Ecotourism Business Growth

In 2008, worldwide international tourist arrivals increased to 924 million, up from 898 million in 2007. Industry sources estimate world travel and tourism generated in excess of $7 trillion in 2007, rising to more than $13 trillion in the coming decade.

Despite its stunning array of natural, cultural and anthropological attractions, Bangladesh is currently known as a disaster prone poor improvised nation-not as tourist destination. Failure of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC)-the present National Tourism Organisation (NTO) and neglect by all the past governments are to blame for this situation Without wasting no more time, we should strongly believe in the tourism potentials of our country. And I think, main opportunity for Bangladesh in international tourism lies in its natural and cultural heritage or in other words-Geo and Eco tourism attractions. The country is different and its Unique Selling Point (USP) is the fairly good choice that a variety of geographical features provide. Most other countries offer one or the other choice in adventure tourism, Bangladesh on the other hand provides an unparalleled natural habitat and wild life..

Bangladesh has plenty of splendid tourism resources to be an attractive tourist destination. Tourism specialists have identified River tourism; UNESCO heritage site (Sundarbans); rare wild life; Bird life; Archeological sites, monuments and temples; Tribal tourism in Chittagong Hill Tracts and Tea gardens. In addition, relative low costs of internal (domestic) air and road travel; high quality handicrafts; warm climate during European winter months are also considered as tourism assets of Bangladesh. Generally speaking, however, their values as tourism resource have not been well recognized yet in the society

The co-existence of man and nature can best be studied in Bangladesh, which provides a great emotional and educational experience to the visitor. Added to the diversity of choice in destinations and adventure sport, Bangladesh can also offer a variety of nature viewing experience such as open air jeeps, elephants, boats, bicycles, cycle rickshaws.

The goal

Ecotourism is a pragmatic concept that mixes modern conservation theories with good old fashioned money making. Yearning for authentic travel has now lead to a new trend-the Geotourism. Visiting rural Bangladesh. Travelling to the Sundarbans to watch Otter fishing. Enjoying Monipuri dance in Sylhet. Tourists may make these trips at different times, but they have something in common: They could all be considered “geotourism,” a relatively new term for travel that focuses on a destination’s unique culture and history. The eco and geo tourists are less demanding, more cooperative and willing to adapt with and accommodate themselves with reasonable facilities. They welcome management guidelines and abide by the rule, and regulations that help to reduce negative impacts of visitors on ecology and the societies they visit.

The goal of Eco and Geo tourism development in Bangladesh should be to capture a portion of the enormous global tourism market by attracting visitors to natural areas and using the revenues, to fund local conservation and fuel economic development. ‘Geo tourism-the newest trend Geo tourism trend aims to preserve local charm and focuses on a destination’s authentic culture and history, aiming to have visitors help enrich those qualities-rather than turn the place into a typical tourist trap.

The term is so new that few tourists use it. But travel professionals describe it as a step beyond the better-known environmentally friendly ecotourism. While geotourism encourages treading lightly on nature, it’s also about authenticity and making a place better by visiting and spending money. People do tend to like things that they’re not going to experience somewhere else. They’re looking for things that are not homogenized, said an American tourism expert and added people are seeking a more experiential vacation.

Now more than ever, it’s easy to move quickly around the globe. While that can be a good thing, it also means places are “under various forms of assault,” said Jonathan B. Tourtellot, who became the National Geographic Society’s first director of sustainable destinations in 2001. Tourtellot coined the term “geo tourism,” and it first appeared in print in a 2002 study about the idea by the Travel Industry Association of America and National Geographic Traveler magazine. Tourtellot wants to bring the focus of tourism back to the character of a place. Geo tourism adds to sustainability principles by building on geographical character to create a type of tourism that emphasizes the distinctiveness of its locale, and that benefits visitor and resident alike. Geo tourism is synergistic. All the elements of geographical character together create a tourist experience that is richer than the sum of its parts, appealing to visitors with diverse interests. It involves the community. Local businesses and civic groups work together to promote and provide a distinctive, authentic visitor experience.

It informs both visitors and hosts. Residents discover their own heritage and how the ordinary and familiar may be of interest to outsiders. As local people develop pride and skill in showing off their locale, tourists get more out of their visit. It benefits residents economically. Travel businesses do their best to use the local workforce, services, and products and supplies. When the community understands the beneficial role of geo tourism, it becomes an incentive for wise destination stewardship. It supports integrity of place. Destination-savvy travellers seek out businesses that emphasize the character of the locale. Tourism revenues in turn raise local perceived value of those assets.

It means great trips. Enthusiastic visitors bring new knowledge home, telling stories that send friends and relatives off to experience the same thing-a continuing business for the destination. Both Eco and Geo fall in the category of sustainable tourism. Sustainable tourism, like a doctor’s code of ethics, means “First, do no harm.” It does not abuse its product-the destination. It seeks to avoid the “loved to death” syndrome. Businesses and other stakeholders anticipate development pressures and apply limits and management techniques that sustain natural habitats, heritage sites, scenic appeal, and local culture. It conserves resources. Environmentally aware travellers favor businesses that minimize pollution, waste, energy consumption, water usage, landscaping chemicals, and excessive nighttime lighting.

It respects local culture and tradition. Foreign visitors learn about and observe local etiquette, including using at least a few courtesy words in the local language. Residents learn how to deal with foreign expectations that may differ from their own. It aims for quality, not quantity. Communities measure tourism success not by sheer numbers of visitors, but by length of stay, distribution of money spent, and quality of experience.

The Geo tourism Charter

This global template is designed for nations but can also be adjusted for signature by provinces, states, or smaller jurisdictions, and for endorsement by international organizations.

Governments and allied organizations can sign this statement of principles as a first step in adopting a geo tourism strategy. After thus committing to a geo tourism strategy, signatories should then work with local communities to determine their geo tourism goals. The geo tourism approach is all-inclusive, focusing not only on the environment, but also on the diversity of the cultural, historic, and scenic assets of particular region;

The geo tourism approach encourages citizens and visitors to get involved rather than remain tourism spectators, and the geo tourism approach helps build a sense of national identity and pride, stressing what is authentic and unique to the region.

The signatories are parties to this Agreement of Intent commit to support these geo tourism principles, to sustain and enhance the geographical character of that particular region, its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents:

Integrity of place: Enhance geographical character by developing and improving it in ways distinctive to the locale, reflective of its natural and cultural heritage, so as to encourage market differentiation and cultural pride.

Base tourism on community resources to the extent possible, encouraging local small businesses and civic groups to build partnerships to promote and provide a distinctive, honest visitor experience and market their locales effectively. Help businesses develop approaches to tourism that build on the area’s nature, history and culture, including food and drink, artisan, performance arts, etc.

Encourage micro- to medium-size enterprises and tourism business strategies that emphasize economic and social benefits to involved communities, especially poverty alleviation, with clear communication of the destination stewardship policies required to maintain those benefits.

Encourage businesses to sustain natural habitats, heritage sites, aesthetic appeal, and local culture. Prevent degradation by keeping volumes of tourists within maximum acceptable limits. Seek business models that can operate profitably within those limits. Use persuasion, incentives, and legal enforcement as needed.

Encourage businesses to minimize water pollution, solid waste, energy consumption, water usage, landscaping chemicals, and overly bright nighttime lighting. Advertise these measures in a way that attracts the large, environmentally sympathetic tourist market.

Among the foundations of the geo tourism philosophy is its benefit to the local population. When destinations highlight the things that make them special, it not only draws more tourists, it also helps the local community appreciate its own uniqueness. That, in turn, motivates them to preserve the cultural or natural resources that keep tourists coming.

Supporters of the geo tourism concept say it also creates jobs that employ local people and income for local business owners.

Now a days, people feel a growing need to get away from the pressures of their daily existence – to escape from work deadlines, phones, and e-mail-and experience life on a simpler plane. They are yearning for a journey to an exotic spot where modern human society has not displaced the indigenous lifestyle.

Bangladesh contains greater bio-diversity than that of many countries taken together. In addition, old-fashioned life style of the country can also be converted into highly attractive Eco and Geotourism products on the following lines:

Culture and traditions includes:

Food and drink, including local agricultural products and methods.

Performing arts: music, dance, theater, including street performances.

Arts and crafts, including non-franchise local shops.

Festivals, including distinctive ways of celebrating national holidays.

Nature and environment includes:

Distinctive wildlife habitat, on land or in the water; great birding sites.

Notable trees and flowers.

Links between local nature and local culture – history, cuisine, events.

Heritage sites includes:

Historic sites that provide some type of interpretation or experience.

Archaeological sites with interpretation, especially those with community involvement.

Aesthetics includes:

Areas that have nice scenery, appropriate lighting, freedom from billboards.

Areas those are most pleasing to be in.

Businesses there that deserve support.

The National Geographic Society help create the map and provides editorial guidelines for Geo tourism MapGuide of partner.

A local geo tourism alliance is the initiating partner. An alliance of local individuals and organizations representing all facets of geotourism-history, nature, culture, cuisine, artisanry, etc.-contributes local content in consultation with National Geographic Society, solicits advertising if needed, handles distribution and possibly production. The local alliance must take the initiative and so rightfully earn pride in knowing that this is their product. Both partners’ names and/or logos appear on the MapGuide.

Pragmatic concept

The Geo and Eco tourism is a brash pragmatic new concept that mixes modern conservation theories with good old fashioned money making. It is the point at which capitalism and conservation join together to fight for the same cause; wildlife preservation at a profit. As such it is being widely hailed as the best, investment for environment and business.

Successful conservation of Natural Areas can no longer be defined by simply making an area off limits to human populations.

New strategies must address the critical issues of sustainable development and economic growth while achieving conservation objectives. Eco-tourism represents one such strategy.

What distinguishes geo and eco-tourism is that it adds value to the environment. Both offer the opportunity for conservation, business and government to work together in a way that could be a model for ‘all enterprises seeking to develop natural resources.

The geo and eco-tourists are less demanding, more cooperative and willing to adapt with and accommodate themselves with reasonable facilities. They welcome management guidelines and abide by the rule, and regulations of the National Park, that help to reduce negative impacts of visitors on ecology and the societies thy visit. They are committed environmentalist and advocates of conservation and are useful for good public relations. And above all they are tax payers, future leaders and friends of the Parks. Change is a must

For the development of tourism an effective and powerful NTO is a must. Fortunately, a law in this regard is in the process of being enacted. The proposed law will provide formation of a Board with members from private-public stake to replace moribund BPC

Along with formation of an affective NTO, GM Quader, Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism has also under scored the need for a Master Plan for development of tourism in the country.

He is right. The Master Plan that Bangladesh has now was formulated more than two decades ago. So, massive revision is needed suite the need of the time as well as making the plan workable.

The revised Master Plan should suggest measures-both long and short term-to develop Geo and Eco tourism. The need is to bring country’s wealth of geo and eco-tourism attractions into well defined products and market those in tourism generating countries. While revising, the Master Plan should include (1) Cox’s Bazar and surrounding for beach activities. (2) The Subdarbans for safari and adventure tours. (3) Rangamati and Lake Kaptai as a hill station resort with water activities like, house boats, water sport equipment for skiing, craft centre and night club entertainment. (4) Creation of an arehacological vacation village with resort facilities near Jaipurhat with a tour programme for Paharpur and Mahastan and using railway connection to Rajshahi for viewing sericulture technology. (5) Creation of a tea planter’s vacation village in the Sylhet-Srimangal region with bird watching expeditions and tours of the Bangladesh Tea Research Institute. (6) Creation of a tourist village or theme park within easy reach of Dhaka to extend the range of activities for stop over, short stay visitors and local residents with components including weaving, embroidery, food preparation, and video presentation portraying the cultural life and history of the country supported by live music, a variety of restaurants and stores. (7) Making Dhaka Zoo and Botanical Gardens more interesting and attractive by better maintenance and labeling..

There are great scope to combine all aspects of tourism to make Geo and Eco tourism products of Bangladesh attractive. The urgent need now is to develop country’s tourism under an integrated development plan.

The authorities should seriously examine the question of signing of geo tourism charter of The National Geographic Society, to get expert assistance in tourism development.