Ecotourism

• Ecotourism Planning and Management Process

  1. Site Assessment

  2. Ecotourism Planning

  3. Implementation

  4. Monitoring and Evaluation
• Phases of the Ecotourism Planning and Management Process

  • Site Assessment
  • Ecotourism Planning
  • Implementation
  • Monitoring and Evaluation
• Site Assessment


  • Determine whether a specific site is suitable for ecotourism development
  • Assess the potential for ecotourism development at the site
  • Identify factors that support or hinder ecotourism growth in the area
  • Collect sex disaggregated data and gender-related information
• Ecotourism Planning


  • Develop an Ecotourism Management Plan (EMP)
  • Align the EMP with the existing Protected Area Management Plan
  • Involve stakeholders such as LGUs, agencies, local communities, and the private sector
• Implementation


  • Follow the timelines, arrangements, and budget outlined in the Implementation Plan
  • Implement business strategies by the LGU or private sector partner
• Monitoring and Evaluation


  • Track the implementation of the Ecotourism Management Plan
  • Identify critical indicators for impact monitoring
• The Indo Malay region, encompassing a of Southeast Asia, India and southern China is the primary focus, although the Himalayan Region, Tibetan Plateau and Northern and Western China, Japan, Korea and Siberia are also included, and Western Asia—the Middle East—is excluded. The seas, coastal zones and inland waterways are excluded.
• All five are either constant or increasing in intensity.
• Ecotourism design elements

  • Genuineness of natural environment
  • Specific wildlife
  • Ecosystem
  • Ecolodge
  • Level of excitement
  • Cultural immersion of local people
  • Historical heritage
• Ecotourism design elements


  Relevant to customer needs
• Genuineness of natural environment


  Ecotourists have high levels of interest in genuine nature places such as forests, national parks, marines, etc.
• Specific wildlife


  Higher levels of wildlife such as animals living in a free habitat have serve as effective attraction for ecotourists
• Ecosystem


  Can be explained as self-sustaining communities within natural settings
• Ecolodge


  Temporary accommodation for ecotourists
• Level of excitement


  Satisfaction of customer needs for excitement and adrenalin need to be integrated within marketing communication message of ecotourism tour operators
• Cultural immersion of local people


  Specifications of local cultural identities can be presented as one of the key design elements of ecotourism. This design element is highly relevant to customer needs in a way that it contributes to the satisfaction of customer need for change, learning and knowledge.
• Changes in ecotourism design elements in order to meet changing customer needs might not be the most effective approach because customers of ecotourism destinations might be attracted by the constancy of these elements
• Designing ecotourism facilities


  • Reflect the local building styles and materials without creating a negative impact on the local building materials resources or increasing the costs to the local community for the same building materials
• Financial issues in building ecotourism facilities One reason for the slow growth is a lack of facilities and infrastructure in and surrounding ecotourism destinations. The relatively modest size of most ecotourism lodging operations of 12 to 20 units, keep most operations under local ownership because major hotels requiring a minimum of 50 units to offset basic operating costs
• Sustainable design


  The long-term objective is the minimization of resource degradation and consumption on a global scale
• Environmental designs


  • Integrated into the environment in which they are constructed
  • Fulfill the visitor's expectations, often through a spectrum of lodging options from minimum conveniences such as tents to individual rooms with private baths and other amenities
• Ecotourism facilities


  • New Mexico Cliff Dwellings
  • Ice Hotel
• Working with local resources


  • Local cultural and ecological knowledge can contribute to the proposed design
  • Local involvement increases the chances for long term community support for the ecotourism facility
  • Local community involvement may reduce negative cultural impact
• Existing community/culture structure


  • Recognize the values of the local people
  • Identify the availability and type of human resources in the community
  • Identify the availability and type of local building materials
• Ecotourists are interested in learning about the flora and fauna of an area as well as its cultural heritage.
• The ecotourist seeks experiences associated with nature that promote conservation and have low negative environmental impacts.
• Ecotourism is the responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of local people, and involves interpretation and education.
• The development of eco-lodges is one way that tour operators have responded to this demand.
• Eco-lodges are designed to be low-impact on their surroundings while providing visitors with comfortable accommodations.
• They typically feature locally sourced materials, renewable energy sources, and waste reduction practices.
• Ecotourism is considered sustainable tourism because it aims to minimize negative social or environmental effects on the communities where tourists visit.