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Why do sustainable tourism projects fail or succeed?

Frédéric ThomasAssociate Professor

IREST/EIREST – University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

PM4SD™ European Summer School | PROGRAMMELeadership and Management in Sustainable Tourism:

Professionalising project managementNaples, 8-12 July 2013 Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples

Introduction

Does the responsibility of projects’ failure or success lies primarily with development agencies or with local communities?

1. Too high requirements from international organizations to rapidly transform low-skilled or unskilled workers into entrepreneurs

The Complexity of Entrepreneurship The introduction of new ‘forward-thinking’ concepts The novelty that tourism represents The complexity of local power structures

2. Lack of business capacities by implementing agencies

Case studies

Bazoulé – Burkina Faso www.bazoule.net/campementbazoule.html

Chambok ecotourism site, in the province of Kampong Speu, Cambodia www.chambok.org

Bazoulé – The Site

About 30km of Ouagadougou (4000 inhabitants)

Village known for its crocodiles’ pond (3 hectares)

About 2500 visitors per year including 50% of international tourists

Bazoulé – The project (1)

Association du Développement Touristique de Bazoulé (ADTB)

Comité de coopération de Belfort

Ministère de la Culture, des Arts et du Tourisme

Address local issues by the implementati

on of a tourism

project++

2006Request for financial assistance

to ST-EP

Bazoulé – The project (2)

3 bungalows with 3 beds, bathrooms and showers3 bungalows with 2 beds, bathrooms and showers6 bungalows with 2 beds only1 bungalow with on bed only

One restaurantMuseum

(musée des arts et des savoirs Mossi)

Bazoulé – Project Analysis

Conclusions conjointly made in 2010 by UEMOA officials

1. Started in 1999, the project was built without any business plan (An audit was made in 2010).

2. No tourism specialist on board

3. The proximity to Ouagadougou and the low standard of rooms makes that the occupancy rate for the bungalows is about 4%

4. In 2009/2010, 177 overnight stays for a turn over of €1,320 / Costs €1,450

(Initial investment for the accommodations = €38,000 / depreciation costs)

Chambok – The site

Community of 9 rural villages located 2 hours from Phnom Penh towards Sihanoukville

40-meter high waterfall

Strong illegal logging and hunting activities

Chambok – The Project (1)

Mlup Baitong

CCBEN

Establish a project to provide an additional

income for the local people

and help protect the surrounding

forest

The Chambok ecotourism project can be divided into three main phases:  • Project establishment, (completed in 2002)• Project implementation and improvement (2003 to 2006):

Developing infrastructure, facilities, tourism services; Marketing; Capacity building for MC members and service providers; 

• Project graduation (2007 to 2009):

Total cost(2002 – 2009)US$226,000

In 200915,000 visitors

(1000 foreigners) 20,000 USD

Chambok – The Project (2)

Construction, renovation and maintenance of infrastructure and facilities.

Building the capacity of the CBET MC members and service providers.

Establishment and marketing of income generation services and tourism products.

Keeping the eco-tourism site environmentally friendly

Formation of a Women Association and development of micro-businesses.

Chambok – Project Analysis

Conclusions made in 2011 by Cambodian officials:

1. Existence of tensions in terms of involved vs. left out categories of populations.

2. Since the organization has left, the revenues are decreasing (access to market, networking, etc.)

3. The gains are bigger for the population with the previous charcoal activity leading some of them to still cut trees when the community leader is absent.

4. The project is heavily dependent on the personality of the community leader.

5. No health services for the tourists or for the population

Recommendations (a)

Tourism-led poverty reduction programme - Opportunity study guidelines by Caroline

Ashley, Jonathan Mitchell and Anna Spenceley, ITC 2009

(www.intracen.org)

Tourism Initiative Assessment Primary Data Checklist by Christine Jacquemin and Frederic

Thomas, SolARE 2012

(www.sol-are.org)

Recommendations

A meta analysis using an analytical grid called “Tourism Initiative Assessment Primary Data Checklist”

Greenbelt initiative, Siem Reap, Cambodia (GIZ)

Tourism Initiative Descripti

on

Market Demand Analysis

Expected Impacts

Tourism Initiative Description

What is planned to be offered

- - -Main features

Where&

How long

What to see / do(in the site or along

the way)

List of necessary services (existing /

to be created)

List of complementary

services (existing / to be created)

How to reach the site or the starting point of the circuit

Enabling environment

(Institutions, HR, Partnerships, Stakeholders)

Attractiveness of the destination

What makes the activity attractive, unique, complementary?

Market Demand Analysis

Key Target Market

s

Volume

Motivations

ALOS

Expenses

Family with kids / individuals / group of friends / larger groups

Locals / Regional / Westerners / etc.

Existing and Foreseen

Expected Impacts (Economic)

Economic

Environmental

Socio-cultural

Direct Beneficiaries

/ Indirect Beneficiaries

Who owns

Who operates

Who works

Expected # of

products/activities sold @ what prices

Created Human

Resources

Is it financially profitable? • For business

owners• For the

destinationIs it financially

sustainable?

Expected Impacts (environmental)

Economic

Environmental

Socio-cultural

Impact on biodiversit

y

Energy efficiency measures

Resources managem

ent

Waste managem

ent

Mitigating measures foreseen?

Expected Impacts (Socio-cultural)

Economic

Environmental

Socio-cultura

l

Local communities involvement

(how they view it?)

Local communities involvement (how tourism

operators view it?)

Contribution to cultural heritage

preservation?

Human resources

(requirement, training, job

creation)

Mitigating measures foreseen?

Why do sustainable tourism projects failed or

succeed?

Merci

Frederic THOMAS

Associate Professor

IREST / EIREST

frederic.thomas1@univ-paris1.fr