Potential contribution of social impact assessment (SIA) to responsible tourism management: Findings from Bulgaria

1
Potential contribution of social impact
assessment (SIA) to responsible tourism
management Findings from Bulgaria

• Lucy McCombes (Leeds Metropolitan University
  International Centre for Responsible Tourism)
• Yvette Evers (University of Geneva)
• Sofia, Bulgaria
• 4 December, 2012

2

• Importance of a responsible tourism approach for
  developing and positioning the Danube brand

• What is responsible tourism?

3
What Responsible Tourism is NOT!

• RT is NOT a brand of tourism/type of tourism
• RT is NOT just ecotourism, community-based
  tourism etc
• RT is NOT poor quality

4
What is Responsible Tourism?

• SUSTAINABLE APPROACH to managing all types of
  tourism
• Making better places for people to live in and
  better places for people to visit (in this
  order!)
• Based on objectives of Cape Town Declaration on
  Responsible Tourism (2002)

5
Objectives of Responsible TourismCape Town
Declaration (2002)

• minimises negative economic, environmental, and
  social impacts
• generates greater economic benefits for local
  people and enhances the well-being of host
  communities, improves working conditions and
  access to the industry
• involves local people in decisions that affect
  their lives and life chances
• makes positive contributions to the conservation
  of natural and cultural heritage, to the
  maintenance of the worlds diversity
• provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists
  through more meaningful connections with local
  people, and a greater understanding of local
  cultural, social and environmental issues
• provides access for physically challenged people
  and
• is culturally sensitive, engenders respect
  between tourists and hosts, and builds local
  pride and confidence

6
RT

• RT identifying taking responsibility for
  achieving sustainable development through tourism
• RT identifying social, economic environmental
  priorities at a local level and taking action
• RT market led involves industry doing
  business differently ( profitably) for benefit
  of host communities
• RT setting targets measuring impacts
• RT accepts growth of tourism is
  inevitable...better learn to manage it maximise
  the positive impacts esp. for host communities.

7
Social impacts of tourism

• Negative

• Positive

• Damage commodification of hosts culture
• Invasion private/sacred space
• Can contribute to increased crime, begging,
  gambling etc
• Result in displacement
• Unequal relationships between hosts guests
• Inequitable distribution of profits

• Increase in cross-cultural understanding
• Counters poverty
• Maintenance/celebration of local host culture
• Vehicle for empowerment of women, minority groups
  economically poor
• Tourism is like fire...!!!

8
Social impacts Umbrella for different types of
impacts on societies (Vanclay, 2002)

• Social impacts result from changes to peoples
• Way of life
• Culture
• Community
• Political systems
• Environment
• Health well-being
• Personal property rights
• Fears aspirations

9

• What social change (positive negative) do you
  think increased tourism development will bring to
  the Danube?
• In practice, how does DCC plan to identify and
  manage the potential social impacts on host
  communities?

10
Challenges

• Difficulties in understanding, measuring
  monitoring qualitative complex socio-cultural
  impacts
• Confusing amount of different methods out there
• Managing social impacts a key part of RT that is
  weak in practice......
• Typically stakeholders in tourism development
  rarely take the time effort to find out ahead
  what the social impact of their resort,
  technology culture etc will be on the host
  societies

11
What is needed our view

• Pragmatism since many social impacts cannot be
  quantified
• Embed methods for greater
• stakeholder participation
• social analysis/impact assessment
• identification of mitigating/maximisation
  measures
• ....into existing ways of doing things in
  tourism

12
Our Question

• Can Social Impact Assessment (SIA) approach/
  methods help us manage the social impacts of
  tourism in a destination responsibly?

13
Social Impact Assessment revised definition
The process of analysing, monitoring managing
the intended unintended social consequences,
both positive and negative, of planned
interventions (policies, programs, plans
projects) and any social change processes invoked
by those interventions so as to bring about a
more sustainable equitable biophysical human
environment Frank Vanclay (IAIA), 2002
14
About SIA

• Role for SIA in all stages in project cycle
• Methodology informed by anthropology,
  participatory approaches, sustainable livelihoods
  analysis, social development approach
• Philosophy about development democracy
• SIA Principles include
• Addressing poverty
• Community participation empowerment
• Sustainability
• Maximise positive impacts of development
  minimise costs
• Understands impact pathways
• ....overlap with Responsible Tourism

15
Methodology Participatory SIA Process
16
Case Study Pilot SIA Bulgaria

• Story of pilot project we did with Odysseia-In to
  illustrate what SIA looks like
• Process of analysing managing social impacts of
  tourism valuable elsewhere e.g. DCC.
• How met BAAT/Odysseia-In
• Responsibletravel.com tours
• Idea to link these things pilot SIA approach in
  tourism context
• 12 days 2011

17
Odysseia-inhttp//www.hiking-bulgaria.com/index.h
tml

• Founded by Lubomir Popiordanov
• Special interest travel company that loves
  Bulgaria and knows it well
• Pioneers of RT in Bulgaria
• Leading Bulgarian operator for culture
  adventure tours
• Authentic experiences
• Pilot 4 holidays for responsibletravel.com (ski
  walking craft multi-activity)

18
F

• Founded 2001 (15 holidays)
• Now UKs largest RT tour operator (6,000
  holidays)
• Enable travellers to contact pre-screened tour
  operators hotel managers directly to make a
  booking
• Demonstrate RT criteria how they make a
  difference

19
Aims Objectives of Pilot

1. Pilot SIA approach on 2 communities to identify
   opportunities indicators to integrate social
   management systems into Odysseia-Ins existing
   ways of doing things
2. Demonstrate what Odysseia-In are doing to be a
   responsible travel company and manage their
   social impacts (i.e. avoid Greenwashing)

20
STEP 1. Understanding the issues

• Odysseia-In Staff Workshop
• Introduction to SIA approach
• Map Odysseia-In product planning processes
• Identify Odysseia-In RT policy practice
• Collate background information on tours tourism
  in Bulgaria

21
Odysseia-In RT practice
Responsible Tourism Policy Component How done in practice How evidence/monitor
Keep the Money Local E.g. Policy to use local accommodation guides E.g. Calculation of Odysseia-In average local spend on suppliers
Create (local) jobs training opportunities rewarding work environment for staff
Give back to communities visited
Protect local environment
Protect local culture/heritage
22
Odysseia-In New Product Development/ Planning
Process
23
Context Odysseia-Ins walking tours

• Case studies 2 communities (Kolofer Gorno
  Draglishte) included in their Pan-Parks hiking
  wildlife tour
• Meet environmental, social economic criteria of
  responsibletravel

24
Community profile in community case studies

• Introduce SIA objectives
• Host interview (timeline of tourism development
  tourist profile numbers stakeholder analysis
  to understand who is providing services to
  Odysseia-In, relationships, interests
  decision-making around tourism development)
• Collect community baseline data
• Community walk to map existing/potential sites
  and services that Odysseia-In tourists use/could
  use/impact on

25
Gorno Draglishte Profile

• Razlog Valley, southern slopes of Rila Mountains
  NP
• Population 900
• Livelihoods agriculture, livestock, timber,
  tourism
• Tourism assets guesthouses, restaurant, bar,
  wooden rug basin, church, hiking, folklore
• Also data on
• Tourist numbers/season
• Transportation
• Facilities
• Community groups
• Decision-making
• Time-line for tourism

26
Kalofer Profile

• Rose Valley on mountain foot of Central Balkan
  mountains NP
• Population 3,083
• Livelihoods tourism, army uniforms, light
  machinery, agriculture, military base
• Tourism assets museum of famous revoluntionary
  hero poet Hristo Botev, rose festival,
  architecture, lace making
• Visitor numbers c.26,000 museum visitors, 10,000
  eco-trail
• Also data on
• Transportation
• Facilities
• Community Groups
• Decision-making
• Time-line for tourism

27
STEP 2. Predicting the likely impacts

• Stakeholder workshop /or informal interviews
  of stakeholders on community walk to
• Identify and rank potential/ existing impacts of
  Odysseia-In
• Identify stakeholder interests
• Identify how know/show/evidence (i.e. indicators)
  these impacts
• Identify potential actions for Odysseia-In to
  maximise positive minimise negative impacts

28
Impacts identified
GORNO DRAGHLISTE GORNO DRAGHLISTE GORNO DRAGHLISTE
Socio-economic Environmental Cultural
Income and employment () (Illegal) clear-cutting of trees (-) Growing popularity of village, produce trademark they are well-known for (identity) ()
Success of Kyshta Deshka guesthouse as a model for others () Contact with tourists gives them more knowledge about the environment () Inter-cultural contact with international tourists ()
Uneven distribution of tourism benefits (-) Green schools (funded by tourism) have positive impact -() Need to change in order to understand interests of tourists (while not losing their cultural heritage) ()
A few young people returning to the village () Risk of modernization - losing rurality and folklore identity/traditions (-)
Welcome people from city who know how to do business () Risk of attracting big outside investors (-) Children start to value the village as outsiders appreciating what is available ()
KALOFER KALOFER KALOFER
Socio-economic Environmental Cultural
Income and employment (to guesthouse(s), restaurants, museums, folklore groups, shops/market) () Pan Parks tours financial contribution () but tourists lack understanding of importance (-) Valuing local cultural traditions (), consider opportunities for more (e.g. lace maker)
A few younger generation setting up new businesses () Awareness-raising by Odysseia-In guides ()
Odyessia does not utilise all of the tourism resources available (-) Mountain hut fees support maintenance hut and local association ()
Other opportunities to support CBNP and ecotrail not yet considered (-)
29
STEP 3. Developing strategies

• Analysis of findings to
• Review Odysseia-In responsible tourism approach
  in practice
• Identify potential actions for Odysseia-In to
  manage their social impacts across the business
  (action plan)

30
SIMPSocial Impact Management Plan

• Opportunities to embed actions to manage social
  impacts into existing way of doing things _at_
  Odysseia-In
• Annual report on Odysseia-In impacts
• RT policy and practical approach
• Marketing/product info
• Product development study tours
• Partner websites (e.g. rt.com)
• Tourist client feedback questionnaires
• Advocacy project work (e.g. Green Lodge scheme)

31
STEP 4. Developing monitoring programmes

• Identify indicators and data sources for
  Odysseia-In to monitor and report on their social
  impacts
• Feedback findings to staff and community case
  studies

32
What did we learn?Adaptations to SIA for this
context

• Not feasible to carry out SIA in each community
  where Odysseia-In operates so used case studies
  to indicate broad types of impact potential
  actions
• Embedding into existing planning/operational
  processes
• Just enough principle in data collection i.e.
  to meet business needs versus doing an academic
  study
• Simple cost-effective methods of data
  collection to facilitate rapid transfer of SIA
  skills to Odysseia-In staff
• Need to add additional 5th stage to provide
  support to implement social impact action
  plan(where we are now)

33
Questions?

• What do you think were the strengths weaknesses
  of SIA in practice?
• What is the business case for doing a
  SIA/managing your social impacts?
• Do you think carrying out a SIA would be useful
  in another tourism context that you know of?

34
Strengths weaknesses of SIA in this context
Strengths Weaknesses
Capitalises on local knowledge Identification of opportunities for embedding SIA into existing operations Transect walk easy to do , raised issues that may not have arisen in a more formal workshop identified potential product development opportunities Capacity building of Odysseia-in staff Brings key tourism stakeholders together Enables you to take practical action put systems in place to manage social impacts of your tourism business May raise false expectations in the community Need to adopt explanation and definition of SIA slightly in line with specific and business context Scalability will it work on a bigger scale? Danger in fast-tracking the process too much Difficulties differentiating between impacts of tourism generally and that of Odysseia-in specifically Risk of bias from participants Hard to predict potential impacts of tourism if not yet developed Time, financial and human resources capacity needed
35
Business case Why should Odysseia-In bother
with SIA?

• Competitive advantage in relation to other
  Bulgarian travel companies international tour
  operators/partners
• Avoid green washing
• Support BAAT/Odysseia-In advocacy role nationally
• Credibility in the communities where they work
• Improve the experience and product for tourists
  by providing opportunities to meet with local
  people etc
• Reduce risks e.g. exposure of negative practice
• Improved planning internal management systems ?
  cost-savings
• Staff motivation
• Potential to increase product sales
• Identify new opportunities for product
  development
• Initial SIA process provides valuable (external)
  analysis

36
Applying SIA in other contexts(e.g. Danube
Competence Centre)

• Identify how to manage positive negative social
  impacts at 3 different levels
• 1. Project-specific
• (ex. Danube hiking/biking itinerary)
• 2. Institutional
• (ex. DCC ME and reporting)
• 3. Product development
• (ex. integrate into existing DCC
  operations/brand)

37
Objectives of SIA for DCC ATTA

• Train staff and build capacity
• Identify positive negative impacts
• Identify mitigating measures
• Set up indicators, action plan and reporting
  mechanism

38
Contact details

• Lucy McCombes
• Research Fellow Consultant, ICRETH, Leeds
  Metropolitan University,
• l.mccombes_at_leedsmet.ac.uk
• Yvette Evers
• Research Associate, Institute of Environmental
  Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland
• Social Impact Associates www.socialimpactassociate
  s.com
• yvette_at_socialimpactassociates.com