Ecotourism Exam - Assignment Example

Ecotourism (Name) (University) 1 Analysis of the Issues faced by Rural Communities in Less Developed Countries in developing community-based ecotourism (CBET): Case Study Project in Chambok, Cambodia Ecotourism is a concept that has evolved due to the concerns and standards brought about by sustainability in tourism (Mowforth, 2015). The concept has played a major role in promoting conservation and enhancing development in rural communities. The tourism industry has had among the best trends in economic growth given the current generation of individuals who value leisure time more as compared to previous generations. Most tourism attractions encompass natural resources inclusive of wildlife, sea life and vegetation. Increased interest in ecotourism and its operations has resulted to a study into the management of its activities and an attempt to present the facts, effects and improvements needed on ecotourism. Along with ecotourism there have been a number of issues faced especially within the communities where these tourism activities take place. The operations are bound to affect the normalcy in any region either in a positive or negative way. Bearing reference to ecotourism in Chambok, Cambodia, the practice has helped the region rise up from its crumbling infrastructure to one of the widely known ecotourism spots. The project was started as a result of environmental concern over destruction of natural resources in Kampong Speu. The project begun from an assessment of the possibility of attracting tourists to view a waterfall situated in the area, a cave with bats and the beauty of the entire forest. The scheme involved the community members who were equally the beneficiaries of the project. One of the major issues faced in the implementation of the project was the low literacy levels of the society members thus making training and impacting of skills difficult. The matters surrounding ecotourism cover political, social, economic, cultural and legislative avenues thus making the concept more sensitive (Fennel, 2014). From the tourist point of view, tourism is simply viewed as a recreational activity. From a different point of view, tourism is without a doubt a huge economic activity. The pecuniary benefits accrued from tourism include individual and gross income attained both regionally and countrywide. New knowledge is achieved through interaction with the locals thus resulting to social and cultural changes. As a consequence of ecotourism there have also been political alliances and legislative changes to accommodate the operations. Inasmuch as ecotourism is geared towards conservation and protection of natural tourism resources, there are still negative impacts that arise from the process (Fenell, 2014). As seen in Cambodia, there is a dependency syndrome that arises as a result of tourism activities thus when the season is low the locals get idle and could result to criminal activities. The interaction with tourist is one other factor that has caused serious debate on whether it improves or erodes culture. Given that a greater number of tourists come from western countries and visit developing countries, there is the risk of adoption of behaviour that is considered immoral in the developing countries. There have been a lot of grievances on the after effect of tourism activities in a community where moral decay is said to have gone high. 2 CBET Strategies that Benefit Local Communities Economically, Socially and Culturally Given that the positive influence of ecotourism outweighs its negative effects, there is the need to come up with policies and approaches that curb the harmful consequences of ecotourism so as to assist the local community in their economic, social and cultural aspects (Sharpley, 2014). One approach involves prioritizing the needs of the local community and their interests. This kind of consultation with the locals gives them a sense of power and breaks down communication so that it is easier for them give and accept information and advice provided. Introduction of novel concepts is usually bound to cause disagreements in the host society but if they are involved the process is easier to manage. One practical example has been applied in Cambodia itself where the families in Chambok community have elected 13 community members to represent them in the development of the ecotourism project within their region. Promotion of awareness to the native populace is additionally important as the community receives education on what to expect with the introduction of ecotourism (Fenell, 2014). As a result of this awareness the locale is able to make informed decisions based on new concepts and do not get swept away easily. This also helps to preserve their culture and traditions, making them appreciate it as it forms part of the package that the tourists want to taster. A perfect example is seen in Tanzania, west Kilimanjaro where the locals have been made aware of conservation practices through a community based initiative to manage natural resources. The activities include limiting poaching activities in the region. Some benefits of ecotourism are not directly seen by the natives therefore there is need to relate such positive influences in the creation of awareness. Ecotourism for instance conserves water through safeguarding of trees and thus the region is able to get a steady water supply. Ecotourism projects additionally promote community projects such as building of schools, health centers and social centers. Given that ecotourism promotes conservation, it is thus important to realize that it is easier for the culture and traditions of the community to be preserved and strengthened (Edgell, 2016). Ecotourism depends on the unique beauty of the natural environment which is widely connected to the cultural customs of the community. The heritage of a region is related to its environment in terms of the food found, the type of housing and the mode of dressing. These aspects are directly achieved from the natural environment. The fact that members of the community are able to conserve both the nature and their heritage and at the same time learn from the experience is a priceless benefit to the host society. The gain of information is productive for the maintenance of the community. It promotes the economy by providing creative ways for them to benefit from the projects. Erosion of culture is additionally reduced despite introduction of foreign ideas due to the concept of ecotourism. In Thailand, ecotourism has been promoted to develop tourism that is sustainable and the concept came up as a result of environmental awareness. Communities in the region are encouraged to view ecotourism as a way to control the development of tourism activities in their areas rather than subjecting themselves to foreign forces (Page, 2014). 3 Comparison and Assessment between Hong Kong Dolphin Watch and Green Discovery Tours’ Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) and their Relation to Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria The Hong Kong Dolphin Watch Limited is an ecological tour company that offers sightseeing services of the Indo Pacific humpback dolphins and promotes protection of sea life. Based on the major themes of the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, the Hong Kong Dolphin Watch positively satisfies the reduction of harmful influences to the environmental heritage of the Indo Pacific humpback dolphins. The company is also geared towards promotion and conservation of sea life. Green Discovery is a tour operating company in Lao People’s Democratic Republic which provides travel information, services, ecotourism information and tours to eco attraction areas. The company is focused on providing high standard services to ensure maximum safety and it places extreme emphasis on tourism that is socially responsible. The group is additionally devoted to encouraging the participation of the local populace in the operations of the tourism activities and ensures that they gain from these services provided. With regards to the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, Green Discovery has maximized on providing social and economic benefits to the local community as a result of their operating services. This is achieved through engaging the local community in the ecotourism activities. The company furthermore insists on reducing unconstructive impacts to the cultural and environmental heritage through placing emphasis on socially responsible tourism. Both of the companies do not have sustainability planning. Some of the activities that take place at Green Discovery are in actual sense detrimental to the sustainability of the environment such as trekking and cycling. Continuous practice of these activities erodes and widens paths. They may also lead wild animals along the created paths and cause a conflict of interest between the human beings and the animals. The dolphins in Hong Kong Dolphin Watch are susceptible to ingesting harmful substances thrown to them by the tourists. The disruption of their daily habits may also affect them as there is continuous sea travel and onlookers who want to see them. The Hong Kong Dolphin Watch could improve its operations through reduction of the use of motor boats and employing eco friendly water vessels for short trips such as rafts or ferries. The company should additionally insist on reminding tourists not to throw food to the dolphins or waste material as it could be harmful to both the dolphins and other sea creatures. Dumping of waste also pollutes the water making it hard for the survival of sea life. Green Discovery needs to reduce the activities that are most likely to harm the natural environment such as biking and motorcycle excursions. They could however have these activities on a permanent roadway as opposed to the natural pathways. Given that ecotourism promotes cultural heritage, it would be advisable for Hong Kong Dolphin Watch and Green Discovery to assimilate the cultures of the surrounding communities into their services so as to strengthen it. Both companies need to invest in sustainability planning to ensure that in the case of future occurrences related to nature, they are well prepared. 4 Ecotourism and Quality Control Measures In spite of the nobility presented in the concept of ecotourism, the credibility of the notion is still questioned as it is yet to be determined if the practice of ecotourism has effectively achieved sustainability in the economic, ecological and socio cultural areas (Johnstone, 2013). There are a number of tourism establishments operating without any accreditation from the relevant bodies. More are from the ecotourism sector. This fact makes it complicated to examine the quality control measures since they are likely not being implemented. Certification in the recent past has been a voluntary way of showing high levels of the standards of operation which precede the required legal needs (Danall, 2015). It is certainly a perfect tool to provide a competitive edge and has been proven to provide morale in an establishment that pave the way to the job and legal obligations. Certification is best suited in organizations that are well structured and that are stable enough to cover their basic requirements and still anticipate their sustainable requirements. Certification varies according to regions though a good number of the requirements required for the process are reasonably similar. Certification on sustainability is fairly recent though that of the environment has been easier to establish than the certification of socio cultural sustainability. The criteria for determining certifiable socio cultural credentials is extremely sensitive and may result to more harm than good if not researched rigorously. The argument present is the equity presented by certification of ecotourism in that there might be unfairness in the process since only the big and well established organizations are more likely to benefit from the process. The costs associated with certification may place smaller organizations in a tight spot as they try to balance between achieving their goals and growing or sacrificing income to achieve accreditation which may or may not benefit them. The effectiveness of quality control measures need to be such that the target audience can refer to the product offered and recommends it. This relates to the effectiveness of the certification or accreditation. Effectiveness of the ecotourism product can be measured based on various variables and the entire concept of sustainability (Darnall, 2015). In order to achieve better results in the management of ecotourism and the control of quality in the venture, it is important to assess the aspect o ecotourism in every specific region. Following this assessment various requirements that are general can be drawn out to compile the accreditation then regions that appear to have the same characteristics such as vegetation or sea life be give certification in their own merit. An in depth study of the operations of ecotourism sites, the difficulties they encounter and their growth is also important in that it assists in the improvement of quality control measures (Fenell, 2014). A study into these factors can additionally lead to improved ecotourism products and services thus bearing significance. Moreover, an analysis into recent developments and trends and their suggestion to ecotourism bodies is important in that there may be better ways to manage ecotourism from the innovations and enhanced sustainability. References Darnall, N., & Milstein, M. B. (2015). Can eco-standards and certification create competitive advantage for a luxury resort?. Sustainability, Social Responsibility, and Innovations in the Hospitality Industry, 1. Edgell Sr, D. L. (2016). Managing sustainable tourism: a legacy for the future. Routledge. Fennell, D. A. (2014). Ecotourism. Routledge. Johnston, A. M. (2013). Is the sacred for sale?: Tourism and indigenous peoples. Earthscan. Mowforth, M., & Munt, I. (2015). Tourism and sustainability: Development, globalisation and new tourism in the third world. Routledge. Page, S. J. (2014). Tourism management. Routledge. Sharpley, R., & Telfer, D. J. (Eds.). (2014). Tourism and development: concepts and issues (Vol. 63). Channel View Publications. Read More

Given that a greater number of tourists come from western countries and visit developing countries, there is the risk of adoption of behaviour that is considered immoral in the developing countries. There have been a lot of grievances on the after effect of tourism activities in a community where moral decay is said to have gone high. 2 CBET Strategies that Benefit Local Communities Economically, Socially and Culturally Given that the positive influence of ecotourism outweighs its negative effects, there is the need to come up with policies and approaches that curb the harmful consequences of ecotourism so as to assist the local community in their economic, social and cultural aspects (Sharpley, 2014).

One approach involves prioritizing the needs of the local community and their interests. This kind of consultation with the locals gives them a sense of power and breaks down communication so that it is easier for them give and accept information and advice provided. Introduction of novel concepts is usually bound to cause disagreements in the host society but if they are involved the process is easier to manage. One practical example has been applied in Cambodia itself where the families in Chambok community have elected 13 community members to represent them in the development of the ecotourism project within their region.

Promotion of awareness to the native populace is additionally important as the community receives education on what to expect with the introduction of ecotourism (Fenell, 2014). As a result of this awareness the locale is able to make informed decisions based on new concepts and do not get swept away easily. This also helps to preserve their culture and traditions, making them appreciate it as it forms part of the package that the tourists want to taster. A perfect example is seen in Tanzania, west Kilimanjaro where the locals have been made aware of conservation practices through a community based initiative to manage natural resources.

The activities include limiting poaching activities in the region. Some benefits of ecotourism are not directly seen by the natives therefore there is need to relate such positive influences in the creation of awareness. Ecotourism for instance conserves water through safeguarding of trees and thus the region is able to get a steady water supply. Ecotourism projects additionally promote community projects such as building of schools, health centers and social centers. Given that ecotourism promotes conservation, it is thus important to realize that it is easier for the culture and traditions of the community to be preserved and strengthened (Edgell, 2016).

Ecotourism depends on the unique beauty of the natural environment which is widely connected to the cultural customs of the community. The heritage of a region is related to its environment in terms of the food found, the type of housing and the mode of dressing. These aspects are directly achieved from the natural environment. The fact that members of the community are able to conserve both the nature and their heritage and at the same time learn from the experience is a priceless benefit to the host society.

The gain of information is productive for the maintenance of the community. It promotes the economy by providing creative ways for them to benefit from the projects. Erosion of culture is additionally reduced despite introduction of foreign ideas due to the concept of ecotourism. In Thailand, ecotourism has been promoted to develop tourism that is sustainable and the concept came up as a result of environmental awareness. Communities in the region are encouraged to view ecotourism as a way to control the development of tourism activities in their areas rather than subjecting themselves to foreign forces (Page, 2014).

3 Comparison and Assessment between Hong Kong Dolphin Watch and Green Discovery Tours’ Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) and their Relation to Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria The Hong Kong Dolphin Watch Limited is an ecological tour company that offers sightseeing services of the Indo Pacific humpback dolphins and promotes protection of sea life.

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