Ecotourism: A Tool for Sustainable Rural Development in South Asia
Ecotourism is a form of tourism to preservation of natural and cultural resources while promoting economic contribution to local communities. The idea of ecotourism started in 1970s after the responsible tourism movement. According to the World Conservation Union, ecotourism is “Environmentally responsible for travel and visitation to relatively undisturbed areas in order to study, enjoy and appreciate nature that promotes conservation, has low visitor impact, and provides benefit for socio-economic involvement of local populations.
There are some basic differences in mass tourism and ecotourism .Generally traditional mass tourism has its own characteristics that include concentration on income generation by high volume sales, shifting of large groups of tourists, full utilization of holiday packages, development of huge transport systems and infrastructure where marketing policy is more hedonistic and less responsibility on environment, wildlife and nature. On the other hand ecotourism encourage preservation of wildlife and habitats. The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has adopted several resolutions acknowledging its importance as a tool for development, poverty eradication and environmental protection, culminating in the UN declaration of 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development (IY2017). A successful ecotourism policy of a country or region can reach a poor country or region to the target destination by its social and economic benefits. In many developing countries like Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Maldives, Fiji, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Indonesia ecotourism could bring remarkable changes depends on timely following the adoption of the United Nations 2030 Development Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
South East Asia (SEA), South Asia (SA) and Asia Pacific and Oceania (APO) region are very much enriched in nature and culture, where it can attract a huge number of tourists, but its share in the world tourism is not remarkable compare to rest of world. Ecotourism is not a new idea cause the concept of ecotourism has been advancing for over 20 years but only little have done on this segment, so there is huge potential of ecotourism market development in the SAARC member countries because ecotourism is much more sustainable, but this initiative is not visible due to ineffective practice of policies, lack of communication among members for integrated branding or promotion where strong effective marketing policies and planning needed to transform this sector as an industry, which leads to integrated conservation of wildlife and environmental development.
According to the UNWTO 2017 data on tourism statistics, in 2016 Asia and the Pacific received 309 million international tourist arrivals, 9% more than 2015; by 2030 this number is expected to reach 535 million.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) in “Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2017” reported that, in South East Asia (SEA) the total contribution of Travel & Tourism to GDP was USD 301.1bn (11.8% of GDP) in year 2016, and is forecast to rise by 5.7% pa to USD 563.0bn (13.5% of GDP) in 2027.
The total contribution of travel and tourism to employment, including jobs indirectly supported by the industry, was 9.7% of total employment and forecasted to rise by 11.4% in 2027 .In South Asia (SA) and Pacific and Oceania (APO) region the total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP was USD 200.4bn to USD 281.6bn (12.3% of GDP) in 2017 .But the tourism share of South Asia (SA) in terms of international tourist arrivals always very less in comparison to other region. The total contribution of travel and tourism to employment, including jobs indirectly supported by the industry, was 7.5% of total employment. The world average employment in tourism sector is 10.3% where in South Asian region is near about 5 percent (WTTC, 2015).
These huge potential travelers can translate into opportunities for inclusive economic growth, for more and better jobs, opportunities to protect our natural and cultural heritage, to better know and respect each other, to bond people, to distribute wealth and share prosperity. Ecotourism has a chain of impacts. It has multiplier effect in an economy which is very much rewarding for the growth of a country or region, because lots of successful cases could be found in many developed countries where much emphasis on ecotourism rather than mass tourism. Economic benefit of ecotourism refers to the changes of income, earning, sales, distribution and other parameters. In general, ecotourism will induce generation of economic benefits, whether it creates profits for organization, jobs for communities or revenues for tourist spots and so on. It enhances job opportunities in rural areas and their livelihood development.
The revenue generated from tourist spending is known as direct impact of ecotourism. The tourists are the economic forces that can pay along with perform as responsible promoter for the conservation of the natural and wildlife attractions.
Indirect impact of ecotourism refers to the flourishment of central and local business, such as hotel operating and agent business, marketing etc. Eco-cottage and ecosystem related businesses will create job opportunities for the local peoples like, chef, receptionist, waiter, supplier, cleaner, sweeper, and various types of retailers are closely related to ecotourism business. Ecotourism directly or indirectly creates more employments for conservationist, environmentalist, interpreters and guide for developed ecotourism site.
Flourishment of ecotourism will create social changes as well. It can reduce out migration which is a very alarming issue at present. Another impact of ecotourism in the society will be enhancing living standard of the local people through more income, experience and expenditure. The lifestyle of the local people change as ecotourism develops.
