Tourism as a tool of Management

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Tourism as a tool of Management

• Experiences of NGOs dealing with protected area
  management on areas focused by tourism

Stephanie Roth
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Tourism as a tool of management

• 1. Tourism in protected areas
• 1.1 Dimension of tourism in PAs
• 1.2 Stakeholders of tourism in PAs
• 1.3 Tourism and Natura 2000
• 2. The need for tourism management
• 2.1 Goals of tourism management
• 2.2 Basis for tourism management planning
• 3. The praxis of tourism management
• 4. The role of NGOs
• 4.1 Motivation
• 4.2 Possible approaches
• 4.3 Cooperation with other stakeholders
• 5. Examples

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1. Tourism in protected areas

• Problems/ conflicts between
• Different stakeholders / interest groups
• Nature conservation / tourist industry / local
  population

• Advantages
• Tourism is a source of income gt strengthening
  of
• regional economy
• Revenues can be used for nature protection
• Protected areas as an instrument of sensitizing
  visitors
• for nature concerns

gt Tourism in protected areas requires holistic
management!
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1.1 Dimensions of tourism in protected areas

• Tourism infrastructure and activities
• Tourism product development
• Impacts of tourism / Use of resources
• Nature protection
• Legal framework
• Visitor regulations
• Other uses

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1.2 Stakeholders of tourism in protected areas

• National bodies
• Park authorities
• Communities
• Tourism authorities/associations
• Private tourism sector
• Tourism developers (public and private)
• NGOs
• Tourists

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1.3 Tourism and Natura 2000

• Tourism is very compatible with the Natura 2000
  scheme
• European tourism is largely based on the variety
  of unspoilt cultural landscapes, which is why
  tourism is to be considered a strategic partner
  of Natura 2000
• Tourist regions will benefit most from Natura
  2000
• Tourists themselves are willing to pay special
  contributions for the conservation of nature

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2. Tourism management
Increasing demand of the tourism sector for
nature areas
Increasing interest in tourism as a sustainable
way of development
Increasing need for management of tourism and its
impacts
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2.1 Goals of tourism management

• Decrease the threats to the natural and cultural
  environment
• Increase the benefits of tourism
• Support nature conservation
• Provide sustainable alternatives

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2.2 Basis for tourism management planning

• CSD Work Programme (CSD 7/1999)
• CBD Guidelines (2004)
• Management of PAs
• Initiatives for Making tourism more sustainable
• Politics, tourism industry and NGOs

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3. The praxis of tourism management planning
Tourism Management Plan
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STEP 1 / Getting started
A tourism management and development plan...
... is a written document created in a
consultative process
... describes possible threats and opportunities
for the region
... needs to be approved by all stakeholders and
people affected
... creates a common vision of regional
development, which helps to avoid conflicts
and strengthens committment
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STEP 1 / Getting started
A tourism management and development plan...
... is never complete, but needs continuous
updating
... is in line with other existing regional plans
... Should be as short as possible without
loosing its coherence, credibility or
practical use
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STEP 2 / Stakeholder Involvement

• Integrative management envisages the
  participation
• of the local population as a very important
  part of
• promising development planning

• Stakeholder involvement serves the purpose of

• building new capacities

• creating a common issue of concern

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STEP 3 / Baseline Information
Baseline information
assesses the current situation and predicts the
future working environment for regional and
tourism management
includes existing and potential threats to the
environment
considers potentials for sustainable (tourism)
development
? The whole development plan will be based on
this compilation of information therefore this
step is of vital importance for the success of
the development process!
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STEP 3 / Baseline Information
Baseline Information is divided into three
essential parts

• ecological, economic, social and historic
  characteristics of
• the region

• regional and tourism management conditions

• legal framework for conservation of
  biodiversity and
• for regional / tourism development

? Data compilation via surveys, studies,
existing plans
? Maps, GIS, further visualised material
advantageous
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STEP 4 / Vision and Goals
Visioning
is a creative process, that
allows broad participation of local communities
A Vision
describes a desirable state in the future
helps people to stay focused on a common goal
during the process
should be linked to the region and reflect the
regions economical, environmental and social
needs
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STEP 5 / Goals, Objectives and the work program
Vision
Idealistic
Goals
Identified in a multi-stakeholder process
General enough to to reflect the vision and
precise enough to be achievable within a
realistic timescale
Realistic
Objectives
Each objective represents a detailed task which
needs to be accomplished within a given timescale
Realistic
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STEP 5 / Goals, Objectives and the work program
Agreement on goals and objectives
information of all stakeholders and the public
(transparency in decisions)
Work Program
Describes goals, objectives and each single task
necessary to achieve them
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STEP 6 / Impact Assessment and Impact Management
Impact Assessment

• Identifying and addressing of existing and
  future impacts
• (positive negative)

• development of coping strategies for negative
  impacts

• Subjective matter needs to be accomplished in
  consultation
• with the local public

Impact Management
Relates to the management plan and describes
concrete measures to avoid or mitigate existing
and potential negative impacts
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STEP 7 / Monitoring and Adaptive Management
Three consecutive steps of monitoring
Data collection
Evaluation
Reporting
Due to local knowledge, the involvement of local
communities is again a decisive aspect!
Based on constant monitoring, the management plan
can be flexibly adjusted wherever changes are
necessary ( adaptive management)
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STEP 8 /Decision-Making, Approval and
Implementation
Decision-Making has to be

• transparent

• always in consultation with relevant
  stakeholders and local
• communities

• referring to baseline information, impact
  assessment and
• specific information for the prevailing
  activity

Approval
The success of the development plan will only be
guaranteed if it finds the approval of all
participants of the project as well as of all
local stakeholders and people affected, although
not directly involved in the planning process
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STEP 8 /Decision-Making, Approval and
Implementation
Implementation

• after the management plan is being approved,
  stakeholders
• need to be informed about its implementation
  in a broad
• and comprehensive way

• stakeholders should have an ongoing opportunity
  to express
• their wishes and concerns about activities

• for successful implementation the
  responsibilities for each
• activity have to be stated clearly in the plan

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4. The role of NGOs in tourism management

• Motivation of NGOs to engage in tourism
  management
• Possible approaches
• Cooperation with other stakeholders

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4.1 Motivations for tourism management

• NGOs is responsible for/involved in PA management
• Actual tourism development has negative impacts
  on the environment / for the local population
• Experience in project management, stakeholder
  involvement and regional development
• NGOs are asked in the international resolutions
  to promote sustainable tourism development and to
  support the efforts undertaken to make tourism
  more sustainable

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4.2 Possible approaches

• Initiative
• Overall coordination
• Mediation
• Expertise
• Parts of the work programme

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4.3 Cooperation with other stakeholders

• Non-governmental establish and facilitate the
  participation of stakeholders
• Non-profit promote sustainable use of
  biodiversity
• Expertise experience ecology, regional
  development, socioeconomic and political
  structures

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5. Examples of tourism management
Special Nature Reserve Zasavica (Serbia)
Bioshere Reserve Entlebuch (Switzerland)
Sumava Nationalpark (Czech Republic)
Alpen nationalpark Berchtesgaden (Germany)
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5.1 Special Nature Reserve Zasavica
Main goal of the project
Development of a methodology for tourism
management planning
Need for tourism management
? development of a holistic adaptive management
approach ? long-term, regionally based and
multi-stakeholder learning-by-doing-process
Steps

• SWOT on tourism
• Stakeholder involvement
• Development of the methodology
• Elaboration of the TMP

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5.1 Special Nature Reserve Zasavica
Vision of the TMP
Conservation of biodiversity through sustainable
tourism development
Objectives

• Preservation of unique ecosystems
• Development of a quality management system for
  the PA
• Establishment of partnerships with local
  stakeholders
• Development of sustainable tourism
• Support of the local economy
• Development of training and awareness-raising
  for the PA staff and local communities
• Development of concept of organic farming
• Utilization of diverse funding for development
  projects

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5.2 Bioshere Reserve Entlebuch (CH)
Regional / Direct Marketing

• Promotion of regional marketing through tourism
• gt Quality brand Echt Entlebuch
  Biosphärenreservat
• Assuring regionality, specification and quality
  of products
• Strengthening the identification of products
  with the region
• Preserving or creating new added value and new
  workplaces

• gt Marketing group
• "Promotion of Regional Products
• gt Working groups for milk, meat,
• niche products and wood
• gt Marketing events (product presentation,
• "Cheese-Festival, etc.)
• gt Cooperation between the producers and
• consumers (e.g. trade and tourism)

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5.3 Sumava Nationalpark (Czech Republic) -
Visitor guidance

• 11 information centers
• System of tourist tours and information
• stands common with the Bavarian NP
• Bicycle trials (246 km of path-marks)
• X-country ski trails (path-marks on 313 km)
• Walk trails (407 km of paths)
• Boat trails (59 km)
• Green Wagon
• Green Bus (bio-diesel driven tourist busses)

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5.3 Sumava Nationalpark Visitor guidance
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5.4 Alpen nationalpark Berchtesgaden (Germany)
Visitor monitoring
Project Monitoring of modern forms of land-use
in protected areas

• Monitoring by installation of cameras
• Recording the number of visitors
• Monitoring of different activities
• (hiking, biking, etc.)
• Description and presentation by computer

• gt Better knowledge about impact of tourism
• gt Useful decision support for management
  activities

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Thank you very much for your attention!