REHABILITATION, CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION OF MANGROVES IN EGYPT

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & LAND RECLAMATION

MINISTRY OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

Cairo, April 2002

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

LIST OF ACRONYMS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study background

1.2 Methodology/approach of the study

2. ANALYSIS OF CURRENT AND POTENTIAL NATURE-BASED TOURIST ATTRACTIONS ALONG THE RED SEA IN EGYPT

2.1 Mangroves as an Ecological Tourist Destination

3. THE FEASIBILITY OF PROMOTING ECOTOURISM IN MANGROVE AREAS

3.1 Ecotourism: Definition and Concepts

3.2 Potential of Mangroves for Ecotourism

3.3 Product, Place and Promotion

3.4 Environmental Considerations

3.5 Proposal to Upgrade Visitor Facilities at Nabq

4. OTHER POTENTIAL INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES

4.1 Community-based Mangrove Rehabilitation and Management (CBMRM)

4.2 Community-Based Small-Scale Ecotourism Enterprises (CBSSEE)

4.3 Seedling Production for Landscaping and Urban Greening

4.4 Composting and Waste Recycling

4.5 Beekeeping/Apiculture

5. SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

5.1 Socioeconomic Profile of Nabq

5.2 The community organizing (CO) framework and activities for Community- based Ecotourism and Mangrove Resources Management (CBEMRM)

5.3 Community Organizing Strategy

6. SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

REFERENCES

ANNEX INVESTMENT APPRAISAL OF UPGRADING VISITOR FACILITIES AT NABQ PROTECTED AREA

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 Community organizing strategy for community-based ecotourism and mangrove resources management

Figure 2 Trends in total revenue collection at Nabq Protected Area 1997/98 - 2001/02

Figure 3 Trend in the number of foreign tourists visiting Egypt 1980 - 2001

Figure 4 Trends in the number of visitors to Sharm El Sheik 1997/98 - 2000/01

Figure 5 Trends in the number of visitors to Nabq Protected Area 1997/98 - 2000/01

Figure 6 Trends in visitor numbers to Nabq Protected Area 1997/98 - 2000/01 and projections from 2003/04 to 2012/13

Figure 7 Seasonality of visitor numbers to Nabq Protected Area 1997/98 - 2000/01

Figure 8 Increases in foreign visitor numbers at Nabq required under a range of different assumptions about increases in entrance charges

Figure 9 Trend in the EGP:USD exchange rate from 1997/98 to 2002/03

Figure 10 Effect of continued depreciation in the EGP:USD exchange rate on the internal rate of return (IRR) on investment in visitor new facilities at Nabq

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 Population of the Bedouin in the Southern Red Sea Zone

Table 2 Visitors to Sharm El Sheik and Nabq Protected Area

Table 3 Projected entrance charges to Nabq Protected Area under the two options

Table 4 Estimated building construction and maintenance costs for upgrading the visitor facilities at Nabq Protected Area

Table 5 Estimated costs of construction and maintenance of other facilities as part of the upgrading of visitor facilities at Nabq Protected Area

Table 6 Estimated costs of purchasing other equipment for visitors as part of the upgrading of facilities at Nabq Protected Area

Table 7 Estimated staff salary costs at Nabq Protected Area

Table 8 Estimated costs of purchasing other equipment for staff as part of the upgrading of facilities at Nabq Protected Area

Table 9 Cash-flow for Option 1 - do nothing (baseline option)

Table 10 Discounted cash-flow for Option 1 - do nothing (baseline option)

Table 11 Cash-flow for Option 2 - invest in upgrading visitor facilities at Nabq

Table 12 Discounted cash-flow for Option 2 - invest in upgrading visitor facilities at Nabq

Table 13 Summary of the discounted cash-flow analysis for Options 1 and 2

Table 14 Sensitivity analysis of changes in the assumptions about visitor numbers and increases in entrance charges at Nabq if visitor facilities are improved