Québec, Canada — May 19 to 22, 2002

Final Report

1. Introduction

2. Reports from the regional panels

• Session on preparatory meetings held in Africa
• Session on preparatory meetings held in Asia and the Pacific
• Session on preparatory meetings held in The Americas
• Session on preparatory meetings held in Europe

3. Reports from the thematic working groups

• Working group A: Ecotourism policy and planning
• Working group B: Regulation of ecotourism
• Working group C: Product development, marketing and promotion of ecotourism
• Working group D: Monitoring costs and benefits of ecotourism

4. Reports from the special forums

1) The ecotourism business perspective
2) Development cooperation for ecotourism

5. Preparing and adopting the final declaration

6. The Quebec Declaration on Ecotourism

ANNEXES

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

2) Summary of the web-based preparatory conference

3) Final Programme of the Summit

1. INTRODUCTION

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.

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 sustainability of ecotourism from the environmental, economic and socio-cultural points of view;
• Involvement and empowerment of local communities and indigenous people in the ecotourism development process, in management and monitoring of ecotourism activities, and in the sharing of benefits resulting from it.
  

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:

• International agencies engaged in supporting conservation, tourism and sustainable development.
• National ministries of tourism, culture and the environment. In total 30 ministers of state attended the Summit.
• Non-governmental organisations working at an international or local level, representing conservation, indigenous communities, travellers and other interests.
• Private sector enterprises engaged directly or indirectly in ecotourism.
• Academics, consultants and other experts in the field of ecotourism.

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.

• A plenary session at which four panels reported on the preparatory conferences held, respectively, in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe.
• Four parallel working group sessions, covering the four main themes of the Summit.
• A ministerial forum, and two special forums covering the business perspective and development cooperation in ecotourism.
• A plenary session to receive and debate reports from the four thematic working groups.
• A final plenary session to receive and debate the draft Quebec Declaration on Ecotourism.

The Final Programme of the Summit can be found in Annex 3.

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:

http://www.ecotourism2002.org/
http://www.world-tourism.org/sustainable/IYE-Main-Menu.htm
http://www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/ecotourism/wes.htm

2. REPORTS FROM THE REGIONAL PANELS

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:

• Maputo, Mozambique, March 2001 - for all African states with an emphasis on planning and management
• Nairobi, Kenya, March 2002 - for East Africa
• Mahé, Seychelles, December 2001 - for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and other Small Islands
• Algiers, Algeria, January 2002 - for Desert Areas

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.

Session on preparatory meetings held in Asia and the Pacific

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

• New Delhi, India, September 2001 - International NGO Workshop Tourism Towards 2002
• Gangtok, India, January 2002 - Conference for South Asia
• Maldives, February 2002 - Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Sustainable Development of Ecotourism
• Chiang Mai, Thailand, March 2002 - Conference for Southeast Asia
• Fiji, April 2002 - Conference on Sustainable Development of Ecotourism in the South Pacific Islands

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.

Improved communications are required. In particular, it was recommended that:

• governments should establish an open dialogue with local communities, private companies and NGOs;
• governments should develop transparent communication, consultation and decision making processes; and
• public-private partnerships should be seen as a key facilitating mechanism, particularly for informing and educating the travelling public about the consequences of their travels as well as their potential for beneficial action.
  

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.

• Bottom-up participatory processes were recommended (e.g., as in Fiji, where the Fiji Ecotourism Association was formed, so that government and others could more easily communicate with an umbrella industry organisation).
• Top-down participatory mechanisms were also recommended, as well as a mechanism for multi-sectoral involvement. It was suggested that communities should be consulted on a range of topics, from product development to elements of marketing.

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:

• Cuiabá, Brazil, August 2001, for all American states
• Belize City, Belize, November 2001, for Mesoamerica
• Lima, Peru, February 2002, for the Andean region
• Oaxaca, Mexico, March 2002 - Oaxaca Declaration on Indigenous Tourism
• Buenos Aires, Argentina, April 2002 - First National Conference on Ecotourism
• Web Conference on the Sustainable Development of Ecotourism, April 2002 (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/2002ecotourism/)

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.

Session on preparatory meetings held in Europe

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

• St. Johann / Pongau and Werfenweng, Salzburg, Austria 12-15 September 2001 - for mountain areas, with an emphasis on European ecotourism
• Almaty, Kazakhstan, 17-18 October 2001 - for the transitional economies of the CIS countries, Mongolia and China
• Thessaloniki, Greece, 2-4 November 2001 - for European, Middle East and Mediterranean countries
• Hemavan, Sweden, April 2002 - for the Arctic countries, including North America and Asia as well as Europe

In addition, a paper was presented by the Minister of Tourism of Turkey.

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:

• avoiding discrimination and increasing access to ecotourism experiences for people with disabilities and disadvantages;
  
• promoting opportunities to domestic visitors, ensuring that they are not put off by high prices (e.g. in the CIS countries); and
• influencing larger tour operators as well as more specialist operators (e.g. in the Mediterranean).
  

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.

3. REPORTS FROM THE THEMATIC WORKING GROUPS

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 POLICY AND PLANNING:
The sustainability challenge

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.

There were eighteen presentations to the working group, which covered:

• National ecotourism planning, policy-making and strategy development - Botswana, Chile, Cote d'Ivoire, Haiti, Rwanda, France, Brazil, Senegal, Tanzania, the Mayan World.
• Ecotourism planning systems in federal and provincial parks - Canada
• A case study of ecosystem changes in tourist destinations - Nepal
• Guidelines to minimise negative impacts of ecotourism in vulnerable ecosystems (the Convention on Biological Diversity) or small islands (Seychelles)
• Integrated planning and management in rural areas - Greece, Chile
• Policies developed by origin countries for minimising tourism impacts in destinations - The Netherlands.

1. ISSUES DISCUSSED

The main issues discussed were:

• The best structures and tools for effective ecotourism planning, which relate to all objectives
• Planning for environmental conservation
• Planning for economic development
• Gaining social and cultural benefits
• Multi-stakeholder participation

The following specific issues arose throughout the debates:

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.

2. KEY POINTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

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:

• Integrate ecotourism policies and planning across national boundaries
• Ensure national governments provide necessary leadership and guidance
• Create a planning framework for protected areas
• Formulate ecotourism plans jointly between public agencies, NGOs and other stakeholders, with a long term vision and clear goals
• Develop tools to assist in planning and management of ecotourism (e.g. appropriate land use planning and visitor management techniques)
• Provide adequate and appropriate funding for projects, protected areas and partnerships
• Involve governments, development agencies, NGOs, private businesses and others in building local capacity, to encourage participation and employment of local people
• Ensure careful consultation and participation of all stakeholders in planning and policy development processes.

Key points arising from the Summit:

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)
.
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:

• Conserve energy, water, and other resources, reduce waste and favour materials that are not imported.
• Plan more sustainable transport options.
  
• Promote awareness of conservation and biodiversity amongst local people and visitors.
• Use appropriate tools to identify limits to use and to manage impacts.
• Seek to influence demand as well as managing visitors who do come.
• Use economic tools, information and interpretation in visitor management.

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:

• Provide training, micro-credit and other assistance to small, medium and micro-enterprises.
• Provide incentives for enterprises to pursue sustainability
• Provide infrastructure, such as access and telecommunications, to assist communities in ecotourism development.
• Emphasise the role of governments as facilitators rather than operators.
• Place an emphasis on increasing retained economic value per visitor rather than expanding visitor volumes.

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:

• Use historic buildings and other heritage resources, thereby contributing to their protection.
• Involve communities in social and cultural programmes, to ensure local control, ownership and authenticity.
• Mount community awareness campaigns.
• Ensure that tour operators and other external companies are aware of their responsibilities towards communities.

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:

• Build support for joint ventures into planning and policy initiatives
• Facilitate community-level joint ventures, such as co-management of protected areas
• Encourage strategic alliances between private businesses and local communities.

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.

Nineteen presentations were made to the working group, covering:

• Examples of regulation and control of ecotourism - Quebec, Mexico, Japan and Seychelles.
• Certification systems - The experiences of existing and planned new certification schemes in Australia, Peru, and Costa Rica as well as the examples from the USA and Europe.
• International guidelines for ecotourism - Austria, Germany and Europarc.
• The need for quality control and for the identification of indicators - emphasised in two Canadian presentations.
• Specific methodologies and practical examples, from Uruguay, Indonesia, India and Korea.
• Ecotourism and ethics, presented by the representative of The Vatican.

1. ISSUES DISCUSSED

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:

• Ensure coordination between government ministries in the planning and regulation of ecotourism.
• Develop a framework of cooperation between public, private and non-governmental organisations.
• Ensure institutions understand the different dimensions of sustainable tourism and ecotourism.

Key points arising from the Summit:

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:

• Move gradually from optional guidelines and simple codes of conduct towards obligatory regulations.
• Establish suitable legal frameworks underpinned by effective tools for regulating ecotourism.
• Develop guidelines and best practice information at all levels.
• Ensure protected areas are consulted and involved in regulatory procedures.

Key points arising from the Summit:

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:

• Provide guidelines on certification schemes for ecotourism.
• Avoid penalise very small scale enterprises and facilitate their access to certification schemes.
• Involve all stakeholders in developing and implementing certification processes.
• Ensure certification processes are transparent, understandable and updated.

Key points arising from the Summit:

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:

• Include the economic, social and environmental impact of tourism in monitoring.
• Define targets to be achieved in a certain period of time.
• Establish continuous data collection, involving businesses and tourists.
• Ensure monitoring is a prerequisite of providing assistance to projects.
  Key points arising from the Summit:

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.

Sustainability indicators should be integrated with local planning.

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 sixteen presentations at the working group covered:

• Government policies and priorities for ecotourism development - Indonesia, Germany and Venezuela.
• The management and development of ecotourism in protected areas - Quebec (Canada), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Italy, University of Valencia (Spain), and UNESCO.
• The position of intergovernmental, non-governmental and media organizations in ecotourism development and marketing, and its relationship with communities and conservation - International Labour Organisation, Conservation International, Retour Foundation, National Geographic Society -.
• Ecotourism initiatives by the private sector and partnership organisations - Earth Rhythms (Canada), Native Tourism Alliance (USA), PICE (Mexico), Casa Matsiguenka (Peru).

1. ISSUES DISCUSSED

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:

• The failure of too many products, through lack of profitability, often due to poor feasibility assessment and business planning.
• Difficulties faced by small enterprises and community-based products in reaching markets cost effectively.
• Inconsistency in the quality of the visitor experience and in environmental management of ecotourism products.
• The need and opportunity to gain more benefit from visitors to support conservation and local communities, for example through stimulating more spending per head and reducing leakages from the local area.
• A continuing lack of public awareness of ecotourism issues, with few people specifically seeking out sustainable ecotourism products.

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:

• Creating the right structures for local communities, tourism enterprises, public bodies and NGOs to work together;
• Relating supply to demand, with a better knowledge of markets and how to reach them.
• Paying attention to all aspects of product quality, including design and management for sustainability as well as visitor satisfaction.
• Providing relevant support for communities and enterprises, which is locally delivered and tailored to the needs of communities and small enterprises.
• Strengthening the promotion of ecotourism messages and products, including promoting the concept of ecotourism as well as specific products.

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:

• Address local community needs and opportunities.
• Recognise the key role of private sector businesses and strengthen their links with local communities.
• Strengthen networking between small enterprises and projects, so assisting market outreach and promoting common standards.
• Recognise protected areas as focal points for ecotourism products and marketing.
• Increase support from national and local government.

Key points arising from the Summit:

Recognising traditional values

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:

• Use more market research.
• Take a broad view of the market, recognising different segments.
• Study current visitor flows and local market conditions before product development takes place.
  

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:

• Address quality, authenticity and security.
• Give top priority to effective interpretation of nature and culture.
• Design and manage service facilities, such as accommodation and catering, to maximise sustainability.
• Address destination issues, such as infrastructure and transport, as well as individual product issues.
• Relate ecotourism to sustainable activity tourism, where appropriate.

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:

• Provide relevant local training, devised with local people and enterprises to encourage participation.
• Encourage people to look together at the local resource and at ecotourism projects elsewhere.
• Provide well-targeted, accessible financial assistance.
  
  

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:

• donor agencies should provide more schemes which channel assistance directly to enterprises and communities rather than through national governments;
• funding should be available in small packets, with a low minimum level, relevant to the size of small enterprises;
• there is a need for micro-credit schemes.

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:

• Promote ecotourism as a concept, with an international awareness campaign.
• Grasp the significant opportunity presented by the Internet.
• Use a range of marketing techniques and partners.
• Provide comprehensive and educative information at all stages, before, during and after the visit.
• Create loyal ambassadors among tourists.

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.

Eighteen presentations were made to the working group, covering:

• The relationship between indigenous people and ecotourism - Quebec, Equations (India), U.S.A.
• Poverty and managing equitable distribution - South Africa, Sri Lanka, Ghana
• International guidelines for monitoring costs and benefits - UNCTAD, IBST (International Bureau of Social tourism), Australia, Canada
• World heritage protection - UNESCO, Indonesia, Uganda
• Monitoring small and medium enterprises - Ethiopia, Madagascar
• Public sector role - Balearics (Spain)
• Specific methodologies and national examples - Kenya, Brazil, Yugoslavia
• Social aspects and better access to ecotourism - IBST, Equations (India)

1. ISSUES DISCUSSED

The following points were debated during the working group session.

• New ecotourism cost/benefit evaluation methods that would highlight the social and economic benefits for local populations, as well as the limitations of the financial benefits generated compared to other forms of tourism, notably mass tourism.
• Appropriate legal and institutional mechanisms to facilitate and make effective the systematic participation of local communities in the overall ecotourism process, including policy definition, planning, management and monitoring.
• Financial and fiscal mechanisms to ensure that a significant proportion of the income generated from ecotourism remains with the local community or serves conservation purposes.
• Methods to ensure the permanent control of impacts through the adaptation of carrying capacity methodologies to ecotourism development, including the definition of damage warning indicators and disturbance gauges for protected sites and other natural areas.
• Distribution mechanisms to share the benefits of ecotourism development in order to reinvest a proportion of the revenues generated in protected areas.
• Methods to assist understanding and measurement of social costs, benefits and change (i.e. changes in the behaviour and habits of the local population) so as to limit the negative consequences, to maximise social benefits for host communities and to improve attitudes, awareness and respect towards the protection of the environment.
• Specific management and monitoring procedures for different types of ecotourism sites, (i.e. desert zones and islands), concerning such aspects as water and waste management, the management of scarce resources, and others.
• Evaluation of appropriate price levels to ensure sufficient returns for firms, suitable redistribution in favour of local populations and that correspond to the purchasing power of tourism demand.
• Ensuring that the principles of "polluter pays" and "user pays" will ensure genuine protection of the environment whilst guaranteeing ecotourism development.
  
  The working group endeavoured to bring together development strategies aimed at differentiating ecotourism from traditional tourism and creating a real balance to achieve the desired equitable distribution between all the stakeholders.

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.

2. KEY POINTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

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:

• Determine the economic costs of providing suitable infrastructure, including energy and transport, resources such as water, and waste treatment.
• Use indicators such as site stress to monitor environmental costs.
• Consider factors such as the disturbance of traditional lifestyles in determining social costs.
• Take an integrated approach to determining costs, such as effect on employment in other sectors, such as agriculture.
• Research specific management and monitoring procedures for different types of ecotourism sites, e.g. deserts and islands.
• Research methods to ensure the permanent control of impacts, including damage warning indicators for protected sites and other natural areas.

Key points arising from the Summit:

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:

• Take account of local income benefits and tax receipts.
• Consider improvement in local employment, living conditions and social services.
• Measure the local population's satisfaction through surveys.
• Use tourism satellite accounting to show impacts on different sectors.
• Develop new evaluation methods to take account of wider benefits and costs

Key points arising from the Summit:

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):

• On the one hand, ecotourism benefits tourists by giving them the choice to enjoy a different type of tourism than traditional tourism. However, this benefit is only fully accountable if it is available to the whole population such as the young, the elderly and insofar as it is possible for the handicapped.
• On the other hand, ecotourism favours the initiatives of non-profit organisations and cooperatives, which generally have important direct and indirect impacts, benefiting local and indigenous communities.
  

The equitable distribution of benefits amongst stakeholders

Main recommendations from the preparatory conferences:

• Establish financial and fiscal mechanisms to ensure that a significant proportion of income generated from ecotourism remains in the local community or serves conservation.
• Put in place distribution mechanisms which reinvest a proportion of the revenues generated in the protected areas.
• Consider the impact of price levels on the distribution of benefits.

Key points arising from the Summit:

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:

• Ensure a constant monitoring of ecotourism activities to ensure they are meeting the required objectives.
• Determine distinct quantitative evaluation criteria or a range of standards, in cooperation with national and local authorities.
• Establish an evolutionary management system, including monitoring, based on public-private partnership.

Key points arising from the Summit:

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

• The existing ecotourism cost, benefit and impact evaluation methods, should be reviewed and new methods should be devised which would highlight the social and economic benefits for local populations and compare these with the costs, benefits and impacts of other forms of tourism and other economic alternatives.
• Appropriate legal, political, institutional and funding mechanisms should be established in order to facilitate and make effective the participation of local communities in the overall ecotourism process, including definition, planning, management, monitoring and conflict resolution.
• Indigenous communities and groups should be involved from the very beginning in the decision process about ecotourism including the assessment and monitoring of costs, benefits and impacts in particular with respect to their culture and traditions.
• Financial and fiscal mechanisms should be implemented to ensure that a significant proportion of the income generated from ecotourism remains with the local community and is reinvested for environmental and cultural conservation purposes.
  

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.

The countries making interventions at the Ministerial Forum included

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.

FORUM 1: THE ECOTOURISM BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE

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.

FORUM 2: DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION FOR ECOTOURISM

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.

(Click here for the Quebec Declaration on Ecotourism.)