Understanding Tourisms Footprint

1
Understanding Tourisms Footprint?

• Kristin M. Lamoureux
• Director, International Institute of Tourism
  Studies
• The George Washington University
• Washington, DC
• klam_at_gwu.edu

2
How Big is the Issue?

• Here are some facts
• In the USD, LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and
  Sustainability) estimates that ecotourism,
  including eco-travel networks, green tourism,
  eco-volunteering trips, active sports trip
  programming, and environmentally responsible
  tourism, are among the fastest growing travel
  trends, and are estimated to be a 77 billion
  market. (TIES)
• 80 percent of adult travelers have participated
  in a cultural activity while traveling (TIES)
• In the Grand Canyon National Park, park rangers
  have shot wild deer because they became so used
  to eating junk food handed out by tourists that
  they lost their natural ability to digest
  vegetation. (Associated Press, 7/1/95)
• A tourist in Spain uses 880 liters of water a
  day, compared with 250 by a local. (WWF)
• Green is in!

3
Assessment Process for Sustainable Tourism
Local Stakeholder Participation in Assessment
II. The Focus Area (Field Work)
Public Meeting
Workshop/Training
Consultations
Assessments
Supply Competitive
Site Infrastructure
Market Demand
Attractions Inventory
Tourism Eco Footprint
Socio-Cultural Conservation
Capacity
Cost Benefit
III. Presentation of Results
Reporting and Feedback
Conclusions
Recommendations
Next Steps
4
Benefits of Understanding Tourisms Impact

• Financing for Conservation park fees, lease
  fees, concessions, taxation, grants and donations
• Economic alternatives jobs
• Constituency Building motivation to conserve
• Impetus for Private Conservation demand for
  natural areas

5
Benefits of Understanding Tourisms Impact

• Uncover potential for negative impacts or costs
• Discover opportunities/benefits for tourism to
  address social environmental issues and help in
  conservation
• Key Issue Optimization vs. Utility Maximization
• Go ahead, make changes, or just go?

6
Eco Footprint Social Impacts

• What are we assessing?
• Water use
• Energy use
• Waste Management
• Habitat conservation
• Invasive species
• Value of land
• Guest Host interactions

7
Conducting an Assessment

• Get the right Information
• Gather available information
• Local conservation organizations
• Government information (park plans, city plans,
  etc)
• Resident attitude surveys
• Experts (cultural and environmental)
• Expert Interviews
• Establish Baseline Data Needs
• Dont allow bias! Dont sell.

8
Guidelines for Assessing Results

• Compile Information
• Supplement with any additional information
• Draw conclusions (impacts/opportunities)
• Make decisions but consider this
• Controllability of impacts
• Likelihood of occurrence
• Likely duration and magnitude
• Breadth, depth and diffusion

9
Information Organization
10
Managing Impacts of Tourism

• Policy/ Planning (Zones, Regulations, Economic
  Mechanisms)
• Development/Construction of Facilities (Project)
• Management of Resources (Audits, Green
  Technologies)
• Management of Visitors (Controlling Visitor
  Flows)
• Adapting the Environment (Hardening Sites)
• Marketing Promotion (Capacity Controls)
• Education (Codes of Conduct, Interpretation,
  Educating Staff)
• Research Monitoring (Environmental Quality)

11
Resources

• Tools
• Linking Communities to Conservation A Tourism
  Assessment Process (GW Univ. Cons.
  International)
• http//www.gwutourism.org/images_comm/TAPmanual_2m
  eg.pdf
• Developing Naturally A Handbook for Developing
  Nature-based Tourism (Clemson Univ.)
• http//www.strom.clemson.edu/publications/Potts/de
  vnat.html
• Examples
• National Trust Heritage Tourism Assessment
  Recommendations for St. Augstine, Fl.
• http//www.nationaltrust.org/heritage_tourism/ht_s
  taugustine.pdf