Les défis de l’écotourisme face au développement territorial durable   

par

Arq. Hector Ceballos-Lascurain,Environmental Architect

and International Ecotourism Consultant,Director General PICE,

Mexico City

Entre projets locaux de développement et globalisation de l’économie: quels équilibres pour les espaces régionaux?

….L’Ecotourisme peut être une solution!

What is Sustainable Development?

- Improving the quality of human life while living within our ecological means.

- Development which provides economic, social, and environmental benefits in the long term, having regard to future generations.

What is Ecotourism?

• Sustainable tourism is an umbrella concept.

• Ecotourism should be seen as a a subset of sustainable tourism.

TOURISM

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

ECOTOURISMNATURE-BASED TOURISM

(INCLUDES ADVENTURE TOURISM, EXTREME SPORTS, AGROTOURISM)

Définition de l’Ecotourisme Selon l’ IUCN (Union Mondiale pour la Nature),

l’Ecotourisme est:

"voyage et visite environnementalement responsables dans des espaces naturels relativement calmes dans le but d’apprécier la nature (et n'importe quelles fonctions culturelles accompagnantes - tant passées que présentes), qui promeuvent la conservation, créent de faibles impacts négatives et participent activement à l’amélioration socio-économique des populations locales d’une manière durable.”

Ceballos-Lascuráin, 1993

IMPORTANCE OF NATURAL AREAS

 

World Tourism

• World’s most important civil industry: US$4,000,000,000,000.

• Employs 127 million workers (1 in 15 workers worldwide). • In 2008, international tourist arrivals : 924 million • Domestic tourism may be ten times this figure. • International tourism generated US$ 856 billion (€ 625

billion) in 2007, or 30 % of the world’s exports of services.• Present trends…

Source: WTO (2009)

Ecotourism is the Fastest Growing Segment of Tourism

Ecotourism attractions may be: Natural...

...or cultural:

Ecotourism Attraction Inventories

There are 3 categories of Ecotourism attractions:

• Focal

• Complementary

• Support

Focal Attractions

• They are the most distinctive and relevant elements of the natural and/or cultural heritage found in an ecoturism destination or region.

Complementary Attractions

They provide added value to the ecotourism destination, contributing to a richer and more diverse tourism experience.

Support Attractions

• They are those artificial elements (facilities and services) that provide satisfaction to the visitor, facilitating his visit.

Ecotourism product: systematic inventory of its ecoturism attractions.

EP = (FA + CA + SA)

Some preliminary world ecotourism statistics

- 20 % of world tourism.

- Nature tourism generates 7% of all international travel expenditure.

- Fastest growing segment of world tourism (growing at a rate of 15 to 30 % per year).

                        

 

BIRD WATCHING

• Bird watchers (birders): largest single group of ecotourists around the World.

• U.S.: Over 60 million birders.• Birding-relateds expenses in the U.S.: $24 billion

per year, (employing 800,000 people).• U.K.: over 1 million “serious” bird watchers.

Source: C.H.Sekercioglu. 2003. Conservation through

Commodification. Birding Vol. 35 N° 4 August 2003: 394-402

BIRD WATCHING (II)

There are ecotourists that are interested in other specific fields ...

Emerging Trends in Global Ecotourism

• Ecotourism : a key sustainable development option for the last two decades.  

• A vital tool for nature conservation and for raising the living standards of rural people.

• Major contributor to a broader appreciation of the rich natural ecosystems of our planet. 

• It is very important to always have in mind that an ecotourist is primarily a nature lover.

• Growing local community participation in ecotourism development.

• Private/public partnership.• Physical planning of ecotourism facilities.

Local Communities

Benefits of Ecotourism to Local Communities:

• Ecotourism : a key sustainable development option for local communities over the last two decades.  

• A vital tool for nature conservation and for raising the living standards of rural people.

• Major contributor to a broader appreciation of the rich natural ecosystems of our planet (environmental education).

• Ecotourism gives added value to existing resources.

• Gives pride to local communities.

Challenges of Ecotourism

- Modify attitudes and communal and personal practices (move towards SD).

- Communities should value their heritage better.

- Achieve appropriate organization (including private/public partnership).

- Appropriate specialized training.

- Avoid temptations of inadequate and inequitable deals with private sector.

- Distinguish between true ecotourism and non-sustainable adventure tourism.

Territorial approach to Ecotourism

• Ecotourism : a regional phenomenon and an effective tool for achieving sustainable territorial development.

• Important goal of Ecotourism: improve living conditions of rural communities by promoting productive diversification and creation of local value added with base on sustainable use of native forest and other natural resources.

….in short, by promoting a territorial organizing process of a region.

2500 Years of Historical Evolution of Tourism Coastal Development Around the World: A Hypothetical Model

Territorial Development of Coastal Areas

Model I: Conventional Defficient Planning

or No Planning

Territorial Development of Coastal Areas Model 2: Sustainable Territorial Planning Model 1: Conventional No Planning

2 1

WADI EL GEMAL ECOTOURISM/ECOLODGE PLAN, EGYPT

ARCH. HECTOR CEBALLOS-LASCURAIN

EPAT DELIVERY ORDER 40 WINROCK INTERNATIONAL

NOVEMBER 1997

TOURISM FACILITIES IN PROTECTED AREAS

Tourism facilities in protected areas should be particularly designed in an environmentally-friendly way, since they are frequently located in areas of great scenic beauty and ecological significance.

What is an Ecolodge?-An Ecolodge is a nature-dependent tourist lodge that meets the philosophy and principles of ecotourism.

- Some key areas of ecolodge development are: Costa Rica, Belize, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Kenya and South Africa.

(Hawkins et al. 1995)

Kapawi Ecolodge, Ecuador

Ecolodge in Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

MERCI BEAUCOUP!

ARQ. HECTOR CEBALLOS-LASCURAIN

Director General PICE

Program of International Consultancy on Ecotourism

Special Advisor on Ecotourism to IUCN

Camino Real al Ajusco 551

Col. Xolalpa (Tepepan), Tlalpan

14649 México, DF, MEXICO

Tel. (52) 55 5676 8734; Fax (52) 55 5676 5285

E-mail: ceballos@laneta.apc.org

Web site: www.ceballos-lascurain.com