Ecotourism - Theory and Practice

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Ecotourism - Theory and Practice

• Mr. Cheng Wing Ming, Clement
• Tour 2004-2005
• (Jointly organized by Department of Chinese
  History, Department of Geography, Green Club, )

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Play a game first

• http//www.eduweb.com/ecotourism/eco2b.html

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Outline

• Tourism industry
• What is ecotourism?
• Why ecotourism in Hong Kong?
• Potentials
• Constraints
• Ecotourism Planning
• Conclusion

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Tourism Industry

• Planets biggest industry
• Annual turnover HK31 trillion
• An economy second in the world after USA
• Globes biggest employer, 10 of the workforce

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Tourism Industry in Hong Kong

• 9th top tourism earner in the world (WTO
  1999)

• Tourists spent HK53 billion in 1999 (HKTA
  1999)
• Highest tourism receipts and arrivals in East
  Asia / Pacific region in 1997 (excluding China)

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Tourism Industry in Hong Kong (contd)
--- Visitor Distribution in 1999 ---
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Tourism Industry in Hong Kong (contd)
--- Tourists perception of Hong Kong ---
Source Vinci Li (2000)
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What is ecotourism?

• Ceballos-Lascusain (1987)
  Travelling to relatively undisturbed or
  uncontaminated natural areas with the specific
  objectives of studying, admiring and enjoying the
  scenery and its wild plants and animals, as well
  as any existing cultural manifestations (both
  past and present) found in the areaswhile
  producing economic opportunities that make the
  conservation of natural resources financially
  beneficial to local citizens.

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What is ecotourism? (contd)

• Australian Commonwealth Department of Tourism
  (2010) Nature-based tourism that involves
  education and interpretation of the natural and
  cultural environment and ecologically sustainable
  management of natural areas.

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Components of ecotourism

• Nature-based component
• Environmentally-educative component
• Sustainable management
• Ecotourism ethics
• Economic benefits

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Nature-based component

• Wildlife including species, habitat, landscape,
  scenery and water features
• Camping, hiking, picnicking
• Nature-based tourism not necessarily ecotourism
• Leaving nothing but footprints and taking nothing
  but photos

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Environmentally-educative component

• Enhance knowledge and foster positive attitudes
  of participants towards environmental
  conservation (Bottill and Pearce 1995)
• Management strategy (Orams 1995)

Behaviour lifestyle change
Enjoyment satisfaction
Increasing success of strategy
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Sustainable management

• Green tag vs environmental disruption
• Ecotourism market vs nature-based and educative
  dimensions
• Sustainable tourism not necessarily ecotourism
• Green management measures (minimize fuel and
  energy consumption, effective waste disposal,
  waste recycling, educational, minimize impacts,
  etc.)
• Ecologically sensitive, economically viable,
  culturally appropriate (Wall 1997)

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Ecotourism ethics

• Ecotourists vs mass tourists
• Shallow ecotourism vs deep ecotourism
• Ecotourists are motivated individuals with
  specific values, attitudes and behaviour towards
  nature
• Foster a positive attitude towards natural
  environment

Active
Passive
Increasing success of strategy
Actions that can enhance ecosystem health
Minimize disturbance to environment
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Ecotourism Today

• Buzzword
• Utopia in the tourism domain
• Fastest-growing sector of tourism industry,
  swelling by 20 a year
• Growing fastest in developing countries with
  natural wonders
• Dyed-green package trips

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Why ecotourism in Hong Kong?

• Earth Summit on Environment in 1992
• Decline in tourists 1997 10,408,000
  visitors 1998 9,575,000 visitors
• Development of new tourist attractions
  (Disneyland Theme Park, Lantau Cable Car, Wetland
  Park, etc.)
• Lack of an interpretative dimension in our
  country parks
• Concerted effort of HKTB, AFCD, NGOs and tourist
  agencies

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Group Discussion

• Does Hong Kong possess enough tourist attraction
  to develop ecotourism?

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Potentials (nature-based perspective)

• Country Parks

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Potentials (nature-based perspective)

• Country Parks

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Potentials (nature-based perspective)

• White dolphin watching

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Potentials (nature-basedperspective)

• Nature Walks

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Potentials (nature-based perspective)

• Marine Parks

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Potentials (nature-based perspective)

• Mai Po Nature Reserve

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Potentials (nature-based perspective)

• Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve

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Constraints (Stakeholders perspective)

• Hong Kong Tourism Board(HKTB)
  
• Advisory body without statutory power
• Specializes in marketing approach instead of
  proactive and sustainable management tactics
• Need of a new government department for tourism
  (or restructuring)
• Emphasize on the development of mainland market

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Constraints (Stakeholders perspective) (contd)

• AFCD and EPD
  
  --- Specialized and technical knowledge
  --- Limited by resources

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Constraints (Stakeholders perspective) (contd)

• Tour operators --- General travel
  agencies (mass travelling package)
  --- One-person operation (e.g. guided nature
  walks or dolphin watching) --- Can they
  co-exist? --- Accreditation
  / Certification system of tour guide (English vs
  knowledge on hiking, responsibility, taboos,
  first aid, etc.)

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Constraints (Stakeholders perspective) (contd)

• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
  --- Countryside Heritage Society of
  Hong Kong, WWF, Green Power, FOE, Hong Kong
  Marine Conservation Society
• --- Profound knowledge and expertise in nature
  
• --- Advisory role, yet not influential (e.g. KCR
  railway project at Long Valley)
  --- Lack of coordination and commitment
• --- Bottom-up approach problem

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Constraints (Stakeholders perspective) (contd)

• Tourists --- Social attributes,
  travel experiences, environmental values and
  future travel preferences (Higgins 1996)
  --- 3 visitor information centers in town
  
• --- Pamphlets in Chinese less emphasis on
  ecotourism

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Ecotourism Planning

• Objectives or themes (bird watching, jungle
  excursion, adventure sport, etc.)
• Target tourists (age, educational levels, income
  groups, occupations, country or origins)
• Format (safari, leisure tour, guided, duration)
• Recruitment and training of tour guides
• Site selection (criteria, uniqueness, resistance
  to impact, reversibility)

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Ecotourism Planning (contd)

• Baseline data of site (monitor changes)
• Management plan for site complete with different
  threshold levels / carrying capacity
• Promotion
• Law and enforcement
• Periodic monitoring and evaluation

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Evaluation of your choice to study Ecotourism

• In terms of nature base Excellent
• Things to consider
• cultural heritage
• different stakeholders
• the other three components of ecotourism??

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Conclusion

• Brand new concept characterized by misconceptions
• Starting point of development
• Impossible to follow overseas scenario?
• Government department to oversee planning and
  implementation
• Package to include facilities, opportunities and
  professional services
• Targeted at tourists and local people

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--- The End ---

• Thank you!