Ecotourism is one of the fastest growing industries today. In some countries, where there is enormous concern for identifying alternative livelihood activities, particularly for those communities dependent on natural resources such as the mangrove/coastal areas, ecotourism can be regarded as an appropriate industry. To ensure success of such an endeavour, however, there has to be a strategic plan, which should consider among other things, the environmental attributes/base of the given resource and its limit to acceptable change or its carrying capacity and the varying interests of the ecotourists, including their willingness and abilities to pay. In the ecotourism enterprise, environmental factors are greatly considered and integrated with business and social concerns in a carefully studied and implemented plan.
Moreover, it is necessary to consider the distribution of the costs and benefits that are to be generated by the ecotourism activity, and how these may change over time depending on the amount and nature of the visitors, and the kinds of facilities needed to service the visitors. These factors should be examined in detail to ascertain whether there is an optimal size of visitation for a community that will maximize benefits while minimizing costs, considering the social, economic and environmental aspects.
Ecotourism can provide considerable benefits to the environment, local visitors and agencies concerned with conservation initiatives. With thorough planning and careful consideration of the environmental and cultural aspects, together with the business aspect, ecotourism can increase the morale of the travel industry. Ecotourism may contribute to conservation education, resource protection, and the involvement and empowerment of local people.
Since income and employment for the community as a whole is limited, the ecotourism activities in Egypt should be integrated with the sustainable development initiatives of the MSE at the local level.
The CBMRM and other alternative livelihood/income-generating projects can supplement and augment the locals’ 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 are 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.
