Ekologi Pariwisata

Ekologi Pariwisata (Ecotourism Development #2)

Sekolah Tinggi Pariwisata Satya Widya Jurusan Bina Wisata Agung Yoga Asmoro, S.Tr, MM.Par 082139695715

Stage C Developing viable community-based ecotourism projects Far too many community-based ecotourism projects have proved not be viable and have failed.

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A. Yoga Asmoro, S.Tr, MM.Par

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7. Ensuring market realism and effective promotion Ecotourism projects must be based on an understanding of market demand and consumer expectations and how to place the product offer effectively in the market place. The main reason ecotourism projects have failed is that they have not attracted a sufficient number of visitors. Assumptions made about the marketability of a particular location or experience have been unrealistic and not based on research. As a result, promotional activity has been misdirected. A problem has been the lack of tourism knowledge not only among local communities themselves but also among advisors and supporting agencies.

Market assesment consideraton: ● The patterns, profies and interests of existnn visitors to the area, based on visitor surveys. In principie, it is far easier to net more out of existnn visitors than to attract new ones. ● The iocaton of the area with respect to estabiished tourist circuits in the country. Proximity to these and opportunites for defecton make a considerabie diference. ● The ievei, nature and performance of existnn ecotourism products which are compettors but aiso potentai coiiaborators. ● The actvites of inbound tour operators and nround handiinn anents in the country and coverane by internatonai tour operators. ● Existnn informaton and promotonai mechanisms in the area. 22/11/17


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7. Ensuring market realism and effective promotion

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8. Putting forward quality products

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8. Putting forward quality products All community-based ecotourism products should offer a high quality of visitor experience and be subject to a rigorous business plan

Quality is about delivering an experience that meets or exceeds visitor expectations. These, in turn, will vary according to the type of visitor coming, which reinforces the need for effective market research. Although luxury and sophistication may not be sought, an important section of the ecotourism market, often handled by tour operators, is looking for a rich wildlife experience, comfortable and reliable accommodation and efficient business handling. It can sometimes be difficult for communities to deliver this. On the other hand, the special sense of discovery, welcome and privilege which a community visit can provide is something valued by many visitors.

There are three key requirements: 1)Attention to detail, ensuring that what is offered, at whatever level, is well delivered. 2)Quality and accuracy of promotion and information, giving reassurance but also ensuring that expectations match reality. All visitors in this market are increasingly looking for a high level of information provision. 3)Authenticity and ambience. Ecotourists respond to genuine and traditional values and experiences and they do not want this to be manufactured for them 22/11/17


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8. Putting forward quality products Some issues relate to specific components of the offer. 1) The quality of the wildlife and landscapes, in terms of relative uniqueness, attractiveness and abundance. If this is high, a project has a greater chance of success. Without it, the quality of the associated facilities and derived experiences becomes more important 2) The mix of natural and cultural experiences. Many visitors are looking for a combination 3) Accommodation: cleanliness is of primary importance, but issues such as ablution and toilet arrangements, general functionality, privacy and overall design and ambience can be significant. Different requirements in terms of investment and sophistication exist between lodges and camping grounds. 4) Guiding and interpretation: a fine balance between local colour and story telling, and scientific knowledge and accuracy is often sought. This may require involvement of different people, including an opportunity for local people to be trained as guides and interpreters. 5) Local produce and handicrafts: although visitors may look for authenticity, it is very important to avoid the depletion of cultural artefacts and other resources. Quality products can be made and sold which reflect an area’s traditions and creativity without devaluing them. 6) General experience of village life, including folklore: this can prove an experience highly valued by visitors. It can provide an incentive to keep local culture and pass on local knowledge. 7) Participation: some visitors value the opportunity to participate in activities. Conservation participation programmes are a specific sub-sector of ecotourism and can be communitybased. 22/11/17


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Stage D. Strengthening benefits to the community and the environment

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9. Managing impacts Specific steps should be taken within the community to minimise the environmental impact and maximise the local benefit of ecotourism.

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9. Managing impacts Attenton to detaii in a number of aspects of both the deveiopment and operaton of ecotourism projects can sinnifcantiy improve their deiivery. ● The desinn of aii new buiidinns shouid be carefuiiy considered. ● Traditonai styies and iocaiiy avaiiabie materiais shouid be used. ● Usefui income has been earned throunh, for exampie, the suppiy of thatchinn. ● Use existnn buiidinns rather than ennaninn in new deveiopment ● Acton, both at the deveiopment stane and in operatnn faciiites, to reduce consumpton of water and enerny, reduce waste and avoid poiiuton. ● Low enerny technoionies appropriate to the iocaton shouid be appiied. ● Recyciinn shouid be encouraned and waste disposai shouid be carefuiiy mananed ● Use of environmentaiiy friendiy transport shouid be positveiy favoured ● In order to minimise economic ieakane, every efort shouid be made to use iocai produce and services, and to favour the empioyment of iocai peopie. This may require acton to identfy iocai, sustainabie sources. Producers can be assisted throunh the formaton of iocai nroups and networks, and heip with contacts, marketnn and pricinn. ● Locai communites shouid be encouraned and heiped to take account of these issues themseives without any efect on their iivinn standards, throunh informaton, traininn and demonstraton. ● Feedback to them from visitors wiii heip. Infuencinn the actons taken by visitors and tour operators is very important. Some eiements of nood practce can be inciuded as frm requirements in contracts with the private sector. 22/11/17


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10. Providing technical support Communities will require ongoing access to advice and support in the development, management and marketing of responsible, good quality ecotourism products.

Important topics to consider include: ● product development issues; ● handling visitors, customer care and hospitality skills; ● marketing and communication; ● environmental management; ● working and negotiating with commercial operators; ● management skills, legal issues and financial control; ● guide training, including content and delivery; and ● basic language training. A useful way of generating ideas, giving confidence and putting across knowledge is through contacting, visiting or meeting other projects which are already experienced in community based ecotourism. However, the nature of the financial assistance must avoid inhibiting incentive and causing problems within and between communities. Soft loans and long-term credit, well targeted to local needs, may be most appropriate. The importance of effective marketing has been covered. As well as technical marketing advice, projects can be assisted through access to national research data, help with visitor surveys, and linkages to marketing outlets such as national tourist board promotions and websites. The establishment of registers of community-based ecotourism projects, if possible backed by efficient reservation systems, should be encouraged. A very valuable way of providing technical support is through establishing networks between projects. Some countries have associations of community based tourism initiatives. These not only raise awareness and provide marketing support but can also promote common quality standards, deliver training and financial assistance and generally represent the sector in the commercial and political arena. 22/11/17


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11. Obtaining the support of visitors and tour operators Ecotourism experiences should raise awareness of conservation and community issues among visitors and tour operators and include mechanisms for enlisting their support.

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11. Obtaining the support of visitors and tour operators Ecotourism experiences should raise awareness of conservation and community issues among visitors and tour operators and include mechanisms for enlisting their support.

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11. Obtaining the support of visitors and tour operators Sinnifcant additonai benefts can be achieved throunh improvinn communicaton with visitors themseives and with the tour operators who brinn them. These benefts inciude nreater awareness of environmentai and sociai issues, modifyinn behaviour when visitnn, and neneratnn direct support for iocai communites and conservaton causes. In aimost aii cases, the experience of a community-based tourism pronramme wiii have an impact on how peopie think in future about the area and habitats they have visited. However, this can be made more or iess meaninnfui dependinn on the informaton they receive before, durinn and afer the visit, and how it is deiivered. Carefui attenton shouid be paid to the messanes put out by tour operators to their ciients and to the quaiity of nuidinn and interpretaton on site. Mechanisms for foiiow-up contact shouid be expiored. Visitors shouid be encouraned to ‘muitpiy’ their experience by writnn and taikinn about it. A number of codes of conduct for visitors have been produced. Some are neneric, others are area or site specifc. These tend to cover questons such as prior readinn and understandinn, seiecton of operators and destnatons, respect for iocai cuitures, minimisinn environmentai impact, purchasinn decisions, actvites to avoid, and conservaton issues to support. Simiiariy, codes for tour operators cover issues such as partcuiar environmentai and cuiturai issues in the destnaton concerned, seiecton of sites, reiatonship with indinenous communites, messanes to put across to staf and ciients, and more specifc instructons and renuiatons. These codes can be adapted for aii ecotourism destnatons. Raisinn fnance or other forms of support from visitors (such as partcipaton in research) has become quite a common practce in ecotourism destnatons. This is ofen throunh a ievy appiied by tour operators or throunh invitnn donatons. Aithounh some operators resist this, the efect on tour prices can be reiatveiy smaii. Visitors appear to appiaud the opportunity to make a contributon, creatnn a marketnn advantane for the operator. Money may be put into a iocai deveiopment fund. Visitors may be invited to discuss benefciary schemes and to net to know them. These can be conservaton initatves or sociai pronrammes within the community.

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11. Obtaining the support of visitors and tour operators

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11. Obtaining the support of visitors and tour operators

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12. Monitoring performance and ensuring continuity Ecotourism projects shouid be desinned and mananed for ionn-term viabiiity and success. A recurrinn probiem with many community-based ecotourism projects that have been estabiished as part of externaiiy funded and assisted initatves, has been a tendency not to contnue satsfactoriiy afer the iife of the aid pronramme. It is very important that: ● a reasonabie tme span is aiiotted to the project so that withdrawai of assistance does not occur too eariy; ● an ‘exit strateny’ is worked out at an eariy stane; ● aii bodies providinn assistance take care to impart know-how to iocai individuais and ornanisatons throunhout the course of the project; ● a strateny of ionn-term iocai ownership is maintained; and ● use is made of natonai or iocai authority and private sector support that may be onnoinn. Projects wiii be considerabiy strennthened by renuiar monitorinn and feedback to assess success and identfy weaknesses that may need to be adjusted. Simpie indicators shouid be anreed and made known to the community. These shouid cover economic performance, iocai community reacton and weiibeinn, visitor satsfacton and environmentai channes. Monitorinn shouid be kept simpie and feedback shouid be obtained from visitors, tour operators and iocai peopie. Traininn of iocai partcipants in monitorinn processes may be required. Certfcaton and award schemes can piay a roie in maintaininn as weii as estabiishinn nood practce.

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References

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