Potential Impacts of Ecotourism on Livelihoods and Natural Resource Management

A Social Enterprise Approach Presented by: Dr. Don Hawkins

Why Ecotourism for alternative livelihoods?

• Tourism supports 10% of all economic activity on the planet

and 8% of all global employment

• Sustainable tourism is growing 3x faster than the tourism

industry overall

• Tourism employs natural and cultural assets as capital

• Tourism provides incentive to preserve and conserve natural

and cultural assets

• Tourism is a labor intensive activity that provides alternative

livelihoods for local communities neighboring protected areas

Ecotourism’s Importance to Protected Areas “Tourists demand places that are unpolluted and free from waste. Many tourists

also appreciate the wildlife and flora around them… In a recent survey of high-

volume tourism companies, many reported that large numbers of their clients take

excursions to see wildlife at some point during their holidays. Biodiversity is a

main component of specialist holidays, whether based on scuba diving around

coral reefs or on wildlife watching.” –Convention on Biological Diversity, 2007

• Tourists are drawn to biologically diverse

areas

• Tourism is often the only non-extractive

economic option in and around protected

areas

• According to a World Bank study, “natural

capital” accounts for 26% of total wealth in

low-income countries

Addressing Conservation Threats with Ecotourism

Destination

Protected Area

Species

Habitat

Unsustainable Forestry, Flora

& Fauna

Coral Mortality

Solid Waste Pollution

Nutrient Pollution

Lack of Economic Alternatives

Coral Bleaching

Visitor Disturbance (coral breakage,

sunscreen pollution)

Dive/Snorkel Boat Anchor Damage

Sedimentation

Lack of Infrastructure

(trash bins, trash pick up services)

Lack of Local Conservation

Awareness

Global Warming

Lack of Visitor Conservation

Awareness

Lack of Monitoring & Research

Lack of Conservation

Funding

Lack of Tourism Regulations &

Guidelines

Unsustainable Tourism

Development

Develop voluntary or mandatory protected

area user fees

Develop PA or conservation-themed brands and merchandise

Target resource extractors with

sustainable tourism employment

Indirect Threats

Direct

Threats

Target

Condition

5

Social Enterprise: social mission driven

organizations which apply market-based

strategies to achieve a social purpose.

“The movement includes both non-profits that use business

models to pursue their mission and for-profits whose primary

purposes are social”

Examples of Social Enterprises

Today’s development

challenges are complex

We need business

led solutions like

ecotourism

Established companies offer marketing support to enterprises in

exchange for their adoption of sustainability criteria, environmental

best practices, or other forms of direct conservation support

How To: Inclusive Business Approach

Improved marketing & promotion

Sustainability criteria / best practices

Training & technical assistance Financial or in-kind support

Increased sales & revenue Quality assurance

Ecotourism Social

Enterprise

Case Studies

Pearls of Uganda

• Local communities were seen as the

biggest threats to conservation due

to lack of alternative livelihood

opportunities

• Supported the creation of 18

Ecotourism Social Enterprises that

were committed to addressing

conservation threats

• Developed a marketing and sales

program to connect enterprises to

over 30 private tourism companies

• 60% increase in revenue in targeted

social enterprises over 2 years

Bale Mountain Ecolodge, Ethiopia

• Local communities were seen as the biggest

threats to conservation due to lack of

alternative livelihood opportunities

• The lack of visitor services and

accommodations to attract visitor spending

• Worked with the Government of Ethiopia to

create a concession policy to enable impact

investments

• Developed feasibility studies and attracted

$1 million in impact investments to build an

ecolodge

• Lodge is under construction and anticipated

to employ 75+ local community members

Choco Community Tours, Colombia

• Local communities were seen as the biggest

threats to conservation due to lack of alternative

livelihood opportunities

• Created an alliance of 4 different ecotourism

social enterprises that were unable to reach the

market

• Provided training and technical assistance to

create multi-day tours and packages

• Developed a marketing and sales partnership

with a tour operator to help implement marketing

strategy and manage reservations

Strategy to support

Ecotourism Social

Enterprises in Myanmar

Myanmar Recommendations 1. Identify & nurture ecotourism social enterprise entrepreneurs

&impact investment funds

2. Create social enterprise ecotourism incubators to assist with

business planning, training, and access to capital & markets

3. Develop partnerships between social enterprises and their

communities & clients) to support protected area management and

conservation strategies.

4. Create mechanisms to mobilize scientific, academic, volunteer and

educational (SAVE) domestic, regional and international resources

5. Integrate ecotourism social enterprises into Myanmar’s destination

marketing and energy efficiency/green economy initiatives