Ecotourism

Question 1

What is sustainable tourism?

Answer 1

: a process that meets the needs of present tourists and host communities while protecting and enhancing the needs of future generations

Question 2

What is ecotourism?

Answer 2

a branch of sustainable tourism consisting of responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the wellbeing of local people.

Question 3

What are the key principles of ecotourism?

Answer 3

Key principles: contribute to conservation employ local people and financially contribute to the community, cooperate with local people to manage natural areas, provide a positive experience for visitors and hosts, educate visitors about the local environment and the culture of the area, and minimise the negative effects of tourism.

Question 4

Where is the footsteps eco-lodge?

Answer 4

Location: southwest Gambia 10 minutes from Gunjur.

Question 5

What does the footsteps eco-lodge contain?

Answer 5

Background: has 9 accommodation huts, is open year round and the origin of most tourists is the UK.

Question 6

Sustainable schemes beneficial for the environment at footsteps eco-lodge;
How is waste dealt with?

Answer 6

• Composting toilets are used which removes harmful substances
• The grey water used by guests is recycled and used to irrigate fruit and vegetables.

Question 7

Sustainable schemes beneficial for the environment at footsteps eco-lodge;
how is energy provided?

Answer 7

• Hot water is heated with solar power

* Wind (turbine) and solar power is used to produce electricity which reduces the use of propane gas.

Question 8

Sustainable schemes beneficial for the environment at footsteps eco-lodge;
how is water provided?

Answer 8

• There is a fresh water pool that uses no chemicals but reed beds to filter it
• Water in the public areas is heated by the sun and will only last for 5 minutes
• All water used by guests comes from a well and is of high quality

Question 9

Sustainable schemes beneficial for the environment at footsteps eco-lodge;
How is the food produced?

Answer 9

• Lots of produce is grown at the site of the eco-lodge including bananas, cashews, mangos, oranges and grapefruit. This reduces food miles and all waste/compost is recycled
• Some food for the restaurant is grown in the complex gardens (e.g. oranges, mangos, cashew nuts, bananas and eggs from the ducks)

Question 10

Sustainable schemes beneficial for the environment at footsteps eco-lodge;
what resources are used to build the lodges?

Answer 10

• The 9 huts are made from local wood and materials reducing the carbon footprint and travel costs of transporting materials

Question 11

Sustainable schemes beneficial for the environment at footsteps eco-lodge; does the scheme aid conservation processes?

Answer 11

• Bird watching tours are carried out which promotes conservation of the 100+ bird species
• There is a reptile farm which cares for the different species

Question 12

Sustainable schemes beneficial for the environment at footsteps eco-lodge; does the scheme include education?

Answer 12

• Badara Bojo (the founder of the first turtle rescue operation in the Gambia) teaches about the environment on the trip

Question 13

Sustainable schemes beneficial for communities at footsteps eco-lodge; how does the scheme benefit local business?

Answer 13

• There is a local market at Gunjur which provides the village with produce
• There is an opportunity to see silversmiths at work with the opportunity to buy their silver
• The Gunjur Bee Keeping Association benefits from locals as there is an opportunity to buy honey
• The bar outside is used as a stall selling local crafts such as Djembe drums, tie dye and batik

Question 14

Sustainable schemes beneficial for communities at footsteps eco-lodge; how does the scheme benefit the local community? (not local businesses)

Answer 14

• The Fresh Start Foundation educates children and provides them with uniform and food
• 20% of the profits made at Footsteps is given to the local community
• The 22 staff (employed from Gunjur) are paid year-round and receive medical/dental care

Question 15

Sustainable schemes beneficial for communities at footsteps eco-lodge; how does the scheme benefit projects outside the local community?

Answer 15

• The Abubaka Sidique Foundation was set up through the eco-lodge which cares for 213 orphaned children

Question 16

Where is Siem Raep in Angkor?

Answer 16

Location: northwest Cambodia, north west of Phnom Penh

Question 17

What was the economic status of Siem Raep in Angkor in the 1990’s?

Answer 17

1993- GNP per capita was less than $650 per annum, placing it as one of the poorest nations on Earth. The civil war and 1970 genocide (took 2 million lives, 30% of the entire population) greatly impacted the country.

Question 18

What were the tourist numbers of Siem Raep in Angkor in the 1990’s?

Answer 18

1993- tourist numbers were 118,000. 2012- $2.2b (accounting for 15% of the total GDP) with over 3.5 million tourists yearly. GNP per capita in 2013 was $2890.100,000 jobs provided in 2000.

Question 19

What were the tourist numbers of Siem Raep in Angkor recently?

Answer 19

Ancient city of Angkor (1992- World Heritage Site) 2012- 3 million tourists passed through.

Question 20

Sustainable schemes beneficial for the environment in Cambodia - Siem Raep in Angkor; what protects the historical features?

Answer 20

• Wooden walkways built by the Archaeological Survey of India throughout 2012 in the Ta Prohm temple minimising the effects of 3 million annual visitors: trampling and damage to the fragile site
• There are areas of limited access (such as fragile monuments in Angkor that cannot handle the tourist burden) in which authorities rigorously enforce rules and limit access

Question 21

Sustainable schemes beneficial for the environment in Cambodia - Siem Raep in Angkor; how is air pollution reduced?

Answer 21

• Bio-diesel is produced in Siem Reap which is used by tour guides in the area. An organisation called ‘See Cambodia Differently’ subsidises the cost of the more expensive fuel and pays the difference to the tour drivers
• Plan to build luxury eco lodges –rain water harvesting and solar electricity (employing 50)

Question 22

Sustainable schemes beneficial for the environment in Cambodia - Siem Raep in Angkor; What schemes insure the protection of the temples?

Answer 22

• The ‘PRIDE’ scheme (Protect, Regulate, Invest, Diversify, Educate) is followed by Cambodian authorities working with national and international stakeholders to ensure a future for the environment of Angkor and the temples

Question 23

Sustainable schemes beneficial for the environment in Cambodia - Siem Raep in Angkor; how is education used?

Answer 23

• As part of a relationship built up between ‘See Cambodia Differently’ and their drivers, tour guide drivers go to the bio-fuel factory to learn about the benefits of the fuel, which in turn will potentially influence other companies

Question 24

Sustainable schemes beneficial for communities in Cambodia - Siem Raep in Angkor; how are local businesses benefited?

Answer 24

• Jobs in tuk-tuk driving/transport (although only $8 a day with $3 profit for one local driver), construction, hotels, catering and guiding.
• Small guesthouses in the centre of Siem Reap are Cambodian owned, tourists can stay for $5 a night.

Question 25

Sustainable schemes beneficial for communities in Cambodia - Siem Raep in Angkor; how has the local area been improved?

Answer 25

• Temples are conserved benefitting the community through preserving their heritage and culture
• Paved roads within Siem Reap (Pokambor Avenue and National Highway 6)

Question 26

Sustainable schemes beneficial for communities in Cambodia - Siem Raep in Angkor; how have services been improved?

Answer 26

• Weekly concerts support 3 Kantha Bopha children’s hospitals are run with Swiss-sponsored free medical care, providing care for 2800 outpatients and 800 hospitalisations a day. Dr Beat Richner plays the cello and informs tourists of financial and blood donations
• New proposed health centre south east of Siem Reap airport

Question 27

Sustainable schemes beneficial for communities in Cambodia - Siem Raep in Angkor; how are the vulnerable helped?

Answer 27

• The Landmine museum supports the effort of Aki Ra and his team who educate and provide care for young children disabled by land minds
• The Seeing Hands organisation trains blind people to become masseurs for tourists

Question 28

Sustainable schemes beneficial for communities in Cambodia - Siem Raep in Angkor; how has tourism financially aided the local community?

Answer 28

• The Gecko Environment Centre (Tonie Sap Lake) is an educational visitor’s exhibition and uses tourist’s donations to support local communities and projects)
• Plan to build a Marriot Hotel south east of the Angkor Temple Region in Siem Reap (350 rooms employing 1000 new staff)

Question 29

Sustainable schemes beneficial for communities in Cambodia - Siem Raep in Angkor; how has the security of the area been improved?

Answer 29

• Park rangers employed at the entrances and exits to temples & a heritage police unit that enforce checks against suspicious individuals and bags to help prevent looting of the temple.

Question 30

Problems faced by Cambodia: Siem Raep in Angkor; describe the economic leakage.

Answer 30

 Softiel Royal hotel is foreign owned contributing to leakage (the World Bank estimates 55% of profit is lost through leakage in LEDCs), further leakage with the proposed Marriot Hotel (American owned). 90% of hotels in Siem Reap are foreign-owned limiting economic growth.

Question 31

Problems faced by Cambodia: Siem Raep in Angkor; what threats are posed to the historical site?

Answer 31

 Eco lodges (as a result of an increase in tourism) are proposed to be built in the Angkor Temple region of Siem Reap which can cause environmental damage, obstructed views, pollution (including visual), and disrespect to the temple having an impact on the local people.
 90% of figureheads and artworks have been stolen by thieves

Question 32

Problems faced by Cambodia: Siem Raep in Angkor; what economic problems do the locals face, apart from leakage?

Answer 32

 poor wages and conditions for workers (tuk-tuk driving 7 days a week from sunrise to sunset for $8 a day with $3 profit)
 decrease in tourism from 9/11 and the outbreak of the SARS virus and in winter months (seasonality of jobs)