve biodiversity, as well as how biodiversity can serve ecotourism. One of the biggest problems is lack of a sectoral planning perspective (e.g., the frequent divorce in dialogue between tourism agencies and environmental agencies). All agencies need to work together. It is recommended that lessons and failures be taken from such planning processes as Integrated Coastal Zone Management Studies, for integrating ecotourism planning. Integrated planning should be actively pursued, including collaboration with stakeholders.

Government must take a holistic perspective when developing sustainability strategies, which is both spatial and sectoral (e.g., as in Greece). Ecotourism planning should be conducted within the context of sustainable tourism planning, which in turn should relate to the wider context of planning for sustainable development. Ecotourism planning, actions and policies should be developed with the knowledge that they are likely to be applicable to other forms of tourism, and in all likelihood will be a force for positive change throughout tourism, considering the trends towards mainstreaming ecotourism values and principles. For example, in Tanzania, there are major policy reforms stimulated by the International Year of Ecotourism, which are focussing on poverty reduction through a range of sectoral perspectives such as developing economic opportunities and empowering communities through community participation.

Sectoral integration should be a foundation of all planning and policy development (not only in ecotourism). For example, Chile's National Action Plan is based on an integrated approach, and has been done with the private sector, in a bottom-up manner. Another example is found in the Seychelles, where there are not only various topical themes within their National Environmental Management Plan (including tourism and aesthetics), but there are significant cross-cutting themes (education, awareness and advocacy; partnerships, public consultation and civil society participation; training and capacity-building; management; science, research and technology; monitoring and assessment; vulnerability and global climate change).

It was recommended that whatever the mechanisms, all decision-making be transparent, and also accountable.

Developing appropriate tools for planning and management

It was recommended that appropriate scale in ecotourism development be a part of planning considerations. For example, some destinations build in development controls ahead of time (e.g., Botswana has, as part of its planning framework, deliberately stipulated small-sizes for their ecolodges and camps, or temporary facility structures to enable them to be moved in the future).

There was a comment that in many areas, policies and regulations may exist, but are not implemented. While appropriate planning and policy development is one requirement, rigorous implementation is fundamental.

Planning systematically for protected areas

It was emphasised in debates that a protected area system must form a key part of planning and policy making for ecotourism, and that protected area managers be involved in planning initiatives (not only senior government officials).

A severe problem for protecting biodiversity and protected areas was felt to be the fragmentation of ecosystems. It was recommended that the issue of adequate size of protected areas be addressed in development and planning. It was suggested that a useful educational and management tool is the creation of maps to illustrate locations, threats, or other spatial variables, so indicating where it is most necessary to conserve biodiversity.

Committing adequate financial and other resources

Some countries lack the ability to mobilize the resources necessary to address significant ecotourism planning and policy development needs. Multilateral aid is required in the form of various types of assistance. One recommendation was that there be support for centres of development and dissemination of knowledge and cooperation; another was that there be a fund for trans-national ecotourism development.

The public may be encouraged to contribute funds. It was suggested that visitors and others should be able to donate funds to projects, and should receive some recognitions and benefits which reinforce the value of their donation. For example, the Coral Reef Action Network offers donors a range of educational reminders: stickers to heighten awareness, CD with a tool kit for customers, wall calendar, passport, poster, boaters' chart, quiz and similar items. These educate and keep donors involved with the project. In addition, they give donors guarantees that all their contributions will go to the chosen project.

It was suggested that some funding for education, in schools and elsewhere, be set aside from ecotourism revenues.

Capacity building

Training and capacity building is required for those professionals who are involved in planning and policy development. It is recommended that the WTO and other international institutions support or fund programs which train public officials who will be planning and developing policies, in order to build capacity within ministries and similar institutions (e.g., this could be through national level training institutions). This suggestion of appropriate training was also made for the personnel of park and protected area authorities.

At a more local level, it was suggested that the WTO and other institutions should continue to expand training programs, such as for local authorities, indigenous people and other stakeholders. Another suggestion was that a range of types of support be examined to develop capabilities locally, such as guiding skills.

It was recommended that tour operators also be involved in education and training.

Education and awareness-building is recommended as a significant tool for all players, from lodge owners and tour operators to local communities and young people. Suggestions included such innovative ideas as developing education caravans for community awareness building, or creating coursework for schools to better understand the concept of impact.

The views and perspectives of youth are a key influence on positive future directions. It is recommended that sustainable tourism education of young people be built into educational programs and ministry curricula in all countries.

It was recommended that the Internet be better used for information exchange. International agencies should collaborate to compile a database of information, which is web accessible, continually updated, and includes information on best practice for sustainable tourism and for ecotourism. It was suggested that qualified websites with useful information should be able to link to this site.

Building multi-stakeholder participation into policy and planning processes

Mechanisms should be developed to include a range of stakeholders in planning and policy development. It is always easier for governments to deal with umbrella organisations than with operators directly, thus developing industry organisations may assist. For example, Parks Canada and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada have developed an accord concerning heritage-based tourism, which is currently focussed on agreement about principles, which acknowledge shared stewardship in managing and protecting national heritage places.

Indigenous peoples' representatives (e.g., Shushwap Nation, in Canada) emphasised the need to build targeted participative mechanisms into planning and policy development. Since indigenous peoples tend not only to be the poorest members of society, but also to have land based economies and cultures (involving hunting, fishing and gathering), it is critical to involve them early in any processes.

Other suggestions for including stakeholder participation came from Tourism Quebec, who suggests that integrated management requires that there be government centres close and accessible to citizens (decentralised communications points).

It was also emphasised that past experience should be brought into the planning and policy development processes (e.g., South Africa) so that there is greater integration of ecotourism activities into the way of life of communities. It was recommended that the Global Code of Ethics developed by the WTO should be adopted by all stakeholders, to promote a balanced perspective in different forms of tourism development, including ecotourism.

It was also agreed that ecotourism should not be developed if consultation revealed that local communities did not want to have it.

Recommendations for Environmental Conservation

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

Key points arising from the Summit:

Educating communities about biodiversity and conservation

It was felt that many local communities did not understand the value of biodiversity very well, and that education was needed. Visitors should also be educated about the value of biodiversity and that natural resources belong to local peoples and should not be removed by visitors (souveniring, biopiracy, or removal of fossils, etc.).

Managing impacts

Primarily, it is essential to ensure that ecotourism does not have negative impacts, and that operations adopt minimum impact practices and guidelines (e.g., in the St Laurent or Yukon areas of Canada). Other options are planning in the destination to exclude certain activities (e.g., in the Seychelles, where there are certain banned activities). In some locations, government regulations are required (e.g., to ensure that cruise ships adhere to minimum environmental standards where ships do not take voluntary action).

It is recommended that management decision-making be built into plans, together with other techniques (such as forecasting, environmental and social impact assessments or monitoring), to address potential problems or impacts as a preventative measure.

Managing visitors

Overall, it was recommended that an integrated approach is applied for the management of many variables, including supply and demand. Supply considerations, such as resources or culture, should be of primary concern, but management should also take full account of markets and demand.

Recommendations for Economic Development

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

Key points arising from the Summit:

Providing government and other support for community level ecotourism

It was confirmed that the state should be a partner, not a developer of ecotourism operations.

In recognition that there is a spectrum of market interests, and a spectrum of tourism opportunities, there may be scope to link nature to cultural tourism and even to mass tourism (e.g., in Greece) particularly in areas where there are fewer pristine environments, in order to heighten the attraction of the destinations, and to generate community benefits.

Communities need a source of funds which can be linked to development. There may be opportunities to create community institutions and link them to forms of income generation; or to create Community Conservation Funds for donors, so ecotourism is viewed as a business by communities.

International assistance should be targeted more towards ecotourism projects. Assistance can be given in the form of finance, technology, training, information, mentorship, or in other ways. Loans might be given to countries, for example for training. Assistance could be targeted and conditional upon performance (e.g., demonstrating environmental protection). It is recommended that international agencies coordinate sources and conditions of assistance, and provide centralised and up to date information (e.g., on a website) for easy access by needy destinations.

Other forms of assistance may include staffing and human resources, and volunteer labour. This can provide a sense of ownership of the project by participants (e.g., in Senegal there are agreements between Parks and volunteers).

Recognising mutual benefits

Often, there are contributions which local communities bring to ecotourism or other developments, which are not viewed in terms of having conventional value (e.g., in Uganda, these might be spiritual, medicinal, or other information or cultural activities). It was felt that while ecotourism development can bring value to local communities, at the same time local communities can contribute valuable knowledge and information, practices, traditions, etc. to agencies, entrepreneurs, visitors, or others. In some cases, local people provide such information or knowledge without any recompense or benefit. It was recommended that such local contributions and sharing should be valued through financial or similar means. In this way there is likely to be more understanding that contributions are mutual, rather than the view that benefit flows are uni-directional to communities.

Exchanges of information can be of equal value to communities and to planners and policy makers. For example, imported technologies must be appropriate to the communities. However, indigenous technologies must also be acknowledged (such as India's Care and Share program), since traditional ecological and other knowledge and technologies will also have great value. For example, the Austrian Parliament has just called for a respect for the knowledge of indigenous peoples as a basis for sustainable development, and for indigenous land rights as a basis for human rights.

Recommendations for Social and Cultural Benefits

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

Key points arising from the Summit:

Involving communities and ensuring local ownership

A number of areas have problems due to overpopulation (e.g., European coastal areas) while other areas (e.g., mountains) may suffer from depopulation. It was suggested that ecotourism may provide some benefits to both areas, by alleviating pressures on the coast, while attracting visitors (and development) to rural areas. For example, in Greece the planning process aims to link natural areas with cultural tourism and to link these to mass tourism destinations.

It is recommended that governments consider providing communities with land or resources which can enable them to act as partners in ecotourism operations. Botswana has allocated wildlife management areas to local communities for consumptive or non-consumptive use in tourism, so they can share in ecotourism benefits. An additional benefit is that this has led to decreased poaching.

Communities should have input to planning processes through, for example, local narratives and guides, wherein they provide information to visitors, plus develop their own self-esteem.

Communities should be involved and empowered, such that there is no ecotourism development where there is no desire for involvement in tourism. Opportunities should be sought to build on current economic and community activities rather than developing some totally new product.

Recommendations for multi-stakeholder participation

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

Key points arising from the Summit

Encouraging joint ventures

Origin-destination joint ventures were suggested. One innovative example is in the Netherlands, where there is increasing awareness by tourists or tour operators that they may be the source of problems when they visit other destinations. An outgoing tourism policy has been developed, and moves to link outgoing tourism with NGOs in receiving destinations.

It was emphasised by Tanzania that there needs to be strong involvement by the private sector in partnerships, not just governments or NGOs. The Tanzanian delegation to the Summit included a great many industry representatives as well as government representatives.

Overall, throughout the discussions on policy and planning, the points made at the preparatory conferences were reinforced, with the topics summarised above being the main focus of discussion. In addition, it was also said that the International Year of Ecotourism has already stimulated some of the actions and directions identified above.

Working Group - B

THE REGULATION OF ECOTOURISM:
Institutional responsibilities and frameworks.

The impacts of ecotourism on society and the environment can be positive and negative. The theme addressed by this working group was about providing the right regulatory frameworks and systems to ensure that products that are developed and marketed as ecotourism are beneficial and not harmful to environments and communities.

The following were the main issues discussed by the working group.

Institutional frameworks.

Legal frameworks and regulations are not always established for ecotourism only and very often are common to other kinds of tourism. The need to have specific legal frameworks and policies for ecotourism was stressed by different speakers, although in some cases it has proved difficult to have the same framework in different regions of a single country.

In some cases the work of individual countries is not enough to guarantee that ecotourism is properly developed. There were proposals in the Korean presentation to promote action for ecotourism development at the international level.

The need to develop ecotourism strategies at the national level through a consultation process was well demonstrated in the Seychelles.

Regulation of Ecotourism.

The role of the private sector in the establishment of regulations and in the certification process was discussed and different viewpoints were expressed. While some people felt that the private sector should take part in defining regulations, others considered that governments and NGOs should establish regulations in order to guarantee the preservation of natural and cultural resources.

Certification and labelling

These were issues that brought a number of questions and discussions. One of the points was whether certification should be just a voluntary process, or whether it should be an instrument to complement the regulation of ecotourism ventures. Another important point raised by different people concerned the components of certification schemes. Other aspects, beyond environmental issues, need to be taken into account and included.

The scale of certification met with a great deal of interest. How can certification schemes work at the local level and at the same time have international recognition? In relation to this, how to cover the cost of certification at the local level was a big concern in many areas and proposals were made to overcome this problem so that it can be made accessible to all sizes of business as well as to local communities. In Peru , for example, some communities receive technical and financial support from academic bodies, while in Australia, the cost of certification is proportional to the size of the business.

A final point discussed is the problem of the appearance of pseudo-eco-labels: too many labels are confusing and there was agreement that something should be done in this respect. A possible solution is the example of VISIT, a joint European initiative for the promotion of ecolabels and sustainable tourism development. VISIT has co-operated with 10 leading ecolabels in Europe and developed common basic standards for their criteria and verification procedures. These standards allow the identification of those ecolabels which guarantee a high environmental quality of their certified hotels, campsites, beaches or marinas. In 2004, VISIT will be established as a European accreditation body for ecolabels in tourism.

Sustainability indicators and monitoring

The need to monitor sustainability of ecotourism products was discussed and a number of approaches were presented. The difficulty of identifying indicators for social and cultural aspects was pointed out. Surveys to determine visitor satisfaction could be used to evaluate the quality of the visitor experience. At the same time, local people should be made aware of what was being done to the environment and how this would affect them.

A good example was the "European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas" which has proved to be a valuable tool for ensuring that tourism in protected areas is managed according to the principles of sustainable development.

Capacity building, training and education

This was considered a key issue for the sustainable development of ecotourism. Without adequate training and education of all stakeholders, from government to the private sector and consumers, in matters relating to regulation, certification and monitoring, it is impossible to progress towards sustainability in ecotourism. All players need to understand why some sort of regulation is necessary in many situations, why certification can help both the business and the environment, and finally why monitoring is essential to demonstrate that progress is being made towards sustainability.

Other issues

The impact of transport in relation to ecotourism was a key point in some of the discussions and suggestions were made on how to take it into account in ecotourism products and in certification schemes.

2. KEY POINTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Institutional frameworks

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

There is a need to reach agreements between protected area management bodies, tourism departments or ministries as well as the tourism industry in general. A good example of this is the progress being made by the Canadian certification program. Good coordination among protected area managers and tourism departments is extremely important.

The development of legislative frameworks at the regional level should be supported, because they can positively influence sustainability issues, including the promotion of

ecotourism and similar types of tourism harmonized with the environment. The recent establishment of quality and specifically ecotourism product rules in Québec, Canada, is a promising example in this field.

Incentives should be set up, such as lower taxes or public land concessions at lower rates, for ecotourism operators that promote environmentally-sensitive land use (e.g., the ones working on Crown land in British Columbia, Canada ). At the same time, in Ontario, Canada, regulatory requirements ensure that resource stewardship agreements are established between the State and tour operators working within an area covered by the agreement, to preserve natural areas of high tourism value. This approach reserves the most pristine areas for ecotourism operations. The idea, in both examples, is to stimulate proper ecotourism in sensitive and valuable natural areas with a high potential.

Regulation of ecotourism

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

Tourism operators, local government, and conservation departments should establish regulations. They should guarantee the protection of sensitive natural resources and cultural integrity.

Legislation and regulations should be specific for ecotourism A good example was the case study of Tourisme Quebec where a very specific legal framework is being established, clearly separating adventure tourism activities and ecotourism with an objective of avoiding a severe impact upon natural assets.

In some areas regulations need to be compulsory since in many countries voluntary regulations do not work and very often the public asks for minimum obligatory regulations, as it was presented in the example from Mexico.

Certain laws and regulations within protected areas should be extended beyond their frontiers.

Legally binding instruments for the implementation of sustainable ecotourism and avoidance of non-sustainable forms of tourism for sensitive areas should be established.

Strict regulations for ecotourism at an international level should be avoided, while guidelines are acceptable.

The potential negative impact of visitors should be taken into account from the beginning of the planning process. This can be realised through some measures such as reservation systems, routing in sensitive points, zoning within the site according to carrying capacity. The Bodogol Education Center, in Indonesia, has successfully put in place some of these preventive measures.

Certification

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

Certification processes need to be global in concept, following international guidelines and recommendations, but local in application. An example of this is the need for ecolodge guidelines, which can always be adopted at the local level and can then be followed by some sort of international ecolodge certification.

Auditing teams must be independent and ideally should have representatives from different countries and proper training. They should also have different cultural backgrounds.

Certification should take into account social, economic and cultural aspects, besides the environmental ones. Most of the existing concepts for eco-labels, brands and certification systems have to be enlarged by social and cultural aspects to reach the aims of sustainable ecotourism.

NGOs should take part in the process of identifying certification schemes. In many cases NGOs have developed voluntary certification schemes which have afterwards been regulated and spread by governments.

International certification schemes must be multistakeholder. They should be promoted by international organizations including governments, academia, conservation NGOs, the private sector and with proper consultation with local and indigenous people. It was suggested that organizations such as WTO and UNEP could play a role in establishing an international framework for tourism certification systems and all existing certification schemes should be considered in this process.

Certification and accreditation should be industry driven and paid for by the operators, as they can use it as a marketing tool and possibly marketing advantage over competitors, therefore it can be beneficial and profitable. The case of Australia is particularly interesting with well-established ecotourism and ecoguides certification programs.

In the case of very small businesses in developing countries, there should be technical and financial support through grant or loans or micro-credit systems to assist in making the necessary changes and to cover the costs of certification, either from strong NGOs, local government, academic bodies, larger profitable businesses or development agencies. There was agreement that environmental certification very often leads to economic benefits since energy, water and other resources are saved.

Easily accessible funding formulae to cover the cost of international certification schemes should be explored, so that small businesses can have access to them. Other funding and capacity building mechanisms should be identified and promoted for this purpose.

Ecotourism certifiers must be guided by social criteria geared to facilitating the integration of small businesses at preferential rates and through technical contributions or the promotion of collective certification alternatives.

Financially sound NGOs should shoulder the role of a certification body at a cost more affordable for local entrepreneurs.

Certification should provide powerful incentives and guidelines for responsible business practices.

A multistakeholder Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council, such as the one being considered by Rainforest Alliance in coordination with a range of international organizations, could help local certification programs exchange information in a forum that allows for accreditation of certifiers, marketing and credibility.

The obligatory introduction of certification systems for ecotourism facilities and operations should be considered at least at regional and national levels, to guarantee that the quality provided is consistent with the principles of sustainability. This is the case of the national ecocertification scheme which will become compulsory in the near future in the Seychelles.

Capacity building, training and education

Key points arising from the Summit:

In the certification process, there is a need to train and educate all stakeholders, including the industry, operators and customers or consumers. This latter case is particularly important since the interest of consumers in true ecotourism will reward good products and punish examples of "greenwashing". A good example of consumer education is the brochure "Your Travel Choice Makes a Difference" from The International Ecotourism Society.

Certification programs should be promoted and explained to the public by both the tourism and the environmental authorities.

Education, transfer of know how, exchange and respect for local people must drive the development of ecotourism in all destinations. In the long term, customers will reward or punish ecotourism products according to their sustainability.

Demand from consumers and tour operators is a prerequisite for a certification system to work. Tourists must be informed of certification schemes and therefore, the promotion by government (by both the environment and tourist departments) is essential.

Monitoring and indicators

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

The issue of monitoring and indicators was central to the discussions of Working Group D, but the following specific points were raised within this working group.

The definition of sustainability indicators should not be left only to the private sector and should be the result of consensus among all stakeholders including local people, NGOs, government and protected area managers.

Indicators must be identified at the local level and should take into account environmental, social and cultural factors.

New methods of evaluation of progress towards sustainability in ecotourism need to be identified, that are accessible to the local population both from the technical and economic point of view.

Other recommendations

It was suggested that World Ecotourism Sites should be declared, where ecotourism would be promoted by the international community in order to guarantee the conservation of high value natural resources and the well being of local people.

Travellers should be made aware of their environmental impact due to transport and its effect on global warming when travelling to remote destinations. The impact of transport in ecotourism has not received enough attention.

Travellers should receive information on positive and relatively simple ways to compensate for their impact, such as taking part in reforestation projects in the areas visited.

The three pillars of sustainable development - public welfare, economy and environment - have to be effectively built into ecotourism.

The development and management of sustainable ecotourism should be promoted through not only the individual effort of a country but also through international cooperation.

Countries should develop national ecotourism strategies through a process of consultation in order to develop ecotourism in a sustainable manner.

Working group - C

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, MARKETING AND PROMOTION OF ECOTOURISM: Fostering sustainable products and consumers

Ecotourism will only bring benefits to conservation and communities if good quality, viable ecotourism products, which reflect market demand, are created and actively promoted. This working group was concerned with developing the right support structures, market knowledge, and attention to detail in product development, to enable this to happen.

The working group concentrated its debates on creating the right context for ecotourism development as well as on practical development and marketing issues. Throughout, there was concern that the nature of products developed and the messages put across to visitors should reflect the need to bring economic, environmental and social benefits.

The report on the preparatory conferences identified a number of challenges for ecotourism product development and marketing. These were:

Participants in the working group were reminded of these challenges, which provided a context for the debates that followed.

In the light of these challenges, the report on the preparatory conferences identified five priorities:

This report takes each of these priority areas in turn and sets out the points and recommendations relating to them that emerged during the working group session.

2. KEY POINTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Structures and relationships for product development and marketing

Main recommendations resulting from the preparatory conferences:

Presentations at the working group emphasised that the principles of ecotourism are often enshrined in traditional values. Such values can influence the approach at a national level. For example, in Indonesia the national tourism policy is based on the principle of the 'Balance of Life' between exploitation and preservation of resources.

At a local level, many indigenous communities have values that are based on the stewardship of the earth's resources and hospitality towards visitors. These values must be respected. They provide a positive reason for assisting local communities to take their own decisions about the development and promotion of ecotourism and the way in which their natural resources and cultures are interpreted to visitors.

Building partnerships

The importance of establishing multi-stakeholder partnerships was underlined by many presentations and interventions. These can take various forms.

One way of assisting indigenous people to gain benefit from ecotourism is by helping them to form partnerships with organisations which can support and fund community projects, individual enterprises and joint ventures. An example is the North American Native Tourism Alliance.

Partnerships for ecotourism should be established between states, where appropriate. An example is the cooperation between Saharan states in a UNESCO pilot project, which is promoting cooperation in training, support for micro enterprises, and the identification and protection of natural and cultural resources.

More consideration should be given to involving tour operators, alongside communities and NGOs, in partnerships for successful ecotourism. An example is the project for the Development of Cultural and Ecotourism in the Mountainous Regions of Central Asia and the Himalayas. This even extends the partnership to tourists themselves - in one initiative, trekkers end their visit working with local people on social and conservation projects.

Linking conservation of biodiversity with direct economic benefits to local people

The role of ecotourism as a stimulus for the conservation of nature was strongly emphasised at the working group. This role is best played through providing a source of livelihood for local people which encourages and empowers them to preserve the biodiversity of their local area. The presentation by Conservation International (C.I.) confirmed the importance they place on ecotourism in their people-centred conservation approach, especially in the world's biodiversity hotspots, which contain millions of people living in poverty.

When challenged in debate about the effectiveness of ecotourism, C.I. cited numerous examples where it was generating significant conservation benefits. However, this requires ecotourism products to be based on integrated, participatory processes which take time to deliver results.

Strengthening the role of protected areas in ecotourism development

There was a specific recommendation that the key role of protected areas in the management and development of ecotourism should be recognised. In some cases they may require more resources to fulfil this role, although ecotourism may also provide a source of revenue.

It was recognised that protected area authorities need to work with local stakeholders on the development of ecotourism, and that appropriate structures should be established for this. Examples of parks working with local communities were provided by the approach of Parcs Québec in extending their network, and by the long-standing UNESCO Man and Biosphere model of evolving and adaptive management. In Italy, a national partnership for ecotourism has been established between the Federation of Parks, NGOs and private sector representatives.

A note of caution was sounded about the level of ecotourism activity to encourage actually within protected areas, rather than in surrounding locations, which may be more robust. There is a need for careful planning which reflects the resources and sensitivity of different areas and the type of designation. Further training and materials to improve the skills of protected area managers in ecotourism is required; an example presented at the workshop was the Toolkit for Sustainable Tourism in Wetlands.

Seeking a greater role for provincial and local authorities

There was a specific recommendation that provincial and local authorities should play a far more active role in ecotourism planning and support, providing a bridge between national policies and local communities. Such authorities often have responsibility for a range of services which affect ecotourism and also provide a long-lasting structure for developing, managing and supporting initiatives. However, more guidance should be given to local authorities on how to fulfil their role in ecotourism.

Understanding markets

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

Key points arising from the Summit:

Understanding visitor motivations and disseminating research results

A number of interventions pointed to the need for more market research to provide data on existing and potential visitor profiles and motivations for visiting natural areas. This research should not only take place within source markets. It is important to understand more about the kinds of people who are already responding to ecotourism products within destinations.

It was recognised that part of the answer is to ensure the better use of existing market research. There was a specific recommendation that the results of the WTO studies of seven source markets should be made accessible, to the extent possible and/or through the corresponding national tourism administrations, to small ecotourism projects and firms in less developed countries.

Recognising ecotourism as more than a niche market

It was pointed out at the working group session that ecotourism should not be equated only with a niche market but also with a set of principles, especially concerning benefits to conservation and local communities. There was general agreement that too narrow a view should not be taken in identifying the potential market for ecotourism. In a paper entitled 'Moving Ecotourism beyond its niche' the National Geographical Society presented research that suggested that a sizeable market in the USA would respond to concepts of supporting conservation and the well-being of local people in their travel choice.

A number of the case studies presented at the working group session were catering for a domestic as well as an international market, and not only for people with a specialist interest in nature. It was suggested that it is important not to isolate ecotourism from the mainstream of tourism. Examples were given of day visitors from coastal resorts coming to inland cultural or natural heritage sites. These may provide serious management challenges in some cases, but also a valuable source of income for ecotourism initiatives.

The presentations and debate pointed to the need for more, well informed, market segmentation, enabling products and promotional strategies to be adapted to different requirements.

Avoiding false expectations

There was a call for better market assessment and business planning for individual projects, taking account of location, resource constraints, current visitor flows and performance of comparable products. This should help to avoid false expectations and the development of ecotourism in areas where it is unlikely to be successful.

Key components of ecotourism products
Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

Key points arising from the Summit:

Underlining the importance of authenticity and creative interpretation

The need for authenticity in ecotourism projects was strongly endorsed. The advantages of creative interpretation and the use of local guides were emphasised. An imaginative example of participatory interpretation was provided by the Earth Rhythms project in Manitoba, Canada, which is all about enabling visitors to "Live the story with real people".

During the plenary discussion, attention was drawn to the value of involving environmentalists, anthropologists and other specialists to ensure the accuracy of interpretation and to add depth to it, while accepting the importance of effective, accessible presentation involving local people.

Facilitating design and management for sustainability

A fundamental point made at the Summit is that ecotourism projects should embrace all aspects of sustainability, in the way they are developed and operated. Ecotourism should give a lead towards more sustainable tourism generally.

A number of examples of excellent environmentally sensitive design, in terms of both aesthetics and technical factors, were presented at the workshop. It was apparent that a wealth of knowledge is available internationally on this subject. The recent publication on ecolodges by The International Ecotourism Society provides an example. It is recommended that priority should be given to disseminating good practice in this field.

Some concern was expressed about the cost of low impact construction but it was stressed that this need not be more expensive than traditional techniques and can bring significant savings in operational costs. It is recommended that evidence about this is put across clearly.

The importance of personal security is recognised. It was pointed out that tour operators promoting ecotourism often face high costs in meeting obligations in this respect, which have to be taken into account.

Addressing the issue of access to ecotourism destinations and experiences

A number of interventions suggested that the issue of access is too often ignored in ecotourism planning and development. Three aspects of this were raised.

First, in some locations there is a need to facilitate access, where communities may be isolated. It was recommended that there is a need to work more closely with transport operators in ecotourism development.

Secondly, there is considerable concern that ecotourism policies and products should promote the use of environmentally friendly transport options, both to and within the destination. In Germany, for example, the promotion of cycling and walking is of fundamental importance in policies towards sustainable tourism and ecotourism.

Thirdly, there is a need to avoid discrimination against people with disabilities or other disadvantages in terms of access to ecotourism experiences.

Technical support for communities and enterprises

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

Key points arising from the Summit:

Giving priority to capacity building

Many presentations emphasised the importance of capacity building within local communities. For example, human resource development was seen as a priority requirement in Indonesia and Venezuela. It was emphasised that capacity building requires time and commitment. There was also a call for more financial assistance for training.

A particular point was made that, as well as supporting businesses, capacity building and specific training programmes in the field of ecotourism could be directed at young people at the start of their working life. An example of this was provided by the Sao Paulo Green Belt Biosphere Reserve and their establishment of eco-job training centres.

Helping ecotourism projects to learn from each other

It was agreed that a lot could be achieved by exchanging experiences between different projects. The value of the suggestion, arising from the preparatory conferences, of promoting twinning and multi-lateral links between projects, was illustrated in the presentations.

Raising the profile and knowledge of tourism within donor agencies, and the quality of applications to them

It was felt that donor agencies should take tourism more seriously. Many have no specific strategy for supporting tourism or particular skills or knowledge about ecotourism. This should be rectified.

However, the responsibility of applicants in seeking funding was also recognised. It was pointed out that projects seeking funding must have a well-prepared business plan.

Some delegates commented that there was not enough knowledge about the various sources of financial assistance, including international donor agencies, bilateral support programmes, and assistance available from NGOs. There was a specific recommendation that a database of information on this should be created and disseminated.

Structuring financial and technical assistance to the requirements of small businesses and local communities

There was considerable debate about appropriate forms of support for ecotourism projects.

A presentation at the workshop on the International Labour Organization's sustainable tourism project with indigenous communities in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru set out a structured approach, with programmes of assistance at a micro level (for community-based enterprises), at a medium level (for clusters of tourism initiatives within community networks, and for local government), and at a macro level (to strengthen organisations, certification and marketing within states).

A clear message from delegates was that assistance should be in a form that can be accessed by small and micro businesses and local communities and one that is relevant to their needs. Specific recommendations were that:

There was a call for the application of fiscal incentives as a tool to encourage tourism service providers to develop and manage their enterprises more sustainably.

A further specific recommendation was for the establishment of a network of ecotourism advisors or mentors as a readily available source of help for small ecotourism businesses.

Promoting ecotourism messages and products

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

Key points arising from the Summit:

Raising public awareness of tourism impacts, ecotourism principles and actions to take

During the working group session, a number of comments were made on the importance to promote the actual concept of ecotourism, its ideals and values, rather than simply ecotourism products. However, there was a little concern that the word 'ecotourism' may actually be putting some people off. It was agreed that principles and goals are what is important; people should not get hung up on terminology.

The report on the preparatory conferences suggested that there should be a coordinated international campaign to promote ecotourism principles and concepts, but that this might not simply be a generic campaign; rather it should promote specific action that visitors could take. As an example of this, it was recommended that the process of visitors and tour operators making financial donations to local community projects or conservation causes should be more actively promoted, with a vision of this becoming the norm rather than the exception.

A strong recommendation was made in the presentation by the Retour Foundation, an NGO working with indigenous communities, that tourists should be provided with detailed information about the effect of their travelling.

Promoting mutual understanding of cultural differences and sensitivities

It was recommended that information for visitors should include how to respect the local culture of their hosts and the sensitivity of the local environment. At the same time, there was a recommendation that indigenous and local communities should be provided with information about the culture and expectations of their visitors.

Working effectively with tour operators and the media

The importance of tour operators was referred to on several occasions. There was a specific recommendation that priority should be given to involving and educating local incoming tour operators and agents within destinations. On the other hand, some delegates recommended that ecotourism principles should be promoted more heavily amongst international tour operators, including the larger companies.

The strong influence of media reports and travel guides, which can be both damaging and highly beneficial to ecotourism, was emphasised during the plenary session. It was recommended that travel writers should be introduced to genuine, interesting stories about real people and experiences, rather than bland details of product.

Using the Internet as a communication medium at all points in the tourism chain

There was widespread agreement about the importance of the Internet for promoting ecotourism products. One comment highlighted its value amongst the large market of independent travellers, where it can be used for exchange of information and testimonials amongst visitors and for providing information within destinations as well as prior to departure. A high priority should be given to helping small enterprises and community initiatives link to appropriate technology.

Raising confidence through branded products

Branding of ecotourism products was considered to offer more opportunities. An example was a proposal to establish a world-wide brand of ecolodges with strong conservation credentials.

Gaining support for ecotourism amongst future visitors

Discussion at the workshop echoed the need, expressed in the preparatory conferences, to promote the concept of ecotourism to children and young people, as a receptive audience and as the travellers of the future.

Finally, the results from many successful projects presented during the Summit reaffirmed the importance of delivering a quality experience, leading to word of mouth recommendation, as the best form of marketing. This will increase the volume of tourists who are committed to ecotourism principles, who become ambassadors for conservation, and who have a greater understanding of different cultures around the world.

MONITORING COSTS AND BENEFITS OF ECOTOURISM:
Ensuring equitable distribution among all stakeholders

In many ecotourism strategies the aim is to reduce the costs of ecotourism and ensuring that a whole range of benefits are obtained for local communities, the environment, visitors and other stakeholders. However, unless there is a system for monitoring the impacts of ecotourism, then the success of new strategies and actions will not be known. This working group was concerned with effective processes for checking on impacts and improving the distribution of benefits.

As a result of the presentations and the debates during the working group session, guidelines and directions towards concrete solutions were devised. These solutions challenge traditional tourism development policies that, as was emphasised by the contributors, must not merely consider ecotourism as a priority but as a tourism development catalyst, thus providing a new approach to tourism development as a whole. This was particularly highlighted in the contributions by the delegates from Kenya, Brazil, India and Serbia.

For this catalytic role of ecotourism to really be effective, it is necessary to consider recommendations relating to the main pillars of this topic, namely monitoring costs, monitoring benefits, and equitable distribution. Some global recommendations also emerged from the working group.

Monitoring costs of ecotourism

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

The presentations showed that for ecoutourism to develop sustainably it needs direct as well as indirect support from the public sector at the national and local levels.

Recognising costs relating to environmental management

The conflict between protecting nature and ecotourism development induces extra costs which ecotourism operators must bear. In the case of Sri Lanka for example, with respect to wildlife, the problems associated with the protection of the elephants must be managed in such a way that the local population could also be able to live in total security, particularly the farmers. In this particular case specific planning guidelines must be drawn up, which include protection barriers, requiring very heavy investment. This need for large financial resources impedes the development of ecotourism and can rupture the sustainable development process in these destinations.

This situation can be particularly serious in mass tourism destinations as illustrated by the presentation on the Balearic Islands in which it was argued that there is a direct relationship between high tourist numbers and the attractiveness of the destination. In this case, there is a conflict between tourism development and economic development because of the extra costs on the environment, resulting in the deterioration of the tourism situation in these destinations.

Taking all development and operational costs into account, including training

Ecotourism itself engenders extra costs, notably in terms of funding training. This important point was much discussed during the sessions. Indeed, ecotourism often implies heavier equipment expenditure and more skilled personnel than are required in traditional tourism. Therefore, preliminary training funding programmes must be introduced, and this can harm the competitiveness of the ecotourism product in a very competitive market. As a result, the profitability of ecotourism projects may be deemed insufficient. Examples from France for instance show that quite often the financing of training must come from public funds, which implies that in certain developing countries, the financing of ecotourism training must be included in international cooperation programmes.

Considering the full costs of transition to ecotourism

The cost of protecting nature generally implies very high expenditure and can be the cause of usage conflict in economic terms but also in social terms. This is the case in India for example where, in some highly populated regions, ecotourism development replaces certain agricultural production activities that must be abandoned to safeguard the endowments of protected areas. In such cases, the creation of jobs for tour guides and wardens does not compensate for the jobs lost in the agricultural sector, and this can cause tension between the local population and ecotourism operators when the cost of reconversion of agricultural populations are not taken into account in public policies.

Monitoring benefits of ecotourism

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

The discussions during the working group session showed that the benefits of ecotourism are not as obvious as might be first thought. These benefits can be the cause of problems and sometimes controversy.

Being realistic about financial benefits

The financial benefits, in terms of fiscal and parafiscal receipts, must be considered as particularly important for local populations. However, the examples presented during the sessions show that these benefits only become significant after many years. Case studies from Madagascar demonstrate that in the short term fiscal and parafiscal receipts generated by ecotourism activity are weak and cannot finance the environmental protection that is necessary for high quality tourism products. Furthermore, these examples show that these benefits are very difficult to distribute amongst public and private stakeholders.

Using ecotourism benefits to alleviate poverty

The benefits of ecotourism should be orientated principally towards the poorest local populations. This is the objective of the many programmes presented during the Summit such as those in South Africa, Ghana and Uganda. From this point of view, ecotourism is better adapted than traditional commercial tourism to achieve this objective. However, as the presentation from India emphasised, ecotourism is a type of tourism development that can harm the traditional activities of the poorer populations (i.e. agriculture). This means that the benefits of ecotourism are not always sufficient to provide a significant contribution to the problems of extreme poverty and even in certain cases it can harm the very means of subsistence of very poor rural populations. Therefore, the assertion that developing ecotourism is a good method of solving the problems of poverty in developing countries should be expressed with caution, spelling out the conditions for this to occur.

Emphasising the merits of ecotourism in benefiting small enterprises

The benefits in terms of liberalisation of international exchanges in the GATS agreement framework should facilitate access to tourism development for all countries including LCDs (Least Developed Countries). However, as the speaker from UNCTAD pointed out during the debates and during the presentations at the Summit, traditional tourism tends to mostly benefit large enterprises. This is not the case of ecotourism, which should therefore be favoured in commercial international negotiations. Furthermore, this was emphasised during the session on international cooperation, which clearly demonstrated that tourism was a privileged element of regional cooperation benefiting primarily small and medium size enterprises.

Taking full account of associated benefits

The presentations and debates showed that the balance between costs and benefits are not always obvious to justify ecotourism development in economic and social development polices. However, several new points were brought to the debates proving that the benefits of ecotourism are much more numerous and important if some major elements which are often forgotten or ignored are considered.

In particular, two very positive points concerning ecotourism were discussed after the presentations by the IBST (International Bureau of Social Tourism):

The equitable distribution of benefits amongst stakeholders

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

It emerged from the presentations and debates that the principles of ecotourism are more of an aspiration than a reality for many countries, regions and local and indigenous populations, despite significant progress.

Equitable distribution is an aspiration for many stakeholders because there exist today a multitude of initiatives and ecotourism product development projects everywhere in the world. Nevertheless, a survey carried out in Australia showed that there are thousands of ecotourism schemes, which would suggest that the economic weight of ecotourism in world tourism is becoming increasingly important and could support the efforts to achieve a better distribution between all stakeholders of the benefits of tourism development.

The equitable distribution between all stakeholders is strengthened because of the prevalence of small and medium sized enterprises in the development of ecotourism. The example provided by Ethiopia, discussing the role of SMEs in the development of ecotourism, shows that the benefits of ecotourism can be turned from aspiration into reality if tourism development associated with ecotourism is sufficiently important.

The equitable distribution between all stakeholders will only become a significant reality when the benefits to be distributed are great enough. However, the contributions from the representatives of the poorest regions and countries emphasised that this is not the case everywhere in the world. One of the reasons put forward by UNCTAD is the lack of comparative studies to provide useful information on the successes and failures of different methods of equitable distribution amongst stakeholders. The aim would be to establish demonstration projects which would serve as references to ensure that the development of ecotourism will also provide real equitable distribution between all stakeholders.

Global recommendations

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

The following overall conclusions were drawn from the presentations and the debates in the working group and were presented during the plenary session:

A permanent and consistent monitoring of ecotourism impacts should be implemented as an integral part of the overall management for protected sites and other natural areas, and therefore the existing approaches such as carrying capacity methodologies, damage warning indicators and other monitoring instruments should be adapted.

In addition, the participants in the working group proposed a recommendation to the plenary session of the World Ecotourism Summit to affirm the clear and inalienable rights of indigenous communities, in terms of international legal instruments, to self-determination and prior informed consent in ecotourism development.

4. REPORTS FROM THE SPECIAL FORUMS

On the final day of the Summit, two special forums were held in order to discuss the perspective of ecotourism businesses (Forum 1) and the issue of development cooperation (Forum 2). The results of these forums are presented in the pages which follow.

In addition, a Ministerial Forum was held. This forum enabled a wide range of countries to describe their policies and activities in the field of ecotourism. The majority of speakers were Ministers of Tourism or senior officials from the ministry of tourism in the respective countries, but some countries were represented by their environment ministry or their diplomatic representative in Canada.

Andorra
Algeria
Bangladesh
Cambodia
Cuba
Cyprus
Ecuador
Egypt
India
Malawi
Nigeria
Pakistan
Paraguay
Philippines
Romania
Sri Lanka
Uruguay

Each country representative explained the state of development of ecotourism in their country and the problems and challenges being faced. All of them reiterated their commitment to sustainability principles in tourism and set out the steps being taken to develop and promote ecotourism.

This forum concerned the practical experiences and needs of private sector businesses operating in ecotourism. It centred on four presentations from enterprises based in the US Virgin Islands, Canada, Panama and India. There was also a considerable period for discussion with many points raised from the floor.

1 ISSSUES DISCUSSED

The need for government support for small ecotourism operators

Ecotourism operators often find themselves at a disadvantage because of specific government regulations. For example, in destination countries where business visas have a limited time before expiry, this may result in on-ground tour leaders or facilitators having to leave the country prematurely.

Other problems result from a lack of government action. One example is the lack of assistance for operators to develop new tours in destinations. This is a big problem for operators, since research and testing potential products on the ground may take some years, but once products are developed, other companies may replicate this new package, with no research costs. Developing new packages is becoming increasingly difficult.

Some problems occur when the ethics of the destination government are in conflict with the principles of ecotourism. Some ethically minded operators pull out of the destination, which ironically leaves the field (and their repeat clients and developmental groundwork) available to less ethically-oriented tour operators.

Problems of financing ecotourism operations

It was generally agreed that obtaining finance to initiate ecotourism operations is extremely difficult; it is often non-existent. Many operations are only possible by using personal savings or obtaining personal loans. The conventional banking sector is not currently helpful until after success is achieved, when assistance is least necessary.

Other costs concerns are related to proposed certification programs, which operators fear they will not be able to buy into; additionally, they do not have the time to engage in the often lengthy and difficult certification procedure.

Cost and lack of support for research and development

Operators agreed that it is difficult and expensive to research and develop new ecotourism packages in many destinations. Also, that when established, there are no mechanisms to prevent other operators from copying their packages.

Lack of integrated objectives

Some ecotourism operators started with worthy but limited motivations, such as a strong desire for environmental conservation or protection of endangered places or species. However, they discover that unless local jobs are created and operational profitability is an objective, the business will have difficulties or will fail, thus also failing to achieve the original objective. It was felt that entrepreneurs need to internalise the principles of sustainability in their business, and that if they emphasise only one or two perspectives, they will not achieve sustainability over the long term. Those businesses focusing on economic perspectives also need to integrate community and environmental perspectives; reciprocally, those businesses focusing on community benefits also need to consider environmental issues relating both to the community and their business. In this way, there is a greater likelihood that the business will be sustainable over the long term, whereas if other perspectives are not considered, long-term business viability is unlikely.

Environmental destruction

Operators expressed that poaching is an issue in a number of destinations, as well as slash-and-burn agriculture and other practices, which destroy forests and other habitats. These unsustainable land use practices are greatly affecting the quality of some destinations. Operators could improve environmental conditions at destinations by involving more local communities, bringing economic alternatives, and by this way providing incentives to preserve the environment; however, without government support it is difficult for them to tackle these problems alone.

2. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Separate policies are required for ecotourism, distinguishing it from mainstream tourism operations

Mechanisms should be developed to facilitate start-up funding for small tourism operations.

Governments or other agencies at the destinations should examine ways to provide assistance to ecotourism operations researching and introducing new packages. As an example, the Malaysia Tourism Commission has cost-shared advertising of new packages for a certain time period, which benefited both the operator and the destination.

It was recommended that NGOs should play a stronger role in providing up to date research information (destinations or markets) to operators.

Involve those who are part of a problem in the solution

It is recommended that all stakeholders should be involved in solving ecotourism-related problems, especially those who are part of a problem. For example, in India, there has been recent interaction between poachers, NGOs, forest officials, and the ecotourism facilitator.

Take an integrated approach

Ecotourism operators should take an integrated operational perspective from the outset. This will involve: protecting the environment that visitors wish to experience; providing local jobs so that the environment is not endangered by unsustainable local use (e.g., slash and burn agriculture); providing desired visitor interactions with local people; and focusing on business profitability to sustain the other objectives.

It was suggested that creative businesses can create profit streams within their operations through applying sustainability principles. For example, in Maho Bay Camps (US Virgin Islands), sustainable technologies contribute to cost savings as well as to guest satisfaction. Waste aluminium, glass and plastic is used in craft workshops and converted into products for sale, thus employing locals, providing guest entertainment, generating revenues, and removing waste from the island.

It is recommended that public-private partnerships be encouraged as a method of assisting business start-ups, as well as meeting joint objectives, involving business, government, NGOs, or development agencies.

Provide adequate remuneration to local employees at destinations

It was recommended that local people be paid significant wages by operators. This helps ensure ongoing reliability and quality performance, and acts as a model for others. For example, in India, slash and burn agriculture is reducing, unused cargo boats are being converted to viable house-boat operations, and poachers are being transformed into respected, well-paid employees.

The portion of total consumer package costs which destinations receive should be critically examined, since at present the average percentage is relatively low.

The development cooperation forum concentrated on the role of development agencies in providing financial and technical support for ecotourism.

Most of the speakers were representing international or bilaterial donor agencies or consultancies, including: GEF/UNDP Small Grants Programme, SNV Netherlands, Swiss Association for International Cooperation, German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ), and the Inter-American Development Bank, besides the World Tourism Organization. The Minister of Tourism from Angola provided a recipient country perspective.

1. ISSUES DISCUSSED

The need for international cooperation

The WTO and government representatives emphasised the crucial role of international cooperation in promoting a sustainable development of ecotourism, particularly in less developed countries.

The WTO, as the UNDP's executing agency for tourism development, is a catalyst for generating finance and can organise international cooperation. With its technical expertise WTO can provide guidelines and solutions to achieve an appropriate balance between the economic development of tourism and sustainability. Thus WTO can facilitate the development of new types of international cooperation, motivating other agencies towards a common objective with public/private sector partnerships.

This need for regional cooperation on ecotourism projects, particularly in Africa, was pointed out by Angola's Minister of Tourism. An example of this kind of support was given through the RETOSA / SADEC tourism projects.

Speakers looked in turn at issues relating to bilateral, regional and international cooperation.

New objectives for international cooperation

There has been a notable change in the way development agencies are treating tourism projects. Whereas previously there was an emphasis on the quantity of tourism development and revenue generated, there is now greater concern for the quality of the end result and a range of social and environmental as well as purely economic objectives. The revision of tourism master plans has reflected this change of emphasis. This has led to a focus on the capacity of local communities to engage in, and benefit from, tourism.

A growing number of players

In the past development cooperation was mainly provided by a small number of international organisations dealing with states at a government level. Now there are many more agencies providing relevant assistance, including NGOs, regional organisations, bilateral aid schemes and private sector bodies. Some of these new forms of cooperation are particularly appropriate for ecotourism as they are often focused on generating self-help in communities (e.g. the approach of SNV Netherlands).

New structures and levels for cooperation

International cooperation itself has changed. Cooperation is now located in an inter-regional context and its focus is on decentralised programmes. This regional cooperation is well adapted to ecotourism. A new priority is given to training and capacity building, as key issues to strengthen ecotourism, and to providing support for indigenous organisations.

2. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Provide more support for capacity building

The recognition of the need to support capacity building, mentioned above, is important. A further focus on this in all assistance programmes should be encouraged.

Ensure that projects assisted are viable

Too frequently in the past assistance has been provided for ecotourism projects which may not be viable in the long term, after assistance has come to a end. More attention should be given to feasibility assessment.

Make sure that local communities are involved and benefiting

Development agencies should pay attention to organisational and participatory structures in recipient destinations. It is very important that there is local participation in programmes supported. A number of comments made stressed the importance of organisational strengthening and the role of local authorities.

Raise the profile of ecotourism within development agencies

In general, development agencies are still paying too little attention to ecotourism. They should be encouraged to develop strategies for their work in this sector. This should apply to individual agencies and collectively, as there is a need for more coordination between agencies in their work in this area.

Provide a range of levels of financial support

In the past financial assistance has tended to be provided in large amounts, relevant to larger scale projects. There is now a need for a full range of types and levels of assistance, including programmes suitable for very small enterprises and community-based initiatives, and for medium sized projects which are locally owned, yet with significant costs as well as local impacts.

5. PREPARING AND ADOPTING THE FINAL DECLARATION

The Summit closed with a final plenary session which addressed the text of the Quebec Declaration on Ecotourism.

An initial draft of the declaration had been circulated to delegates at the start of the Summit. All delegates were invited to submit written comments on the text, including specific recommendations for amendments, improvements and additions. A total of 160 written comments were received by the deadline at the end of the second full day of the Summit. WTO and UNEP also received verbal representation from a number of individuals and groups, including representatives of indigenous communities and of NGOs working with such communities. All these comments were carefully assessed by WTO and UNEP and taken into consideration in the preparation of a second draft.

The second draft of the declaration was circulated to delegates at the start of the third day. This draft formed the basis of the debate during the final plenary session. Many delegates made further comments and recommendations on it from the floor. These interventions were recorded. All of them were assessed and used by WTO and UNEP to produce a final text of the declaration on the day following the Summit. This text was then made available to delegates and others on the Internet.
ANNEXES

Copyright 2002 World Tourism Organization

This report was published by the World Tourism Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme.Madrid, Spain

All right reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission from the World Tourism Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme.

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinions whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the World Tourism Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

The World Tourism Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme would like to thank the four experts who were commissioned to prepare the summaries of the regional preparatory meetings and the reports on the different sessions of the World Ecotourism Summit: Ms. Pam Wight (Pam Wight & Associates Tourism Consultants, Canada), Dr. Richard Denman (The Tourism Company, United Kingdom), Mr. Francesc Giró (Fundació Natura, Spain) and Dr. François Vellas (University of Toulouse, France). The comprehensive Final Report was edited by Mr. Richard Denman and revised by Mr. Eugenio Yunis (WTO Chief, Sustainable Development of Tourism Programme, Mr. Gabor Vereczi (WTO, Programme Officer, Sustainable Development of Tourism Section) and Ms. Janine Tabasaran (UNEP, Associate Programme Officer, Tourism Programme).

Welcoming address
His Excellency, Mr Lakhar Dorbani,
Minister of Tourism and HandicraftS, Algeria

Ecotourism in Desert Areas in Algeria
Mr. Bouchdjira Ahmed,
Director Central, Direction of Tourism and Balneology, Algeria

The last twenty years have witnessed a rapid expansion in ecotourism activities all over the world and further development can be expected in the future. In recognition of this fact, the United Nations declared 2002 International Year of Ecotourism (IYE). In this context, the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) is co-ordinating a number of activities, together with other international and regional organisations, its Member States, its Affiliate Members and other groups, in preparation for the IYE and to guarantee follow-up. These preparations include the organisation of regional or thematic seminars to discuss matters relating to ecotourism in different parts of the world or relating to specific geographical and climatic characteristics. The results of these seminars and the experience they provide will be presented to the World Ecotourism Summit to be held in Quebec City, Canada, from 19 to 22 May 2002, jointly organised by WTO and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) with the support of the Canadian Tourism Commission and Quebec Tourism.

The Algiers seminar on ecotourism in desert areas covered one of the thematic subjects for the IYE, after the " Conference on Ecotourism in Mountain Areas " (12-15 September 2001, St. Johann / Pongau, Austria) and the " Conference on Ecotourism in small Island States and other Small Islands " (Mahé, Seychelles, from 8 to 10 December 2001). As with mountain areas and islands, desert areas were considered because of their specific characteristics and the need to develop ecotourism in line with these characteristics.

If properly planned and managed, ecotourism can offer many economic advantages for governments, private enterprise and local groups and communities. It can also act as an efficient tool for preserving the natural and cultural heritage. However, when practised incorrectly, ecotourism may have controversial effects on existing ecosystems, local communities and traditional cultures. For this reason, the main objective of this seminar was to examine experiences to date and to share ideas on how to maximise the economic, environmental and social benefits of ecotourism in deserts and to minimise its negative effects.

About 200 people from 21 different countries, representing different stakeholders in the public and private sectors, NGOs, universities and local communities, participated in the Algiers seminar. During this event, 23 reports and case studies were presented which served as a basis for the debates. The case studies focused on the following three themes:

Theme 1 : Planning and regulation of ecotourism in desert areas. The challenge of sustainability.
Theme 2 : Product development, marketing and promotion of ecotourism; fostering sustainable products and consumers.
Theme 3 : Monitoring the costs and benefits of ecotourism to ensure they are equitably distributed amongst all players.

The World Tourism Organisation would like to thank the Algerian government and its Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts for the welcome received and their valuable collaboration in the organisation of the seminar. WTO would also like to thank all the participants in the seminar for their significant contributions in the case studies and debates.

This final report has been drawn up jointly by Mr. Qusay Ahmad, a WTO expert, Mr. Abdelhak Lahmar, Senior Supervisor in the Algerian Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts, and Mr. Philippe Lemaistre, WTO programme officer. It has been revised by Mr. Eugenio Yunis, Head of the WTO Department for Sustainable Development of Tourism.

The reports and case studies presented on the above three topics stressed the following aspects:

a) The importance of all types of participation by local communities in the development of ecotourism,
b) The role of national and local governments in ecotourism management,
c) The need for joint action by the different players in the development of products and of ecotourism destinations,
d) The impact of ecotourism activities on society, the economy and the environment as a key factor for sustainability.

The different countries' experiences clearly illustrate the specific challenges for desert areas and also point to the immense potential for the development of deserts as well as their extreme fragility.

The main subjects discussed were the following :
Theme 1 : Planning and regulation of ecotourism in desert areas : the challenge of sustainability
- In view of their natural and cultural diversity, desert areas have enormous potential for ecotourism. Understanding this potential is essential for countries, such as Algeria, in which the immense majority of the territory is desert. But this potential must be developed according to criteria of sustainability.
- Desert areas are most of the time located in developing countries with limited resources. Thus, it is of high importance to obtain and provide support for all forms of local or regional ecotourism development in these areas.
- The development of ecotourism must be economically feasible, ecologically viable and ethically and socially equitable for local populations.
- The tourism development policies recently adopted by some countries represented at the seminar (Algeria, Botswana and the Sultanate of Oman) stress the development of ecotourism within the framework of sustainable development.
- The presence of many governmental ministries who have intersecting responsibilities regarding the developmental, planning and marketing issues relating to ecotourism, might appear harmful since such bodies have contradicting agendas: balancing development of tourism (in this case ecotourism) and conservation of the natural and cultural assets. (The case of Oman was mentioned in the Conference: Ministry of Commerce and Industry responsible for tourism, Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources responsible for the environment and the Ministry of Heritage and Culture responsible for cultural and archaeological aspects). There is a crucial need to develop umbrella mechanisms that allow such bodies to work successfully together in order to create the balance necessary for the development of ecotourism.
- Any project for ecotourism development in a natural park in general and a desert in particular requires a preliminary assessment of environmental impact, taking into account the economy of wood and water resources and the use of biodegradable products.
- Consultation with local communities must be at the forefront of the development of any ecotourism project. Alternative mechanisms for consulting local communities should be made clear and facilitated to all those undertaking the development of ecotourism projects. At the same time, it is essential to realise that local communities are not just one homogeneous group of people that happened to be in one place.
- It is essential to consult with all the players in nature parks and with the administrative bodies involved on the matter of regulating ecotourism flows, safeguarding threatened sites and training guides while also creating awareness.
- Co-operation amongst the nature parks within a single desert region will enable each of them to get to know the other's planning policies and to take inspiration from them when drawing up their own development plans. This will allow them to create a new tourism identity that will be less dependent on foreign aid and especially on tour operators from tourist generating countries. The example of the "Africanisation" of the Saharan parks was mentioned.
- Common planning for protected desert areas that cross national borders should be considered with a view to achieving better protection of the natural and cultural resources of such areas (e.g. the Tassilli between Niger, Algeria, Mali and Libya, and also the desert areas between Algeria and Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, and Jordan and Saudi Arabia).
- At country level, a stocktaking of the location of desert assets is one of the essential conditions for planning in these areas. This should be done by setting up desert observatories. (Ideally, these should cross national borders). In the Sahara, the Tamanrasset site has already been considered.
- For natural heritage, an environmental study on bio-diversity has to be conducted:
- bringing to light the current state of vegetal and animal species conservation, particularly endemic species (like some ungulates) menaced by poaching or tourist hunting;
- checking periodically the biological stocktaking after each tourist season.
Briefly stated, the opening of these zones to ecotourism should follow the formulation of a management plan and a rational resource conservation strategy specific to each ecotourism area.
- Within each protected area, it is essential to carry out zoning and to draw up lists of all the natural, cultural and human heritage to be protected.
- Any infrastructure created in these protected areas should be sustainable from the environmental point of view and aesthetically acceptable. In dune areas, light equipment that can be dismantled should be used.
- Certain laws and regulations within protected areas should be extended beyond their frontiers.
- The preparation and enforcement of regulations guaranteeing the survival of heritage should receive governmental priority because delay may lead to irreversible damage.
- Governments should learn to consider projects whatever their size, because even the smallest will encourage the inhabitants of isolated areas to remain within their communities. One of the advantages of ecotourism is precisely that the infrastructure required is small in size.
- Governments should be invited to define a national rural tourism policy for desert areas because the potential and variety of rural territories in some countries, such as Syria, allow for the development of sustainable tourism that will help rural populations.
- Trans-ministerial actions (culture, environment, tourism, agriculture, town planning, etc.) should be encouraged.
- It would be especially useful for the tourism and cultural sectors to collaborate. Archaeological sites should not be mummified by completely preventing access by tourists for reasons of conservation.
- In general, all development should be seen from a trans-sectorial point of view. Co-ordination and collaboration amongst all those involved is essential in the development of ecotourism. A committee should be set up comprising representatives of the public and private sectors, NGOs and communities, and consultation fora should be created for the local populations at the early stages of any tourism policy. The case of Botswana is an example of co-ordination at the stage of drawing up a national ecotourism strategy.
- Strict definition of tourism carrying capacities was indicated as being essential in the case of ecotourism, not only in natural parks and protected areas but also in rural areas. Territories that do not have a water supply (e.g. the extreme south of the Sahara) should develop extremely limited ecotourism under very careful control.
- Thorough training for guides is essential. Egypt, for example, has decided to include training in ecology in the historical training it gives its national guides.
- There is a need for international legislation on the protection of archaeological remains - fossils, petroglyphs, cave paintings, etc. - which are assets in some desert areas.
- The importance of the Convention on the fight against desertification was stressed, as were co-ordination by WTO with the Convention on Biodiversity, the Commission on Sustainable Development and the World Heritage Sites Convention.
- It was suggested that the role of WTO as a catalyst for the sharing of experiences in ecotourism throughout the world and especially in desert areas should be developed.
- It is also necessary to encourage and support the publication of research on desert areas and especially on tourism in deserts. WTO was requested to set an example in this field.

Theme 2 : Product development, ecotourism marketing and promotion: fostering sustainable products and consumers

- The importance of information and awareness-raising in ecotourism should concern particularly the following stakeholders:
- Local populations
- Guides
- Foreign tour operators and accompanying staff
- Tourists

- Knowledge of the characteristics of ecotourism demand is essential to fully meet consumers' expectations. Studies carried out in ecotourism generating markets like those by WTO, for example, are especially useful for suppliers in the destinations in helping them to adapt to specific demands.
- The importance of "word-of-mouth" as a means of information on ecotourism was mentioned. It is therefore important to meet consumers' expectations in terms of both infrastructure and activities if ecotourism enterprises and destinations are to achieve long-term success.
- The search for meaning in tourism experience should be included in the promotion of ecotourism. Quality rather than price should be the key element of choice for an ecotourism destination or product.
- The role of guides was considered essential for ecotourism to fulfil its educational function for tourists and to ensure that the latter do not have a negative impact on the natural environment and local culture. Guides must be from the desert environment but must have received training allowing them to transmit their knowledge to the tourists. The creation of a specialised " desert guide " training institute should be considered.
- Foreign accompanying staff should also be aware of ecotourism and desert area specificity. It is necessary that they receive training in this area.
- Awareness campaigns should be carried out for tourists on the fragility of deserts. These are living areas and should be respected as such. And the notion of beauty and the soul of the desert should be considered in promoting these destinations. Due to the exceptional archaeological heritage, a project of "Humanity Road" has been mentioned for the Sahara.
- All information and awareness campaigns for both tourists and local populations should, above all, target young people. This is an essential and basic measure.
- A proposal was made to organise desert study trips with local guides for public and private decision-makers to assist them in reaching decisions on ecotourism products by providing them with information on possible alternatives and on the culture and traditions of the local populations.
- The press should be informed about ecotourism so that it can contribute to increasing awareness amongst local populations, tour operators and tourists. It was recommended that WTO play a key role in this.
- The relationship between local ecotourism service providers and foreign tour operators specialising in ecotourism should be based on contracting rather than sub-contracting as is often the case with conventional tourism. This would help to establish longer-lasting partnerships instead of a situation in which one partner dominates the other.
- Ecotourism should be considered a means of diversifying a country's or a region's tourism supply by increasing its appeal and allowing it to distribute tourism flows throughout its territory.
- Decision-makers and managers of ecotourism projects were asked to consider the role of new technologies in developing ecotourism.
- Consideration was given to the importance of the fight against the technological divide between developed and developing countries. The latter need to receive know-how and technical assistance from more advanced countries.
- Specific new Internet applications were presented during the seminar concerning pre-travel information and information to complement that given by the guide during travel.

Theme 3 : Monitoring of equitable distribution of the costs and benefits of ecotourism amongst all players

- Special attention was paid to the importance of convincing the local population of the need to safeguard their environment (e.g. the inhabitants of Eloued in Algeria who were able to save their oasis). In Botswana, it is of interest to note how, by creating jobs relating to animal preservation, greater awareness has been created among the locals, facilitating the fight against illegal hunting.
- Projects that integrate nature preservation, handicrafts and ecotourism seem to have a great chance of succeeding to the benefit of local populations. An example is the Dana Valley project in Jordan.
- Local communities should not be considered an attraction to be protected because of their tourism value but as partners and decision-makers in ecotourism projects.
- Precise site management procedures should be drawn up for managing visitor flows, resources (especially water) and impacts. In deserts, slow access means that ecotourism stays necessarily have a minimum duration, thus avoiding systematic treading of the same itineraries.
- The above-mentioned planning efforts should be extended by constant follow-up of their results.
- In order to do this, a tourism observatory should be created to establish indicators for desert areas in order to ensure that the impacts of ecotourism are monitored and regulations and management systems are adapted both within protected areas and outside.
- In fragile sites such as deserts that cannot receive heavy infrastructure, each group of tourists must take care of its own waste.
- Direct redistribution of resources must be promoted. An interesting example in Egypt (Sinai) was given in which the construction of a new hotel was avoided by taking advantage of the capacity of the local inhabitants to accommodate visitors. This also helped to protect the landscape.
- Uncontrolled activities in deserts lead to the destruction of habitats and of local natural resources. It is therefore necessary to draw up a charter of respect for deserts. A body for verifying enforcement of this charter should also be set up.
- Presentation of the Programme for destination 21 showed that quality standards, charters and labels are useful for guaranteeing visitors a high-level ecotourism experience.
- A common definition of ecotourism, as precise as possible, is essential for the creation of such standards, charters and labels, and this should be proposed for adoption in Quebec. Otherwise, the IYE might end up promoting ecotourism to fragile areas without stressing its automatic affiliation to the principles of sustainability, which might lead to deterioration rather than protection of such areas.
- The notion of ecotourism necessarily implies the principles of sustainability. Participants at the Algiers seminar expressed their wish to present elements for the definition, as follows:
"In the adoption of a rigorous, scientific definition of the concept of ecotourism, the Algiers seminar recommends that the following be considered:
A) Scientific aspects relating to the need for:
1. conservation of the cultural and natural heritage of protected areas;
2. preservation of sites visited;
3. promotion of heritage by permanent awareness and communication campaigns
B) Social aspects, especially:
1. respect for the populations that inhabit the areas visited
2. respect for the social structures and lifestyles of local populations, and participation in the decision process.
C) Economic aspects, especially equitable distribution of income, by:
1. sharing of benefits for all the players in the ecotourism chain
2. re-injection (using a method to be devised in conjunction with the administrators of tourism areas) of a proportion of income for the administration and safeguarding of protected areas
3. promotion of a new 'image' for the sites visited that will be more profitable for ecotourism operators and more positive for administrators."

General Conclusions
The main conclusions of the seminar can be summarised as follows:
- Recognition of the fact that deserts have great potential for ecotourism development. This should be exploited based on strict sustainability criteria.
- Ecotourism is recognised as an economic activity that can help to preserve natural and cultural resources while providing direct benefits for local communities.
- Political will is decisive if a country is to develop quality tourism.
- The necessity of adopting a national mechanism that ensures a good level of co-ordination between the governmental stakeholders.
- A delicate balance needs to be achieved between conservation of the natural and cultural heritage and development of ecotourism.
- A full definition of ecotourism should be drawn up including the specific features of territories such as deserts.
- Local communities lie behind any decision and should therefore be automatically consulted. Mechanisms of such consultation should be made clear to local and foreign developers alike.
- All those involved in the ecotourism chain (tour operators, local suppliers, national public authorities, local groups, civil society, NGOs, etc.) should act together.
- It is extremely important that ecotourism products and destinations offered should meet consumers' expectations.
- It is essential that consumers are made aware of the need for ecotourism infrastructure to respect the natural, cultural and social environment of destinations, sometimes at the expense of comfort.
- Techniques for managing visitors, resources and impacts have been drawn up and methods of applying them in practice should be disseminated.
- Sustained follow-up should ensure that ecotourism management policies and systems are constantly readjusted.
- The need to treat desert tourism as a distinct activity that is different from ecotourism, because of the unclassified and unprotected archaeological heritage to be found in deserts and the specific populations - many of them nomads - living there.
- The possibility of an international desert year was suggested. This would allow, among other things, co-ordination of tourism promotion for all desert destinations. The year of 2004 has been mentioned by participants.
- Finally, it was stressed that ecotourism should not be considered a panacea for all destinations. Development of ecotourism will only be sustainable if strictly adapted to local conditions.

Legislations concerning identification, protection, conservation, preservation and rehabilitation of natural heritage

The Act classifies country’s forests into two distinct groups viz., Reserved and Protected forests and provides legal measures for their protection and use by the government as well as the local people.

It is a comprehensive legislation relating to protection of wildlife and its habitat in the country. The Act recognizes two categories of protected areas viz.,National Park and Sanctuary. It stipulates measures for the conservation and protection of these areas and the species forming part of the habitat. The Act prohibits poaching of wild animals. It also bans trade in critically endangered species and their parts and products and regulates trade in wildlife and its derivatives of other species. Certain amendments of far reaching consequences have been recently made in the Act. These include two new categories of protected areas viz., Conservation and Community Reserves which will provide buffer to the existing national parks and sanctuaries and will act as corridor for maintaining genetic continuity. The management of protected areas will now be more broad based wherein local people, NGO’s, village institutions and representatives of people will play proactive role.

A landmark legislation that provides restriction on the diversion of forests or use of forestland for non-forestry purposes.

The Act is an outcome of the commitment of the Indian Government to the decisions taken at the UN conference on Human Environment held at Stockholm in June 1972. It provides for the protection and improvement of environment and the prevention of hazards to human beings, other living creatures, plants and property.

An Act to provide for the conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components and fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of biological resources and knowledge.

The “National Tourism Policy 2002” recognizes the deep-rooted relationship tourism with natural and cultural heritage. The policy document seeks to enhance tourism potential through integration with other sectors. It takes into consideration several key areas of tourism which include site development, improved sanitation, development of integrated circuit through road, rail and waterways, development of village tourism, visitor facilities, adventure tourism, wildlife tourism etc. In addition to the various federal laws the states have also enacted several legislations in support.

44: National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement for Environment and Sustainable Development

Source: National Periodic Report on the Application of the World Heritage Convention.

DESPITE having substantial opportunities for developing eco-tourism, India is losing out because of the lacunae in the policy and planning framework at the national level, Dr V. Venu, Deputy Director General, Union Ministry of Tourism, has said.

Speaking on `Eco-tourism policy and planning: A national approach' at a seminar on eco-tourism organised as part of the ongoing `Prithvi 2005' eco meet on Thursday, Dr Venu pointed out that the problems created by the absence of a national policy on eco-tourism are amplified by the fact that most States also do not have eco-tourism policies. Therefore, there is an urgent need to create a policy framework for eco-tourism, he added.

Creating such a policy at the national level will require a vision and long-term perspective at all levels, he said. Similarly, an eco-tourism policy will have to empower local communities and stakeholders, while defining the Government's role in eco-tourism.

Also required will be a policy that adopts a mix of voluntary and legislated regulation of eco-tourism activities, he added.

Similar attention must also be paid to eco-tourism planning by ensuring that sustainable strategies that are both spatial and sectoral are adopted, said Dr Venu.

Eco-tourism planning, actions and policies should be developed with the knowledge that they could be applicable to other forms of tourism. Stakeholder participation and training of industry participants must also be included in eco-tourism planning, he added.

Another important point to be considered in the context of developing eco-tourism in India is the need to ensure cooperation and consultation between the tourism and forest departments in all States, and also at the Centre, he said.

In the absence of partnerships between the forest and tourism departments, eco-tourism and nature-based tourism have been restrictive and largely government-controlled, with no understanding of the requirements of the modern tourist and with no linkages with tourism service providers, he added.

Similarly, there is currently no orientation or knowledge regarding the importance of tourism in conservation and also in generating revenue for conservation, Dr Venu pointed out.

Eco-tourism is, in fact, a powerful method of generating resources for conservation and also for local stakeholders, he emphasised.

Thus, there is an urgent need to evolve a plan of action that ensures sustainable development, harnesses the potential of tourism for economic development of local communities, involves all stakeholders and brings in revenues that can be re-channelled into conservation, he explained.

"This land is not like our land, its sky is not like our sky. Its sky sends rain down without the originating cause of clouds; On its ground the green grass sprouts up without any aid from the soil. It stands outside the circle of the Earth And the bowels of the enveloping Sphere The seasons all begin here at the time of their conclusion elsewhere. Here there is heat in our winter And chill in our summer Its roads are frightful as path leading to the Nook of Death; Fatal to life is its expense like the unpeopled City of Destruction. Its forests are full of violence like the heart of the ignorant. Its rivers are beyond limit and estimate Like the minds of the wise……………"

Wrote Mullah Darvish of Herat in his accounts of his expeditions to the land bordering Northeast India. Though written 300 years ago, much of his descriptions have not lost its relevance even today.

Northeast India is a region of great natural and cultural diversity. It is home to almost every climatic zone on earth (except deserts) and is one of the wettest regions in the world. The area consists mostly of hilly, forested terrain formed by the collision of the Indian Subcontinent and the Central Asian Plateau. The Himalayas find their final eastern limit in the state of Mizoram, in countless mountains ranges that extend in a northeast-southwest direction. A wide variety of plant and animal life has been able to survive in the region's forests. Northeast India's uniqueness also lies in the ethnic diversity of its inhabitants who have been able to preserve their cultural identity, through their social systems, customs, dress, festivals, songs, dances, myths and beliefs. The majority of the population living here is not of Indo-Aryan stock but descends from those who migrated here centuries ago from Mongolia, Tibet, China, Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.

This in a nutshell is India's northeast. Its unfathomable beauty, cultural diversity and geographical location offer great potentials for ecotourism and sustainable development for the entire region. But due to its inappropriate policies and difficult terrain, Northeast India today lags behind in many areas of development, particularly in the area of revenue generation. Accept for the tea and to a lesser degree the oil industry in some parts of Assam, major portions of the region have no industry to its credit. The majority of the population of this region depends on agriculture and the forests for their livelihood, which is only of subsistence level with no knowledge or means for long-term benefits. The rich biodiversity of the region is also being drastically reduced due to the "Jhum Cultivation" (slash and burn cultivation) in the hilly areas.

Though the Northeast is culturally diverse, there has also been considerable erosion of cultural values due to several reasons. An increase in literacy has changed the aspirations of the younger generation and cultural memory is slowly dwindling. A significant fraction of cultural artifacts are being lost at an increasing rate. Most of the older generations possessing traditional knowledge have not been able to transfer it to the younger generation.

In such a situation, ecotourism appears to be a viable option for sustainable development and conservation of rich culture and environment of this region. Development of ecotourism in this fragile biotic and cultural situation will therefore be challenging. It would require innovative inputs, which are currently unavailable within the region and perhaps even in the country.

What is needed, therefore, is a comprehensive tourism action plan and marketing, which presents the Northeast as one destination, with tightly knit cooperation between all the northeast states. In the long run a single official tourism body overseeing the entire region would be a sensible proposition. This would mean planning the economic use of natural resources with the right inputs, viable projects and community participation. Having recognized this, one important question is the role of the government. At this moment, the single largest investor in tourism is the government, the product of which is a series of what may only be described as half projects, neither related to one another nor anything else, nor region specific. There is never enough money or staff either to complete the sketchily conceived projects or to maintain them. The only aim is to utilise the funds sanctioned by a distant, ill-informed central government.

There is a need to shift from the all India norms and patterns of administration and planning for the northeast. The shift should be from a casual 'planning for the Northeast' to a sincere 'planning with the northeast. At the same time the northeast state governments must have the willingness, determination and the vision to wholeheartedly support the development of tourism. Tourism cannot be taken up in half measures, as its repercussions will be too damaging to undo. Though tourism is eulogized as a private driven industry, in reality and more so in the northeast, it will predominantly be dependent on the Governments as the prime movers. They must also realise that tourism development is not the responsibility of a single department alone and it should be integrated with all development plans of the states. If the foundation of tourism planning is correct, the economic benefits will automatically percolate down to the lowest level.

For development of tourism in this region, the promotion of ecotourism is the most viable option - the resources for which are in abundance in the Northeast. However the facilities, technicalities and professionalism involved in creating ecotourism products have to be developed keeping in mind specific needs and requirements. The various components of ecotourism, such as the use of local materials and designs, use of ecofriendly techniques, proper waste management systems, recycling of garbage etc, should be made available in the government's schemes and projects. Communities should be given significant inputs about the pros and cons of tourism so as to avoid its negative impacts. It is not enough to have just ecotourism policy and guidelines. The means to implement these policies must be made available and a conducive atmosphere should be created to make it workable.

Unlike other states of the country, many tribes of northeast India have a highly evolved community system of managing local resources and development, such as the "village councils" of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh and the more social oriented "Young Mizos Association" of Mizoram. These institutions hold the key for biodiversity conservation through sustainable management of natural resources. A strong linkage between government and communities and the private sector are necessary for developing eco-cultural tourism in this region. While villages will be the center of attraction, the government has to gear up to provide logistic support. Private investment is also necessary since the government may not be able to invest sufficiently. The private sector's expertise in development of infrastructure and services is also necessary for imparting training to communities and the governments.

Expertise of both the community and states has to be developed to handle activities and processes. Unless a significant part of the incomes can accrue to communities, their interests cannot be sustained in this venture. This would necessitate technical and managerial inputs to communities. With little opportunities to develop other industries due to the geo-political situation, community based tourism can be an opportunity to create rural and urban livelihood. This can build stakes for conservation within communities and provided sustainable livelihood for the communities.

Thus ecotourism, which is a sum total of "nature +culture + community" is a viable option for Northeast India. It can also become the means for tackling some of the key issues endemic to this region such as unemployment, conservation, resource generation and development of the region.

The challenge therefore is - can the concepts and goals of ecotourism be effectively implemented and achieved in Northeast India? As a very recent entrant into the intricate and competitive world of tourism, will Northeast India survive its pitfalls and go the way many nations have gone? Or can we learn from the past mistakes? Will the northeast states themselves miss another opportunity and make a hash of it, as they had with so many such opportunities? These are some issues, which require to be dealt with and acted upon by the states, the country and the world. After all, tourism is global, and we are all stakeholders in creating a better world and hence a better future.

"The forest closed behind us, shutting the valley in, shutting us out, and we walked forward through the centuries.........toward the alien and bitter present and the strangers who were our kind.........Willing or not, we had eaten from the Tree of Knowledge, and we had realized that across barriers of caste and color, human being are one-all struggling along the same dark road......." Ursula Graham Bower in her book titled " The Hidden Land."

By: L.H.Thangi Mannen., Secretary (Tourism), Government of Nagaland, Kohima, India.

Posted: 30 Sep 2002

If there is an ideal ecotourism destination in India, it is Sikkim. This eastern Himalayan state of India with its pristine mountains, crystal clear lakes and rich cultural and natural diversity, is fast gaining popularity. Attracting some 200,000 tourists a year, of which 12,000 are foreigners, it has witnessed a 15 per cent growth in the past three years. Rustam Vania reports on the country's potential for ecotourism development.

Recognising the opportunities this sector offers to Sikkim, the Chief Minister Pawan Chamling says, "the enormous biodiversity of Sikkim is for the people. Sikkim cannot afford to have large polluting industries. Along with education, computers and agro based industries, ecotourism is a way towards sustainable development for us." The State has had a record of taking tough decisions to protect the environment.

Tree felling has been severely restricted, grazing has been banned in the reserved forests and attempts are on to make Sikkim a plastic free state. Ecotourism is seen as the developmental option for the future. Inaugurating the South Asian meeting on ecotourism in the state capital Gangtok in January (2002), Union tourism minister Jagmohan grandly announced, "We want to make Sikkim a model of ecotourism for India and the world."

The state government now has a tourism plan, which includes orchid tourism - over 454 species of orchids are found in the region - to butterfly parks - 50 per cent butterflies of the Indian subcontinent are similarly found in Sikkim.

"We should target this high value market. Last year, ten groups came from rhododendron societies across the world, spending over Rs 80 lakh," says K C Pradhan, retired chief secretary of Sikkim and a keen promoter of rhododendron tourism.

Pema Gyaltsen, from Yuksom in western Sikkim understands the gap between rhetoric and reality. "We don't want the government to dole out tin sheets to spruce up our houses for tourists…We want to know about guest management skills, a greater share in tourism benefits," he demands.

Worried that with the rush to the pristine corner of the eastern Himalaya will come with garbage, deforestation and immigration - and no economic benefit to the local people, Gyaltsen and a group of young people have formed the Kanchenjunga Conservation Committee (KCC) to start a conservation education programme for tourists and porters.

The Indian government has also discovered the ecotourism mantra. The National Tourism Policy, 2002, is keen to promote of nature and cultural destinations. It plans to market just about everything - from coastal resorts, cruise destinations, to traditional cuisines, to "village tourism", to adventure tours in the Himalaya, to wildlife.

It parrots the right words about sustainability and community involvement, saying that ecotourism "should be made a grassroots, community based movement through awareness, education and training of local community as guides and interpreters".

States are also following suit. Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh both have ecotourism policies. According to a document from the Wildlife Institute of India, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh are tinkering with the idea of recycling the entry fees collected from visitors to national parks, for conservation in the park itself. Uttaranchal is preparing plans for ski resorts, cave tourism, trekking and even wants to sell a visit to the environmentalist bugbear, the Tehri dam, as a green wonder.

But plans are easy to make, difficult to undertake. India's track record in tourism, leave aside nature tourism, is abysmal. According to government documents, a majority of tourists visiting India rate facilities - from roads to accommodation - as average or poor. No wonder, the country gets less than 0.38 per cent of the share of tourists of the world - fewer visitors than tiny Singapore.

In nature tourism too - the 'tiger tourist' kind - policy is equally disjointed. The National Action Plan 2002, prepared by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, plans to "use increased tourism revenue entirely to augment available resources for conservation".

Yet, on the ground, the handling of the increasing tourists in national parks tells an entirely different story. Park management is ill prepared to deal with tourists and without this, tourism is creating new problems - increasing pressures on the carrying capacity of these protected areas on one hand, and sharpening tensions between the park and the local community, which is not benefiting from the visitor's economy, on the other.

Take Ranthambore - a prized tiger reserve in the Aravalli hills. Tourism has boomed here. Big hotel chains - from the Tata owned Taj hotels to the luxurious Oberois have set up shop here. Many say, this is former US president Bill Clinton's legacy. His visit to Ranthambore has made it a popular destination, attracting - according to some estimates - over 60,000 tourists last year. Tourists pay phenomenal rates - from Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000 a night - in some of these hotels, which promise a ride into the park for a near certain view of the tiger.

Indian tigers attract the tourists
© Martin Harvey/WWF

So what does the tiger reserve itself gain from this increased tourist traffic? The economics are simple. Indian visitors pay Rs 25 per visit and foreigners, Rs 200 as park fees. In addition, Rs 200 for a video camera and Rs 125 for a jeep comes to the park. The rest - from hotel rooms, to guides, to jeeps and canters - a small bus - stays with the industry. G V Reddy the park director concurs," We only earn from the park entrance fee. I feel a 10 per cent fee should be paid per tourist by hotels to the park."

In the absence of a policy, tourism is adding to the pressures working against conservation. Reddy says they have no legal control over where hotels are erected. Hotels are mushrooming in the buffer zone around the park.

The only control Reddy and his colleagues have is to restrict entry. They have done this by limiting the number of jeeps into the park. The park management signs a contract with the operators, binding them to the rules. But as can be imagined, this has led to a virtual gold mine for the jeep operators and their jeeps are booked months in advance. The money for hiring jeeps and guides is not shared with the tiger they market.

Contrast this with the National Wildlife Action Plan 2002-2016, which says that "all tourism receipts and the penalties collected in a protected area should go to a local trust fund headed by the park manager. It should be used in the proportion of 70 per cent for community benefit works and 30 per cent for park management and development activity, not covered by the protected area's budget."

And what of the local people? The wildlife action plan says, "preference in regular or occasional employment has to be given to local people". Yet, opportunities for employment generated by tourism in Ranthambore, as in most parks, are unevenly shared.

Ran Singh, a guide in the park, grumbles, "Hotels employ trained staff from outside and the forest department rarely hires locals for development work or as forest guards within the park. On the other hand local villagers often lose crops to animals from the park."

Now, with the entry of the big "outside" hotels, local jeep operators, who ferry tourists within the park, are an unhappy lot too. These hotels are buying their own fleet of jeeps so that they can milk the benefits directly.

To conserve the park, local people are faced with severe restrictions on grazing and fuelwood collection, but no benefits. It is not surprising that villagers living near the park feel it is for foreigners only. Their alienation and desperation makes for annual 'battles' between desperate graziers with slingshots and helmet wearing park officials.

More hopefully, managers of the Periyar National Park in the Western Ghats of southern India are creating tourism products that they hope will not only benefit the local communities but also help the short staffed and poorly funded forest department to achieve their conservation goals. With funding from the Global Environment Facility's (GEF), park authorities working on an ecodevelopment project have created committees to work with villagers on creating alternative livelihood options and enhanced agricultural productivity.

Members of one such ecodevelopment committee have set up the Periyar Tiger Trail project, which includes 23 former poachers, who previously made a living by trading forest goods illegally. This ecotourism project is a joint collaboration between the Kerala forest department and the ex-vanaya-bark collectors ecodevelopment committee.

The ex-cinnamon bark poachers turned tourist guides' intimate knowledge about plants and animals, and their survival instincts make them ideal guides for ecotourism activities. Besides taking small groups of tourists on foot into the forest, they also assist forest guards in patrolling. The intelligence network of the park authorities has improved tremendously. Poachers have been caught redhanded. A fast regeneration of cinnamon trees is seen in Periyar forests. An unprecedented 89 cases of sandalwood poaching were reported since the scheme was launched.

The idea of ecotourism is still at a nascent stage in India and the country is beginning to see the first steps towards guidelines and policies.

JAIPUR: Rajasthan plans to develop adventure and eco-tourism to woo more tourists.

"Tourism today is a thriving sector. Hence, we have decided to develop several new segments in the sector, of which eco-tourism is one," said a tourism department official.

Development of eco-tourism and running an effective training programme for guides working in various national parks and sanctuaries was discussed at a recent official meeting.

Official sources said the decision was motivated by the abundance of natural resources in the state. Tourists can look forward to sightseeing in high-flying hot air balloons, para sailing, mountaineering and trekking in the Aravalli ranges in the state.

Over the years, the desert state has emerged as a favoured tourist destination, among foreign as well as domestic tourists. In 2003, foreign tourist arrivals in the state registered an increase of 47 per cent, while domestic arrivals grew by 51 per cent. The figures for 2004 were respectively 55 per cent and 28 per cent.

Till April 2005, foreign tourist arrivals in Rajasthan were up by 35 per cent and the projection for the full year was 1.2 million. The official estimate for the domestic tourist arrivals in 2005 was placed at 20 million

The state of Madhya Pradesh (MP), is unique in its tourism offering being one of the most prominent states of India that is topographically land locked. But the lack of a coastline has not taken away from its charm, because quite evidently Madhya Pradesh’s unique selling point (USP) is its rich and varied forest cover, easily making it one of the most promising eco-tourism products of India. Playing its strength to its advantage, the state has slowly but surely metamorphosised into an internationally recognised and sought after eco-destination.

The department of tourism, government of Madhya Pradesh’s understanding of the importance of tourism and the benefits derived from it are well presented in their eco-tourism policy. This policy was the outcome of the realisation that the discerning international tourist has become more demanding and seeks newer and more novel forms of tourism. Eco-tourism and adventure tourism has been the recent focus of the state and has taken precedence over all else.

Madhya Pradesh’s tourism policy announced in 1995 highlighted the importance of eco-tourism as an essential component of tourism growth of the state and subsequently the nation. It ear-marked several eco and adventure tourism projects to be promoted in both the national and international market.

Eco-tourism enables tourists to enjoy nature and see wild life in its natural habitat in quiet and serene surroundings. Adventure tourism on the other hand provides the tourist with a special thrill and feeling of adventure whilst participating in sporting activities in rivers, water bodies and hills and mountains. Madhya Pradesh with its richly endowed natural environment, unexploited so far, has immense potential for such sports. Instead of depending on its limited resources, the state government has decided to open up this sector for private participation for optimum utilisation of these natural resources.

Madhya Pradesh formulated its first but progressive eco-tourism policy in the year 2001-02. The policy reflects the seriousness of the state to develop and promote eco-tourism zones and circuits. The state’s eco-tourism policy identified areas and a host of districts and regions within its fold for eco-promotions, inviting investments and participation from the private sector. New products and tourist attractions have been developed by the state government to lure the eco-tourist. Attractions such as national parks and wild life sanctuaries and activities like canoeing, trekking, jungle safari, white-water rafting, rock climbing, mountaineering, para sailing, para gliding and hot-air ballooning have risen to the fore. Tour operators, travel agents and different members from the hospitality industry along with several other private investors have been urged to partake in the mission of developing and popularising these forms of tourism.

Madhya Pradesh is known for its forest reserves and wildlife sanctuaries and is famous for its national parks. Kanha and Bandhavgarh, arguably India’s most premium tiger sanctuaries, are both housed in this state. The two parks are today being recognised as examples in wildlife preservation and according to nature experts the national parks thoroughly follow the principles of eco-tourism and are committed to maintaining the ecological balance in nature. Focused drives and initiatives have been taken by the state government and the department of forest, government of MP to maintain the region, keeping the basic essence of the forest and its reserves intact. Serious eco friendly measures have been incorporated to protect the reserve.

Special patrol jeeps are being used across the area for movement and travel. Diesel jeeps are completely banned from the area as they have proven to be hazardous to the wildlife in the region. The entire zone has been recognised as pollution free making it conducive for the tigers and other species and wildlife to live in the region.

Special revenue generating opportunities and schemes have been provided so that the tribals and locals from the region can benefit from the eco tourism developments in the region. They have been involved in the eco-tourism initiatives of the region. Promoting their local handicrafts, providing them with jobs within the forest territories have been some of the methods undertaken to involve the local manpower into eco tourism projects. Conscious efforts have also been made to minimise human intervention in the area. Tourists are also provided with the most appropriate orientation on the region. Maintaining eco-balance is regimental and severe action is taken against those who have gone against the prescribed rules and regulations of the forest.

The state, apart from gaining popularity in the international market due to the two sanctuaries, also receives large sums of foreign exchange. It is recognised as a major revenue spinner due to a number of international tourists visiting the region.

The private sector has also taken conscious efforts in preserving the sanctity of that place. Apart from the accommodation facilities provided by the government, there are a number of private players who have offered living facilities totally in harmony with the eco tourism concepts. Thus apart from traditional eco-tourism examples, new regions and national parks are gaining prominence. Panha National Park, Pench National Park and Satpura National Park are the new kids on the block.

Special water sports projects based on the eco tourism concept have been ear-marked by the state government for future development. Water sports projects along the Ken river on the periphery on the Panna National Park would be developed soon, which will include activities such as conoeing safari and white water rafting. A crocodile sanctuary on the Ken river is also initiated for further development. Apart from these, a few scenic spots, especially the Rangaun Dam area close to Khajuraho, Rane waterfall, Pandav falls etc in the Panna region are all part of the special projects for eco tourism initiatives. Apart from river Ken, river Narmada, river Tons, river Chambal, river Son have also been identified as special regions for eco tourism initiatives in the region.

Though the state is not blessed with a sea front, water sports have been planned in various districts across the state. Projects that are part of the development plan of the eco tourism policy of the state in the area of water sports are as follows,

The state has also identified a few areas suitable for the promotion of eco tourism associated with mountain activities such as rock climbing, mountaineering, trekking etc. Pachmarhi, has been identified as one of the most promising areas for eco tourism promotion in the area of mountaineering. It is one of the most celebrated hill stations of the state girdled in the Satpura range. The region possesses rock paintings in the cave shelters of the Mahadeo hills. Special measures have been identified to preserve the natural highlights of the place. Also popular for its forts, the state has formulated eco tourism measures for fort protection and preservation. Within its latest eco tourism policy, forts such as the Raisen Fort, Gwalior Fort, Narwar Fort, Asirgarh Fort etc have been identified for further development and protection. The Pachmarhi escarpment in the district of Hoshangabad is one of the most ambitious eco tourism initiatives scheduled to be undertaken by the state government.

The state has also set into motion special eco initiatives in the area of rural or village tourism. Special schemes and projects are underway to protect the historical and natural attractions from environmental hazards. Sanchi and Chanderi, regions near the Jabalpur Marble rocks etc have been included under special environment friendly projects. Apart from these, a number of eco-measures have been taken to protect the forest areas, forts and other heritage sites. Investments have been invited from private players in the area of eco tourism. There have been detailed guidelines put into place according to which investments can take place. The state’s heritage tourism policy followed by a proactive eco- tourism policy, has done wonders in boosting tourism into Madhya Pradesh projecting it as one of the must visit destinations of India

Due to the Tsunami which hit the coastal areas of Tamilnadu on 26-12-2004, there was considerable drop in tourist arrivals. Subsequently, the arrivals started picking up and now the rate of tourist arrivals is getting back to normal. As the Tsunami was experienced during the peak December - January tourist season, not only Tourism Department, but also the private sector in the Tourism Industry suffered significant losses.

The Tourism Department swung into action immediately after the Tsunami struck by nominating an Officer to answer queries from tourists, their kith and kin, from other parts of India and abroad. The website of Tamilnadu Tourism was constantly updated with authentic information on the actual scenario in the post -Tsunami period. Updated information was also put on the website of India Tourism.

Among the major tourist destinations in Tamilnadu, places like Chennai, Mamallapuram, Kanniyakumari, Pichavaram, Cuddalore, Tranquebar and Velankanni, which are situated in the coastal areas of Tamilnadu, were affected by the Tsunami.

All the other major tourist destinations of the State like Chidambaram, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Gangaikondachozhapuram, Chettinad, Madurai, Kodaikanal, Udhagamandalam etc., are located inland and therefore did not feel the impact of Tsunami. This information was given out to tourists from outside the State and the Country.

Enthused by the response and also due to constant enquiries from foreign tourists, the famous Mamallapuram Dance Festival which had started on 23-12-2004 and stopped from 26-12-2004 was resumed from 7th January 2005 and continued upto 30^th January 2005.

The commencement of the much talked about All India tourist trade fair at Island grounds, Chennai was put off by about three weeks. It was inaugurated on 13-1-2005.

Ferry services from mainland to Vivekananda Rock Memorial / Thiruvalluvar Statue at Kanniyakumari were suspended on 26-12-2004 and they were restored from 5-2-2005.

The value of damages to the properties of the Tourism Department and TTDC due to Tsunami are as follows.

Sl.No.	Tourist facilities	Description of the damage	Approximate value Rs. in lakhs
1	TTDC Beach Resort Complex, Mamalla-puram	Damage to cottages	253.00
2	TTDC Boat house Muttukadu	Damage to boat jetty and missing of 13 boats	27.50
3	TTDC boat house, Mudaliyar-kuppam	Damage to boat house	17.50
4	Tiruvalluvar Statue, Kanniyakumari	Damage to toilet block, rest shed, cafeteria	43.20
5	View Tower, Kanniyakumari	Damage to compound wall and other facilities	6.30
6	Beach facilities in Kanniyakumari	Damage to facilities at Vattakottai, Muttom, Thekkurichi, Sothavilai	55.00
7	Hotel Tamilnadu, Nagapattinam	Damage to buildings	14.00
8	Velankanni	Damages to toilet and landscaping	50.00
9	Poompuhar Tourist Complex	Damages to cottages. Repair works to Pavai Mandram, Ilanji Mandram, Nedungal Mandram, approach road, cottages, lodge, compound wall staff quarters, Silappadhikaram, Kalaikoodam etc.	69.00
		Total	535.50

Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has been requested to extend financial assistance of Rs. 535.50 lakhs for restoration and renovation of the above tourist facilities. There was also considerable business loss to the hotels, boat houses and other facilities of the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation.

A meeting was organized at Chennai on 16-2-2005 with leading hoteliers, travel agents, tour operators and other stakeholders. The main agenda at the meeting was to review the impact of Tsunami on tourism and workout strategy to restore normalcy with regard to tourist arrivals. Several suggestions like organizing of familiarization tour for media people, promotion of convention tourism, massive advertisement campaign, targeting of Non-Resident Indians etc were made at the meeting. These are being examined and appropriate action is also being taken.

Incidentally, the receding waves of the Tsunami have unearthed hitherto unseen monuments near the Shore Temple at Mamallapuram. The Archaeological Survey of India is now conducting excavations and undersea explorations with help of Indian Navy in this area. These monuments which have now come to light will add to the tourist attractions at Mamallapuram.

The 7 Point action plan unveiled by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamilnadu in her inaugural address at the 64th SKAL World Congress at Chennai on 20-10-2003 has given a new dimension to growth of tourism in Tamilnadu. The highlights of the 7-Point Action Plan are as follows:

1) Unlocking the Hidden Treasures of Tamilnadu consisting of lesser known but very attractive destinations like Chettinad, Pichavaram, Pulicat, etc.

2) Positioning Chennai and Coimbatore as Destinations for International Conventions and Exhibitions.

3) Twinning of Destinations by closely synergising our efforts with neighbouring countries and developing common circuits.

Significant achievements have been made on the 1^st, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th and 7^th points in the last one and half years. Action is also being taken in respect of the other points. The 7 point action plan, is now the guiding force for Tourism Department's future plans.

Promotion of cruise tourism figures in the above 7 point action plan (Sl. No.7). Cruise shipping is today one of the largest growing sectors globally with an annual turnover of more than $500 billion. There were around 9.6 million passengers cruising around the globe.

Tourism Department is very keen on attracting cruise vessels. On 26-1-2005 a luxury liner with 52 British tourists on board arrived in the Chennai port.

Similarly, around 900 foreign tourists visited Tamilnadu in a separate luxury liner which docked at the Chennai and Tuticorin ports in February 2005. Their itinerary included a visit to Chennai city, Mamallapuram, Kancheepuram, Madurai and Tirunelveli. Sight seeing arrangements were made to them. On 28.3.2005 another prestigious ship arrived Chennai Port with about 650 American Passengers. The tourists were accorded traditional welcome. Similar cruise tourism would be encouraged in the coming year.

The above brand campaign was launched by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamilnadu in October 2003 during the 64^th SKAL Conference. The design of the advertisement campaign represents heritage, history, culture, spirituality and peace, which are the core strength of tourism in Tamilnadu. The text of the campaign embodies the rich diversity of the tourist wealth of Tamilnadu. The emphasis on " Experience " is considered as a powerful message and is in line with modern day tourism. This campaign formed the basis of our marketing efforts during 2004-2005. In view of the resounding success achieved, it is proposed to sustain this campaign vigorously in 2005-06.

The Department of Tourism, Government of India has been assisting the States for the development of tourist infrastructure through the Central Financial Assistance Schemes. During the 8^th and 9^th five year plan period, the Central Financial Assistance was used to fund a large number of small isolated projects spread throughout the length and breadth of the country resulting in resources being spread very thinly. Therefore the Central Financial Assistance was not able to create the desired impact on the growth of tourism in the country. Government of India has therefore decided to provide funds during the tenth five year plan (2002-2007) for the following schemes only.

The focus under this scheme is on improving existing products and developing new tourism products to world class standards. For product/infrastructure and destination development, the Department of Tourism, Government of India has been providing financial assistance to the State Governments. Government of India would accord sanction upto a maximum of Rs.5.00 crores per year per destination. Accordingly, during the year 2002-03, Government of India has accorded sanction for the following schemes.

The total cost of the project is approximately Rs.19.00 crores. Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has accorded sanction for a sum of Rs.5.00 crores towards the Ist phase of work as detailed below.

a) Development of Shore Temple area Rs.2.00 crores
b) Development of Five Rathas area Rs.3.00 crores

Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu laid the foundation for this project at a function held at Kancheepuram on 8.1.2003.

c) Construction of 101 shops (the shops on the road to Five Rathas will be shifted to these shops)

Under the IInd Phase, a proposal at a cost of Rs. 519.99 lakhs was sent to Ministry of Tourism, Government of India for according sanction. Ministry of Tourism, Government of India during February 2005 has conveyed sanction for Rs.432.00 lakhs and released a sum of Rs.345.00 lakhs as first installment to commence the work. The details of works to be taken up under this schemes are as follows:-

Yercaud hill resort is situated on the Shervarayan Hill Range in the Eastern Ghat. Shervarayan Hills as a whole provides many beautiful panoramic views. Yercaud, 30 kms. from Salem, is a beautiful hill resort with pleasant and cool climate.

Yercaud lake, Anna Park, Lady's seat, Pagoda point, Killiyur water falls, Bear's cave, Deer park, Shervarayan Kaveriamman temple, ornamental plants at Green House, Orchard-cum-Nursery of Rose plants, silk farm, Horticulture research station, Orchidorium, Lake park, Salem view (between 16^th and 17^th bends) are important tourist places in Yercaud.

Therefore, for the development of Yercaud, a detailed proposal for a sum of Rs.498.00 lakhs was sent to Ministry of Tourism, Government of India for according sanction under the scheme of Integrated product/infrastructure and destination development scheme during 2004-2005. Accordingly, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India conveyed sanction for Rs.448.00 lakhs and released a sum of Rs.358.40 lakhs as first instalment to commence the work. The details of the works to be taken up under this scheme are as follows:-

Sl No.	Name of the work	Rs. in lakhs
1	Improvement of surroundings of the destination (landscaping, development of park, fencing, public convenience, Illumination, removal of water weed etc)	319.00
2	Desilting of Yercaud lake	100.00
3	Activity directly related to tourism (Improvement of boat house)	29.00
	Total	448.00

The works have been entrusted to the District Collector, Salem. The work would be commenced during 2005-06.

A tourist circuit is defined as a route on which atleast three major tourist destinations are located and none of these are in the same town, village or city. At the same time they should be in such proximity that a tourist would like to cover them in a sequence. It should have well defined entry and exit points. A tourist who enters at the entry point should get motivated to visit all the places identified on the circuit. The objective of having a tourist circuit is to increase the total number of visits to all the destinations in the circuit on the one hand and to provide to the tourists the attraction of all the destinations located in the circuit as a package on the other hand. For one tourist circuit area or circuit, Government of India would sanction maximum amount of Rs.8.00 crores.

During the year 2003-2004, the following works were sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India under the Adi Sankara circuit and the Vivekananda circuit.

Under this scheme a sum of Rs.259.40 lakhs was sanctioned by Government of India for the development of infrastructure at Kancheepuram. The works like providing pedestrian walk platform over storm water drain with handrails and high mast light at Kancheepuram have been completed by CPWD.

ii) Development of Vivekananda Travel Circuit (Ramanathapuram and Kanniyakumari)

Ramanathapuram was the first place visited by Swami Vivekananda after his historical trip to the United States. King Sethupathy accorded a royal welcome to the Saint at Pamban. Then, Vivekananda visited the Kingdom and delivered speeches at Pamban, Rameswaram, Ramanathapuram Paramakudi and other places. Swami Vivekananda's journey, which had lasted for many days impressed upon the minds of the people. Therefore, for the development of places associated with the visit of Swami Vivekananda, a detailed proposal for a sum of Rs.367.84 lakhs was sent to Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Accordingly, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has conveyed sanction for a sum of Rs.168.24 lakhs and released a sum of Rs.54.47 lakhs as first installment to commence the work.

The above works have been entrusted to the District Collector, Ramanathapuram. They are under progress.

Kanniyakumari is a major tourist centre in the Country. Under the scheme of development of Vivekananda Travel Circuit, a number of schemes for a sum of Rs.662.48 lakhs have been sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. The details are given below:-

a) Flood lighting of Vivekananda Rock Memorial at Kanniyakumari - Vivekananda rock memorial is one of the major tourist attractions in Kanniyakumari. It has therefore been decided to provide flood lighting for good view during the night hours. Government of India has sanctioned a sum of Rs.32.13 lakhs and released the amount in full to CPWD to implement the scheme.

To fulfill a long felt need, mounting of Sound and Light show at Kanniyakumari has been taken up. Government of India has sanctioned a sum of Rs.225.00 lakhs and released Rs.202.00 lakhs as first instalment to India Tourism Development Corporation to commence the work. It has been decided to mount the sound and light show at the boat jetty area.

c) For the benefit of tourists, Government of India has sanctioned a sum of Rs.255.35 lakhs and released Rs.76.60 lakhs as first instalment to India Tourism Development Corporation to execute the works of construction of

d) For the development of beach tourism, Government of India has sanctioned a sum of Rs.150.00 lakhs and released Rs.45.00 lakhs as first instalment to India Tourism Development Corporation to commence the work at Muttom and Thekkurichi beach fronts in Kanniyakumari District. Works like accommodation, kiosk, toilets, restaurant, landscaping at Muttom beach and aquarium, rain shelter, kiosk, toilets, dress changing room, jetty, landscaping at Thekkurichi beach have been taken up.

iii) Development of Eco-Tourism Circuit (Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary, Muthupet Mangroves and Pichavaram) - 2004-2005.

The development of Eco-Tourism has been referred to in the vision document 2002, the policy note of the Tourism Department for the year 2003-2004 and 10th Five year Plan (2002-2007) document. It was therefore proposed to establish an Eco-Tourism Circuit covering the following places.

Therefore for the development of Point Calimere, Muthupet and Pichavaram (covering Portnova, MGR Thittu and Chinna Vaikkal) a proposal for a sum of Rs.368.00 lakhs was sent to Ministry of Tourism (Government of India) for according sanction under the scheme of Integrated development of tourism circuit. Government of India has conveyed sanction during 2004-2005 and released a sum of Rs.294.40 lakhs as first instalment to commence the work. This work would be taken up during 2005-06 through the District Collectors concerned. The component of the projects are

a) Eco Tourism at Point Calimere Wild Life Sanctuary at a cost of Rs.212.00 lakhs

b) Development of eco-tourism at Muthupet mangroves in Thiruvarur District at a cost of Rs.51.50 lakhs

c) Development of eco-tourism in and around Pichavaram (covering Portnova, MGR Thittu and Chinna Vaikkal) at a cost of Rs.104.50 lakhs

5) Construction of pre fabricated toilets, urinal blocks, sales counter, water tank, benches

Under this scheme Government of India offers 25% of the project cost for projects like Luxury trains, Cruise terminals, Ropeways etc. Out of various schemes, it is felt that Ropeways or Cable Car would prove to be a big success among tourists. A trip on the Ropeway would enable the tourists to enjoy the birds eye view of picturesque sceneries from a height.

Under this scheme, Government of India had accorded sanction for the following schemes in 2003-2004

a) Ropeway at Udhagamandalam Rs. 1587.00 lakhs
b) Ropeway at Kodaikanal Rs. 1452.00 lakhs

Installation of Ropeway at Udhagamandalam and Kodaikanal would be taken up shortly.

Proceedings of the Workshop on Ecotourism Policies

The Consultation Workshop on Ecotourism Policies for Kerala which concluded on Thursday 24th November 2005 called for concerted efforts to develop a clear Ecotourism policy, guidelines and indicators for this fast expanding sector to ensure that it is ecologically sustainable and socially responsible. In his inaugural address, Shri P.N Unnikrishnan IFS, called for greater dialogue and consultations to develop clear policy guidelines and evolve a system of checks and balances for the sector as a whole. He also suggested that Ecotourism initiatives should be value based and local communities need to be made the primary stakeholders. Concerted efforts are needed to make this possible at the highest policy level and at the local government.

The participants expressed views and concerns from local issues in Ecotourism to the impact of forthcoming WTO-GATT summit on the service sector. Various recommendations made by the participants in the discussions included greater regulation of the funds provided by the government for developing ecotourism, greater role for panchayaths in regulating and monitoring Ecotourism initiatives, participatory monitoring of social, economic and ecological aspects with appropriate criteria and indicators, a well defined and funded action plan for mass awareness for tourists, ecocertification for tour operators and comprehensive monitoring and regulation of tourism products to ensure long term sustainability.

Deliberations were preceded by case studies from various ecotourism entrepreneurs in the state ranging from corporate sector to small-scale operators and Govt. level initiatives to community owned initiatives. Presenters briefed about various practices being followed by their ventures and response of visitors to that.

Speakers and presenters in Session 1:

Following participants presented case studies of their ventures

K.G Mohanlal IFS - Govt. level initiatives in Ecotourism
Babu Varghese - Case study of Tour India
Gopinath - Case study of The Blue Yonder
Mathew Moozhiyil - Case study of Basis pro Intl., Kottayam
Shiv Dattan - Case study of Kumbalangi Panchayath
Babukuttan - Case study of Bamboo Groves, Thekkadi

The second session which grouped the participants (see the list below for participants in each group) in to government sector, private entrepreneur sector, local/communities and NGO/experts. Discussions were based on the topic " What Policy Guidance and facilitation is required by the Ecotourism enterprise to address ecological sustainability and social responsibility? "

Participants in-group discussions (Session 2):

Government
K.G Mohanlal IFS (Director, Ecotourism)
Basheer (Ecotourism Officer, Periyar Tiger Reserve)
Manoj (Thenmala Ecotourism Promotion Society)
John Augustine Nirmal (wildlife warden, Peechi)
Seema P (ATREE)

Entrepreneurs
Babu Varghese (Tour India)
Gopinath (The Blue yonder)
Mathew Moozhiyil (Basis Intl.)
Theresa Moozhiyil (Basis Intl.)
Pramod (Wild Kerala Tours)
Sidharth Krishna (ATREE)
Freeda Maria (ATREE)

Local/Community
Sumesh Umang, (Wayanad)
Joji Kuttummel (Kumarakom Panchayath)
Shiv Dattan (Kumbalangi panchayath)
Babukuttan (Thekkadi)
Sudha Sony (Alappuzha)
Samuel (ATREE)

NGO/ Experts
Muralee Menon (Consultant)
Jayakumar (Thanal)
Baburaj (URAVU)
Saroop Roy (Equations)
Jojo T.D (ATREE)
The group of representatives from the government sector in Kerala expressed the need for participatory approach in monitoring the social and ecological parameters in Ecotourism. They also came up with the following suggestions:

The private sector group emphasized the need for guidelines to define Ecotourism projects for auditing and rating, although they felt that self-conscious is the most effective. Some of the points they discussed are

The community sector started their discussion with a thought that the consultation for the policy development should begin from the bottom to top level rather than the top to bottom approach. The various other points that came up in the discussion are as follows.

The group including NGO/experts highlighted the discussion on the need for capacity building to promote Ecotourism. They also expressed concern on privatizing waste management and insufficient involvement of Kudumbasree groups and also the lack of local panchayath representation in high level committees. Another major concern was the privatization of the service sector and its impact on tourism in the light of the forthcoming WTO - GATT meets.

Eco Tourism and Sustainable Development (Nina Rao & Suresh K. T., ‘Eco Tourism and Sustainable Development’, (1997), in Eco-Tourism Prospects and Problems, EQUATIONS, Bangalore.)

The Draft Tourism Policy 1997 (see pg19) states that "in the context of economic liberalisation and globalisation being pursued by the country, the development policies of no sector can remain static." The policy further states that "the emergence of tourism as an important instrument for sustainable human development including poverty alleviation, employment generation, environmental regeneration and advancement of women and other disadvantaged groups in the country" requires support to realise these goals. India’s tourism resources have always been considered immense, in a tourism audit. The geographical features are diverse, colourful and varied. The coastline offers opportunities for developing the best beaches in the world. There are a wealth of eco-systems including bio-sphere reserves, mangroves, coral reefs, deserts, mountains and forests as well as an equally wide range of flora and fauna.
The Policy further states that "international tourists visiting interiors of the country for reasons of purity of the environment and nature contributes to the development of these areas particularly backward regions". Thus Tourism "should also become a reason for better preservation and protection of our natural resources, environment and ecology". The policy recognises that sustained growth of tourism can give rise to conflicts. To ensure that the growth of tourism takes place along desired lines, certain guidelines have been framed: 1.to remove the constraint of the information gap.

The strategy for development should take into consideration the carrying capacity, local aspirations and benefits likely to accrue to the community. In particular specific policies and guidelines for eco-tourism development and adventure tourism are to be formulated, primarily through a regulatory framework.
The Draft Guidelines (see pg 11) have been approved at a State Ministers Conference and have been circulated to various trade and industry bodies. The guidelines draw a distinction between mass or resort tourism and nature or eco tourism, as the kind of tourism that has a lower impact on the environment and requires less infrastructural development. The Ministry hopes that the environment conscious international tourist will be made aware that India is taking steps to protect its ecology and environment.
Apart from the do's and don’ts, the guidelines are governed by a tourism management plan, the key elements of which are the protection of natural resources and a positive involvement of local communities, along with an optimum number of environmentally conscious visitors. The principles of management are scientific planning, effective control and continuous monitoring, development of physical infrastructure, zoning and a Management plan for public use of natural sites. The management plan should establish standards for resort development, style and location of structures, waste disposal, treatment of sewage, control of litter, use of public spaces and fragile areas. The operational guidelines rely on sensitisation of all the role players and this programme is based on a self-regulated environmental code.
Area specific rather than universal development plans keeping in mind the unique character of the location and its economic and social environment are important. This would help the State Government to coordinate with the industry in managing visitors and their activities. NGO's working on socio-economic programmes in forest and remote areas could have a closer coordination with tourism service operators to transfer economic benefits, particularly the handicraft production and marketing sector. The guidelines are only a beginning, and it is hoped that with increasing awareness of the visitor the industry will regulate its practices. There is an emphasis on the needs and perceptions of the international tourist running through the discussion on the guide lines although the data from the National Parks makes it evident that the domestic tourists outnumber international visitors, although they do not pay the same amount as the foreign visitor either in entry fees or for board and lodging and transport facilities. They do however demand a much higher per capita use of resources like water, fuel for heating and cooking and transport. They also make the same intensive use of time and try to maximize their stay by the number of animals and birds they can view in the 24-hour period.
It is interesting to note that no democratic participation has been called for in the policy formulation process, and all the amendments to the policy have come from trade associations and government think tanks. The tourism Advisory Committee also consists of eminent persons and community representation has been ignored. The elite nature of the policy makers is well represented in the quotations given above from the policy document.
The policy clearly recognises the debate on the tourism issue which has surfaced wherever tourism development, particularly in the case of tourism projects relating to the "gifts of nature" like beaches, rivers, mountains and forests, have already been developed. However, mere recognition of the hostility of people to tourism development is not enough to change the nature of tourism development or the resistance to tourism or what many have termed a poor tourism culture. Perhaps to understand this in a better perspective, we should look at the issue of sustainable development in a critical way. Perhaps we can question the impact of sustainable development on the environment and sift through the jargon of development planners, international agencies, and environmental activists to see how sustainable development can be achieved without all the contradictions that are apparent as in the case of the tourism sector.

Phrase SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Concepts Sustainability Development Connotations Literal, ecological, Social Process Objectives Meaning sustains growth/ anything, ecological social basis change basic needs basis of human life conditions ecological social conditions interpretations SD sustaining growth SD achieving traditional objectives + ecological and social sustainability (contradictory, trivial) (mainstream, meaningful) Fig. 1 Semantic Map Sustainable development has become the developmental paradigm of the nineties but it remains a fashionable phrase that everyone pays homage to but no one cares to define. (Tolba, 1984). To some extent the value of the phrase lies in its ambiguity. It allows people with irreconcilable positions in the environmental debate to appear to have found common ground without having to compromise their positions. The absence of semantic and conceptual clarity hampers a real debate. S. M. Lele (1991) has attempted a semantic map of Sustainable Development, which will help us to understand some of the positions in the debate. Is sustainable development ecologically sustainable and environmentally sound or is it a process of change that has sustainability added to it? Is it to be understood as sustained growth or successful development? Literally sustainable development is change that can be sustained or continued for the time period concerned. Development we can say with some confidence is a process of directed change, but any process embodies both the objectives and the means of achieving the stated objectives. Can we set sustainable objectives (as growth in sustained consumption of) for resources that now are recognised to have ultimate limits or what we may call non-renewable resources or what we may call the balance between the use and conservation of such resources? Even where we are concerned with socio-economic change, the discussion is not meaningful unless we state the objectives of change and why we should be concerned with continuing the process of change indefinitely. Is the change so envisaged to be broadly understood as social welfare? Can the increase in welfare continue indefinitely, and what will be its cost? Even where welfare is based on beneficiary oriented design (grass roots participation) as a procedural imperative, it tells us nothing about the overall goal of the developmental process since the beneficiaries need not conserve resources to achieve their welfare. The concept of sustainability originated in the context of renewable resources like forests and fisheries and was subsequently adopted by the environmental movement. In most cases it is understood to mean "the existence of the ecological conditions necessary to support human life at a specific level of well being through future generations." However, in addition to ecological conditions there are social conditions that influence ecological sustainability in a nature-people interaction. The social connotations have been described by Barbier (1987) who has defined social sustainability as "the ability to maintain desired social values, traditions, institutions, cultures or other social characteristics." The term sustainability came into usage in 1980 when the IUCN presented the World Conservation Strategy where sustainable development was linked to conservation of living resources. However, the fundamental goals have often been lost sight of because of operational goals (e.g. food, water, shelter, health are fundamental goals to be realised through self reliance, cost effectiveness, appropriate technology, people centred-ness etc.) Consequently, the WCED made its definition brief: Social Development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. They did not make any assumptions on the direction in which changes in demand would take place. (E.g. equity, social justice, self-determination, or cultural diversity). India’s tourism policy follows the mainstream SD thinking by adopting all the critical objectives: revive growth change the quality of growth meet essential needs for jobs, food, energy, water and sanitation ensure sustainable levels of population conserve and enhance the resource base reorient technology and management risk merge environment and economics in decision making reorient international economic relations make development more participatory. These objectives are responsible for building a very broad consensus on the issue of sustainable development, yet the debate at the operational level continues. Most participants in the debate now accept that many human activities are reducing the long-term ability of the natural environment to provide goods and services, which will eventually affect human health and well being. Many also accept that poverty is devastating the lives of millions in the Third World since there is no consensus between what is environmentally necessary and what is economically and developmentally feasible. The level of inter-dependence between the two insights is yet to be incorporated in the concept of Social Development. Some problem areas are: Environmental degradation, already affecting millions in the Third World, is likely to reduce human well being across the globe. Who is responsible for this rapid degeneration? Is it the poor or the rich? The poor have no option but to exploit resources for short-term survival. If we take the example of forests and their resources, which have been traditionally outside the market system and in the sphere of tribal or indigenous peoples rights, they are today seen as exploiters of the forests as against tourists, with all their demand for infrastructure and superstructure, who are seen to be conservationists. The inter-linked nature of the problem of sustainability is such that the impact of degradation will be quicker on the poor than on the rich. Can Sustainable Development be the metafix it claims to be in reconciling increasing industrial, agricultural and resource use productivity with environmental needs. The weakness of the Social Development argument lies in the techno-economic approach to solutions with regard to common property resource management, through know how transfers, resource pricing, subsidy policies and building management capabilities. (World Bank, 1987) Deeper processes such as land reforms, industrial demands on raw materials, over consumption, changing legal and political structures are either ignored or looked at in a cursory manner. For instance how can we claim a consensus between those who are concerned for the survival of future generations with those who are concerned with the survival of wild life, or human health and subsistence? Unless we can identify the trade-offs necessary for each specific objective of sustainability, we will not have clarity in the discussion. We will also fail to understand why, even when there is a broad consensus, projects on the ground result in conflicts. Suggested refinements could be: a distinction between ecological and social sustainability and in the process an identification of the inter-linkages a distinction between renewable and non-renewable resources, between environmental processes crucial to human life and crucial to other forms of life dependent on the resources. a distinction between the techno-economic aspects of social sustainability (infrastructure, services, government) with political and cultural sustainability. a distinction between equitable development and local participation, and decentralisation, what many have called NGOisation of sustainable development. This is because no rigorous testing of local participation leading to social equity or to sustainable resource use have been reported. Case studies reflect personal, organisational or political preferences. Tourism is one of the activities which has caused concern because of the effects of increasing human traffic on fragile environments. Countries which are looking towards Tourism as a means of economic growth, like India, have limited resources and cultural restraints and they have the greatest need to pay heed to the possible negative impacts of tourism. The environmental impact of tourism is a basic issue, whether we are looking at a developed or an underdeveloped area, region or country. The costs of tourism for a country like India include extensive investment in fixed assets with a low rate of return for infrastructure, transportation, accommodation, cultural institutions, exhibition centres, and park facilities. To this maybe added the social and cultural costs like additional demands on infrastructure like land, water, health services; the creation of new jobs for displaced people; the cost of positive community relationships; the disparity between the lifestyle of visitors and those who serve them; the possible friction between local residents and new users of valued local resources; the perception of local residents of the spending of scarce capital resources on what they consider low priority areas like tourism; cultural cost of alterations in local ceremonial or traditional values; loss of privacy for local communities as tourists come to gape at their living conditions and rituals. Tourism also causes increasing congestion and pollution as thousands of visitors flock to parks and sanctuaries in motorised vehicles; there are changes in accessibility, landscape and the ecological balance between man and nature; there is the cost, both monetary and human, of creating conservation zones (core/buffer) with unforeseen or undesirable side effects; which have been observed in the ecotourism movement. The benefit of revenue from tourism does not always redress these problems but goes towards the cost of administering the project. The tourism industry is generally self-centred and not given to educational, cultural or exchange programmes on a philanthropic basis. The natural environment, with the best will in the world, cannot escape damage with the volume of visitors. As more and more tourists, both domestic and international seek the exotic and remote destinations around the world, the likelihood of the environment suffering as a result become greater. Forests can suffer from trampling, fires, tree felling for facilities and waste. Wildlife, despite the protection in national parks, has suffered a loss of habitat, hunting and poaching, viewing and photographing, leading to an interruption of feeding and breeding patterns or hunting for food undisturbed. These are the prized moments for the viewer. The trade in wild life trophies or tourist souvenirs is the more deliberately destructive aspect of such tourism. The building of tourist lodges in materials that are not integrated with the environment and the pressure they put on the land and water bodies is also wilfully destructive. Management techniques that include being less user friendly or control of numbers by closing access or by multiplying the number of attractions and areas or charging higher admission fees are generally not popular with the tourist or the tour operator and are also difficult to implement because of high administrative costs. Conclusion: EQUATIONS, through its involvement in the field have had a variety of experiences relating to the debate on eco tourism and sustainable development. The major issues that have emerged after the policy of notification of wild life sanctuaries and their management by the Forest Departments are quite disturbing. Wherever notification has led to displacement of people the experience of rehabilitation has not been successful and the conservation aims have not been met. Several sanctuaries have witnessed militant action by displaced communities against the developers of tourism. In many cases the tourism aims have also not been met in making the sanctuary accessible to viewers, naturalists, wild life photographers. Tourism has not been able to counteract poaching and the most extensive and the oldest conservation project, Project Tiger has not been able to save the tiger population. The commercialisation of the experience, like the privileging of one species, for example the tiger, has led to congestion and noise pollution and this has put a pressure on the management of the sanctuary to organise tiger shows which are putting a pressure on the feeding and mating habits of the tiger. These are very invasive techniques of experiencing the wild. On the plus side, the concept of beneficiary led development has helped indigenous people to organise against their displacement and exploitation as well as to fight for the retention of their traditional rights and life styles. Environmentalists have not only been involved in such organisations and movements but have done valuable documentation. This has influenced many urban visitors to be more sensitive to the wild and to follow the rules when participating in eco-tourism. This has also led to the development of a code of conduct for the tourist, the industry and the administrator. These attempts are in a very nascent stage. The kind of co-ordination that is required between the environmentalist and economist is just beginning to emerge and have still to counter the myths of neo-classical economists in the field of tourism. But a beginning has been made.

* White Paper on Eco-tourism Policy
Source: ATREE

*The World Ecotourism Summit

Québec, Canada — May 19 to 22, 2002

*Final Report

Working group - A

Proceedings of the Workshop on Ecotourism Policies

* White Paper on Eco-tourism Policy Source: ATREE

*The World Ecotourism Summit

Québec, Canada — May 19 to 22, 2002

*Final Report

Working group - A

Proceedings of the Workshop on Ecotourism Policies

* White Paper on Eco-tourism Policy
Source: ATREE