Assessing benifits of ecotourism

In Sitakundo Forests,the researchers of "Envionment biology and biodiversity lab" of Dhaka University are working on Plant-Animal association (Jan.-2003).

Many definitions of "ecotourism" have been emerged since the term was coined in 1987. In 1991, The Ecotourism Society (TES) developed the following definition: "responsible travel to natural areas that covers the environment and sustains the well being of local people" (Epler Wood, 1996). Expanding on this definition, TES has developed seven basic principles of ecotourism:

-Avoids negative impacts that can damage or destroy the integrity or character of the natural or cultural environments being visited.

-Educates the traveler on the importance of conservation.

-Directs revenues to the conservation of natural areas and the management of protected areas.

-Brings economic benefits to local communities and directs revenues to local people living adjacent to protected areas.

-Emphasizes the need for planning and sustainable growth of the tourism industry, and seeks to ensure that tourism development does not exceed the social and environmental "capacity".

-Retains a high percentage of revenues in the host country by stressing the use of locally-owned facilities and services.

Ecotourism places many demands on a wilderness area, foremost being the ability to accommodate tourists while still providing the experiences the seek. The advantage for the wilderness area is that "because (ecotourism) is primarily resource-based, protection of these natural and archeological resources is essential for sustained ecotourism" (Kusler, 1990). Many conservation organizations and governments see ecotourism as the means to both preserve and develop remote areas.

The term "ecotourism" (which blends 'ecology' and 'tourism'), covers the scope of tourism that draws upon natural, human-made and cultural environments. The term is most commonly used to describe any theme of travel to experience natural environments or settings. However, the ecotourism society adds social responsibilities to define ecotourism as "purposeful travel to the natural areas that creates an understanding of cultural and natural history of the environment, safeguarding the integrity of the ecosystem while producing economic opportunities that make the coversation of natural resources beneficial to local people". Some refer to ecotourism as nature based tourism. Even if the details vary, most definitions of ecotourism mean a special form of tourism that meets three criteria like: 1. It provides for conservation measures. 2.It includes meaningful community participation; and 3. It is profitable and can sustain itself.

Ecotourism, or nature tourism, is just one component of the tourism industry. A precise definition of tourism is exclusive because of its complex nature, involving a combination of attractions, transport, accommodation, supporting facilities and infrastructure. It is generally defined by its spatial dimension, and is thus often characterized by criteria such as a minimum distance of travel or travel involving at least a one-night stay away from home. The lack of a common definition results in multiple interpretations, nevertheless ecotourism should support the concepts and principles that contribute to integrating social, economic and environmental goals. Therefore, ecotourism should have the following: * To attract tourists to natural environments which are unique and accessible. * To be used to improve nature conservation through education. * To lead to changing of attitudes in local people and government. * To provide employment and entrepreneurial opportunities to local people. * To generate revenue.

The idea behind ecotourism is to offer expeditions to unspoiled, inaccessible parts of the world that would interest natural history enthusiasts, or tourists looking for learning through adventure (Jordan, 1995). Ecotourism is nature oriented tourism, which based on the use of natural resources, including scenery, topography, water features, plant life and wildlife, in a relatively undeveloped state. It is also possible to realize the "attraction value" of biodiversity through the income generated by 'ecotourists'. Ecotourists pay to experience the biodiversity of a country or national park and will pay more, and expect less by way of facilities, then conventional tourists. For example, the Monteverde cloud forest in Costa Rica receives 15,000 visitors per year who pay an entrance fee which contributes to the costs of running the reserve. At another park, Rara Avis, a combination of sustainable use selective logging, farming paces (small rodents) for food, rearing butterflies for export to collectors and medicinal plants increases income and further reduces the dependency on outside funding.

Ecotourism often combines elements of scientific investigation, education, recreation, and adventure. However, it is very difficult to define ecotourism, particularly with the diversity, combinations, and degrees of orientations and interests involved. According to consideration of Laarman (1987) and Durst (1994) ecotourism has two dimensions like hard and soft, with the first distinction being whether or not the interest in natural history is dedicated or causal. Dedicated ecotourism and natural history travel is practiced by ornithologists, botanists, and other professionals, as well as by people with serious interests in natural history areas. This can be considered "hard core" natural history travel. On the other hand, "soft" ecotourism, or natural history tourism, combines nature-oriented travel with beaches, deep-sea fishing, shopping, culture, etc. Tourism and trips in this category tend to try and combine a variety of motivations and activities in single trip, e.g. viewing tropical forest scenery, watching birds and wildlife, visiting archeological ruins etc. The second hard soft distinction refers to the physical rigor of the experience. Will the visitors have to walk miles into undeveloped wilderness, sleep in a tent or crude shelter, and to tolerate primitive sanitary conditions?. Or will the visitor stay in quality accommodations, eat in good restaurants, and be conveyed in comfortable transport? Some of hard tourism, from the standpoint of dedication to natural history, falls into the soft category of physical rigor. The inverse also occur when causal devotees seek (or unwillingly endure) rigorous travel experiences. It could be noted that there are some varying degrees and overlapping of both hard and soft ecotourism in orientations and combinations. Both types may incorporate some ecological aspects and techniques. With the ecological and environmental interests today, ecological themes and aspects are growing more and more popular in tourism.

On sustainable and long-term basis on the macro level, ecotourism can generate economic returns that supersede the potential revenue to the national treasury that is "lost" by foregoing timber harvesting or other exploitive uses on a short term basis. In Costa Rica, an organization of American States (1987) study reported that even 10 years ago, a single national park, Corcovado, generated over US$ 1 million a year in foreign earnings. Prior to the recent social and political strife in Central Africa, over 6,000 people visited Rwanda's Park National Des Volcans each year, generating over a million dollars in much needed foreign currency through park entry and gorilla watching fees. It has also resulted in the government of Rwanda stopping the exportation of gorilla habitat from the park to donate native farmers, while the presence of tourists apparently drove off poachers who were making serious inroads in the gorilla population.

According to Brockleman and Dearden (1990) ecotourism along with the cultural and adventure (which are often compatible and incorporated with ecotourism) can be considered one of the fastest growing areas of tourism today. It is estimated that US$ 25 billion per year flow from developed countries in the North to less developed countries in the South through ecotourism. Further, ecotourism is able to establish a more symbiotic (compatible helpful) relationship with conservation than the more traditional forms of tourism. Ecotourism could present itself as a very viable benefit with a great deal of potential for villages on the borders of national parks and, in some cases, reserves. Ecotourism could support local employment of villagers as guides, porters, constructions workers, merchants, as well as through food, lodging, and handicraft facilities in villages. A major problem of most development programmes in developing countries is that few socioeconomic benefits actually reach the local people. Ecotourism presents the opportunity to directly benefit local populations.

Ecotourism in developing countries with tropical forests has become big business. The growing demands for ecotourism present numerous opportunities for increasing sustainable, rural and national development, while still protecting tropical forests and their biodiversity. On the other hand, the present deforestation and degradation patterns for tropical forests in Asia and other countries of the South may well remove these opportunities in the very near future.

There are many important spots and places in Bangladesh to be used as the designated ecotouristic purposes. Including Sundarban areas, the entire Chittagong and Chittagong Hill Tracts forest area is belonging to the place of such importance. Among the places, typical examples could be acoounted for the Sitakunda Ecopark and the Fashiakhali Safari park. In the Sitakunda ecopark some wild plants and animals are kept free for tourist's view and observation and for their enjoyment. Similarly, the Fashia Khali Safari park is made specially for deer breeding purposes and to show how the wild animals could make association with their related wild plants for their survival and multiplication more or less in natural conditions. In these areas what are to be ensured for making the ecotourism successful is the persistence of Plant- Animal Association and Relationships. Preservation of such Plant-Animal behavioural association sustains the attractiveness of tourists to the places. The next one is the persistence of security of the tourists and their free movements in the touristic areas. Here one is scientific and natural attractiveness and the other is administrative responsiveness. These two different aspects (scientific and administrative) are to be considered with highly interrelated form and simultaneously in sophisticated ways.

Dr. M. A. BASHAR is Professor, Department of Zoology, Dhaka University and Pro-Vice Chancellor, Bangladesh Open University.