Ecotourism has been growing faster than other forms of tourism due to increasing awareness and an ongoing sustainable development paradigm. Its capacity to help grow the local economy and livelihood ...in backward and remote regions has been recognized in numerous studies in recent years. The Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh stands as one of India's severely underdeveloped areas. Its condition arises from a drought-prone agrarian economy shaped by unfavorable geological and climatic conditions. The NITI Aayog & UNDP report from 2012 on the region identified tourism as one of the potential measures to fight poor socio-economic development in the area. Fortunately, the region has six protected areas yet to be explored for its full potential for ecotourism development. So, this study focuses on the initial step of ecotourism planning, i.e., mapping the potential ecotourism locations using a multi-criteria decision-making approach, in which eight diversified ecotourism-related criteria have been selected based on geographical characteristics of the region, literature and field observations. Those criteria have been weighted using the Analytical Hierarchy Process for GIS-based Weighted Overlay Analysis and suitability mapping. Further, two highly potential locations over the region have been identified through ecotourism potentiality mapping and verified through field visits.
Community-based ecotourism (CBE) promotes the preservation of local natural environments, livelihood and culture. Like living museums, CBE is a site rich in experiential visitor learning, but without ...the purposeful, curated design of learning characteristic of museums. This paper first compares characteristics of CBE and living museums using Williams (2013) Performing interpretation. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 13(2), 115-126 four-part conceptual framework for living history museums. It then applies this framework to three case studies of CBE in Southeast Asia. Each is analyzed in terms of scenography, characterization, narrative, and collective experience. The paper concludes with a discussion of results, and proposes how local villagers might be able to more effectively plan and design their ecotourism projects as 'living museums', while at the same time addressing common CBE project design challenges related to cultural authenticity, commodification of culture, privacy and hosting fatigue.
Forest reserves are spaces of conservation and are often spaces of ecotourism as well. Evidence suggests that local community participation in the conservation of the forest reserve space tends to ...break down under weak ecotourism sector management. The Bossou Forest Reserve (BFR) in Guinea, West Africa has deteriorated considerably due to the fragmentation of the reserve and the inexorable decline in Bossou chimpanzee populations since the 1970s. The situation is largely attributable to several complex and interrelated factors, including the lack of established processes to support meaningful community participation in conservation and ecotourism planning. Ecotourism planning, with the participation of local communities, is considered to strengthen the management of the BFR and conservation connectivity. This paper reports on an approach to sustainable ecotourism planning of the BFR using the Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) framework to determine the drivers of change and livelihood concerns. Fieldwork undertook in 2019 entailed concept mapping activities which were followed by a participatory geographic information system (PGIS) approach to support community-scale ecotourism planning that considers the multiple needs of stakeholders. Data analysis resulted in a community-centered situational assessment and classification of opportunities, both of which inform ecotourism planning and social-ecological resilience. The study provides baseline data for developing a robust ecotourism management plan capable of coping with the changing internal and external stressors. PGIS-based ecotourism planning can support community priorities and is potentially applicable to other West African areas with similar ecological and livelihood settings.
An approach to tourism development that emphasises the need for community participation in tourism planning is advocated as a pathway to sustainable tourism and poverty alleviation. However, it is ...argued that the community participation concept originated in the developed world and faces different and context-specific limitations when applied in developing countries. This paper examines the implementation of local community participation in planning associated with ecotourism in protected areas in Malawi. The views of villagers, along with other key stakeholders, including ecotourism operators, protected area management agencies, government departments and non-governmental organisations were investigated through a qualitative study undertaken around the two case-study sites of Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, and was thematically analysed. The findings reveal significant limiting factors affecting community participation in ecotourism planning in Malawi, including: apathy; inadequate financial resources; inadequate information; low education levels; unfair distribution of benefits; lack of trained human resources; a centralised public administration; lack of coordination; and human-wildlife conflicts. The findings indicate the need for both greater advocacy of community participation, and the need to incorporate specific strategies which can facilitate community participation that are tailored to developing country contexts.
Abstract
The
Gunung Pongkor
post-mining area has some resources potential for ecotourism destination. The development of area’s ecosystem in the
Gunung Pongkor
post-mining area needs to protect the ...ecosystem and prevent activities that do damage within the area. In this case, it is necessary to make institutional model for ecotourism development in the
Gunung Pongkor
post-mining area. The objectives of this study are 1) to identify the elements in the development structure variable; 2) to analyze objective variables, needs variables, constraint variables, and actor variables; 3) to create institutional model for ecotourism development in the
Gunung Pongkor
post-mining area. This study uses descriptive qualitative methods with Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) analysis. The elements analyzed are 1) the objectives to be achieved in the development of the ecotourism areas, 2) the needs in the development of the ecotourism areas, 3) the obstacles that need to be overcome, and 4) the actors who play a role in the development of the ecotourism areas. The key element of the goal for ecotourism development in the
Gunung Pongkor
post-mining area is to provide education to the local community about environmental management and culture. In the development process, a master plan and legality of the area as ecotourism are needed. Some of the main obstacles in the development of this area are the absence of a change in the status of a forest area to an ecotourism area and a lack of knowledge about the conservation of natural resources and the environment. The key actors needed in developing this area are Regional Planning, Research, and Development Agency of Bogor Regency Regional Government, Tourism and Culture Office of Bogor Regency Regional Government, Environmental Office of Bogor Regency Regional Government. The diversity of the existing potential is utilized to the fullest it resolves problem that occur in this area in achieving an ecotourism area based on landscape characters in the
Gunung Pongkor
post-mining through collaborative ecotourism development.
Hong Kong as an international metropolis is well known for its vibrant urban life, which attracts millions of mass conventional tourists for shopping and business. Recently, ecotourism has flourished ...and attracts ecotourists who visit the ecological and cultural resources of the rural landscape, country parks and marine parks. Yan Chau Tong, also known as 'Double Haven', is remote from the urban centre, which helps preserve its natural flavour and cultural heritages such as Hakka walled villages. It is noted as an important site for developing ecotourist activities. A symbiosis of humans and nature cannot be achieved without a sound planning and zoning scheme. This paper investigates the use of IKONOS imagery and a geographic information system for rational planning of ecotourist activities and conservation measures. Through image classification of IKONOS and integrated with ecological data, essential habitats can be mapped and a spatial database is established. Suitable sites for recreational activities (including camping, heritage visiting, hiking and snorkelling) and important ecological habitats can both be identified using multiple criteria evaluation techniques. The use of a multiple objective land allocation model helps resolve conflict between recreation and conservation. Sites are generally identified as (a) those where conservation or recreation should receive the highest priority; (b) those that can be treated as additional recreation or conservation sites; and (c) conflict areas that can serve both purposes. The result can assist in planning land resources for ecotourism to satisfy both objectives and attain sustainability in the area.
Ajodhya Hill in Purulia district of West Bengal is a treasure house of natural beauties, but hilly terrain and thick forest cover have made many parts of this region inaccessible by road and ...perpetual agricultural drought over decades had weakened the economy of the area. Taking advantage of this physical and economic handicap, an organized group of social and political activists called Left-Wing Extremists (LWE), perpetrating violence and keeping the people of this region under threat. Non-cooperation of local population being the prime obstacle, government security forces with all its intelligence network and muscle power had not been utterly succeed to stop these activities. This UGC (University Grant Commission - Govt. of India) sponsored ‘Minor Research Project’ plans for economic and social stabilization of this region through the promotion of alternate economic practices for underprivileged forest dwellers and involving them in anti-terrorism operations. Taking into account the severity of physical environment and minimum skill level of tribal people, implementation of ‘Ecotourism’ in these forest villages seems to be the most suitable income-generating and ecologically permissible activity. Due to essentially spatially distributed nature of tourism and terrorism related data and need of various types of spatial and statistical analysis GIS has proven to be a successful means in this study and based on spatial, non-spatial and attribute data overlay („Weighted Sum Overlay Analysis’- ARC-GIS 9.2), ecotourism potential zones were identified. The inputs in the form of arc-coverages were assigned relative weightages according to their influence/importance in ecotourism development. Cadastral level action plan maps have been prepared for ecotourism infrastructure development and sustainable land use practices. Spatial database created on last ten years extremist movements and terrorist attacks to identify the spatial pattern, association and causes of vulnerability of the hot spots. Lastly spatial decisions have been made for allocation and relocation of police out posts, military camps and local participatory groups for fast information transfer and rapid action against any kind of social disorder.
Hong Kong has great potential to develop ecotourism as an alternate tourism experience. In order to provide visitors with satisfaction and conserve and sustain natural resources, a comprehensive ...zoning plan is indispensable to identify areas for various purposes and activities. Geographic information system combined with multi-criteria decision analysis procedure can be used to formulate these plans in an objective and efficient way. This study used this approach to objectively identify potential sites for various ecotourism activities and tourism development potential in Lantau Island, Hong Kong SAR. The results were then used to evaluate the Lantau development plan proposed by the government. By integrating with quality conservation information, the island was further classified into four zones namely sanctuary, nature conservation, outdoor recreation, and tourism development through multi-objective analysis. The results showed that proposed sites for various recreational activities are of medium to high suitability, while other potential sites with high suitability were revealed. In addition, sites with conflicting objectives and those required further protection were also identified. The results can be used as an unbiased guide for Lantau development. This study also demonstrated ecotourism planning and development can be practically supported by geo-information tools combined with proper multi-criteria decision analysis procedures based on which better decision can be made.
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