English - Global Environment Facility

payments for environmental services) to support biodiversity conservation through collaborative
agreements between public and private sector institutions.
16. Component 2: Planning, operational management and monitoring of ecotourism in PAs.
This component is aimed at enhancing planning and the quality of ecotourism products in
selected PAs leading to an increase in quantitative and qualitative indicators of visitation, while
at the same time improving capacities to monitor the effects of these products on the biodiversity
of the PAs. The following activities will be financed: (i) conduct studies to define carrying
capacity 7 , flow management and visitor monitoring for each of the 9 selected PAs. This will
encompass the design and demonstration of visitor survey methodologies to collect key data on
ecotourism use (e.g., visitor characteristics, expenditure patterns, willingness-to-pay) as a basis
for setting fee structures that could be replicated to the entire SINAP. Once the survey
instruments are designed, data will be collected in Year 1 to establish a baseline and each year
subsequently; (ii) develop, approve and implement at least seven management and public use
plans to identify and set objectives for ecotourism attractions, services and visitor use
management in line with the each area´s conservation mandate and biodiversity values. This will
entail analyses of the visitor baseline data collected in Year 1, the development of detailed public
use zoning maps and norms, holding focus group sessions with key stakeholders (hotels, tour
operators and guides, community representatives, research institutions), reaching consensus and
approving the plans and promoting their dissemination. The plans will integrate adaptation
strategies to respond to the impacts of climate change (e.g., coral bleaching, sea level rise,
increase in storm surges, saltwater intrusion) in coastal, marine and terrestrial areas; (iii) identify
a public investment portfolio for PAs jointly defined by ANAM and ATP, which will add value
and attractiveness to ecotourism products (e.g., trails, observation towers, camping sites). Once
defined and approved by the Bank, the portfolio will be financed by the Program; (iv) adaptation
and expansion of the existing PMEMAP in the nine selected PAs to include cost-effective
monitoring of biological and threat reduction indicators associated to the impacts of ecotourism
on biodiversity (as designed in the ETIMS). The monitoring initiative will be undertaken in
partnership with national universities and international research institutions with existing
biological monitoring programs in Panama. It will also involve local businesses and communities
with a presence in the PAs for the data collection activities after having received the appropriate
training (see below); (v) training of PA on-site personnel to enhance their capacity to implement
and enforce public use plans, maintain ecotourism facilities, work with local ecotourism service
providers (i.e., guides) as well as to promote visitor appreciation and understanding of the
biodiversity values of the PAs.
17. Component 3: Strengthening of income generation potential for local stakeholders through
ecotourism in selected PAs: This component encompasses the creation of conditions, which
allow local key stakeholders in selected PA´s to obtain concrete economic benefits as a result of
planned and organized management of biodiversity and sustainable use of natural and cultural
resources within PA´s and their buffer zones. Activities to be financed include: (i) training of a
minimum of 20 local organizations and operators in various aspects related to demand-driven,
high-quality ecotourism services and products (e.g., integrating best practices, business
management, certification and other types of environmental standards). The training and
7 To support the definition of Public Use Plans, the project will either use carrying capacity-base or Limits of Acceptable
Change (LAC) based methodologies.
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