What is ecotourism?

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Ecotourism refers to a form of sustainable tourism within a natural and cultural heritage area
where community participation, protection and management of natural resources, culture and
indigenous knowledge and practices, environmental education and ethics as well as economic benefits
are fostered and pursued for the enrichment of host communities and satisfaction of visitors.

Ecotourism is a concept that provides a win-win situation especially in protected areas and
natural destinations that may be sensitive to human impacts. Over the years there has been much
confusion over the concept that several places are being promoted for ecotourism despite that fact that
they are not practicing or demonstrating sustainable principles. Understanding these principles is part of
the responsibility of proponents who wish to engage in ecotourism related projects.

Principles of ecotourism?

1. Conservation of natural ecosystems, biodiversity and culture;

2. Community participation in the growth of the local tourism industry;

3. Inclusive growth that involves, women, children, indigenous peoples, informal sector;

4. Increased awareness on environmental conservation and responsible travel;

5. Balanced development by taking into consideration economic, environmental and social goals.

What is inclusive growth?

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For ecotourism to work, the community needs to establish goals that promote the conservation of
the natural environment, economic prosperity for the majority of stakeholders and community
development. Wealth generation is a major goal of all livelihood projects including ecotourism. The
dynamics of development however, often results to inequality, wherein the rich tend to become richer
and the poor tend to become poorer. This happens when market forces are allowed to control
development and there are no conscious effort to establish safety nets. The latter come in the form of
community organizing, capacity building, networking, sustainable livelihood projects, market linkages,
sustainable financing and other schemes that will make sure that the marginalized sector of society also
have a chance to be part of
development.

The Chain of Prosperity

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Tourism is often associated with serious and irreversible social problems such as drug trafficking,
prostitution, child abuse, theft and other crimes. Criminality in tourism areas is an indicator of two
things: presence of migrants who were attracted to the site due to the presence of tourists who are
often the focus of these crimes, and/or desperation on the part of the poor residing in the area who are
pushed to steal, sell drugs, go int prostitution because they feel that they have no other option. It goes
without saying that even locals become victims, especially when it comes to abuse of women and
children. The root cause is the lack of conscious effort on the part of government to capacitate the
poorest of the poor on skills that will allow them to get jobs related to the industry. Marginalised
sectors such as farmers, fisher folks, and housewives end up being poorer since their income remains
the same amidst price increase of basic commodities brought about by tourism development. When
people end up poorer they become desperate and are pushed to engage in illegal activities or are
victimised by syndicates. The Chain of Prosperity is a value chain approach to tourism development that
addresses the needs of marginalised members of the community in terms of training, seed money for
capitalisation, networking and linkages, product development and marketing. Entrepreneurship is the
the battle cry of this framework since it promotes the mobilisation and active involvement of
community members in the growth of tourism. Community-based tourism provides economic
incentives for residents of poor rural communities to strengthen the protection of the natural assets
which are the capital of ecotourism development. Enterprise development is the basic strategy towards
empowering community members to earn supplemental income from the tourist traffic through the sale
of life enhancing and compelling experiences. (this framework is copyrighted by Chen Reyes-Mencias)

What is an ecotourism product?

An ecotourism product is an experience intentionally put together for the satisfaction and enjoyment of
visitors. It is composed of both tangible and intangible elements found on site which collectively
contribute to the quality and value of the experience. An attraction alone is not a tourism product that
can already be sold. It is a base product which needs other elements in order for it to be marketable to
a specific market segment. Marketing a base product will most likely lead to destruction, and
consequently to a reduction in its value.

Being an experience the tourism product is perceived by the five senses - sight, feeling, taste,
hearing and smell. In addition, the experience is also processed and remembered by the brain, retained,
appreciated and felt by the heart.

What is ecotourism enterprise development?

 An important component in any ecotourism project is the development of micro enterprises that
supports the local tourism industry. In order for communities to have an active role in ecoturism, they
should have the capacity to provide various services to visitors. They can be trained as guides, caterers,
producers of souvenirs or camp mangers. Training/capacity building and the implementation and core
standards are important in order to ensure that products are viable and marketable. Exploring income
streams for communities is one of the key towards increased economic benefit and the inclusion of
several members including women, out of school youth, fisher folks, farmers and local craftsmen.

Three major enterprises provide economic incentive for communities to be actively involved in the
management of coral reefs, forest and river with mangroves. Forest Adventure provides trekking and
hiking experiences with interpretations to visitors. Reef Discovery is designed to introduce people to
the marine environment through snorkeling. River expedition is a riverine paddling experience within
mangrove areas.

Even local healing practices can be an excellent base product of the Island Spa concept that
highlights "hilot" and healing massages and use of local herbs for special tea preparations. Nature
Village is a campsite development concept designed to encourage visitors to stay longer with the
community by camping in designated camp sites. Culinary is a catering enterprise that promotes
sustainable practices in meal preparation and kitchen management. Arts and Craft is a sustainable
souvenir development program that capitalises on abundant indigenous materials.

What is volunteer tourism?

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A tourism concept that aims to achieve economic goals while promoting community development.
It provides opportunities for visitors to participate in community activities such as repairing houses,
transplanting mangroves, rehabilitating a forest, constructing a school house, building a visitor
information center or simply teaching people skills. While volunteerism is not your usual holiday it
provides an individual a chance to feel good by extending himself/herself for the benefit of the
environment and the community. It is travel with a bayanihan spirit. Ecotourism Philippines Spirit of
Batanes is an example of a product that integrates volunteerism.
 Fabulous sites to discover and
explore.

Five outstanding destinations ad been selected for this years flagship sites.
Ecotourism Philippines selected them based on the integrity of the natural and cultural
assets, the readiness of the community, capacity of the stakeholders, peace and
order/security and the quality of the experiences that each place highlights. Ecotourism
Philippines has partnered with organised community members to deliver life changing
experiences that will be cherished and remembered.

Your purchase of any of these products will provide an economic incentive for
the communities to conserve their valuable natural and cultural heritage, to be part of
the growth and for them to ensure that their destination will last for many
generations. Part of the proceeds for the sale of the packages will go to conservation
activities and capacity-building of the community partners.

Join us as we advocate for the creation of a network of communities engaged in the

promotion of community-based sustainable tourism in the country.
Batanes is the only province that is also a protected area. it is the smallest province in the Philippines, in
terms of size. There are only 6 municipalities located in 3 island - Batan, Sabtang and Itbayat. Due to the
strength of its natural and cultural assets, Batanes ia a high value destination that needs proper
management for tourism to thrive. Being an island it is more vulnerable to changes and to the negative
impacts of uncontrolled tourism. Ecotourism enterprise development is being introduced as a strategy to
provide an economic incentive for the villagers to maintain and repair their Ivatan houses and to protect
their natural resources.

Palaui Island Protected Landscape and Seascape is located at the northeastern-most part of the
island of Luzon, 642 kms. from Manila. It has been declared by CNN in 2012 as the 25th among the top
100 beaches in the world. IN 2013 it ranked 10th among the top 100, making it a valued destination of
Cagayan. Survivor US also shot 2 seasons in 2013
increasing its popularity even more. An organised group of island residents called Palaui Environmental
Protectors' Association (PEPA) are actively engaged in the provision of various services to visitors. They
had been capacitated by Blue Water Consultancy in many skills including guideship services, community
spa management, camp site development, trail management, among others. Palaui became the living
laboratory of tourism planners Louie and Chen Mencias who have developed innovative planning tools
and framework that are now being replicated in many ecotourism destinations in the country. The
business model of Ecotourism Philippines was developed by Chen Reyes-Mencias after years of
engagement with the community in Palaui.
 Lubang island is located off Calatagan, Batangas, but is part of Mindoro Occidental. It became
famous because of the story of Lt. Hiroo Onoda, the last Japanese struggler who lived in the jungles of
Lubang for 30 years because he did not believe that the war was over. He finally surrendered to Pres.
Marcos in the 70's but left a story that is now the focal point of the flagship product of Lubang - the
Onoda Trail. Visitors can choose to hike the short loop or take the longer route that will end up at Vigo
river where Onoda used to bath and catch fish. Both route take visitors to visit the caves where he used
to hide. Aside from the Onoda Trail, Lubang has several other attractions that had been woven into
interesting products. Other places to visit include Binacas, Sorville, Hulagaan waterfalls, Cabara island,
Tangal river and the organic farms. In the poblacion visitors can visit local residents engaged in the
production of garlic basket and other souvernirs and food products. Homestay accommodation include
old houses that had been refurbished to make them comfortable for visitors. (information about products
to be posted soon)

Sagay is a City in Negros Occidental that is blessed with one of the biggest marine protected
areas in the country, the Sagay marine reserve or SMR. it is composed of small islands, sand bars
and shallow reefs. The coastline of the City is dotted with mangrove forests and fishing
communities. Sagay City boasts of the Museo Sang Bata, an interactive museum for children, the only
one of its kind in the Philippines. Suyac island is a small community where the oldest mangrove forest of
the city thrives. A community-based tourism project has been established by the City government and it
is providing an economic incentive for the island residents to protect their natural resources.

Dahican beach in Mati City, Davao Oriental is not your usual beach. It is a beach that is frequently
visited by a very valuable guest - the pawikan. From January to June every year, several females lay their
eggs on the beach. A partner group called Amihan sa Dahican has taken it upon themselves to protect
the eggs by putting fences around them or transferring them to the hatchery that they have established
with assistance from the Biodiversity Management Bureau. The Amihan sa Dahican is a group of young
surfers and skim boarders who are passionate about the environment. Some of them had been trained as
reef rangers and conduct snorkeling activities with visitors. If you come during the pawikan season, there
is a big chance that you will witness a marine turtle laying its eggs, or have the opportunity to release
some hatchlings.

Amihan beach is also known for sightings of dugong and whale sharks. Pods of dolphins also pass
through the eastern seaboard of Mindanao allowing visitors to experience them during summer. A nice
side trip while in Mati City is the newly established museum that highlights the best of Davao oriental,
including the newly inscribed UNESCO world Heritage site Mt. Hamiguitan. The museum has an
incredibly large skeleton of a whale at the lobby.

Products for all these sites will be posted soon.

http://www.ecotourismphilippines.net/ecotourism-sites.html

Are you an ecotourist?

Ecotourism is about responsible travel. The latter is about an attitude and a set of
behaviour that bring about a win-win situation for the tourist, the destination, the
community and the environment. Answer the following questions and find out if you
have what it takes to leave a site in a better state than when you first set foot on it.

DO YOU:
1. Seek places with compelling natural attractions?
You are more magnetised to natural places instead of man-made
attractions. You are even willing to go to remote destinations just to experience
something that few people have discovered. You are willing to see and experience new
things because you believe that they will be part of your growth.

2.Prefer to be with nature and learn its mystery and secrets?

You know that nature can teach you many things and that their mystery
fascinates you endlessly. When you are with nature you are like a sponge that is
constantly absorbing knowledge and information, and you seek interesting
interpretations and stories of the places you visit.

3. Appreciate culture and heritage?

When you travel you also seek to deepen your understanding of the culture of
the people as seen and felt in the tangible and intangible aspects of their heritage. You
find meaning in the way human culture and nature are interwoven and connected. You
appreciate local food (no matter how strange, weird and different they may appear to
be), dances, songs, rituals, practices and beliefs. You are constantly in awe of how
people's lives are deeply connected to nature.
4. Follow rules and regulations and understand the reasons for them?
You understand that tourists can de destructive and can leave negative impacts
in the places they visit. You appreciate and understand that rules are important in
making sure that people behave responsibly in order to minimise
these impacts.

5. Willingly pay a premium for life changing experiences?

You understand that community members who are engaged in tourism are just
like you, making a living in order to provide for their families. You appreciate that they
are working hard to provide you with best service that they can given their limitations in
resources, training and knowledge. You know that every cent that you spend while on
the site will provide an economic incentive for the local residents to conserve the natural
environment. You fully understand the concept of inclusive growth such that you are
even willing to pay more for a life-changing experience.

6. Behave responsibly especially in protected areas?

You do not collect wildlife for souvenirs, leave graffiti behind, do not
create bonfires if it is not allowed, hire guides if it is required, practice
"Garbage in-garbage out" and makes sure that you do not leave your trash
behind. You also understand that it is better not to use disposable
containers for packed lunches and food when you travel because this
practice adds to the garbage problem.

7. Value the places you visit?

You feel proud to have visited the site and wish others to experience it too but
with a sense of responsibility and care. You know that the place is valuable not only as
an attraction that is pleasing to the senses, but it is also valuable ecologically and
economically, especially for the community that is engaged in
ecotourism enterprises. You now have a sense of stewardship and appreciates the
reason why community-based tourism is being implemented on site. You feel that you
are now a partner towards the cause and you are willing to promote the same principles
to other people.

http://www.ecotourismphilippines.net/ecotourist.html
Is ecotourism an effective conservation tool?
Posted May 20, 2016 by Jennifer Grigg in Early Career Research Community

Nature is in trouble. Across the globe, degradation and loss of habitat, over-exploitation of
natural resources, and human-induced changes in climate are causing species to decline at
an unprecedented speed. As the rate of global biodiversity loss is increasing, there are a
growing number of species that need investment in conservation programs. However, the
amount of available funding falls well below what is required to halt the global conservation
crisis. With restrictions in financial support limiting the action that can be taken to prevent
biodiversity loss, ecotourism is becoming an increasingly important source of revenue for
conservation efforts.

Ecotourism as a source of conservation funding

Ecotourism is defined by the International Ecotourism Society (TIES) as, responsible travel
to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people,
and involves interpretation and education. It is now the fastest growing sector of tourism,
generating an estimated annual revenue of more than $28 billion for developing countries. A
vast number of eco-tour operators offer a wide range of ecotourism experiences, which
can range from exploring the rainforests of Borneo to scuba diving tours in Sri Lanka, that
operate with the intention of reducing the impact of tourism on the local environment and
culture. For example, eco-tour operator Responsible Travel markets a holiday tracking snow
leopards (Panthera uncia) in the Himalayas by emphasizing its comprehensive positive
social impact. Responsible Travel claims their tour package will enhance the local
community by providing jobs and good salaries for local workers, and financial benefits for
snow leopard conservation through national parks fees. Also, profits from accommodations
will fund local community projects. They also employ a zoologist to lead tour groups in order
to minimize habitat disturbance, and lastly they reduce the environmental impact of the trip
by donating to the Carbon Trust to offset the carbon footprint.

Sleeping snow leopard, photo by Matt Hance.

A 2012 study published in PLOS ONE estimated that 84% of funding for national parks
agencies around the world is brought in through ecotourism. This revenue can be used to
protect key habitats for threatened species, to support translocation of threatened animals
to new locations, develop breeding programs, and create anti-poaching programs, to name
just a few of the benefits. However, people are beginning to question whether all the
contributions to conservation from ecotourism are positive.

While habitats can be improved by establishing private reserves, which offer protection for
threatened species, animal habitats may also be degraded by development efforts for the
tourism industry. In some cases, native species may be displaced or disturbed at breeding
sites from human disturbance, and where ecotourism leads to close contact with tourists,
animal species may also be at risk of becoming habituated to humans. A tragic example of
human disruption played out at Yellowstone National Park last week, when a bison calf
was euthanized after it had become habituated to humans and rejected by its herd. Also, in
Morocco, increases in the illegal poaching of juvenile Barbary macaques (Macaca
sylvanus), were thought to be caused by macaques becoming less scared of humans after
being fed by tourists.

It is undeniable that ecotourism has become a vital source of revenue for many
conservation initiatives. As ecotourism is increasingly used as a tool to generate revenue for
conservation projects, it is important to assess the net ecological impacts of ecotourism and
the overall consequences for the conservation of threatened species.

Using ecological models to assess effects of ecotourism on species survival

In a recent study published in PLOS ONE, Buckley and colleagues aimed to quantify the
impacts of ecotourism on the survival of a threatened species using ecological models to
assess trends in modeled (or predicted) populations under different levels of ecotourism.
While previous studies have focused primarily on small scale, local impacts of ecotourism,
Buckley et al. investigated the net consequences of ecotourism on species survival by
assessing its effects on a diverse range of threatened species. As well as considering the
ecological impacts of ecotourism, Buckley et al. also researched the effect of anthropogenic
threats such as commercial fishing to gain an understanding of the impacts of ecotourism
where species population decline is driven by different mechanisms.

In total, nine species were considered, including the New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos
hookeri), orangutan (Pongo) and cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus). For most species, ecotourism
had a positive impact. However, Buckley et al. highlighted the importance of assessing each
species individually, as what works for one may not work for all. Ecotourism often has
drastically different consequences in species where the population decline is driven by
different mechanisms. In species where industries that exploit natural resources, such as
fishing and logging, threaten survival, Buckley et al. showed that tourism can only be
effective when these industries are halted. This principle applies to the orangutan, for which
logging is the primary driver of population decline. In Buckleys study, the conservation
benefits of ecotourism for the orangutan could be exceptional, as when the modeled level of
ecotourism was high, it was enough to offset the effects of logging and drastically increase
species survival. However, in the case of the New Zealand sea lion, when modeled levels of
ecotourism increased, this resulted in the population declining to extinction.

The study also highlighted the importance of considering how ecotourism can have varying
conservation consequences in different sub-populations of the same species. In the
modeled populations of the cheetah, ecotourism had a positive effect in all populations, but
there was variation in the degree ecotourism contributed to preventing population decline
and increasing survival within different reserves in each subpopulation. Overall, where
species are well-represented, but exist in poorly funded reserves, ecotourism can result in
an overall increase in species survival over time if tourism is managed correctly.

Conclusions on ecotourism for conservation

Ecotourism is increasingly being used as a conservation tool worldwide and is effective in

preserving threatened biodiversity. But, as the findings in PLOS ONE demonstrated, the
consequences of ecotourism can vary greatly, depending on the mechanisms that drive the
species decline and other ecological and anthropogenic factors.

In light of this conclusion, it is increasingly important to carry out assessments of the impact
of ecotourism for other threatened species that can benefit from ecotourism. Ecological
modeling techniques can used to quantify the effects of ecotourism on the survival of
threatened species more widely. For now though, the question of exactly what role
ecotourism can play in the fight against the global conservation crisis remains.

http://blogs.plos.org/thestudentblog/2016/05/20/is-ecotourism-an-effective-conservation-tool/
Sample

1. Development through sustainable tourism and effective policy implementation: Practices of

Puerto Princesa City, Philippines