Tourism development in the Egyptian Northwest Coast: a sustainable development approach

1
Tourism development in the Egyptian Northwest
Coast a sustainable development approach

• Dr. Eman Mohamed Helmy
• Department of Tourism Studies
• Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management
• Helwan University

2
Aim of the Paper

• The paper aims at introducing strategies and
  tools for developing tourism in the Egyptian
  Northwest Coast from a sustainability
  perspective, which implies economic, ecological
  and socio-cultural benefits to the whole sector.
• Key words The Egyptian Northwest Coast
  Sustainable tourism development Marine tourism
  Comprehensive planning International tourist
  market segments Eco-tourism.

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The Mediterranean tourism

• Over the past fifty years many Mediterranean
  destinations have managed to establish successful
  coastal resorts in the international tourist
  market
• Such destinations were pioneers of the phenomenon
  of mass tourism, providing holidays in the sun,
  sea and sand.
• This has resulted in very reputed resorts
  offering the Mediterranean beach product such as
  in France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Cyprus and
  Tunisia.

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The Mediterranean tourism

• in the recent years many of such Mediterranean
  destinations have been facing a fierce
  competition due to the rise of the long-haul
  destinations.
• Consequently, some of the Mediterranean resorts
  have became more traditional and failed to
  sustain their maturity while others have managed
  to rejuvenate features of their beach product
  through attracting new market segments and
  integrating new activities and fashionable themes
  into their traditional sun, sea and sand tourism
  product.

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The Mediterranean tourism

• Such rejuvenated destinations have recognized
  that sustainable development is the most
  compatible approach for remaining competitive in
  the international tourism markets,
• The Egyptian Mediterranean tourist product,
  however, has not, so far, positioned its marine
  tourist product in the international tourist
  market albeit it has been the mainstream for the
  domestic tourism market.

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The Egyptian Northwest Coast A brief overview

• Tourism development from 20 km west of Alexandria
  to Alameen (almost 100 km) has been characterized
  by enclave and private tourist resorts (villages)
  appealing to the upper to upper middle social
  classes of the domestic tourist market.
• This linear form of seaside tourist villages
  reflects the orientation of tourism development
  on the Northwest Coast towards the main centre of
  attraction, the beach.
• Such linear constructions have provoked a debate
  among developers and planners on the advantages
  and disadvantages of the current tourism
  development on the Northwest Coast

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Egyptian Northwest Coast The current situation

• Advantages
• such tourist villages have succeeded, to a
  great extent, to satisfy the needs of specific
  classes of the Egyptian community and thus to
  persuade them spending their holidays internally
  rather than traveling abroad. (reducing economic
  leakage).
• As tourism development in many sectors of the
  Northwest Coast had been retarded, the
  ecological, cultural and natural resources are
  still pure offering great opportunities for a
  future sustained tourism growth and competitive
  tourism products.

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Egyptian Northwest Coast The current situation

• Disadvantages
• Inability to develop products appealing to the
  international tourist market as well as a broader
  number of the domestic market.
• Units are used for few weeks all the year
  round
• Resorts are exclusive to owners of the units
• Resorts are separate and functional tourist
  villages that lack comprehensive master planning.
  

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Sustainable Tourism Development

• "Sustainable tourism development guidelines and
  management practices are applicable to all forms
  of tourism in all types of destinations,
  including mass tourism and the various niche
  tourism segments.
• Sustainability principles refer to the
  environmental, economic and socio-cultural
  aspects of tourism development, and a suitable
  balance must be established between these three
  dimensions to guarantee its long-term
  sustainability"
• (WTO, 2004).

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The Egyptian Northwest Coast sustainable tourism
approach

• This paper argues that
• potential tourism development in the Northwest
  Coast should go beyond establishing luxury hotels
  or resorts on the coastal line to look for more
  comprehensive tourism development.
• tourism development should be considered as part
  of a comprehensive development to the whole
  region and tourism development itself should have
  economic, natural, social, cultural and
  ecological objectives rather than establishing
  coastal resorts to increase the revenues.
• tourism development should help developing other
  economic and social activities which go in
  parallel and in harmony with tourism.

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Sustainable tourism development for the Northwest
Coast Comprehensive goals

• National goals
• Establishing new residential communities,
• Attracting investments
• Putting the Egyptian Northwest Coast on "the
  international tourism map and attracting more
  segments of marine and beach tourism,
• Help offering diversified tourism products
  that appeals to eco-tourists, special interest
  tourist markets, safari segments, cultural
  tourism, spa goers as well as beach and marine
  tourism.
• Creating a more distinctive image of the
  Egyptian marine tourism.

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Sustainable tourism development for the Northwest
Coast Comprehensive goals

• Regional and local goals
• Develop the coast in size, depth and scale behind
  the seafront by stretching tourism development
  into the desert areas.
• Improving the infrastructure services.
• Overcoming the sever problems of seasonality.
• Enhancing the social and recreational services of
  communities.
• Help developing other economic activities such as
  agriculture, handicrafts and small to medium size
  manufactures.
• Enhancing the average income of the citizen and
  living standards.
• Employing the area's folklore, festivals,
  atmosphere and style.
• Conserving the ecological and natural resources
  of the region.

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Sustainable tourism development for the Northwest
Coast Compatible strategies

• six guidelines to frame the work of developing
  the Northwest Coast as a sustained tourism
  destination
• Create not imitate,
• Competitive advantage,
• Integration and harmonization
• Comprehensive planning
• Strategic marketing and
• Employing sustainable tourism pillars and
  techniques

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Create not imitate

• The challenge is how to create a unique not a
  copied Mediterranean destination
• The task entails
• Evaluating experiences of other destinations
• Identifying Successes and pitfalls of their
  planning and marketing strategies
• Developing a unique and distinctive
  Mediterranean destination offering a different
  tourist experience by developing innovative
  tourist products.
• Even when the main product is the beach,
  resorts' styles, atmospheres and their relation
  to other desert ecological and cultural
  activities should reflect a special tourism
  experience.

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Competitive advantage

• Whereas comparative advantages involve the
  resources available to a destination, competitive
  advantages relate to a destination's ability to
  use these resources effectively over the long
  term. A destination endowed with a wealth or
  resources may not be as competitive as a
  destination that is lacking in resources but that
  utilizes the little it has much more effectively
• (Ritchie and Crouch, 2003).

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Survey on the Northwest Coast tourist resources

• Natural Resources
• Long turquoise beaches. According to the Egyptian
  Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban
  Communities and the Egyptian Tourism Development
  Authorities (TDA), the Northwest Coast has been
  divided into
• The eastern coast sector from the western
  borders of Alexandira Governorate till Ras
  EL-Hekma.
• The middle coast sector from Ras EL-Hekma till
  Eastern borders of EL-Negela.
• The western coast sector from EL-Negela till
  EL-Saloum.

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Natural resources

• Offer opportunities for developing beach and
  marine-based recreational, sport, fitness and
  therapeutic activities.
• - beach activities
• - marine sports windsurfing, yachting,
  fishing, booting, water skiing, sailingetc.

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Marine-based recreation

• Two phases will need to be considered
• the Northwest Coast will need firstly to position
  its resorts as destinations of marine recreation.
  
• When become reputable and well established, some
  of such marine activities can then solely attract
  tourists and visitors to practice or experience
  specific sports.
• Marketing campaigns should be able positioning
  the Northwest Coast recreational activities in
  the international markets. For example, fishing
  competitions can be organized where international
  contestants can participate.

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Spa product of the Northwest coast

• Constructing thalassotherapy centers as an
  amenity to be offered to the resorts' guests.
• Thalassotherapy is based mainly on heated
  seawater that can be used for treatments and
  refreshments.
• Such centers will help diversifying features of
  the beach product while ameliorating revenues
  attained by resorts.
• However, the success of the Egyptian
  thalassotherapy experience will depend upon the
  special management touch that will distinguish
  the thalassotherapy product of each resort from
  competitors as well as regulations of how to
  construct such centers without any sort of
  pollution of the seawater or deterioration to
  seashore.

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Ecological resources

• the coastal belt that extends from Alexandria
  west to Saloum, is characterized by the richest
  and most diverse flora in Egypt except for that
  of Gebel Elba.
• Abundance of vegetation, reptiles and mostly
  small mammals together with a high number of
  breeding birds.
• Protected areas EL-Omeid (83 km west of
  Alexandria) is a protected area renowned of its
  biodiversity. Most recently wide areas in Siwa
  oasis (306 km south-west of Marsa Matrouh), has
  been added to the Egypt's protected areas network

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Eco-Tourism

• All above ecological treasures show the great
  opportunity for approaching more sustainable
  tourism forms such as the eco-tourist market
  segments, characterized as very good spenders,
  responsible and tactful tourists.
• However, the planning and marketing schemes
  underpinning such ecological treasures are
  important for developing a unique tourist product
  depending primarily on marine tourism and
  partially on other tourism forms.

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Special interest tourism

• For example, the coast can attract the special
  interest tourist market segments like bird
  watchers during the bird migration seasons
  (autumn and spring). , who are fond of watching
  and observing different bird species
• Such zones should be considered as national
  parks planned, managed and marketed to meet the
  needs of such specialized segments.
• Special accommodation facilities like the
  ecolodge.
• Visitor centers where visitors can obtain
  publications, maps, CDs on the different bird
  species and natural biodiversity.
• Interpretation programs to visitors on how to
  enjoy the resources and natural sceneries without
  any harm to the sustainability of the ecological
  resources.

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Historical sites

• The Northwest Coast is rich in sites of ancient
  history as well as modern history.
• Such sites still need to adopt management
  techniques which will allow the sites increasing
  their revenues, satisfying their visitors,
  gaining better image as attractive sightseeing
  while conserving their resources.
• Technology-based tourism, employing multi-media
  as well as technological devices, can be used.
  For example, a cinema hall presenting IMAX shows
  on the El-Alamein battle will be very exciting
  and attractive to many international as well as
  domestic visitors
• visitor centers should be constructed, adjacent
  to the site or museum area where tourists can get
  all information about the site and buy all
  relevant materials and souvenirs.

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Cultural and folkloric resources

• One of the most distinctive resources of the
  regions is the culture, activities, rug and
  clothing handicrafts, folklore and traditions of
  its indigenous.
• All such activities produced by tribes of the
  Northwest Coast and Siwa can specifically appeal
  to the cultural and eco-tourist and successfully
  become an integral part of the tourist product
  offered to the beach tourism customers.
• Careful strategy should be followed to protect
  such cultures and folklore from commodification.
  Techniques of interpretation and social carrying
  capacity determination and limits of acceptable
  change should be implemented by tourism
  developers and planners.

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Integration and harmonization

• tourism development must be integrated into a
  comprehensive development of the Northwest Coast
• Tourism should not be regarded as the sole
  economic activity in the coast,
• Its development must go in parallel with
  agricultural and soft industries development,
  which will feed the tourism development with its
  requirements,
• Tourism development should also help flourishing
  not diminishing the rural and cottage industries
  of the local community such as sheep breeding,
  handicrafts and agriculture.
• Tourism must sustain the development of other
  small to medium enterprises which support such
  rural industries. For example, factories for
  dairy products, fruit drying and packing, juice
  extracting, natural water bottling can be
  established.
• Vegetable and fruit farms with its huge green
  spaces, different crops, relevant enterprises and
  outlets can be regarded as an attraction
  integrated into the marine and beach tourist
  product. While, such small to medium enterprises
  can be established by members of the local
  community.

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Integration and harmonization

• tourism development will create many other
  relevant enterprises such as windsurf rental
  agencies, charter yacht companies, taxi
  companies, coffee shops and entertainments
  activities. Nature and scope of investments
  required for such projects should be
  predetermined.
• Beach resorts should not be separated from the
  ecological, cultural and social surroundings.
• Harmonization with the ecology means that such
  resorts be constructed operated and monitored in
  accordance with predetermined environmental
  management and conservation programs.
• Cultural harmonization means that architectural
  designs, building materials, decorations and
  ambience of such resorts should reflect the
  culture and identity of the coast.
• Social harmonization means that such resorts will
  offer job opportunities to local indigenous and
  thus meeting the socio-economic goals of the
  Northwest Coast development policy. Tourist
  activities practiced in such resorts and demanded
  by their clients should not under any
  circumstances become a burden on the traditions
  and moralities of the society.

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Comprehensive planning

• A master plan for the Northwest Coast should be
  able considering many factors some of which are
  relevant to tourism development such as land use
  policies, required investment and capitals,
  infrastructure, carrying capacities (physical,
  environmental and social), local community
  involvement, environmental planning and
  management and cooperation and coordination among
  different stakeholders.
• SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses,
  Opportunities and Threats) should be able
  emphasizing potentials and threats to tourism
  development in the Northwest Coast and monitoring
  the planning programs to achieve the
  predetermined goals.

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Comprehensive planning

• sustainability demands a strategic planning
  which is still the responsibility of the
  government and its relevant authorities.
• For example, the government holds the
  responsibility of implementing land-use planning
  measures such as zones, carrying capacity
  analysis, and limits of acceptable change (LAC)
  to control development .
• Surveying features, facilities, services and
  themes of the other coastal destinations, of the
  twenty two individual countries adjoining the
  Mediterranean, in order to differentiate the
  Egyptian products from others.

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Zoning

• Land-use of the Northwest Coast suggests
  determining the following zones
• Accommodation and resort zones,
• Recreational zones,
• Leisure and entertainment zones,
• Protected areas zones,
• Infrastructure zones,
• Feeding industries zones,
• Residential zones.

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Strategic Marketing

• Strategic management implies that the Northwest
  Coast should set long-term objectives using
  industry benchmarking which necessitates looking
  at standards of marine tourist product offered by
  the most successful coastal destinations.
• Benchmark technique will allow marketers
  determine the most effective strategies for
  putting the Northwest Coast in the international
  tourist maps with a complete analysis of the
  total environment (politics, economy, technology,
  ecology, customer trends, personnel, competitors
  and suppliers etc.).

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challenging factors while marketing the Northwest
Coast

• Core challenges positioning and differentiating.
• The Northwest Coast will need to elaborate two
  strategies to position its marine product in the
  international tourist market
• The first strategy focuses on specific product
  attributes and how far such attributes are able
  to satisfy the needs of the targeted market
  segments. Natural, historical, cultural and
  ecological features.
• The second strategy is positioning the Northwest
  Coast tourist product, especially the marine
  product, against existing competitors.

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Positioning the Northwest coast tourist product

• Studying the competition arena.
• Market segmentation identifying target
  customer(s) and their demands.
• Promotional images All promotional tools should
  be able transmitting a distinguishable message
  impacting on the perception of the targeted
  segments.
• Marketing distinctiveness all marketing mix
  components and campaigns should be different from
  other competitors. For example, although the
  Northwest Coast will need to develop its own
  website as a marine tourist destination, the web
  site must have a very special touch.
• Joint marketing All resorts can jointly finance
  a very big and aggressive marketing campaign for
  the Egyptian Northwest Coast tourist product to
  strengthen their competitive advantage

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Sustainable tourism pillars for the Northwest
Coast

• Environmental sustainability,
• Local community sustainability,
• Economic sustainability and
• Visitor satisfaction sustainability.

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Visitor satisfaction sustainability

• To approach the targeted market segments and to
  attract repeat customers, the Northwest Coast
  tourism development should be able meeting the
  expectations of its visitors and considering its
  tourist product as a unique experience which the
  tourist would like to repeat.
• Total Quality Management (TQM) can play a great
  role in reaching the international standards of
  services and amenities.

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Conclusion

• The paper showed the opportunities and strengths
  that sustainable development can offer to help
  positioning the Egyptian Northwest coast in the
  international tourist marketing.
• The paper also suggested a set of strategies and
  justified the employment of environmental,
  economic and social techniques for achieving a
  comprehensive sustainable tourism development of
  the Egyptian Northwest Coast.
• However, there are certain threats and challenges
  to tourism development in the Northwest Coast
  such as competition, seasonality and shortage in
  investments.

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Economic sustainability

• Ensure viable and long-term revenues and receipts
  not only on the local and regional scale but also
  on the national level. It can also generate day
  trips to Cairo and Alexandria which will benefit
  other regions' economy.
• On the micro-level, tourism development of the
  Northwest Coast will benefit many tourist
  projects and optimize profits of the relevant
  enterprises.
• Sustainability of the socio-economic impacts
  should guarantee more job opportunities and
  better living standards to the local communities.

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Environmental sustainability

• Ecological parameters to sustain the physical as
  well as the human environment must be
  implemented.
• For example, instruments of "Environmental Impact
  Assessment EIA and environmental auditing are
  two crucial techniques to assure that the
  proposed and existing tourism projects
• marine activities (such as vessels, boating
  and fishing)
• physical establishments (such as resorts,
  piers, observation platforms, wharves and boat
  ramps) - are in harmony with the eco-system and
  fulfill the theme of sustainable development.
• waste and garbage management projects are
  urgently needed.
• The Environmental Management System (EMS) of the
  Northwest Coast should be backed with rules and
  legislations. For example, rules can be used to
  restrict type of vessels permitted to access
  sensitive areas.

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Local community sustainability

• Indigenous people should access the economic
  benefits as well as recreational facilities of
  the proposed tourism development. Hence, not all
  recreational and marine activities would be
  exclusive to certain resorts but, on the
  contrary, available for the use by the public.
• Offering opportunities for a well structured
  guest-host contact rather than the enclave
  development approach.
• The socio-cultural preservation and conservation
  of traditions should be regarded as a key element.

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