Kangaroo Island - Policy, Planning and Development for Tourism - Case Study Example

CASE STUDY ON SUSTAINABLE TOURISM: KANGAROO ISLAND’S FLINDERS CHASE NATIONAL PARK Name: Number: Course: Tutor: Date: Abstract This paper will seek to find and highlight ways in overall policy, planning and development of tourism is to be formulated and implemented in a sustainable manner. It will seek to establish the role of various players in the tourist sector in playing their part in their coordinated efforts to make tourism address itself to the community, the environment and the economy. The government and the community will use the framework discussed to play as it engages in tourism development as to attain sustainability in the long term over a infinite future by employing finite strategies available at their disposal. The conclusion or recommendation will inform future decisions to attain sustainable tourism. Introduction The term sustainable tourism can be defined as developing tourist facilities in a manner as to envision the future of it in the wider context of the environment and the comfort of the community affected by the tourist activities. Sustainable tourism was coined the concept of sustainable development in which the community is meeting its current needs while taking care of the generations to come. The future generations should find the environment as ‘natural’ as it is today. Sustainable tourism will therefore take care of the environment, the wider community and the economy. (Swarbrooke,1999). Kangaroo Island(KI) is the most iconic tourist destination in southern Australia located in the south cape of South Australia. It has a 509 kilometre coastline and 155 kilometres in length from east to west 55kilometres at the widest point and 1 kilometre at narrowest point and 307 metres above sea level in altitude at its highest point. It is inhabited by a population of about 4300 people. The Island is accessible by ferry or by air. Overall tourism employs 20% of the population but the economy of the island also depends on agriculture (sheep, wool and grains), forestry and fishing and is administered by Kangaroo Island Council from Kingscote in the eastern region. Tourist visit was estimated at 251,000 in 2003. Expenditure by tourist on the island is about $38 million per annum. (TOMM, 2006) The island is characterised by white sandy beaches along the coast with marine life is a host to unique sea animals and fishes. The island also features collection of wild native animals not found anywhere else in the world except on Australia, its islands and countries around like New Zealand. The island has a rich history which informed the decision by the government to make it a tourist destination. The marine life, the picturesque landscape and the land wild animals are some of the features that make the island very attractive to tourists from within Australia and outside. Kangaroo Island has the following national parks; Seal Bay Conservation Park, Flinders Chase National Park, Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park, Admirals Arch, Cape Willoughby Conservation Park and Kelly Hill Conservation Park. Combined, they cover more than a third of Kangaroo Island Our case study for purposes of this study will be Flinders Chase National Park. It covers a vast region in the west of Kangaroo Island. If features a natural wild vegetation, animals and lodges within the park. The park features sightseeing, shopping, dining, cultural entertainment and tourist activities. It is a sanctuary of endangered species like Koalas and Platypus and others include kangaroos, Goannas and Echidnas. Other features include coastal landscapes, Cape du Couedic, Rocky River in the south west, the Gosse Lands in the northeast and Cape Borda lightstation in the northwest. Geologically, the park contains a few phenomena. Remarkable Rocks are naturally sculptured formations precariously balanced atop granite outcrop and these is a reminder to visitors of the sculptures of Henry Moore and home of playful New Zealand Fur Seals at Admirals Arch. Discussion After observation it became evident that tourism impacts negatively the environment under which tourism operate in. If affected the environment, the community and even the economy if unchecked. Therefore to address future sustainability in the KI purposed itself to develop a policy. The policy which came to be known as Tourism Policy and Sustainable Development Strategy for KI. Within the policy a model known as the Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) model as a way to ensure a sustainable development. The model main purpose was to ensure the retention and integrity of the overall environment, the lifestyle and community in the Kangaroo Island for the future generations to come. The model did not impress all stakeholders in the wider context of sustainable tourism and therefore it faced resistance from community interest group. It was though that the model focussed mainly in ‘limiting’ tourism development as the name suggests through limits of acceptable change and the stakeholders had to voice these concerns. The thought that LAC addressed a limited scope of giving only boundaries while sustainability should encompass wider array of issues. Later wider consultation was done and the industry came to an agreement to develop another model which came to be known as Tourism Optimisation Management Model (TOMM). TOMM eventually engaged other stakeholders in the industry in KI. TOMM became more comprehensive and all inclusive to the desire of all interest groups. It developed more acceptable parameters based on optimal uses and not limits on the use. The model envisioned achieving best practice in the management of Kangaroo Island being an Australian icon in tourist destination for benefit of stakeholders (residents and visitors) in a sustainable manner. Sustainable management seeks to balance development and conservation. The parameters developed included issues to do with the community health, contribution to the economy, number and type of tourists visiting, environmental health and visitor experience and satisfaction levels. To optimise tourism in the island Kangaroo Island developed a strategic plan in collaboration with Kangaroo Island Council, Tourism KI, Kangaroo Island Development Board, KI Natural Resource Management Board, Department for Environment and Heritage of Kangaroo Island, South Australian Tourism Commission and Tourism Optimisation Management Model (TOMM). The above stakeholders are representing various interest groups from the government, the local community and environmental agencies. The government agencies include Kangaroo Island Council, Kangaroo Island Development Board, South Australia Tourism Commission. The community interest group is represented by TOMM. In sustainable tourism TOMM and stakeholders identified main issues that can be evaluated by the sector to achieve sustainability in the sector. After identifying the main issues, the team came up with a framework to implement the means to ensure the environment is maintained as it monitors the long term health of the tourism industry and in particular Kangaroo Island. In it monitoring programme TOMM specifically evaluates; -the health of the industry -the number and type of KI visitors -the health of the economy -the health of KI community -type and satisfaction of experiences and travel behaviour of the visitors -impact of tourism on KI -reason for visits to KI. (Government of South Australia, 2007) To achieve all its objectives TOMM had a process of consultation in its forum of all interested groups participation. The consultation is aimed to achieve an all interest group participation to attain a broader ownership of the process by all parties. The process begins with a context analysis. After context analysis it moves to programme monitoring stage and finally to a management response system. (Margaret et al 2002). On the context analysis key issues are identified for sustainable tourism set objective and then indicators are developed to measure objectives to determine the acceptable range. When the analysis has been exhaustively discussed it proceeds to as mentioned above, monitoring programme stage where monitoring programs are developed. The information found was therefore collected and reported for action. The action will then impact on the third stage of management response system. This is where the policy is implemented to achieve the original plan which was intended. (Colmar Brunton Research Services, 2006) Apart from the stakeholders discussed above the government provided a framework for all the industry players to operate within in form of legislation. The legislation provides the broad direction and functions for achieving the objectives and roles of protected areas though the government manages few parks in the larger Australia. The law specifies the protected areas to limit unwarranted human activities. It should be mentioned here that the government just zoned by law the protected areas but does not monitor the activities that are going on these parks that have been left to be run under the arm bit of TOMM in that the government was involved from the beginning of the formulation of it hence it is a stakeholder. Analysis Within Flinders Chase National Park, development of amenities has been done in manner as to take into account the environment that wildlife, animals and vegetation, are within. It should not be confused with ecotourism since we have to high some developments within the park that were not found naturally but has been developed over time to ease comfort of tourist within the park in campsites and their movement. We will consider access roads. The roads within the park sometimes are worn out due to frequent use. The roads like West Bay and Shackle Road and Cape du Couedic Road and council roads needs to be repaired as when required and be upgraded to bitumen because of how heavy they are used. (Margaret et al 2002). The materials for improving the roads have to be sourced from outside the park for it not to disturb the delicate wildlife environment. The roads should not be over constructed to achieve a balance between development and the ecosystem. Car parks will in most case be categorised with roads in there development. The issues observed in road construction also applies to car parks. This has to apply to walking trails. the roads, parking spaces have to achieve a balance between paving and use earth (gravel). The park is accessed by air and have an airstrip within the park. The airstrip should be maintained for emergency purposes. The airstrip is not used for tourist transportation purposes but in case of an urgent matter requiring tourist evacuation in times of bush fire or accidental emergencies. The airstrip cannot be used heavily to transport tourists so that the natural habitat from which wildlife resides should be disturbed at all. Much usage causes noise pollution and emission of carbon to the atmosphere which biosphere cannot be able to handle. Accommodation and camping is found within the park. They include May’s Homestead and Postman’s Cottage in the Rocky River, Flinders Light Lodge, Hartley Hut, Woodward Hut At Cape Borda, Troubridge, Parndana and the Karatta Lodges at the Cape du Couedic. Bush Camping facilities are also available. While putting up these accommodation facilities great care has to be taken tot to make them too significant in the eyes of the wild animals of covering large tracts of land as to require clearing of bushes. Tourist should be accommodated in the minimum possible lodging facilities built with minimum possible material. The facilities cannot be rated as major hotels owing to the fact that they should be significantly small and have to blend with the environment by not clearing much vegetation. The accommodation should come up with nature-retreat styles. (Conservation Council of South Australia, 2005) To minimise disturbance on the environment these facilities have to be built in a manner as to espouse environmental consciousness. The facilities should be self sustaining and sufficient to serve tourist basic demands. To be self sustaining means it energy requirements can be naturally made like wind power, solar energy in which solar panels for generating electricity or water heating are mounted. Wind power come in handy in drawing borehole water or even generating power. No electricity transmission lines from outside the park should be constructed as this will mean a change over of the ecosystem. Natural power is in +fact cheap to maintain (Miller et al, 2005) Wildfires sometimes cause major disaster within the parks, the last major fire was in the year 2007, November the 6th which was caused by lighting. It eventually came to be contained in the 16th of December 2007 but within the Flinders Chase National Park over 85% of the natural vegetation cover had been consumed which converts to about 630 kilometres square. The authorities have to be alive to this fact which can cause complete burning and death of flora and fauna. The facilities within the park should contain fire extinguishing mechanism to respond to this emergency. Water tanks have to be constructed within the park facilities to help towards this end. (Margaret, Michael, &Twidale, 2002). As discussed earlier the goal of sustainable development is to achieve natural conservation of wildlife, tourist are sensitised to during the park entry at the information centre on ways not to disturb the natural habitat of wildlife in any way like noise, non bio-degradable litter and lighting fires at camps on certain seasons on the year especially windy conditions. Wind can cause devastating consequences of as it can cause fire that can be uncontrollable. Conclusion Therefore tourism policy, planning and implementation involve multi-interest group wide consultations as to achieve an all-encompassing approach to tourism development and sustainability in and around the Flinders Chase National Park. KI has to sustain both wild life and community interest in the wider context of peaceful co-existence between man and environment while bringing to the people income from tourism to be used in developing the community giving back to the environment what has been taken out of it by tourist activities. TOMM has provided a means to consult widely and consensus building in matters environment and tourism. The model is subject to review to address the current realities on the ground owing to flexibility. While it is difficult to predict outcomes from these processes, this analysis of the SOL development on KI suggests there are reasons for concern that community interests might be outweighed by the tourism industry interests in the pro-growth and pro-development environment fostered by a globally expanding neoliberalism (Kangaroo Island Regional Recreation, Sport and Open space Strategy, 2005). The population around the Flinders Chase National Park has the role to support wildlife within the parks to enjoy as much as possible their environment without interruption while selling to the world the uniqueness provided by nature in such parks. The tourists have to be advised before visiting the parks their responsibility in keeping the environment as less disturbed as possible. The information centres available can provide full information on how to optimise the park usage while in it to reduce cases of injury and unnecessary movements. 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Swarbrooke, J, 1999, Sustainable Tourism Management, CABI Publishing, UK. Read More