Ecotourism: Lessons Learned

Tourism in the Least Developed World

• Significant in nearly all of the 12 poorest countries
• For “least developed” countries, tourism is one of the few ways to participate in the global economy
• Only economic area where developing countries run a trade surplus
• Global Downturn a significant factor with tourism down -0.6% in 2001

Tourism Development: Fast and Cheap?

• Government investment has been very low, only $25 per capita in 76 developing countries, compared to over $600 per capita in Europe
• Lessons Learned

Necessary Procedures for Technical Assistance

Key Procedures Pre-Investment

• Examine laws and regulations in force, e.g. regulations on land use, land tenure issues
• Introduce collection of statistical data to gauge market for ecotourism
• Review present coordination between institutions of tourism and environment
• Review present tourism industry capacities and infrastructure for tourism

Key Implementation Steps Post-Investment

Phase One Technical Assistance
Benchmarks in Stressed Protected Areas

• Establish data gathering system with local NGOs and communities
• Select key environmental indicators
• Target parks under most stress

Develop Plan for Entrepreneurial Support

• Support Business Development through Competitiveness Strategies - such as USAID Program in Sri Lanka
• Support Development of Model Project
• Set goals for access to credit
  Set appropriate thresholds for ecotourism and other tourism SMEs

Apply International Standards

• Develop clear guidelines for tourism development through participatory processes
• Apply these guidelines to Model Project
• Set realistic goals for certification of ecotourism

Local Empowerment & Participation

• Improve access to government decision making using participatory tools for local minorities and rural peoples
• Monitor progress via local NGOs

Appropriate Training and Capacity Building

• Set goals for development of human resource capacity
• Train local trainers

Community Assistance

Lessons Learned
Research Linkages to International Marketplace

• Market research fundamental & full business planning needed
• Avoid raising false expectations before market for project is understood
• International tour operators may not be the best source of business for community based operations

Conclusion

• Stress Entrepreneurial Linkages and Training on Small Business
• Develop Appropriate Credit Access
• Provide Grant Support through USAID, such as Competitiveness Project