Mangroves produce a number of very valuable ecological benefits. However, these benefits are largely intangible and do not provide income or revenue for the managers of the mangroves or for other stakeholders living in and around them. Therefore, they are often considered as “wasteland” rather than as highly prized ecosystems.
In order to capture the interest and understanding of all stakeholders in and around mangroves, it is important to try to convert some of this intangible ecological value into a monetary value. One way in which this can be done is through the development of ecotourism in the mangroves. Ecotourism can provide considerable benefits to the environment, local stakeholders, visitors to the mangroves and the agencies responsible for the management of the mangroves. With thorough planning and careful consideration of the economic, environmental and cultural aspects of such developments, ecotourism can contribute to conservation, education, resource protection and the involvement and empowerment of local people.
In addition to the development of ecotourism, the development of other income generating activities in and around mangroves can also contribute to the protection of the mangroves and improve the lives of local stakeholders.
The current status of ecotourism development in mangroves on the Red Sea Coast
The global market for ecotourism is huge, but ecotourism in the Red Sea accounts for only a small share of this market. For example, in 2000/01, 551,204 people visited the Red Sea Coast, particularly for diving and snorkelling (Hegazy 2002). However, at the global level, this number of visitors only accounts for about 2.5 percent of this segment of the ecotourism market (Mustafa 2002).
Ecotourism has been developed in mangroves throughout the Red Sea Coast, but most of this development has taken place in South Sinai. In South Sinai, an average of around 400,000 tourists have visited Ras Mohammad and Nabq each year, mostly for diving, snorkelling, eco-cruising, sightseeing, safari and eco-adventure. Although mangrove areas are limited in Ras Mohammad, they form part of the ecotourism attraction, especially for those who travel by land. At Nabq, the main ecotourism destination is Shora Al Rowaisseya, which includes mangroves, a lagoon, sea grass meadows and a shipwreck. The number of visitors to Nabq (Egyptians and foreign tourists) amounted to 21,500 in 2000/01, with foreign tourists accounting for the majority of visitors to the area.
The potential for new ecotourism developments in mangroves on the Red Sea Coast
Participants in the consultative workshop, held at the Training Centre of South Sinai Protectorate on 22 August 2002, assessed the potential of mangroves in Marsa Abozabal and Shora Manqautta as ecological tourist destinations. To promote these areas to tourists and visitors, the participants suggested the following:
1. upgrade and maintain the facilities in Nabq;
2. install additional facilities such as basic amenities for tourists; and
3. construct non-intrusive ecotourism facilities in a natural setting.
This strategy is meant to address the minimum limit of acceptable changes to maintain and sustain the integrity and stability of the uniqueness of the biophysical characteristics of the sites.
During the conduct of a focus group discussion in Hurghada on August 24 2002, the manager and some technical staff of the Red Sea Protectorate initially selected and ranked the mangrove areas, including the immediate environs of Sharm El Qebly, Al Gouna, and El Queih (Wadi Abu Hamrah) as suitable areas for promoting and developing natural resource-based ecotourism along the Red Sea Coast.
The Red Sea Protectorate staff considered five islands and islets with mangrove stands in the Red Sea, and they selected and ranked Abu Monkar, Wadi Gimal and Geisum Islands/Islets as highly viable for ecotourism. While these islands are protected and closed for landing, facilities with low intensity, low density and are non-intrusive may be permitted to ensure the integrity, stability and sustainability of the islands as habitats for birds and other wildlife for the tourists to appreciate.
In the consultative meeting of the Elba Protectorate on 26 August 2002, its manager suggested to develop and promote Marsa Sha’Ab, El Hoor and Marsa Abou Fasi as biodiversity and genetic conservation areas, hence, access to these areas is limited.
Investment appraisal of a proposal to upgrade visitor facilities at Nabq
The mangrove area of Shora Al Rowaisseya in Nabq has demonstrated that mangrove areas can be promoted as ecological tourist destinations, so long as sufficient and appropriate visitor facilities are provided. Furthermore, a study at Nabq has indicated that visitors are willing to pay higher entrance charges if the services provided at the site would be improved. Therefore, a proposal to improve the facilities at Nabq was developed in consultation with local stakeholders.
In terms of future revenue, two assumptions have been made. Firstly, it has been assumed that future visitor numbers will increase in line with the historical trend in the increase in visitor numbers to Nabq (a scenario of lower growth in visitor numbers has also been analysed as well). The second assumption that has been made is that entrance charges can be doubled if the facilities at Nabq are improved.
On the cost side of the equation, the proposed development includes the construction of new facilities such as shelters, cafeterias, a craft workshop, carparks, walking trails, viewing decks and boardwalks. It includes measures to improved information about the area, including road signs and direction signs within the site, information panels and the distribution of brochures about Nabq. It also includes expenditure on new equipment for staff at the site to improve the level of service that they can provide.
The complete investment appraisal of this proposal is given in the annex to this report (starting on Page 35). Under the assumptions made about future growth in visitor numbers and the assumption that entrance charges at Nabq can be doubled, the expected increase in revenue from visitor entrance charges is more than enough to justify the investment in new facilities. Indeed, the investment in new facilities is projected to earn a rate of return on the investment of between about 30 percent and 40 percent, depending on future increases in visitor numbers.
However, the crucial variable in this analysis is the assumption that entrance charges can be doubled if the facilities at Nabq are improved. If it is not possible to raise entrance charges by so much, then an increase of at least 64 percent in the charges for admission to the site will be required to earn a rate of return of 10 percent on the investment in new facilities. If it is believed that it will not be possible to increase charges by this much, then it may still be economically feasible to develop the site at a smaller scale and with a lower level of investment.
The potential to develop other income-generating activities in the area
The development of income-generating activities for the local Bedouin community should be compatible with the conservation and sustainable utilization of the mangroves in the area. With this in mind, the following activities have been identified:
1. Community-based Mangrove Rehabilitation and Management (CBMRM)
2. Community-based Small-scale Ecotourism Enterprises (CBSSEE)
3. Home-gardening
4. Seedling production for landscaping and urban greening
5. Composting and waste recycling
6. Beekeeping
Using a matrix of selection criteria and ranking, the following potentially suitable sites for CBMRM have been identified:
1. Nabq Multiple-Use Managed Protected Area
a. Al Garghana
b. Marsa Abozabad
c. Shora Al Rowaisseya
d. Shora Al Manqautta
2. Elba Protectorate Area
a. Adel Deep
b. El-Hamirah
3. Red Sea Marine Parks Areas
a. Sharm El-Qebly
b. Hamata’s Mangrove Cluster/Group Stand
c. South of Safaga (um hawitat)
d. Wadilahmi
Of these areas, it is recommended that Al Garghana, El Hamirah and Sharm El Qebly should be initially selected for development of CBMRM at a pilot level.
The following mangrove areas were also selected for CBSSEE:
1. Nabq Protected Area
a. Al Garghana
b. Marsa Abozabad
c. Shora Al Rowaisseya
d. Shora Al Manqautta
2. Red Sea Marine Park Area
a. Sharm El Quebly
b. Hamata Mangrove Areas
• Wadi Al-Qu Lan Delta
• Wadi Masturah
• Wadi Rawad El-Adaiah
• Wadi Harbiyyah
The community-based approach of mangrove rehabilitation and ecotourism enterprises should include the following components/activities:
1. awareness creation and social mobilization through a social marketing strategy;
2. capacity building of the local people as partners in mangrove rehabilitation and ecotourism;
3. liaison and networking by creating and institutionalizing a national coordinating agency or committee; and
4. capacity building of the technical staff of involved agencies to strengthen their social, technical and organizational knowledge and skills in implementing community- based mangrove projects.
Furthermore, because income and employment in the community as a whole is limited, these activities should be integrated with other sustainable development initiatives of the Ministry of State for Environment at the local level.
The CBMRM and other alternative livelihood/income-generating projects can supplement and augment the local people’s income and employment since ecotourism markets are seasonal and are sensitive to external influences such as the peace and order situation in neighbouring Arab countries, political changes and economic instability of Egypt and/or countries of origin of visitors/tourists. The horizontal integration within the community and vertical integration with national level initiatives will also be necessary for the success of local ecotourism to support and promote responsible tourism at the country-based level.
The proposed project of CBSSEE should link with the support program of European Union (EU)-funded projects for Bedouins in Nabq, particularly the provision of basic services to Bedouins such as primary health care, drinking water/potable water, support for veterinary and fisheries services, job opportunities and handicraft work for women.
In addition to making linkages with the EU-Bedouin Support Program in Nabq, the national level support of MSE, MOT and MALR are necessary to promote community-based ecotourism with appropriate legislations and assistance towards small enterprises and community initiatives, and national and international promoters. It is also a meritorious work if at an early stage of establishing community-based ecotourism in Egypt, efforts are undertaken to be aware of and learn from the lessons of other countries with community-based schemes and seek mutually beneficial coordination from other national and international agencies. The lesson learned from community-based initiatives of UNDP, HANDS, EU, USAID and World Bank in other parts of Egypt, particularly communities along the Nile River and urban poor in Cairo City will serve as jumping board/benchmark for the development and implementation of a pilot community-based ecotourism and mangrove rehabilitation initiative in Nabq Protected Area.
