OMSLAG 5.indd - IUCN

Findings
Most of the projects in this publication have not been operational long
enough to provide incontrovertible evidence that tourism does in fact
contribute to conservation. Most of the projects have raised awareness
amongst stakeholders, which is a condition for successful conservation.
Some projects have resulted in laws and regulations against damaging
activities and an improved control of illegal activities.
Summing up the experiences of the 27 projects that were supported
by IUCN NL, a few aspects seem essential for ensuring that tourism
developments work as planned. Although there is no guaranteed road
to success, this chapter is an overview of the aspects that we think are
important for people and organizations who want to use tourism as a
means for conservation.
Recommendations are made with the local project developers in mind,
but they can also be of interest for private sector tourism companies
who would like to get involved.
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1 Involving the stakeholders
It is important that all stakeholders have the possibility to participate in the
project. The most important stakeholders are the inhabitants of the area
that is to be protected. They use the natural resources and they are the ones
that have to carry the tourism developments further. The projects discussed
here used different forms of participation to involve the stakeholders. One
way is to establish committees or working groups to plan and oversee
the developments. The members of these groups or committees commit
themselves to their part of the project. When the participants feel that the
project is their own in one way or another, they will contribute more time
and effort to make it work.
To create lasting commitment, it is very important that the stakeholders
have realistic expectations: it will take time for any benefits to materialize.
In most cases, tourism will generate additional income, but – especially at
first – the profits will be modest. The timing of the project activities is also
very important. One has to wait until the people can genuinely get actively
involved before asking them to lend their participation. Participants who
cannot use their new skills immediately might lose interest altogether.
Distributing benefits is also very important. Creating benefits for people
who are not directly involved in the project will generate support for the
project throughout the whole community. Some projects achieved this
by setting up a community fund. Everybody who earns an income from
the tourism developments pays a percentage into this fund. The money is
used to maintain the site and to organize activities that benefit the people
who are not directly employed by tourism developments. Besides financial
benefits, several projects showed that the non-financial benefits were just
as important. An improved infrastructure, increased skills and a spirit of
cooperation add to the welfare of a community.
Providing information and training to the local inhabitants should be
taken very seriously, and it usually takes up more time than expected. In
many of these areas tourism is a new phenomenon: people do not know
what to expect and, equally important, what tourists will expect of them.
Community participation in all its forms is very important for the
sustainability of tourism activities in the future. It is useful to set up
organizations or working groups to enable the community members
to coordinate the activities after the initial time frame of a project has
concluded. This minimizes the risk that the developments will decline after
the initiators have withdrawn.