Message-ID: <36EEACA4.A143CED7@aacr.net> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 15:10:28 -0400 From: Yacine Khelladi <mailto:yacine@AACR.NET> Subject: what is sustainable/ecotourism ? was Re: Question about South To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
Nicole, all> Is eco-tourism the same old thing with a new snappy name, and a different
> advertising theme - drawing upon same tourists as before, just with new
> brochure and ecologoical talk?
To my knowledge there is still no general accepted definition o ecotourism, i m preparing a paper presenting a new projet to be launched soon on e-commerce and sustainable tourism.
I've tried du set up a 2 definitions of sustainable/eco tourism on positive one negative here i paste them, wianting to hear you and othe deve-listers comments or corrections
Positive definition:
" the concept of sustainable tourism (as ecotourism) is still a much disputed topic. We hope this project will help develop a more systematic and in depth qualification tool. For now we use the following set of criterion to qualify a tourism project as sustainable if it:
- Respects (does not degrade) and valorizes local social, cultural, human, and environmental background and values; - promotes involvement and direct participation by community members in the project, as well as empowering them for being actors of their own development process; - bring direct financial benefits to the community and/or bring resources for the community development (infrastructures, education, organization skills, etc.) - integrates monitoring mechanisms that ensure all of the above. "
Negative definition:
a tourism project is not sustainable when:
- Environmentally: it produces degradation, serious threats on biological diversity, natural beauty, resources and landscapes, etc.; and does not participate in its protection or recovery with the development their infrastructures and operations; - Socially it breaks local structures and displaces people, creates shanty-towns behind resorts, does not encourage local empowerment or participation; produces economic over exploitation, most of the generated income or distribute it in very few local; the only exchange between the natives occurs during room service, at the beach (merchants), and/or with prostitution (Offering cheap children, men and women in Dominican Rep. is often used, and not always undercover, as a marketing asset by tour operators), ) it does not lead to a process where people are encouraged to empower themselves to develop their own path for social and individual well being; - Culturally it degrades local identity and values and/or does not value local cultural and traditional expressions (not included fusion or syncretism that are expression of cultural resistance), produces a social inferiority complex and indirectly illegal immigration - when what is left to local people is a feeling of inferiority, a desire to be like these "rich" people that travel and enjoy life, and an impetus to leave the miserable condition of their country by any means possible, (for instance, the most tourist developed shores in Dominican Republic are also the shores from which most of the boat people leave) "
and a coment " We must be careful in these endeavors, for while some initiatives really look to encourage and develop environmental preservation, cultural re-valuation, community development, the limit between those initiatives and nature tourism activities (as rafting, horse riding, scuba diving), that are not necessarily socially sustainable, may be difficult to capture. Some operators try to benefit from the "ecotourism" label without seriously responding to the necessary criteria. "
So, could you help better this definitions?
Yacine Khelladi mailto:yacine@aacr.net
mailto:AXEOXALA@AOL.COM wrote: >
> In a message dated 3/15/1999 11:54:35 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> mailto:wlg@IHERMES.COM writes:
>
> << eco-tourism in Central or South America. >>
>
> Is eco-tourism the same old thing with a new snappy name, and a different
> advertising theme - drawing upon same tourists as before, just with new
> brochure and ecologoical talk?
>
> Does it still turn the lands of people into indigenous disney lands for
> foreign exoticism hunting tourists who like the idea of being able to say they
> went on an "eco-tour" instead of just a tour? Does it mean that instead of
> safari lodges there will be eco-safari lodges? Aside from tourists picking up
> more trash, what is the substantive change for the indigenous people?
>
> Do they own more of their land - have more control over their lands, or are
> they still dependent upon tourist leavings for survival? Are they still
> marginalized - whether by colonizers, elites in their own countries (colonial
> remnants usually), enviromental "saviours" or domineering tourists?
>
> No comment on any one's personal beliefs or activities, but just wondering if
> anyone has any articles, experience on this? I saw the email, and my
> perspective raised such questions for me. Force of habit and nuture.
>
> Nicole