POTENTIAL OF ECOTOURISM By Lubinda Mate

Conservation of wildlife resource through science and sensitization is a pre-requisite to the smooth running in the tourism industry. Conservation and preservation of wildlife resource helps the endangered species to still exist, which in turn brings revenue to the economy of our country through ecotourism. Ecotourism involves visiting natural areas with the objectives of learning, studying or participating in activities that do not bring negative effects to the environment; whilst protecting and empowering the local community socially and economically. It may also be defined as tourism that is nature based; ecologically sustainable; contributes to conservation and local communities; Involves education and interpretation of the natural environment.

This is a responsible form of tourism and tourism development, which encourages going back to natural products in every aspect of life. It is also the key to sustainable ecological and economic development.

BENEFITS OF ECOTOURISM

The benefits of ecotourism are that it has low environmental impact, promotes ecological conservation and respect for different cultures and the betterment of local communities. Types of ecotourism include eco-lodging, agro-tourism, eco-excursions and community development projects, particularly in impoverished areas affected by deforestation and other man-made environmental challenges. Ecotourism presents an environmentally friendly and potentially more sustainable alternative to activities, such as farming, logging, mining, or harvesting of wildlife that put a strain on the resources and environment at large. Tourist money goes to advancing the quality of life to the local communities.

Ecotourism includes activities in which visitors enjoy hands-on experiences, such as animal and bird watching in nature reserves that can be found in Zambia, participating in traditional village celebrations, or taking a canoe trip down a river. Local guides usually accompany small groups of tourists on expeditions, teaching them about the local plants, animals, and culture of the region. It offers local people the chance to escape a cycle of poverty through the jobs that they get by being tour guides, by sharing their knowledge of the local terrain and ecology with visitors. Ecotourism also encourages the development of markets in native handicrafts and artwork for souvenirs, and thus contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage.

These opportunities for personal contact with members of the host community facilitate cross-cultural exchange and add greatly to the value of ecotourism experiences for people. In Zambia the best example would Lake Kashiba of Mpongwe. There is mystery and belief about the lake which attracts tourists to visit the place and information is revealed to the tourists by interacting with the local people of that area. The lake with no defined depth at the center is believed to have been a grave of one of the local people of that area some years ago; it is told that they drowned themselves due to land disputes and conflicts with another tribe from the same place. It’s told furthermore that the spirits are still alive and they even clean the lake shores when dirt is left overnight. It is also believed that the fish caught from the same lake can never be cooked no matter how long it is left on the fire. Fact or fiction? Best way to find out is to visit the lake and find out.

Other social benefits of ecotourism include improved funding for facilities and an improved infrastructure, the acquisition of new skills and technologies. Tourist money goes to advancing the quality of tourism services as well as the local way of life. In the ideal situation, “a large part of the revenue gained will stay within the region.

BAD SIDE OF ECOTOURISM

However, not all efforts that bill themselves as ecotourism are beneficial to local people and ecosystem. Even with the many advantages ecotourism has got disadvantages which affect the ecosystem. The effects to the environment and the contents in it are that:
Some animals are sensitive to noise and having tourists visiting them might cause them to move to new locations that put them in danger of failing to adapt to new surroundings.

·         Ecotourism increases on vandalism as some tourists are uncaring to the environment.

·     Some sociocultural problems arise such as the use of cultural symbols as commodities for financial gain, changing the social structure within a community and increasing crime rates due to the disparity between poor communities and seemingly wealthy tourists.

·         Tourists represent a temporal increase in population, and their demands on local resources can require the installation of additional infrastructure, produce large amounts of waste and pollution, and further the degradation of fragile ecosystems.

·         Tourists who go to view wildlife can scare animals away from their feeding and nesting sites, while those who opt for airplane or boat tours contribute pollution and noise to the environment. This gives a direct effect on the wildlife’s home.

·      Regulation and control is lacked by many governments and states, most of which do not have adequate tourism departments and are unable to finance responsible development efforts. Others are unwilling to limit the flow of tourist money into the country, so they encourage development past sustainable levels

A primary value of ecotourism is the employment opportunities it provides to local people, yet many tourism operations are owned and run by foreign corporations, providing little or no benefit for locals. Revenues are siphoned off to foreign investors instead of being reinvested in the community, environmental resources are degraded, and the needs of the local population are marginalized.

HOW TO IMPROVE ECOTOURISM

For an effective ecotourism that benefits both the local community and the tourist the following guidelines must be put into effect include the following provisions:

1.              Tourist activities must not degrade the resource

2.               Visitors should be offered educational first-hand experiences

3.             All stakeholders (host community, government, non-governmental organizations, industry, and tourists) must be involved

4.               Tourism must respect the intrinsic value of natural resources

5.               Tourism should not overtax the resource supplies of the local region

6.               Stakeholders must be encouraged to develop partnerships

7.           Tourist revenue must provide conservation, scientific, or cultural benefits to the resource, local community, and industry as a whole.

8.                Increased local employment and income

9.                More regular employment and income throughout year

10.            Greater diversification of economic activities, thereby reducing economic risks

11.            Opportunities for locally controlled eco-tourist related businesses

Ecotourism will not be an immediate success in every culture that attempts it. Sustainable tourism can only exist in an area where human activity is already sustainable. The development of commercial ecotourism can increase public support and the total amount of funding available for nature conservation. It can be a positive contributor to the conservation of nature. An immediate problem with this solution is that high quality facilities and services require greater introductory capital in the development and building stage. Most places do not have a lot of money to invest, so they would first need to provide lower quality goods to increase their wealth to build the higher quality ones. Conservation and preservation of wildlife resources is the major focus if we are to forge ahead in the tourism industry. 

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