Ecotourism: Threat or opportunity?

Whether it be to isolated beaches, tall mountain peaks, or the bright lights of a big city, the idea of leaving everyday life behind and "getting away from it all" is a siren's song more and more of us find irresistible. With bags packed and tickets purchased we are travelling to the far corners of the world, making tourism the world's fastest growing industry.

Tourism often represents a huge boon to the economies it affects. Unfortunately, it often has a negative impact on the environments that support it. More travel leads to increased pollution from transportation and the construction of more facilities to house and entertain these visitors. Their sheer numbers can sometimes overwhelm a destination's carrying capacity.

As the pressures of urban living increase, more of these intrepid travellers are seeking pristine natural and cultural sites. The number of visitors to national parks, protected areas and rural communities continues to rise. And while nature or "eco" tourism is generally considered to have a lower impact than mass tourism — requiring less infrastructure and development — even small scale use can damage the natural resources that attract tourists in the first place.

Often the effects are not only ecological. Tourism, especially in rural and undeveloped areas, has displaced traditional customs and social interactions and, by fostering dependence on foreign income, made communities vulnerable to foreign economic conditions.

Still, it is hard to ignore the opportunities tourism presents for economic development in rural communities.

Whether the primary impact is positive or negative largely depends on how this sector is managed. Management structures must be strengthened in order to sustain both environmental quality and a lively tourism industry. The challenge today is to promote tourism activities in natural areas, while minimising the negative impacts on them.

A number of initiatives have been introduced by international organisations and the tourism industry. A report on implementing Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry developed jointly by the World Tourism Organization (WTO), the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), and the Earth Council sets out a systematic framework to make the tourism industry more environmentally responsible. It urges governments to work with local authorities and the private sector wherever possible to develop an environmental programme for management decisions regarding the industry and tourism destinations.

"Tourism can help the environment in many ways, especially by providing economic incentives to protect resources that have little other financial value, such as unique animal species, natural areas and cultural monuments," said WTO Secretary-General, Antonio Enriquez Savignac. Many international funding agencies have established programmes to encourage tourism that favours the protection of the environment.

Tourism in CEE
The countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) continue to search for means of economic development. The tourism industry presents a number of unique challenges and opportunities. Many CEE countries are actively wooing the world tourism market, and the number of visitors attracted is on the rise. According to a Council of Europe report, the CEE region was already attracting more than 17 percent of arrivals to Europe in 1993, with Hungary leading the way as one of the top five tourist destinations in the world. The CEE countries boast significant cultural heritage as well as many more untouched natural areas than in the West, presenting many opportunities for ecotourism. But, as many of these countries continue to struggle with the process of privatising lands and generating revenue, the pressure has mounted for the exploitation of natural resources.

The booming tourism industry requires careful management to avoid exceeding the carrying capacity of the areas it depends upon, leading to environmental problems. Because the tourism industry is in the relatively early stages in CEE, there are still opportunities to develop a comprehensive management plan, rather than approaching it on an ad hoc basis.

Albanian tourism
While Albania would be at the top of the alphabetical tourism "yellow pages," it is typically not the first place to come to mind when planning an eco-get-away. The country is still a virtual unknown on the vacation circuit; but, according to Genc Pasko, the Director for Albania's Ministry of Tourism, it is a top priority for national economic development.

Pasko describes Albania's tourism as being in an "embryonic stage," but emphasises that it has been identified as an area where the country has an international competitive advantage. "Albania has been isolated in the past and not many people have had the chance to visit, so our nature is untouched and our coast is unspoiled," says Pasko.

Indeed, the bright Albanian sun shines on nearly 450 kilometres of relatively pristine coastline. The Albanian Alps, numerous lakes, vast forests and the rich cultural heritage of one of the oldest civilisations in Europe round out the offerings that the Ministry of Tourism hopes will draw visitors and their much-needed hard currency.

The ministry, with funding from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, outlined a detailed set of guidelines for the tourism industry, which includes long-term plans for environmental protection. One of the development plans is the creation of national parks and protected areas. Some of Albania's most pristine and ecologically valuable areas, such as the lagoon at Diviaka, the marsh areas of Butrint Lake, and the inland forests at Lura, are slated to receive protected designations. On the industry side, a Phare programme for tourism in Albania is providing grants and loans to entrepreneurs who want to develop basic services, such as lodging. Potential foreign investors have also been quick to investigate development opportunities, particularly in the hotel industry in coastal areas.

So far, Albania has not lost sight of the need to safeguard the environment. According to Pasko, the ministry is committed to developing tourism in an environmentally friendly way and avoiding the overdevelopment that plagues other destinations. "We will try to develop a tourism that is different from our Mediterranean competitors. We want tourists to find in Albania what they have failed to find in other places," he says.

Estonian tourism
To the north, Estonia's tourism industry faces a similar set of issues, but with an added public relations challenge. The image of the Baltics as lands mired in industrial pollution and dotted with toxic sites on ex-military bases still remains prevalent. Yet with only 1.5 million people and uneven land use, Estonia has pockets of wilderness that are better preserved than those in most Western countries. Tourism can play a vital role in preserving the environment by staving off other development, such as forestry and intensive agriculture.

One initiative that has taken on the challenge of promoting travel in Estonia aims to develop tourism "the natural way." The Kodukant Ecotourism Initiative is committed to conserving Estonian wildlife and culture while finding alternative livelihoods for rural people through sustainable tourism. This initiative puts significant emphasis on the premise that tours to attractive rural areas must provide an economic benefit to the people living in and around them, "striking a balance between profitability and sustainability." Rural tourism can promote local environmental development as well as cultural enlightenment.

In addition to its seashores and mountains, Estonia boasts vast rural areas and farmlands. These relatively untouched areas offer numerous opportunities for tourists to enjoy outdoor activities, observe wildlife, and participate in local culture. The Kodukant initiative has developed a network of rural farms and tourism companies that operate under a set of standards developed with the help of local authorities and NGOs. The principals for the "Natural Way" tours include the stipulations that all organisers are local companies or residents; services and products are obtained from local sources; and 1 percent of profits are allocated to the protection of the area's natural resources.

Developing eco-tourism
The principal of involving local communities in the process is echoed in numerous international initiatives. A joint study by the WTO and the United Nations Environment Programme found this element to be essential to the success of ecotourism. "If ecotourism is to receive a higher priority in government plans, especially in developing countries, considerable effort must be made to effectively involve local inhabitants in the tourism activity," the report concluded. Closer economic links between ecological preservation and tourism are developing, but much remains to be done.

Ultimately, one of the most important goals of ecotourism must be the preservation of nature. Education is key to reaching this goal. Tourists and their hosts should be taught about nature conservation and protection as well as respect for the culture visited. Often eco-tourists are eager to learn something from what they are seeing. Local inhabitants can play a large role in how the visitors view the destination. By becoming educated hosts and guides they can encourage tourists to see their communities as more than a site for recreation.