Trends In International Ecotourism

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Trends In International Ecotourism

• Kotzebue, April 2001

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Trends Leading to Ecotourism

• Increases in the overall travel market.
• Growth in popularity of vacations to natural
  areas-particularly dramatic growth rates to parks
  in developing countries.
• Massive dissatisfaction with the simplistic
  travel packages offered by travel firms and
  facilities.
• Urgent need to generate funding and human
  resources for the management of protected areas
  in ways
  that meet the needs of local rural
  populations.
• Recognition of the importance of tourism
  within the
  field of sustainable
  development.

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Trends Leading to Ecotourism

• Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural
  areas that conserves the environment and sustains
  the wellbeing of local people.
• The Ecotourism Society, 1991

• Differs from Adventure Travel because it
  targets people who want to learn while they are
  on a trip.

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Principles of Ecotourism

• Avoids negative natural and cultural impacts that
  can damage or destroy the integrity or character
  of natural or cultural environments being
  visited.
• Educates the traveler on the importance of
  conservation.
• Directs revenues to the conservation of natural
  areas and the management of protected areas.
• Brings economic benefits to local
  communities and directs
  revenues to local
  peoples living adjacent to protected areas.

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Principles of Ecotourism

• Emphasizes the need for planning and sustainable
  growth of the tourism industry and seeks to
  ensure that tourism development does not exceed
  the social and environmental "carrying capacity."
• Retains a higher percentage of revenues in the
  host country by stressing the use of locally
  owned facilities and services.
• Increasingly relies on infrastructure that has
  been developed sensitively in harmony with the
  environment minimizing use of fossil fuels,
  conserving local plant and wildlife and blending
  with

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Ecotourism Lodge Study

• The Ecotourism Society Nature Lodge Financing
  Study, Ecotourism Development Policy Forum
  Ecolodge

• Built in harmony with its cultural and natural
  environment and developed in cooperation with
  local community

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Nature Lodge Financing Study

• 360 surveys sent to known nature lodges around
  the world in spring, 1999
• 121 initial responses analyzed
• Recent surge in business formation
• 1990-1999 63 growth
• Basically a "Mom and Pop" industry
• 49 sole proprietorship or family owned
• 52 owner-operated

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Nature Lodge Financing Study

• Industry suffers from low overall occupancy rates
• Industry average occupancy is in the low
  50 range
• Only one-third over conventional
  break-even point of 60 occupancy
• Low occupancy partially offset by fairly high
  rates
• 128 Average Daily Rate per person, double
  occupancy, high-season rates
• 66 of above include meals

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How Projects have been Financed

• How projects have been financed
• Owner's own equity 58
• Commercial bank loans 12
• Investments have been small and incremental
• Start small and add over time
• Market is fragile, hard to be in right place at
  right time
• Market identity take a number of years

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Single biggest perceived obstacle

• Lack of financing to expand/upgrade
  facilities 24
• Lack of financing for marketing activities 16
• Small fish in a very large pond. Must be
  extremely strategic. Up against some of the
  biggest operators in the business. Think about
  how as a group you can advertise the type of
  marketing you're going to achieve.

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Profitability of EcoLodges

• 15, 1-30 rooms
• 23, over 30 rooms
• high end and low end is profitable
• 50-175 a night losing money

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1995 North American EcoTourist Profile

• 35-54 years old
• 50/50 male/female
• depends on what activity, but
  evens out with full survey
• 82 college graduates
• very high amount of education
• "Lifelong Learners"
• Take courses still

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Trip Characteristics

• Trips lasting 8-14 days
• Trips skewing to shorter days
• Willing to commit more time and money than
  average tourist
• Wilderness setting/wildlife
• People increasingly in urban environment, suburbs
  have same ills as urban
• Want to do reverse of lifestyle than where they
  live
• Travel as couples
• Family travel depends on a robust economy

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Coming Soon from the AOT

• Tourism Funding Handbook
• Community Tourism Development Guidelines
  Handbook
• Business Permitting Guidelines

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Useful Resources

• Alaska Office of Tourism Web Page
• http//www.dced.state.ak.us/econdev/home.htm
• Economic Development Resource Guide
• http//www.dced.state.ak.us/mra/EDRG/EDRG.htm
• Community Profile Database
• http//www.dced.state.ak.us/mra/CF_COMDB.htm
• Establishing a Business In Alaska
• http//www.dced.state.ak.us/econdev/pub/estab98.p
  df
• Commercial Visitor Services in Alaska
  http//www.fs.fed.us/r10/cvsguide/

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How To Reach Us

• Ginny Fay Tourism Director
• 907-465-2012 ginny_fay _at_dced.state.ak.us
• Caryl McConkie Business Development, Planning
  Marketing
• 907-465-5478 caryl_mcconkie_at_dced.state.ak.us
• Aneta Synan Community Planning Lands
  Management
• 907-465-3961 aneta_synan_at_dced.state.ak.us
• Odin Brudie Transportation Trails Planning
• 907-465-5466 odin_brudie_at_dced.state.ak.us
• Lillian Ruedrich Workshop Planning Training
• 907-465-2162 lillian_ruedrich_at_dced.state.ak.us
• Our Fax [phone]
• Alaska Office of Tourism, PO Box 110809, Juneau,
  AK 99811

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