Geotourism for Your Community

D
WHAT IT IS HOW IT HELPS WAYS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHO NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED.

FT A R

F I S H I N G B OAT, T E L A AT L A N T I DA , H O N D U R A S

(C)

J E F F E RY B E C O M / L O N E LY P L A N E T I M AG E S

A GEOTOURISM STRATEGY

A GUIDE FOR

By Jonathan B. Tourtellot

CONTENTS
About Geotourism Tourism and Your Region How to Become a Geotourism Destination Aesthetics Environment Interpretation/Tourist Education Tourism Management Community Interaction Discovering Your Geotourism Assets

PART I

About Geotourism

The new concept of geotourismtourism based on geographical characteris attracting increasing interest around the world. Here is how geotourism is defined:

Tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a placeits environment, heritage, aesthetics, culture, and the well-being of its residents.
Since October 2004, three nations, including Honduras, Norway, and Romania, have signed the Geotourim Charter and made the commitment to increasing sustainable tourism in their regions The states of Arizona, in the United States, and Sonora, in Mexico, became the first to sign a trans-border Geotourism Charter in December 2005. Geotourism highlights the relationship between tourism and sense of place. You may ask, What is the difference between geotourism and ecotourism, or sustainable tourism? Ecotourism focuses

Attractive, historic towns are likely to get featured in the pages of travel magazines. drawing curious tourists.
COURTESY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER

only on nature; its a niche market. Geotourism is not a niche; it is about everything that goes into making a place distinctive, unique. Geotourism certainly must be sustainablemeaning it must do no harmbut it goes beyond that to focus on all of the natural and human attributes that make a place worth visiting. That includes flora and fauna, historic structures and archaeological sites, scenic landscapes, traditional architecture, and all of the things that contribute to culture, such as local music, crafts, dances, arts, and even cuisineas well as the traditional farming, crops, and animals on which the cuisine is based. Good geotourism must benefit local people. Local people in turn must take care to protect what tourists are paying to come and experience, whether its a rain forest, a historic street, a coral reef, or simply beautiful scenery. That word enhances in the definition of geotourism is another important distinction in geotourism, which allows for evolution and creativity faithful to the character of the place. You can enhance the character of a place in two ways. One is by creating something new based on the assets of the locale. A chef, for instance, might invent a new dish for a restaurant based on local ingredients or a traditional style

Integrity of place: Enhance geographical character by developing and improving it in ways reflective of its natural and cultural heritage, so as to encourage market differentiation and cultural pride. The Geotourism Charter

SEGMENT SIZE
Percent of the 13.6 million U.S. adults who traveled Segment Size internationally Percent 3+ times in theof the 13.6 million U.S. adults who traveled past 3internationally years 3+ times in the past 3 years.

*Household Income in millions of dollars Geo-Savvys $67.9*

Urban Sophisticates $76.1* 30%

Geotourism market 74%

21% SelfIndulgents $68.5* 14% 3% Apathetics $63.8* 6% 8% 17% 6%

Four of the eight types of U.S. travelers fit the geotourism profile (red bars)affluent, environmentally and culturally aware, and more likely to travel internationally.

Good Citizens $70.3*

Outdoor Sportsmen $53.8*

Wishful Thinkers $53.2*

Traditionals $53.0*

of cooking. The second way is by saving something that might otherwise disappear. Fixing up a distinctive historic building and using it as an inn or a museum, for instance, is more appealing to the geotourist than tearing the building down and replacing it with a modern structure that looks just like any other. All tourists are not alike: the geotourism market When you see a bunch of tourists walking down the street or getting off a tour bus or cruise ship, all speaking a foreign language and dressed a certain way, its easy to think theyre all the same. Theyre not, of course. To learn how different they are, National Geographic Traveler magazine and the Travel Industry Association of America performed a Geotourism Study of United States traveling behavior and attitudes. The U.S. is a major source of tourists. The study disc overed that several types of travelers fit the geotourist profile (see chart). Numbering well over 55 million adults, they control over half the Market selectivity: Encourage household income of all U.S. travelgrowth in tourism market segers. They are an excellent market for ments most likely to appreciyour home region. Geotourists travel ate, respect, and disseminate to enjoy character of place. They information about the distinctend to be affluent, pro-environtive assets of the locale. The Geotourism Charter ment, and culturally responsible, so they are less disruptive to have around. They prefer places that feel
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authentic (although they may want a higher level of comfort). They want to know what makes a place unique.

PART II

Tourism and Your Region

Done well, tourism can help protect and enrich a place. Done poorly, it can ruin it. Tourism is like fire, goes a saying. It can cook your food. It can burn your house down. Geotourism aims to serve up benefits for the community without burning up the qualities that make tourists want to visit in the first place. The obvious community benefit, of course, is financial. It can come from providing goods and services to touristseither directly, as by working in a restaurant, or indirectly, as by working for a farm that provides food to the restaurant. Another benefit is the pride that comes when a community discovers its own heritage and takes charge of the way its portrayed to visitors. The important thing is that communities make sure that the kind of tourism they get is the kind of tourism they want. How Types of Tourism Affect Your Locale Three overlapping styles of tourism relate differently to the character of the places where they occur.

Touring Style is where the word tourism comes from: traveling to tour, to see and experience a place. Its typical of geotourists. It involves all aspects of character of placescenery, history, culture, nature, people. Its effect is to spread tourists and their economic benefits broadly through the local economy, with minimal harm to the character of the place.

It involves only physical character of placebeaches, sun, whitewaternot necessarily culture, history, or nature. Its effect is to concentrate tourism in the resort area, especially profitable overnight tourism. When badly managed, R and R Style resorts and vacation homes can take over seacoasts and scenic areas. Prices often rise until local people must move out. If well planned and restricted, though, R&R can fit nicely with the existing community.

R and R Style-for Rest and Recreation-is resort-oriented tourism.

Entertainment Style tourism is self-containedtheme parks, convention centers, sports arenas, amusement parks, casinos, duty-free shopping malls, and the like. It involves no character of place at all. It can happen anywhere, even on a ship out at sea. Its effect is to concentrate large numbers of tourists in or around the attraction. Its tourist crowds come for the attraction, not the locale. It needs major airports, roads, and utilities. It involves large companies and provides a lot of jobs, although profits may not stay in the local economy. Because the intense development of the Entertainment Style eliminates pre-existing characteristics of the locale, it is best sited in nondescript places that have nothing historic, scenic, socially, or environmentally important. If a place doesnt plan carefully, the first style tends to drift toward the third. Seacoasts are notably vulnerable. As Touring Style geotourists discover a place and talk about it, more and more tourists arrive. Thats goodbut only up to a point. Then developers buy up all the best land to build resorts and houses, transforming the place into an R and R Style destination. Larger hotels move in, selling lots of cheap rooms for package tours. Other companies now add Entertainment Style facilitiesdiscos, casinos, tacky souvenir shops. This is a dangerous kind of success.

Land use: Anticipate development pressures and apply techniques to prevent undesired overdevelopment and degradation. Contain resort and vacation-home sprawl, especially on coasts and islands, so as to retain a diversity of natural and scenic environments and ensure continued resident access to waterfronts. Locate high-impact, selfcontained tourism attractions, such as large-scale theme parks and convention facilities unrelated to character of place, in needier locations with no significant ecological, scenic, or cultural assets. The Geotourism Charter

Avoid the success trap By now, the place has become repulsive to affluent TouringStyle geotourists, who have abandoned it. Even though the numbers of tourists have gone up, the benefit per tourist has gone down. The trend reinforces itself, because tourists in high quantities tend to drive away the tourists of high benefit Whats more, now that the place has lost its unique character and resembles any other mass-tourism resort area, it is vulnerable to being under

Where are you? Resorts with nondescript architecture could be anywhere. That means they can easily be undersold, because the type of tourists they attract dont care where they are, only that it be cheap, with a sunny beach.

sold. Spains coastal masstourism resorts, which scored among the worst in the world on a 2004 National Geographic Traveler survey of destination stewardship, now face such a problem. Designed for the type of tourists who dont care what country they are in, such resort towns are helpless if a place like Bulgaria offers the same thing cheaper. When officials measure tourism success in terms of quantity and not quality (We counted fifty thousand more tourists this year!), they can inadvertently accelerate the trend toward overwhelming attractive destinations. It is important that tourism success be measured, not by counting heads, but by counting the economic and social benefits to the region. If one thousand visitors are spending one thousand dollars each, they put just as much money into the economy as a hundred thousand visitors spending ten dollars each. The first choice, though, is certainly preferable.

Evaluation: Establish an evaluation process to be conducted on a regular basis by an independent panel representing all stakeholder interests, and publicize evaluation results. The Geotourism Charter

JONATHAN B . TOURTELLOT / NGS

JONATHAN B . TOURTELLOT / NGS

Brazilian women make traditionalstyle baskets for sale at a nearby beach resort. Thats gooda benefit for the community. But they dont meet any tourists, and the tourists dont see or learn what makes the baskets unique a missed opportunity for all.

PART III

Adopting a geotourism strategy is the first step toward becoming a true geotourism destination. Making your town or region an attractive, sustainable destination is a complex business involving local government, civic organizations, private businesses, as well as external organizations. Its good for communities to agree on following a tourism management plan that promotes good stewardship and so attracts the most beneficial tourists in manageable numbers. Adopting a geotourism strategy does not instantly turn a place into a geotourism destination. Doing so requires four parallel types of activity: defining, sustaining, developing, and marketing your geotourism assets. Define Your Assets Whats a geotourism asset? Anything distinctive to your place, region, or country that might be interestingor could become interestingto someone from somewhere else. It could be a historic inn, an unusual bird, a spectacular view, an indigenous village, a type of local beer, an adventurous hike, a program for spending time with a local family, or a place where local musicians play traditional music. For more on identifying your geotourism assets, see pages 20-23. Sustain Your Assets Its best to have conservation and land-use measures planned before development begins, since its hard to undo damage once done. Have enforceable provisions in place to protect scenic views, traditional architecture, and historic buildings and streets. Plan ways to control pollution, deforestation, and other threats to natu8

How to Become a Geotourism Destination

ral attractions. Plan ahead on what volume of tourism is best. More is not necessarily better; too many tourists can create as many problems as too few. Develop Your Assets Quality counts. Its important for people to learn the basics of good tourism business services. Attractive lodging opportunities will make it more likely for tourists to stay overnight, with better economic benefit to the area. Good roads and utilities may be necessary, but not always. Dont assume that geotourists want a wide highway and satellite TV. More important is sanitation, safety, clean food, and an unpolluted environment. Market Your Assets A common mistake is providing a tourism product for which there is little or no demand. Be sure there are ways for potential tourists to learn about your locale and its attractions. Even so, be patient. It may take years for enough tourists to begin coming. Last, the geotourism definition can provide a standard against which to assess and debate any tourism plan or development: Will this project sustain or enhance the character of our locale? Theres lots of room for discussion about different types of tourism and their impacts. The important thing is that the final answer be yes, and that the comPlanning: Recognize and munity be an active participant in respect immediate economic the plan. If communities in attracneeds without sacrificing long tive locations do not control their term character and the geotourism potential of the destiown tourism development, chances nation. Where tourism attracts are that somebody else will. in-migration of workers, develThe following pages list what op new communities that themcan be done to help a site become a selves constitute a destination good geotourism destination and enhancement. Strive to diversify the economy and limit popuattract the most desirable types of lation influx to sustainable levtourists with the fewest negative els. Adopt public strategies for impacts. These tips are for commumitigating practices that are nity leaders, entrepreneurs, and resiincompatible with geotourism dents; and for tourism-related busiand damaging to the image of the destination. nesses whether owned locally or by The Geotourism Charter outsiders; and for government both local and national.

AESTHETICS

Travel posters and travel dreams depend on good looking, distinctive destinations. Standardized architecture, trash, and ugly signs for global chain businesses are neither handsome nor distinctive. They discourage high-benefit tourism.
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Protection and enhancement of destination appeal: Encourage businesses to sustain natural habitats, heritage sites, aesthetic appeal, and local culture. Prevent degradation by keeping volumes of tourists within maximum acceptable limits. Seek business models that can operate profitably within those limits. Use persuasion, incentives, and legal enforcement as needed. The Geotourism Charter

Encourage new architecture to reflect local tradition. Restore or reconstruct historic buildings and sites. Eliminate litter. Tourism depends on visual apppeal, and few tourists like places covered with trash. Provide clearly marked recycling and trash receptacles, anchored where necessary to avoid theft. Be sure somebody empties them regularly. Prohibit large billboards or other ugly signs. Provide regular maintenance of parks and visitor centers. Where possible, do not build roads or utility wires where they spoil views of important sites. Reduce noise levels, especially in places where tourists are trying to relax. Help local residents and businesses unite to promote visual beauty of your locale. An attractive town benefits all hotels, restaurants, shops, and other businesses. The same applies to keepThese theft-proof oiling new construction under control and obeying drum trash cans in Brus the rules on building density, height, location, etc. can be swiveled for
emptying. COUNTRIES, from England to Samoa, hold prettiest village contests, which promote an aesthetic sensibility and generate tourism revenue.

JONATHAN B . TOURTELLOT / NGS

EXAMPLE VARIOUS

EXAMPLE PRAIA DO FORTE, BAHIA, BRAZIL, In this successful resort/fishing village, new buildings may not rise more than two stories and regulations make it hard for houses of traditional residents to be sold to outsiders. That keeps rising real-estate prices from destroying the community by tempting everyone to sell their homes and move away. A bordering nature preserve prevents sprawling development. Cars park away from the main street, which is for pedestrians only and lined with enjoyable shops, cafs, and small hotels.

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VICENTE MURPHY

Tourists like to see attractive vistas of mountains (left). Billboards spoil the mountain view and give the area a trashy look (right). Its best to ban them from scenic areas.

TIPS FOR BUSINESSES: DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND LANDSCAPING

Site new buildings to avoid ecologically sensitive areas. Build low-profile buildings that fit into attractive scenery rather than obscuring it. Avoid disturbing natural areas. Design new buildings in an architectural style typical of the regions traditions, using environmentally conscious, local materials.
ing, cause erosion, and worsen hurrricane damage.

Use trees and bushes to screen parking lots, service areas, etc. Do not clear large quantities of vegetation from the shoreline. It can hurt fish Landscape with noninvasive native plants suited to local soils and climate. Avoid
using chemical fertilizers that pollute the ground and water. Golf courses should be designed to maximize natural habitat and minimize the need for water and fertilizer. Audubon International provides additional information:(www.audubonintl.org).

Design facilities so as to minimize noise and harsh lighting.

Preservation of distinctive historic structures like this one in Santa Rosa de Copn does a service for the local community and provides richer material for travel writers and photographers, whose work will attract beneficial types of tourists.

JONATHAN B . TOURTELLOT / NGS

JONATHAN B . TOURTELLOT / NGS

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to create ease of access for visitors.

Use attractive, restrained signs, especially outside of cities. Organize community members to repair village access roads and fill in potholes

EXAMPLE AT

PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, the airport terminal building is not a standard, modern building of steel and glass, but a large, thatched-roof, breeze-cooled structure. The buildings message to arriving tourists: Welcome to a tropical paradise. This is not like your home.

ENVIRONMENT

Poorly planned resort strips and vacation housing subdivisions can have enormous negative impacts on the environment, from loss of habitat to water pollution from runoff and untreated sewage. Tourists who find polluted beaches and swimming areas are unlikely to return. Worse, theyll spread bad reports about the locale. The environmentally aware geotourism market supports efforts to stop pollution and preserve wildlife habitat. That in turn maintains a healthy flow of desirable tourists concerned about the environment. Treat sewage and dispose of solid waste properly. In resort areas, offer easily accessible and affordable public transport so that residents and tourists do not need cars.

Conservation of resources: Encourage businesses to minimize water pollution, solid waste, energy consumption, water usage, landscaping chemicals, and overly bright nighttime lighting. Advertise these measures in a way that attracts the large, environmentally sympathetic tourist market. The Geotourism Charter

Encourage and reward high participation rates in recycling programs where available. Adopt certification or rating systems to reward businesses for sustainable practices.

Ensure protection for endangered species. For example, require reduced oceanfront lighting in sea-turtle nesting areas. Support community-wide initiatives to conserve nature, such as coral-reef restoration programs and campaigns to stop illegal logging.

TIPS FOR BUSINESSES: CONSERVING ENERGY

Use renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, wind generators, or hydropower whenever possible.

Minimize use of cars on site. Train staff to shut off lights and heating/cooling systems in unoccupied rooms.

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EXAMPLE ON MEXICOS PACIFIC COAST, Hotelito Desconocido charges

high-end rates for excellent service, but not for electricitythere isnt any. Guests prefer the romantic aura of candles and oil lamps, an experience they do not have at home. Conserve water by using low-flow or dual-flush toilets, waterless urinals, lowflow showerheads, or water-efficient washing machines and dishwashers. Work with customers to reduce water demand, as by giving hotel guests the option to re-use towels and linens. Use rainwater cisterns or gray water from sinks and showers for cleaning and landscaping. When landscaping in dry areas, use vegetation that needs limited amounts of water and mulch that reduces evaporation and runoff.. Minimize use of chemical fertilizers that could pollute water supplies. Use organic fertilizers in moderation; excessive use also pollutes.

TIPS FOR BUSINESSES: USING WATER

EXAMPLE AT CHUMBE ISLAND, ZANZIBAR, TANZANIA the hotel collects rainwater through a special device on each bungalows roof. The rainwater passes through filters and is stored in underground cisterns. The water is then hand-pumped through a solar-powered heating system into hot and cold-water containers for the shower and wash basin.
TIPS FOR BUSINESSES: MINIMIZING AND MANAGING WASTE

Reuse or recycle products such as plastics, glass, or metals, if recycling is available. Place clearly labeled recycling bins in highly visible locations, and make sure that recycling bin contents are truly recycled. Dispose of wastes in designated areas, not in waterways, wetlands, or over a
cliff. Build septic tanks, maintain them, and keep them away from reservoirs, groundwater, rivers, or the shoreline.

If necessary, construct catchment ponds to trap harmful wastes and keep them When ordering supplies, make bulk purchases, use products with returnable containers, and avoid imported supplies in superfluous packaging.

from entering the water system through run-off. They, too, need to be maintained.

Avoid use of potentially hazardous substances and train staff in safe disposal of hazardous waste, such as cleaning fluids, paint, or used oil.

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EXAMPLE ON

EXAMPLE

HALF MOON GOLF, TENNIS & BEACH CLUB, JAMAICA composts fruit and vegetable scraps for fertilizer, sells used cooking oil to chicken farmers for feed, and collects part-used soap bars and pre-soaks the linens with them.

ST. JOHN, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, islanders have taken glassblowing classes so that they can melt down empty tinted bottles and make profitable artistic glassware such as plates and vases.

EXAMPLE

to groups that make paper mach products for sale.

ON MOUNTAIN TOURS, IBEX EXPEDITIONS, INDIA

gives waste paper

INTERPRETATION / TOURIST EDUCATION

Geotourism must provide an enjoyable, enriching experience for visitors. It calls for visitors to receive high-quality, appealingly presented information about the place, known in the trade as interpretation. Both tourists and residents should have easy access to knowledge about local heritage and the natural environment. A community that develops pride in a place will take better care of it, give visitors a better experience, and thereby profit from tourism. Provide interpretive signs that give the background story on a particular site or
area. Discreetly label plants and trees to tell visitors something about the native species they may encounter in the surrounding areas.

Ensure that signs limiting or banning fishing, hunting, firewood collecting,

wildlife feeding, etc., explain the reasons for the restrictions.

Tourist satisfaction: Ensure that satisfied, excited geotourists bring new vacation stories home and send friends off to experience the same thing, thus providing continuing demand for the destination. The Geotourism Charter

Visitor centers should offer informative brochures (not just advertising) and provide clear advice on finding reliable, trained guides. Offer guide-training and visitor-center courses for local residents.

Work with indigenous people and minority groups to have them take an active part in presenting their culture and heritage.

Work with local media to spread information on the locations natural and human heritage.

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TIPS FOR BUSINESSES:

and nature in order to promote conservation efforts and create a more meaningful exchange between visitors and residents. Provide clear, well-presented information about the place. Offer regularly scheduled lectures, theater presentations, informational signs along nature or history trails, or other high-quality information.

Teach visitors about local culture, history,

Interactive interpretation: Engage both visitors and hosts in learning about the place. Encourage residents to show off the natural and cultural heritage of their communities, so that tourists gain a richer experience and residents develop pride in their locales. The Geotourism Charter

In areas with many international visitors, offer information in foreign languages. Hire staff members who can speak a foreign language fluently. Involve local people in educating tourists, to build pride and provide income. Hire local residents who are experts in their subjects. Where knowledgeable local residents are not available, find a way to offer training courses. Explain the tradition and history of local foods. Show tourists how they are enjoyed. Ensure proper training of food-handling staff in hygiene suitable for overseas visitors.
to geotourists and assist tourism staff.

Provide a clear explanation of the benefits of the companys environmental and energy-saving measures, such as linen re-use, etc.

Provide a public, written policy about sustainable practices in use. It will appeal

EXAMPLE AT THE KAANAPALI HOTEL, MAUI, HAWAII, local staffers make a point of introducing guests to Hawaiian foods and crafts, explaining traditions, and even singing Hawaiian songs in the hallways. The hotel has a very loyal clientele, returning year after year.

A local guide leads an ecotour in Hawaii. Residents who are welltrained guides can interest the community in protecting its own natural and cultural heritage.
JONATHAN B . TOURTELLOT / NGS

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TOURISM MANAGEMENT

As places grow in popularity, they must choose what type of tourism to encourage and how to manage tourism-related development so that it does not spoil the attractiveness of the region (see pages 5-7). At sensitive natural or cultural attractions, the art of managing crowds can be critical for protecting the site.
TOURIST BALANCE

Ask officials to measure tourism success not by quantity of tourists but by quality
of tourism: How much revenue does each tourist generate? How much of it benefits the community? Do tourists and residents get along well?

Market to educated tourists, and educate them further on arrival. Healthy numbers of responsible visitors cause much less stress to the locality than a few badly behaved ones.

Be sure that at least a few smaller accommodations are geared for the low-cost, educated backpacker market. These young travelers travelers, not beachgoerswill become your higher-paying geotourists of the future. Whats more, backpack travelers are more likely to stay longer and spend money in small local establishments. Running a low-cost guesthouse for them requires much less training than operating an expensive hotel or lodge. Limit crowds at environmentally or archaeologically sensitive sites through quotas, admission fees, limited reservations, etc. (Ensure locals can maintian access, possibly thourgh discounted entrance fees, etc.

Market diversity: Encourage a full range of appropriate food and lodging facilities, so as to appeal to the entire demographic spectrum of the geotourism market and so maximize economic resiliency over both the short and long term. The Geotourism Charter

LAND USE

Keep hotels in high-volume resort areas clustered together; encourage preser Enforce controls on commercial tourism development, second-home construcvation of open spaces; avoid landscape-consuming sprawl.

tion, and road building.

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 Make provisions ahead of time to ensure that local people will still have places to live in areas where resort tourism is likely to increase. Plan, too, for the likelihood of people migrating into the area in search of work.
SOCIAL/CULTURAL

Offer tourism information that promotes authentic local culturemusic, dance, art, crafts, cuisine, etc. Provide tip sheets for foreign visitors on local customs and etiquette, including dress and the use of alcohol when visiting your village.

Help maintain agreeable cross-cultural relations: Encourage tourist behavior that does not offend residents and resident behavior that does not harass tourists.

COMMUNITY INTERACTION

Communities should be involved in, and benefit from, sustainable tourism, so as to establish a virtuous circle, whereby the benefits of tourism provide an incentive to protect and enhance the attributes of the region, which in turn generate better tourism.
ucts, improvements, and services.

Where tourism taxes or entrance fees exist, use revenues for local tourism prod Provide places where local craftspeople can not only produce and sell items but also teach their skills to interested visitors.
activities.

Offer inexpensive access for locals to tourism attractions. Ensure that local media cover environmental and cultural stewardship issues and

Maintain a public education campaign about tourist relations. Treat tourists as valued visitors, not walking wallets. Minority, indigenous, and ethnic communities also provide geotourism appeal and contribute to a unique exerience. They should be fully involved in tourism planning and benefits. Invite community members to participate in tourism planning and decisionmaking.

Help residents learn how tourism can benefit them, both directly and indirectly.

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 Communicate the geotourism

Seek ways to offer business

idea to neighboring villages and work together to make the entire area inviting and to market its appeal. loans and technical assistance to local entrepreneurs interested in starting their own tourism business.

JONATHAN B . TOURTELLOT / NGS

Seek ways to offer tourism train Create programs that connect large-scale tourism industry members (resorts, tour operators, etc.) with smaller, local businesses.
ing programs to local residents in order to create a more qualified local workforce.

Bad habits: kids selling dolls mob a friendly tourist near Copan.

EXAMPLE BOUMA NATIONAL HERITAGE PARK, FIJI has used proceeds from ecotourism to provide educational funds for residents of its four local villages, to hire and train park guides, and to protect 15,000 hectares of forest and reef within the park. Representatives from each village help manage the program.
TIPS FOR BUSINESSES: COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Make sure licensing and zoning policies protect succcesful local businesses from outside takeovers and unfair competition.

such as development and land use.

Encourage hotel guests to patronize local businesses and tradespeople. Order business supplies from local companies. Invlove community members in decisions that affect them, specifically in areas

Community benefit: Encourage micro- to medium-size enterprises and tourism business strategies that emphasize economic and social benefits to involved communities, especially poverty alleviation, with clear communication of the destination stewardship policies required to maintain those benefits. The Geotourism Charter

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Community Involvement: Base tourism on community resources to the extent possible, encouraging local small businesses and civic groups to build partnerships to promote and provide a distinctive, honest visitor experience and market their locales effectively. Help businesses develop approaches to tourism that build on the areas nature, history, and culture, including food and drink, artisanry, performance arts, etc. The Geotourism Charter

Encourage local residents to apply for employment in the company. Offer competitive wages and opportunity for advancement. Make sure locals are represented in management or other leadership positions. Promote pride in local natural, historic, and cultural assets. Stock gift shops with local crafts, products, and educational materials on the region.

Support conservation-oriented local initiatives. Participate in community improvement programs such as cleanups. Donate a percentage of business revenues to community convervation programs, if any. If none exist, start one. Train staff in skills needed for steady advancement. Train staff in local environmental and cultural conservation, both for them-

TIPS FOR BUSINESSES: EMPLOYEES

selves and for educating tourists.

Keep staff morale high by maintaining a recognition program for leaders or those who initiate new or improved conservation practices. Encourage staff members to follow good environmental practices at home.
THE PUNTA CANA RESORT IN

Offer on-site training programs for employees or reimbursement for off-site education and/or training.

has successfully encouraged staff to follow environmentally sound practices not just at work, but also at home, with cost savings for their households.
THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

EXAMPLE

International Codes: Adhere to the principles embodied in the World Tourism Organizations Global Code of Ethics for Tourism and the Principles of the Cultural Tourism Charter established by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). The Geotourism Charter

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PART IV

Discovering Your Geotourism Assets

Geotourism for communities requires the involvement of the communities. One of geotourisms benefits to host communities is the pride that comes with deeper knowledge of natural and cultural heritage in ones local area. Presenting that heritage to interested visitors can be fun, satisfying, and profitable. A local dish, a vista or building with a historic story to tell, a traditional event, a place where you can see a rare bird, a local type of craft or clothingthese are all geotourism assets (see page 8). Most places have stories to tell, many of them unrealized and underappreciated. Geotourism thrives on such distinctiveness: What makes our town, region, or country unique? When tourists visit, they need to have an interesting, enjoyable time exploring and learning about an area. Their interest creates an opportunity for commmunity entrepreneurs and organizations. In Italy, for instance, many villagers belong to a local civic organization called a Pro Loco. (It means For the Place in Latin.) Villagers who belong to the Pro Loco put on interesting festivals and events that relate to local history, agriculture, or cultural traditions and activitiesas much for residents as for tourists. Geotourists recognize and appreciate the authenticity of these events. Of course, tourists need to know why they should visit your locale in the first place. Some reasons may be obviousa great waterfall, for instancebut others may need research. Sometimes its the small things that make a visit memorable. Perhaps someones grandmother had a great recipe for a certain dish that could be given a name and made a menu item in the local caf. Information for tourists on why they should visit can be provided in many ways, such as on the Internet, in travel guides and magazines, to travel agents and tour operators, and in special publications like the National Geographic Geotourism MapGuides, created jointly with the people of the destination. Help From the Community Collecting information for a project like a Geotourism MapGuide means looking for existing or potential assets that reflect and further develop the character of the place. The MapGuide addresses the fol20

The varied musical traditions of Honduras can entertain tourists as much as this audience of Garifuna kids. Local live musicall kinds from all placesis a geotourism asset.

lowing question: What sites, attractions, businesses, or activities are somehow distinctive to our town or region? Its a good idea to engage many different segments of the community in this exercise, as it raises awareness about the value of the places unique assets. Visitors and potential visitors may also have valuable input. Often what seems normal and mundane to residents is fascinating to visitors from afar. People involved with local publications and civic organizations may help. School essay contests or projects are another possible tool, with students interviewing experts, elders, and visitors. Candidates for inclusion on a MapGuide might be parks, museums, historic sites, private enterprises (such a family-owned restaurant serving local cuisine), community-run craft cooperatives, or lodgings located in historic buildings. Other possibilities are minority-operated dance troupes or someone who leads tours about medicinal plants. Here is a list of ideas to explore. There are many more possibilities.
CULTURE AND TRADITIONS:

Food and drink, including local agricultural products and methods, and restaurants serving local dishes. Agritourism, including traditional farming. Live arts: music, dance, theater, including public and bar/restaurant performances. Arts and crafts, including artisan centers, workshops, or nonfranchise local shopping. Festivals and distinctive ways of celebrating national holidays.
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V ICENTE M URPHY

NATURE AND ENVIRONMENT:

Distinctive wildlife habitat, on land or in the water; great birding sites. Notable wildlife, butterflies, trees, and flowers; forests, rivers, waterfalls. Links between local nature and local culturehistory, cuisine, events. Kayaking, hiking, horseback tours and traditional ranching, and other outdoor activities, especially those with interpretive guides.
HISTORIC AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES

Historic main streets or districts. Archeaological sites, protected and explained for tourists. Homesteads or plantations, especially those offering guided tours. Traditional architecture. Aesthetics: What areas have nice scenery, appealing lighting, freedom from billboards? What areas are most pleasing to be in? What towns have refurbished historic districts? Are there businesses there that deserve tourist support? Short, marked itineraries or driving trails that take in a variety of minor but appropriate businesses and attractions. Tips for visitors on spending and behavior that supports the character of the place; additional tips on cross-cultural etiquette; what to do and what not to do.
ALSO:

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COURTESY NGS CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE DESTINATIONS

Geotourism MapGuides display notes about tourism sites and experiences, with pictures and addtional text. This example is from the Appalachian Geotourism MapGuide.

CONCLUSION

When the people of a place discover their geotourism assets, they are discovering the basis for a beneficial and fully rewarding type of tourism. Just as important, they are discovering their own cultural and natural heritage. Sustaining that heritage is critical to a successful geotourism strategy. In geotourism, more is not always better; high quality is better. Beneficial tourists create more revenue and appreciate the distinctiveness of place, supporting local character and pride. Geotourism is about making each place better in its own way. Including your place.

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Center for Sustainable Destinations

National Geographic Society 1145 17th St. NW Washington DC 20036 sustourism@ngs.org

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jonathan B. Tourtellot, originator of the geotourism concept, is the Director of the National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations.

CONTACT US

We would like feedback on this booklet. What techniques and strategies have been succesful, and which did not work out? Why, or why not? Send your comments to sustourism@ngs.org. For a directory of helpful websites with additional information, see National Geographics Center for Sustainable Destinations website, at

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable/

Voluntary Initiatives for Sustainable Tourism. Madrid: U.N. World Tourism Organization.(2002) Guide for Local Authorities on Developing Sustainable Tourism. Madrid: U.N. World Tourism Organization (1998) Implementing Agenda 21: Sustainable Development for the Travel & Tourism Industry. Unpublished Draft. London: World Travel & Tourism Council (2000) ICOMOS Charter. Available: http://www.international/icomos.org/charters.html

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