Essay: Eco-Tourism Trends - Challenges & Sustainability Measures

Current trend in Eco-Tourism

Question:

The aim of this assessment is to provide students an opportunity to use various tourism analysis techniques to critically examine a series of future scennarios for a tourism sector or type of tourism.

1. Choose a specific type of tourism (eg. cultural tourism, Backpackers, Adventure tourism) that is of interest to you:

2. Use various techniques (Steep or Pest Analysis , Explorative or Predictive) to analysis this sector.

3. Devlop 3 medium range future scenarios:

4. Critically assess each of these scenarios in terms of the responses necessary from various stakeholders to ensure the sustainability of this type of tourism.

Tour and travel is one of the most booming industries currently. With increase in foreign exchange along with the other major sources of income is creating positive response among the countries. However, growth of tourism is also been one of the major problems for cultural and biological threats for the existing diversity. Eco-tourism is one of the growing niche markets within the tour and travel sectors (Staiff , Kennedy & Bushell, 1999).  Eco-tourism promoted the sustainability and spending billions of dollars advantages for the countries.

Market research shows that, eco-tourist are very much interested particularly interested  in the proper planning and management for the existing flora and fauna along with conserving the culture and traditions  who are on verge of extinctions.  The study will focus on the current trend in the eco-tourism and various scenarios along with existing challenges faced by the eco tourism companies (Sheppard, 1999).  Apart from that, the study will also focus on the various stakeholders of eco tourism and sustainability measures taken by the government and companies to maintain in the end.

Current trend in Eco-Tourism

                                                                                        Figure 1: SWOT on Eco-Tourism industry

                                                                                            (Source: Ross & Wall, 1999, pp-128)

PEST analysis on Eco Tourism

Current view: Trend of Eco-tourism industry

                                                                               Graph 1: Trend of Eco-tourism industry in Australia

                                                                                            (Source: Flannery,  2005, pp-128) 

STEEP Analysis

Scenario 1: Ethical and politics of defining eco-tourism

Over the past century, there has been eco tourism has grown where several authorities is widely considered the fastest growing sub component of tourism.  In spite of the eco tourism growth , the research suggest that  lack of  training and funds are being one of the major reason for the problems of failure of various eco tourism planning since 2000. The main objective of the study is identifying the potentiality of eco tourism (Gore, 2006). The tourist arrivals to Australia and EU during the year 2009 amounted to about 2 billion, which shows that increase by 2.1% in compare to previous years. One of the major issues is lack of code of conduct followed by the Eco tourism tour operator in order to enhance the comfort zone.

Political parties are playing their card by taking the Eco-tourism as their major objective is for winning speech in the global platform.   The politician’s uses name of ecology in order to creates strong impression in the mind of the people worldwide (www.ijhssnet.com,  2015).

With the help of common demographics and number of visitors shows the trend in the ethics in the eco tourism. Eco tourism companies are been summoned norms of code of conduct during the touring the guide is very much helpful for the tourist and guide operators (Bender & Knutson, 2010). The definitions given by the eco-tourism is very much helpful  in assessing the that the  given definitions is very much narrow and lack of agreed with existing society.   One of the major stakeholder within the ethics and policy debate are travellers, tour operators companies and guide, politicians, and   the law (www.uhu.es, 2015). These are all are the major stakeholders   within ethical and political debate over the reforms of the policy of eco tourism. 

                                                           Figure 1: Stakeholder mapping on Ethical code of conduct on the Eco tourism

                                                                                           (Source: Honey, 2008, pp-285) 

The role of eco tourism is very much specifies the rules and norms like projecting the wildlife, preserving the habitat, cultivating the habit of listening rather than only seeing, and shopping also meant to bargain but also feel that wages paid  to the people are lower etc(Orams, 1995).   During the time  of de politicizations speaks about the approaches which has ensured   within the eco tourism  that is currently is not enough for their sustainability.  With the rise in the economic pressures by the politicians  of the nations and countries are  funding  the sustainability programme.   As ethical tourism in eco tourism is been one of the just added code conduct which are been asked to formulate to the tour operators which has been missing from the eco tourism concept.  

Current view: Trend of Eco-tourism industry

One of the major dividing forces for the persuasion of eco tourism is politics and ethics. The general people of the Australia , UK and EU are being trying to promote the green tourism which is to follow the eco tourism  seriously which has been ruling the  out the right of  full employment .

The political condition is very much in favour of the eco tourism (Sheppard, 1999). However, increasing inflations and other major dividing forced like poor ethical code of conduct, which has yet to reform, by the EU are some that is decreasing the potential changes within the eco-tourism.

Scenario 2: Twenty years on: The stage of contemporary eco-tourism research

The coming age development of eco tourism describes the major purpose of review  to determine  to what extents  such  thought process is justified.  The nature of eco tourism indicates the value based benefits such as conservations, ethics, sustainability and education  are some of the major  benefit  which offers prominent way of preaching the eco tourisms (Orams, 1995).  The eco tourism  satisfied the  3 core criteria’s  attraction must be based on the nature , visitors  must be able to focus on the learning  or educating  on these attractions  and experience the product management  should also follow the  principles and practices  associated with ecological socio-culture and economic sustainability (www98.griffith.edu.au, 2015).

Each of these criteria   give ample evidence for interesting the ongoing the mode of  eco-tourism.   The industry shows that, eco tourism is been mainly costs if the private sector business that provide services to the eco tourist.  However, with the failure of the rate of SME specialised eco tourism business and the factors of high attrition rate is one of the major issues that has been one of the major problems within the industry (Staiff, Kennedy & Bushell, 1999).  An emerging issues within which has been pertinent within the geographic segmentation is the recognitions of non-tradition; eco tourist markets specifically in Asia and Australia.  

                                    Figure 3: Perceptual grid for the importance of factors affecting the eco tourisms

                                                               (Source: Dow & Downing, 2006, pp-298) 

The failure of the small eco tourism in the future because of the lack of quality places and promise which has not be able to fulfilled by these companies.  Some of the eco tourist companies in Australia has been able to mould themselves with the changing times and those who cannot are not able to sustain in the long run (www.uhu.es, 2015). After 20 years those companies are who are associated with the ecological balance will  be able to sustain  in the long run.

Scenario 3: Eco-Tourism: Changes, Impacts and Opportunities

The Eco tourism  is been change is desired by the most of players involved in eco tourism many of them who are looking to  identify the improvement within the existing situations. One of the major challenges  that  has been faced   to measure the impacts of tourism is difficulty in the establishing the base level against the changing demand  (Ramsar Centre, 1995).  Another major activities are diversity  of activities  and tourism has not been up to the mark.

Years

Apart from that paper also suggest that,  tour operators and the visitors are being banned to use  photo inside the cultural heritage in order to  make the attraction of tourist places. Cost benefit analysis is been one of the major job which is needed to be impact on the eco tourism industry.  The observations also suggest that, global evaluations of benefits and costs (Bender & Knutson, 2010).  In order to  specify the trade offs  and comprise of decision made in the formal manner in order to full fill the demand of the changing  needed of the customers. One of the major opportunists which has been suggested is that, extensive issue of advertisement like FMCG products would create supportive awareness and impact within the mind of the travellers. As the tour operators have been looking create guidance norms to the every traveller during the visit will also able to solve the problems of the new rules followed by every traveller during their visiting.  

                                                           Figure 3: Perceptual grid for the importance of factors affecting the eco tourisms

                                                                                       (Source: Dow & Downing, 2006, pp-298)

Scenario 1: Ethical and politics of defining eco-tourism

The above scenarios is very munch explain that , future of the eco tourism is total dependent upon the  political situation of the country and the ethical code of conduct which is very right (Dressler, 2006) . Ethical code of conduct is very much helps the guidance to the norms, which is needed to follow strictly by the travellers during the time of the travelling.  However, totally dependent upon the politician and ethical code of conduct will not full fill the future of eco tourism. 

Scenario 2: Twenty years on: The stage of contemporary eco-tourism research

The scenario two explains that, twenty years eco tourism industry will be changed and the market segment will higher for them. However, the company who are working with low quality of eco tourism services will not be able to sustain in the end in the business because of the changing demand of customer and frequent changing environmental norms as per the EU (Flannery,  2005).

Scenario3: Eco-Tourism: Changes, Impacts and Opportunities

From the above discussion, it has been found that, with changing times, eco tourism is also been changing. The change is also being the opportunities and threats for the existing the nature. With the rise in the ECO tourism certification is making the tough to survive the existing SME. Apart from that, one of the major opportunities will be founding in future would be remote areas for new places (Gore, 2006).

Future scenarios

Conclusion and recommendations

From the above, it has been observe that, Eco-tourism is small but its rapidly growing industry.  Eco tourism is primarily a decreasing its nature of tourism in the market place. Some of the companies and countries has several norms and polices and other do not have which is making the confusions.  One of the best methods of eco tourism is to maintain the sustainability and making norms for the betterment of the environment. Other major recommendations would be managing the operation via great method for instance not suing the paper and less of electricity.

Eco tourism is highly dependent upon the unique idea and creative approaches, which rarely carried it another format of tourism industry. By using sustainability tourism and ethical code of conduct, eco tourism will be able to achieve their goals.  

Reference list

Books

Baer, H. & Singer, M. (2009) Global Warming and the Political Ecology of Health, Left Coast Press, Walnut Creek, California.

Doucet, C. (2007) Urban Meltdown: Cities, Climate Change and Politics as Usual, New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island BC.

Dow, K. & Downing, T. (2006) The Atlas of Climate Change: Mapping the World’s Greatest Challenge, University of California Press, Berkeley.

Dressler, A. (2006) The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change: A Guide to the Debate, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Flannery, T. (2005) The Weather Makers: How Man is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth, Atlantic Monthly Press NY.

Gore, A. (2006) An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It, Rodale Press, Emmaus PA.

Journals

Bender, M.A. & Knutson, T.R. (2010), Modelled Impact of Anthropogenic Warning on the Frequency of Intense Atlantic Hurricanes. Science Publications (327), pp 454- 458.

Honey, M. (2008), Ecotourism and Sustainable Development. Who Owns Paradise? (Second) Island Press, Washington DC.

Maria Graziabellio & IWMI, (2004), “Why Development Drainage can Compromise Water Quality”, Water Matters, International Water Management Institute, Issue3, pp5.

Mathews, N. (2000), “Travel and Tourism Intelligence”, Sri Lanka Country Reports, No. 1, 2000: pp 79-105.

Orams, M.B. (1995), “towards a more Sustainable form of Tourism”, TourismManagement, Vol. 16 pp 3-8.

Ramsar Centre, Japan (1995), Public Awareness of Biodiversity in Wetlands in Asia. Bangkok, Thailand: Dharmasarn Co., Ltd.

Van Schooten (2005), “Wise Use of Wetlands: Exploration on the Development of Sustainable Tourism”, The Netherland: The Wetland group

Ross, S. & Wall, G. (1999) Ecotourism: towards congruence between theory and practice. Tourism Management 20, pp123 – 132.

Sheppard, D. (1999) Nature based tourism and protected areas. Paper presented to the Mediterranean Protected Areas: status, adequacy, management and training needs workshop, Cilento, Italy 4-7 Nov 1999.

Staiff, R., Kennedy, P. & Bushell, R. (1999) From Museums to Parks: an Interpretative Leap, Paper presented to the International Symposium on Society and Resource Management, August, Brisane

Websites

www.ijhssnet.com/,. (2015). The Ethics and Politics of Defining Ecotourism. Retrieved 20 January 2015, from https://www.ijhssnet.com/journals/Vol._1_No._8;_July_2011/2.pdf

www.uhu.es,. (2015). Ecotourism: Change, Impacts, and Opportunities. Retrieved 20 January 2015, from https://www.uhu.es/pablo.hidalgo/docencia/effects/AADD/99wall.pdf

www98.griffith.edu.au,. (2015). TWENTY YEARS ON: THE STATE OF CONTEMPORARY ECOTOURISM RESEARCH. Retrieved 20 January 2015, from https://www98.griffith.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/handle/10072/26545/51660_1.pdf?sequence=1