Ecotourism has become a new tool to promote environmentally and culturally friendly tourism. The potential of ecotourism for assisting in resource conservation and community development has drawn considerable attention. Ecotourism has unique characteristics that need special management regimes in order for tourists to enjoy their stay, while at the same time maintaining the natural environment. The principal management concepts that need to be taken into consideration for ecotourism development are the following:
a. Nature-based setting
Ecotourism allows tourists to appreciate the surrounding nature while at the same time learning about a unique culture. Since ecotourism is based on natural biophysical attributes, conservation of natural resources is fundamental.
Ecotourism sites should be rich in natural attractions; have diverse flora and fauna; be conducive to adventure and travel; have unique features and some historical and cultural values, which may be interesting and educational; not be frequented by mass tourists and not threatened by destructive activities; have untouched native or tribal tradition; and be suitable for rehabilitation and conservation by tourism activity. The area should be ideal for walking, hiking, bird watching, swimming and similar activities.
Ecotourism involves travelling to relatively undisturbed natural areas to study/appreciate and enjoy the scenery and its flora and fauna. It is an environmentally sound tourism activity in a given ecosystem that yields socioeconomic benefits and enhances natural/cultural conservation. It is a means to generate income and employment for the local population, to help develop rural infrastructure, to raise funds and to build political support for nature conservation. However, ecotourism may alter norms, beliefs and the lifestyle of the host community.
b. Educational Value
Ecotourists normally seek educational experiences to learn more about the environment. Through interpretative programs such as high-quality guided tours, ecotourism can also promote environmental awareness and cultural understanding.
c. Local Participation and Benefits
The underlying concept is the reduction of local dependence on consumptive use of natural resources through benefits from tourism. By participating in ecotourism activities (such as guiding, providing camel rides and food services), local people can earn supplementary income while at the same time ensuring the conservation of biodiversity.
Sustainable resources are essential for sustainable ecotourism. To achieve both resource conservation and sustainable economic use, ecotourism must have a wide variety of groups who directly or indirectly determine the use of an ecotourism area, a strong local and hotel and resort operators’ cooperation and support, some mechanisms for the involvement of different groups in the planning and management process and education of various groups.
d. Encouraging Conservation Awareness
Ecotourists are normally willing to volunteer or contribute to conservation or development projects within the area. This can include identifying birds and wildlife, participating in ecosystem restoration projects and assisting in trash collection. In return, tourists receive a sense of satisfaction for conserving nature or assisting in the development of an area or community. Providing awards or certificates showing that they have contributed to the protection of the environment or assisting in community development can enhance these initiatives.
e. Low impacts and sensitivity to the environment
Strategies to minimize the impacts of ecotourism activities include:
1. Identifying appropriate locations for ecotourism development;
2. Identifying proper ecotourism activities that do not harm the environment;
3. Managing visitors;
4. Controlling the number of visitors per trip;
5. Controlling impacts by taking in all necessities needed as well as bringing out all trash to remote areas; and
6. Designing the facilities, which emphasize blending with the natural surroundings.
Cursory assessment of the potential of mangrove areas for ecotourism is high, especially for the sites suggested below, which are accessible and located close to the existing resorts and hotels. The resort and hotel operators can be potential partners in promoting and developing these sites. The marketing, technical, financial, environmental and social aspect of promoting and developing mangrove areas for ecotourism should be closely looked into before any actual development and operations are made. The technical viability, financial feasibility, environmental soundness and social acceptability of ecotourism development should be ascertained thoroughly and carefully.
To this end, the outputs of the participatory workshop, group and individual discussion in this report, may only serve as indicators and insights in considering mangroves as a nature-based tourist attraction. The strategy of promoting mangroves and the immediate surroundings for ecotourism should only be to provide amenities to visitors in a natural setting that offers low density, low intensity and non-intrusive facilities to maintain the integrity and stability and to assure the sustainability of the mangrove ecosystem and the link to the terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
a) Nabq Multiple-use Management Protected Area
Nabq mangrove area in Shora Al Rowaisseya is currently considered the focal destination of tourists to the area. Although the mangrove area is only a part of the scenery, which includes the lagoon with clear blue waters, sea grass meadows and the shipwreck, its presence obviously enhances tourist attraction. The mangrove stand is strategically located and it occupies half of the scenery of the area, which maintains not only the integrity, and stability of its attraction, but also its nearby near-shore marine ecosystem scenery.
Based on the results of the consultative-workshop in Sharm El Sheik on 22 August 2002, the facilities in Nabq should be maintained and additional facilities are considered necessary to cater to the increasing number of visitors. Basic amenities such as safety lockers/cabinets, shower rooms, dressing rooms, garbage boxes, additional toilets, carparks, sheds/shelters and walking trails are needed. Other potential mangrove areas for ecotourism are the adjacent mangrove areas of Marsa Abo Zabad and Shora Al Manqautta. Non-intrusive tourism facilities should be established in these areas to provide amenities to the visitors in a natural setting.
Nabq should be developed as an alternative ecological destination of Ras Mohammad, which is also set to be subjected to an increase in ecotourism activities. Hence, site facilities and information such as road and directional signs along the Marsa Abo Zabad and Al Garghana are necessary. The main information panel and site map should be provided on the mangrove sites. Boardwalks may be constructed for visitors to access the mangrove area without destroying the root system and stand. The actual site of these facilities and on-site information guides should be strategically located to reduce the expected negative impact to within the minimum limit of acceptable change and to maintain the biophysical stability of the sites/areas.
b) Ras Mohammad National Park
In Ras Mohammad, although mangroves occupy a very limited area along the crevices of the fault line, they are an important ecological destination of tourists especially for those who travel by land.
c) Red Sea Marine Park Protectorate
The result of the focus group discussion with the Manager and Technical staff of the Marine Parks of the Red Sea Protectorate showed that they ranked Sharm El Quebly, Al Gouna and El Quieh (Wadi Abu Hamrah) as their first, second and third choices, respectively, in terms of their unique biophysical attraction for ecotourism if appropriate facilities and access are provided. Among the five islands/islets with mangrove stands that are potential ecotourism sites are Abu Monkar, Wadi Gimal and Geisum. Although these islands/islets are protected and closed for sea landings, visitor amenities in a natural setting that are of low density, low intensity but high quality, self-contained and non-intrusive may be allowed. However, the integrity, stability and sustainability of the island as a habitat for wildlife, including migratory, endemic and endangered birds and marine turtles, should be assured by all means.
d) Elba Protectorate
The Manager of the Elba Protectorate indicated preference for Marsa Sha’ab, El Hoor and Marsa Abou Fasi to be developed as ecological tourist destinations because of their landscape scenery that boast of a mangrove stand and mud flats/reef flats that serve as resting and roosting sites for wildlife and migratory birds. The mangrove stands in these sites are extensive and contain both Avicennia marina and Rhizophora mucronata, the only two mangrove species found in Egypt (Saenger, 2002). The development of the area for natural resource-based ecotourism should promote the biodiversity and genetic conservation not only of the mangrove flora and fauna but also the diverse species of sea grass and aquatic organisms. These sites have high potential for ecotourism that focuses on biodiversity conservation.
The attraction of mangroves is due more to the attractiveness of the ecosystem in general rather than interest in any particular species. Hence, what is required is skilled interpretation and education to attract and satisfy ecotourists, based on an assessment of the attributes of the area that are of potential interest to ecotourists.
For a skilled interpreter, a mangrove and its nearby ecosystems can be the focal point around which a web of attributes and stories can be woven. For example, the mangroves in Nabq can be described as the last mangrove frontier along the Eastern coast of the African Continent. They include sabkha, desert, wadi, sea grass beds, beach, coastline and near-shore shallow areas, which are mixed together to create a unique ecotourism destination.
Information on the nature of tourists is likewise important. There are hardcore ecotourists as well as casual, less committed ecotourists. Ecotourists are heterogeneous, depending on their interest, intensity of interest and their willingness and ability to pay to satisfy their interest. A social marketing survey is necessary to understand these different market segments and their relationship to the range of ecotourism opportunities available.
The promotion of mangroves as ecotourism sites should focus on their high ecological value, which to the extent possible, should be translated into a tangible monetary value to easily facilitate the understanding of the public, decision-makers, planners, managers, hotel and resort operators as well as tourists on the importance of mangroves.
The design and production of the information, education and communication (IEC) materials to promote mangroves as an ecological tourist attraction may not be sufficient from the point of view of infusing behavioural changes and motivating stakeholders’ involvement and commitment in the conservation of mangroves, through ecotourism promotion and development. An effective and sustained social marketing strategy should be carefully designed and implemented to specific target audience such as tourists (in each nationality – Italian, French, German, Russian and Arabic), the local people/Bedouins and the general public, particularly school children from the primary level. In addition to the 4Ps of commercial marketing (product, place, price and promotion), social marketing considers people as the focal goal of the development strategy in changing the knowledge, attitude, skills and practices (KASP) of the specific target audience.
Hotel and resort operators, protectorates, private organizations and individuals are already promoting, through magazines, brochures, ads and the Internet. The promotion is focused on the biophysical attraction and the unique scenery, particularly as guide for divers and snorkellers. Mangroves are included as an added benefit of the coastal ecosystem.
The tourism industry is the principal force in the development of ecotourism. There are, however, environmental costs and benefits and to ensure that the benefits exceed the costs, management structures should be in place.
Environmental benefits maybe attained through the following:
1. Enhances biodiversity conservation once local people commits to the changes in ways of utilizing the resource when they have benefited from ecotourism;
2. Raises the environmental awareness of visitors and locals; and
3. Supports biodiversity knowledge and protection
However, in order to realize these benefits, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of the proposed sites to determine their attributes and ability to withstand the influx of visitors. There is also a need to formulate a strategic ecotourism plan that considers the different perspectives of the ecotourism opportunity spectrum (EOS). Towards this end, inputs must be drawn, in a participatory-integrative manner, from various local, national and regional stakeholders, as well as the government.
Based on the definition and concept of ecotourism, environmental and social values should be mutually inclusive - that is, ecotourism development should result in net economic and social benefits for local communities as well as net environmental benefits to assure its sustainability. Early on, the potential cost and benefits of any proposed ecotourism development must be clearly identified.
Ecotourism may provide the following benefits:
1. Providing economic and conservation benefits.
Ecotourism may play a role in changing the way local communities benefit from their local environment. The major underlying cause of the destructive ways of utilizing resources is poverty. The desire to improve one’s standard of living leads to the overexploitation of commonly accessed resources such as mangroves.
Ecotourism should link directly to the local people’s needs. Conservation activities through ecotourism should provide long-term economic benefits to the local people. The accrued benefits from conservation have to be greater than the short-term, intermediate and personal benefits. It is necessary to provide alternative sources of income to reduce the dependency of the local people on the natural resources, which have greater potential to provide long-term community welfare. The immediate individual gains from consumptive exploitation of the resources should also be set aside in favour of the accrued benefits that the resources could provide in a sustainable manner.
For instance, the overgrazing in mangrove areas is not only an issue of what is more important, the camel or the mangrove, but the problem has deeper socioeconomic and socio-cultural implications. The local people can play a key role in restoring the mangroves. The establishment of a community-based nursery, involving the local people in rehabilitation, will augment their income and build up their commitment to conserve the resources.
2. Raising environmental consciousness and changing behaviour.
Local people’s involvement and participation in ecotourism development and management provide them the opportunity to have direct contact with their natural environments. As it has often been said, “to care we must understand, to understand we must know, and to know we must have met.” The consciousness-raising should be done not only for local people, but for tourists as well. Training local people as ecotourism guides can supplement their incomes and develop a local body of conservation advocates.
Hands-on and on-the-job/field work increases their level of awareness and understanding and strengthens their capability to manage their resources sustainably.
3. Support of research and conservation activities.
Ecotourists may contribute directly and indirectly to research and conservation activities in the area by donating their time, expertise or other resources. The Nabq mangrove areas are ideal sites for ecosystem research as part of an R&D and for graduate studies. Interesting area for research may start on unique adaptation of mangrove vegetation to its adverse environmental condition such as 1) the crown/foliage emerging from the buried bole or stems and root system; 2) the accumulation of sediments or silt in the sabkha which mangroves are able to trap soil particles thereby hindering the siltation of sea grass beds and coral reefs.
1) Determining the Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC)
The focus of LAC analysis is to determine what the management objectives are in a particular area and the amount of change in the conditions of that area that is acceptable, and to select the indicators of change that can be monitored. Monitoring ensures that management prescriptions are successful in maintaining impacts below the LAC.
For instance in Al Rowaisseya, as people continually walk on the soil daily, soil compaction may inhibit the growth of roots near the pathways. Likewise, the daily disturbance on the lagoon may loosen up the soil, which may cause the transport of silt or sediments into nearby sea grass beds or coral reefs. This should be monitored closely and baseline data should be collected. The area must also be observed at a time when there is no disturbance.
It was observed by the FAO Team that different kinds of fish were in the lagoon when there were no disturbances. As such, the lagoon may be used for sightseeing and observation, instead of using it to access the shipwreck or for swimming. A boardwalk may be provided across the lagoon or into the mangrove stand on the way to the shipwreck, which may be the final destination of the tourists in the Al Rowaisseya area. The management prescription of providing a boardwalk may lead to a change in the type of visitors. The hardcore ecotourists may no longer be able to see closely the ecosystem or species that they are interested in nor perhaps enjoy the limited number of visitors that made the site a satisfactory experience. It is important to maintain a range of ecotourism opportunities that will fulfil a wide array of visitors and conservation goals. The environmental impact of ecotourism is not only that of the ecotourism activities but also that of the infrastructure and service facilities. The facilities should be non-intrusive, have low impact waste disposal, be of low density but of high quality, eco-friendly, provide energy and be self-contained.
2) Assessment of Ecotourism Potential of Nabq Protected Area
The different ecotourism resources that should be assessed are as follows:
1. Natural resources (mangrove, lagoon, sea grasses, coral reef, wadi, sabkha, tribe village, desert, the last frontier mangrove in the Near East);
2. Facilities (hiking trails, a visitor centre, sheds, cafeteria, tracks, signage, post, carpark, entrance gate, and other things);
3. Interpretation (visitor centre, information materials such as brochures, magazines, but lack self guided interpretative trails, local guides that lead interpretative hikes for organized or individual tours);
4. Visitors (to provide statistics); and
5. Local participation (to serve as guides, park workers and labourers; provide catering services and garbage collection).
As part of this assignment, a proposal to upgrade the visitor facilities at Nabq was developed in consultation with local stakeholders. A complete investment appraisal of this proposal is given in the annex to this report (starting on Page 35). The investment appraisal shows that investment in new facilities at Nabq can be justified if it will be possible to raise entrance charges to the area to cover the cost of this investment.
The appraisal assumes that entrance charges can be doubled if the investment in new facilities takes place, which will result in a rate of return on the investment of between about 30 percent and 40 percent, depending on future increases in visitor numbers. 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.
