Transcript GEOG 2026 Principles and Practice of Eco
GEOGRAPHY 2091
Principles and Practice of
Eco-tourism
Course Teacher
Yiping Li
Department of Geography The University of Hong Kong
Spring 2010
GEOG 2091 Principles and Practice of Eco-tourism #1.1
General Introduction
Textbook:
Weaver, D. (2008).
Ecotourism.
Milton, Qld. Australia: John Wiley & Sons (ISBN: 0470813040 )
Recommended readings:
Fennell, D. A (2008)
Ecotourism: An introduction.
New York, NY: Routledge (ISBN:9780415429313 ) (
electronic source is also available
) Other reference papers will be recommended relevant to specific lectures of this course
MAIN FOUCS
Examine issues of eco-tourism from perspectives of different agents:
–
host communities, tourists, environmentalists and industry
Analyze interactions between tourism and natural environment through global cases
Discuss prospects of eco-tourism development in Hong Kong and China
Lecture Topics
What is ecotourism?
General concepts and basic terms
Ecotourism in local context (
Landscapes of Hong Kong and the ecotourism prospects
):
Principles of ecotourism
Evolution of “green” standards for tourism
Green consumers
vs
green travellers
Ecotourism environments
Ecotourism impacts Practice of ecotourism
Structure of the ecotourism industry
Planning for ecotourism
–
Community involvement
Marketing for eco-tourism
–
Ecotourism ethics and certification
Customer care and risk management for ecotourism
Prospects of local ecotourism development
Analysis of cases in Hong Kong and China
Exercise
Field study and / or volunteer Project presentation
Please Note:
Course content and order of presentations may
DEVIATE
from the general outline of the content due to unforeseen circumstances.
Course Objectives
By the completion of this course, each student will have had the opportunities to enhance competencies in:
knowledge of current trends in ecotourism ability to discuss the importance of the local ecology, culture, history and economic development balanced with a social responsibility ability to identify ecotourism markets developing a feasibility study for potential ecotourism projects knowledge of eco tour planning and site development
LECTURE NOTES
No lecture notes will be distributed
The teaching notes of each lecture will be placed in this course weblink: http://geog.hku.hk/undergrad/geog2091/
Mutual Expectations & Codes of Civility
You can expect me to
Come prepared for, and attend, all lectures regularly and punctually I demand the same from you, and will consider these unacceptable behaviors:
Reading during a lecture
Consuming food or drink
Littering the lecture room
Using MP3, mobile phone, etc., which may impede the ability of you or other students to learn
If we all abide by this code of civility and mutual respect, we set the stage for a healthy and stimulating intellectual forum.
Assessment (100% Coursework)
Your standing in this course will be based on your performance in completing 2 written assignments and an open-book quiz
Purposes:
Offer you an opportunity to penetrate fairly deeply into an issue or theme of
ecotourism
studies
Help you coordinate and consolidate concepts and information obtained from the readings and the lectures through critical and practical applications
In general, your final grade will be gained by your performance in completing the following:
Assignment #1: Advertising analysis
(20 points, due by 4:30pm on Monday, March 8 th , 2010)
Cut out a tourism ad (preferably focused on ecotourism or nature-based tourism) in a magazine, a newspaper, a brochure, or a website, etc. From the message received, thoroughly describe: – – – – the audience you think is being targeted how the ad described the product of sale whether or not the ad described the 4 criteria of ecotourism, and why you think the ad was successful/unsuccessful at reaching/attracting its target audience Your analysis should be completed within 350 words, and submitted together with the original tourism ad. Delay submission will result in mark deduction or zero mark
Assignment #2: Field study project
(40 points, due by 4:30pm Friday, April 30 th , 2010)
Participate in a field trip to HK Wetland Park (March 6 th ) Do a critical reflection of HK Wetland Park, with regards to the Park’s development in terms of the 4 criteria of ecotourism – It is natural-based tourism practice – – – Education is a priority message that is delivered to audience Target of development should be sustainable tourism It is, after all, part of the tourism industry Hand in your field study project of 1500 words (minimum requirement) exclusive of references and footnotes in double-space presentation on A4 paper.
Your must follow Geography Department’s Guidelines on the Use of Reference Materials You must submit your written assignments via
Geography Department Assignment Collection Box
Department’s General Office. Other means of submission will NOT be accepted in the If you have any questions regarding my method of assessing your performance in this course, please do not hesitate to contact your TA or me
Assignment #3: Open-book quiz
(40 points, in the last lecture of this course)
This will be a 60-minute quiz. Quiz content will be 100% based on lecture notes. Missing it will result in a 40% loss of your final mark for this course
My office hours:
Tuesday 14:30 – 17:30
My office:
#306 Hui Oi Chow Building
GEOG 2091 Principles and Practice of Eco-tourism
#1.2
General Concepts & Basic Terms Learning Objectives:
Explain the circumstances that resulted in the emergence of ecotourism – – – The basic terminology and concept Fundamental principles for practice Who would be ecotourists?
Understand the complexities for applying the concept of sustainability to ecotourism practice Appreciate importance of geographic knowledge for studying ecotourism
Reference:
Weaver, D. (2008).
Ecotourism (Chapter#1).
Milton, Qld. Australia: John Wiley & Sons Martin, M. (2005). Weather, Climate and Tourism: a Geographic Perspective. Annals of Tourism Research 22 (3): 571-591
Learning objective #1
Explain the circumstances that resulted in the emergence of ecotourism – – The basic terminology and concept Fundamental principles for practice
Question #1 (for your homework): What are the
4 platforms
that Jafari (1989) suggested the field of tourism studies has advanced through since the end of World War II?
Please read: Weaver, D. (2008).
Ecotourism (Chapter#1).
Milton, Qld. Australia: John Wiley & Sons
Conceptualizing basic terminology and concept What Are the 4 Core Criteria of ECOTOURISM ?
Practice :
–
a form of tourism
Resource – Nature-based (occurs in a natural setting)
Moral Ideal/Principle: – Educative (enhance environmental learning and awareness)
Planning & Management Objective – Sustainable for both destination community and nature environment
NATURE-BASED – Eco refers to ‘ecological’; with reference to nature & the environment, such as the flora and fauna of an area.
Should all nature based tourism be regarded as eco-tourism?
To be include ECO-TOURISM
2
, the tourism practice must also other elements
1. EDUCATION
2. SUSTAINABILIT Y
Who would be ecotourists: 3 market segments?
1
）
Socially Aware Segment
– aged between 35 and 49 – – – – the most educated of all the groups employed as upmarket professionals earning over AU$77,000 taking a thoughtful and strategic approach to life being politically and socially active and environmentally aware
2
。 – –
Visible Achiever Segment
aged between 35 and 49 working in upmarket professional positions and earning over AU$77,000 – seeking recognition, status and evidence of success ( houses, expensive and unusual holidays)
e.g.
cars,
3. Young Optimists Segment
– aged between 18 and 24 – being the active, trendy, outgoing student generation – being trend setters, ambitious and career oriented – being interested in adventure based tours, always collecting new experiences, ideas and relationships – being often the children of the Visible Achievers or Socially Aware segments.
In general, some distinct characteristics of an Eco tourist can be identified as the following
Age
–
largest group: around age of 20-40
–
a second large group: 55 years and older
Education and Income
–
more educated than other tourists, with an interest in learning about the environment
–
earning higher incomes
Seasonality
–
general tourists - favour definite seasons at most destinations
–
eco-tourists tend to travel all year round and are not as seasonally biased
Environmental Behaviour
–
more likely to be involved in pro-environmental behavior at home
recycling household waste
purchasing green products
–
many of them belong to conservation organizations, but are not necessarily active in them
having a more intellectual interest in the environment
rather than hands-on experience
Accommodation Preferences
–
More interested in specialist accommodation in a natural setting than traditional star-rated hotels
farmstays
bed and breakfasts
private cottages
Circumstances that resulted in the emergence of ecotourism:
3 factors
SOCIETAL CHANGES :
–
media effect and shift in education => people’s social and environmental awareness (
identify a current example in Hong Kong
)
CHANGES IN TOURISTS’ INTERESTS :
–
traveling more widely => becoming more adventurous => questioning about places of visit (
identify a current example in Hong Kong
)
THE STRATEGY OF THE INDUSTRY :
–
being informative and educative is integral to the product (
identify a current example in Hong Kong
)
To what extent could a balance
between
Entertainment
and
Education
ecotourism be achieved in practice?
We must remember
ECOTOURISM
is
a form of tourism
it is, after all, an industry
entertainment
So it is crucial the above question be appreciated
Learning objective #2
Understand the complexities for applying the concept of sustainability to ecotourism practice:
Questions #2 & #3 (for your homework): – Under what circumstances is it appropriate to advocate a policy, respectively, of steady state or enhancement sustainability in ecotourism ?
– What are the potential costs and benefits of applying steady state and enhancement sustainability to a local community?
Please read:
Weaver, D. (2008).
Ecotourism (Chapter#1).
Milton, Qld. Australia: John Wiley & Sons
Some guidelines for
Sustainable Management of Ecotourism:
1) Managing the physical stresses on the environment by taking these issues into consideration (natural aspect) 2) Recognize the need for local communities to benefit from tourism (
the social aspect
) Sustaining the well-being ( both culturally and economically ) of local community is the ESSENCE of the eco-tourism philosophy
Community participation in the development process
Question #2 Under what circumstances is it appropriate to advocate a policy, respectively, of steady state or enhancement sustainability ecotourism?
in – – Steady state
Maintain what is there already?
– Any actions need to be taken?
Enhancement sustainability
Sustain what is there already?
– Any actions need to be taken?
Question #3 What are the potential costs and benefits of applying steady state and enhancement sustainability to a local community?
Please read the textbook pp. (14 - 16)
Learning objective #3
Appreciate importance of geographic knowledge for studying ecotourism
– – Geographical space as a requirement for economic activities including tourism (why???) Tourism location => 2 factors
Spatial – distance – – – – – accessibility transport costs presence of markets concentration of economic activities etc.
Environmental – Natural – weather and climate – Cultural
The factor of natural environment => – Climate as a resource, particularly for ecotourism
Characteristics – – – – – – Is free Can’t be transported or stored Distribution varies in space and time; and is decisive in tourism demand and supply Has extreme weather events that need associated response plans Affects elements of the natural and human system • • • • Physical (the case of rain and wind) Physiological (the case of temperature and humidity Psychological (the case of cloud cover) Tourism climatology and tourist perception Climate changes because of human activities – Climate as an attraction =>
Weather, climate and ecotourism tourism planning
Homework
Find out the carrying capacity set for Mai Po Nature Reserve 10 years ago Find out the carrying capacity set for Mai Po Nature Reserve now Discuss the implications of the difference (if there is any)