Guyana’s Make or Break Moment for Tourism

[Above: Impenetrable jungles line the Courantyne River between Guyana and Suriname. Photo: Devika McWalters]

As the daughter of Guyanese immigrants, I have experienced the conditions of the fledgling tourism industry in Guyana firsthand and know it leaves a lot to be desired. I have also witnessed its unique offerings for adventure travelers and can see it has great potential.

The sleepy village of Orealla in Guyana welcomes visitors and tourists.

The sleepy village of Orealla in Guyana welcomes visitors and tourists. Photo: Devika McWalters.

A recent report by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) echoes this view and also signifies an important “make or break” point for destination stewardship in this eco-rich country. The December 2015 report, “Tourism and Ecotourism Development in Guyana: Issues and Challenges and the Critical Path Forward”, provides a thoughtful and comprehensive overview of the current situation, potential for growth, and main obstacles facing this undiscovered ecotourism destination on the northern coast of South America.

Amerindian residents of Orealla rely on the river for their daily life.

Guyana’s indigenous communities rely on its clean rivers for survival. Tourism may create jobs but raises concerns about pollution and disruption of their daily lives. Photo: Devika McWalters.

Unfortunately, the danger of this well-meaning report is that it fails to provide a stewardship framework. There are many issues investors, policymakers, tourism companies, residents, and other stakeholders need to consider before acting on the report’s suggestions, one of which is improving the quality of lodging and transportation links.

Guyana's ecolodges can be difficult to access , such as the Orealla Guest House, which takes several hours to reach by private boat.

Guyana’s ecolodges can be difficult to access , such as the Orealla Guest House, which takes several hours to reach by private boat. Photo: Devika McWalters.

My parents and I once visited the Orealla Guest House, located in a small village some 50 miles south of the Atlantic coast and accessible only by boat. Building highways to reach such eco-lodges and natural attractions seems like an obvious solution for improving accessibility, but ultimately, is doing so at the expense of clearing rain forests and destroying the fabric of this peaceful, pristine environment worth it? What will happen when the indigenous peoples – the current stewards of these lands – are forced to move when their rivers and streams are overfished or polluted by nearby hotels and lodges? How will the environment and wildlife be affected by noise and disruptions caused by new airports and runways? These issues are not raised, nor are other proactive measures or safeguards offered for stakeholders to consider while conceiving new tourism policies.

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Amerindian residents of Orealla, Guyana are concerned about how tourism will affect their remote and peaceful village. Photo: Devika McWalters.

The report does, however, provide a sequential plan of five imperatives as a helpful starting point:

  1. Gather and analyze data to inform policies.
  2. Engage stakeholders in creating a master development plan based on social, economic, and financial analysis.
  3. Create a logical and coherent legislative, regulatory, and policy framework.
  4. Build core capacity for and assist as many stakeholders as possible, improve and classify lodging infrastructure, and upgrade and strengthen the entire tourist value chain, while maximizing scarce resources.
  5. Continually work on improving price competitiveness and marketing its value propositions.

As the title of the report acknowledges, the path forward is “critical” for Guyana’s tourism. But it’s not just a matter of improving attractions, transportation, hotels, and restaurants. It’s which path and how Guyana chooses to get there that is critical. The next steps Guyana takes in building its tourism industry will ultimately determine its long-term sustainability and success as place where people will want to visit, live, and return to.

The future of Guyana's natural resources and cultural heritage are among the many things at stake as its tourism grows.

Guyana’s natural resources, cultural heritage, and future generations will all be affected as tourism grows. Photo: Devika McWalters.

A thoughtful, holistic tourism plan that protects its pristine rivers, indigenous cultures, vast rain forests, wildlife, and other assets would not only provide additional opportunities for economic growth, but would also preserve Guyana’s national treasures and tourism industry for generations to come. For Guyana become a permanently successful destination, practical solutions that also preserve the very assets that make it desirable must be encouraged and adopted.

Authenticity versus Expectations: The Bushmen of Namibia

[ All photos by Tamara Olton.]

Little by little, the sounds of laughter grow louder and shouting echoes through the dusty hills – the Bushmen have heard our van and are announcing our arrival. This part of Namibia is not where tourists go to see wildlife. They come here for one reason: To meet and interact with a group of people whose culture is thousands of years old.

Some visitors are surprised by what they find.

Here at the Destination Stewardship Center we speak quite a bit on the concept of “preservation,” whether for charming villages or pristine environments. But what happens when the main attraction is a living culture?

The people colloquially known as Bushmen have resided in parts of southern Africa for several millennia. Famous both for their languages, spoken with clicking sounds, and for a way of life that retains customs and traditions from thousands of years ago, these tribes attract many visitors eager to encounter authentic Bushmen culture.

The drive northwest of Windhoek for several hours has taken us tourists through small villages spread farther and farther apart, and for several more hours down a long dusty road off the main tar highway, through desert landscapes interspersed with cattle farms.  At the end of an easy-to-miss two-track road, extending up a hill into seemingly nothing, we reach the Bushman village.

Bushmen Nhoma

The entrance to our destination.

The specific tribe we are visiting calls themselves the Ju/’hoansi, but our guide assured us that the term “Bushmen” is fine.  While there is some debate about whether referring to these groups as Bushmen or, sometimes more commonly, the San, is offensive, this particular group prefer the term Bushmen.

At first glance it may seem that Bushman culture has indeed been preserved.  The men within these villages still hunt with poisoned arrows and set traps in the sand for smaller birds and animals.  Women still collect water and prepare the food.  Their languages are unlike anything heard anywhere else.  Ceremonies are still conducted around large fires, participants dancing and chanting late into the evening.

Bushmen 2a

Bushmen hunters in traditional garb during the heat of the day.

Observe long enough, however, and you will see the subtle ways in which their culture has evolved.  Men and women both don modern clothing on chilly mornings and evenings; often, this clothing includes T-shirts with western sayings and brands.  Afrikaans can be heard alongside native languages.  Every once in a while, a cell phone may make an appearance.

In the morning the Bushmen invite us to join a bush walk, following two hunters on their journey and chores.  The men speak Afrikaans to our guide, who translates into English for us.  Two barefoot men lead our group, holding long sticks for locating porcupines, bow and arrows slung on their backs. Only one detail detracts from what might be a scene from thousands of years ago: American-style T-shirts.

Bushmen 1

Bushmen hunters in their warmer morning clothing.

It is winter in Namibia, and temperatures can dip down to freezing at night.  The Bushmen, our guide informs us, are happy to utilize such clothing to protect themselves from the cold.  Later, in the village, we meet children wearing traditional leather clothing below and small sweatshirts on top.  The women of the village wear long skirts made with fabrics from discarded articles of clothing left by tourists.

To some tourists, this modernization may, at best, come as a surprise; at worst, it angers visitors who were expecting a more “authentic” experience. Their misconception is that a so-called “primitive” culture remains frozen in time.

In contrast, our own Western lifestyle and culture is expected to constantly modernize and improve.  It’s an absolute given that our future generations will live in a world with different lifestyles and technologies. Why should people like the Bushmen not be allowed the same opportunities?

The Bushmen are much more integrated into modern society than might be assumed at first glance.  Many of the men have served in the military; most of the children go to public schools.  Many of the young adults have at one time left the village to live in places like Windhoek, deciding later to return to their village and live a more traditional life.  When they return, though, they bring back with them outside clothing, ideas, and technology and integrate them into their lives here at the village.

Bushmen sisters

Sisters wearing a variety of clothing styles.

In a way, this adaption of some modern amenities is what allows the Bushmen to keep their culture at all. Traditional life is difficult. The younger generation understands this and yearns for an easier life. Denying them the benefits of modern culture would only influence them to abandon their villages completely to move permanently to larger cities. Adopting certain aspects of modern culture strikes a balance that encourages traditional lifestyles to continue.

But still, it seems tourists sometimes prefer to view these cultures through a lens in which time does not tick forward.  At what point does the tourist gaze supersede authenticity?

In some places the Bushmen live completely modern lives but will be bussed to tourist facilities to put on traditional clothes and perform traditional dances.  While the resulting photos may appear more like the images tourists have in mind before arriving, this experience is not necessarily authentic. The Bushmen are putting on a literal performance, showcasing only the oldest, most traditional, and – perhaps for outsiders – the most interesting forms of their culture.

While these shows may represent how these people conduct certain ceremonies and dances, there is an expectation that they look and act in a very stereotypical manner. Clothing styles other than traditional garb are not worn, even on the chilliest of evenings. Certain songs and dances are chosen by how interesting and entertaining they may be, not on whether they would be performed if tourists were not watching. These so-called traditional experiences are a representation of parts of the Bushmen culture, but are polished and timed to correspond with tourist needs and wants.

I argue it is better to see the Bushmen in their donated Nike-shirts and baseball caps, as this is, even if counterintuitive, an authentic experience. The Bushmen choose to wear this clothing – it is not forced on them.

bushmen mother daughter

Traditional jewelry, western clothing.

Preservation cannot be the appropriate concept when the subjects are living cultures.  Cultures naturally grow and change, and this is a good thing. We need a shift in perspective. Tourists must learn to focus on the authenticity of the culture as it is today, learning how traditions of the past have been incorporated into modern lifestyles.  The Bushmen still hunt with methods passed down for thousands of years. If they do so while wearing a branded T-shirt, that should not take away from the experience as a whole.

As our camp manager explained while on our bush walk, the purpose of coming to interact with the Bushmen isn’t to see how their ancestors lived thousands of years ago, but to see how they live today.  And if that means T-shirts and cell phones, so be it.

Tourist to Locals: Go Locavore.

[Above: Dining choices in Ponce, Puerto Rico. All photos: Kathryn Warnes.]

On a recent visit to Puerto Rico we enjoyed exploring variations of mofongo, a classic island dish made of plantains or yucca root mashed, molded, fried to a crisp, and sometimes stuffed with meat. This dish is a prime example of the many influences that can shape a cuisine.

But the iconic dish was always served with a sad salad of shredded iceberg and the palest tomatoes to grace a plate. In a climate that offers mild 70-90°F weather year round, where were the bright vegetables? We see the same pattern in other islands and countries as well: A great local dish accompanied by poor produce, or none at all.

Mofongo stuffed with pork at Café Café (Ponce, Puerto Rico) Photo: Kathryn Warnes.

Mofongo stuffed with pork at Café Café, Ponce, Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico’s food scene has been getting a lot of press lately, everything from chefs’ embracing the locavore philosophy on the tranquil island of Vieques, to loss of agriculture as an economic industry, to proposed legislation that would fine parents for raising obese children to combat the growing epidemic. Disparities certainly exist. Could embracing the local food movement bridge the gap and benefit everyone?

Food is a part of how we experience places. What grows in a place and the characteristics the food takes from the land, the sea, and the people influences traditions and customs. Food can be a conduit for changing trends and new interpretations of classics.  In Puerto Rico the history of Spanish colonialism is evident in the cuisine, the architecture, and customs, as are the influences brought in by the  African slave trade and the plethora of fast food joints and big box stores from American influence of today.

Lush verdant land covers Puerto Rico, at one time predominately used for agriculture, the island’s former main export. Now Puerto Rico exports its population in search of jobs while importing 80% of its food—90% of which could be grown on the island according to experts . If Puerto Rico were able to replace 90% of its agricultural imports with locally grown produce, it would represent about $3.15 billion that would stay in the island’s economy, plus about 85,000 new jobs in the agricultural sector. It would also lower the cost of food by reducing middleman and transportation expenses.

“Today approximately 74.11 percent of the farms are under cultivation. This means that there is still potential to increase local production by at least 20 percent,” says Gladys González, professor of agricultural economics at the University of Puerto Rico.

The disparity between locals and tourists was most striking on the island of Vieques. Lining the Malecon in Esperanza, was a strip of bars and restaurants patronized by, run by, and served by North Americans with not much else in town other than a bakery and a few corner stores. In other places I have traveled, the small yards of village homes boast kitchen gardens providing not only nutrition but also fresh bright flavors. I only spotted one such yard during our exploration of the island, growing some beautiful eggplants, while the surrounding houses hosted a scraggle of chickens, dogs, and horses. A few of the restaurants boast local ingredients, but New England oysters and standard fried pub fare was the norm.

Serving up the threat of obesity, Esperanza, Vieques, Puerto Rico.

Serving up the threat of obesity, Esperanza, Vieques, Puerto Rico.

Could the yards of Vieques go to feeding families and tourists rather than birds for cock-fights? How much would it cost to implement an economic alternative providing fresh meat and cut down on the expense of imports both in dollars and fossil fuel consumption of shipping?

Here in D.C. rooftop gardens have shown great success maximizing sun, out of reach of normal garden pests. How wonderful would it be for Puerto Rican hotel and apartment rooftops to be adorned with tomato, herb, and citrus plants; providing fresh ingredients for the kitchens downstairs? Education is needed to share sustainable growing techniques, including training and resources for communities.  The tourism industry that already exists can provide financial incentives that would yield tastier results for everyone and improve community diets with fresh fruit and vegetables over imported junk food.

With climate change becoming an issue for everyone, new techniques for efficient irrigation are being developed to maximize water supply and people are starting to consider sustainable farming techniques needed to feed the future. Organized community garden workshops and models such as Compost Cab, which facilitate communal composting, can have huge benefits for the communities. We have seen the power of garden education to bring communities together in a healing way for underserved communities providing nutrition in food desserts, schools, and yes to the restaurants and tourist who visit as well.

Studies have also shown that for every dollar spent on local agricultural products, 70¢ stays in the local economy. Helping Puerto Rico regain food security would reduce the cost and pollution of unnecessary trade, and provide fresher, tastier food for both locals and visitors, who are a large sector of the economy.  Plus it would be much more effective at addressing health concerns for families who are simply trying to eat what is affordable and available.

If a good model is developed here, imagine the delicious results of spreading food security throughout Caribbean destinations with similar issues.

Sustainability? The Unbalanced Pursuit of Balance

I have participated in more sustainable-tourism conferences than is probably healthy for any human being.  I have learned that sustainable-tourism discussions seem to demand a high tolerance for acronyms and eco-gibberish and an unflinching faith in tourism’s ability to distinguish between using nature or culture and abusing natural and cultural assets for economic benefit.  The trick is, of course, the line between use and abuse is very much in the eye of the beholder. There are members of the tourism community who are convinced that creating one dead-end service job is worth more than one acre of mangrove.   I have been impressed by how many speakers pitch the audience on the need for balance as if there were widespread agreement within the industry as to what balance means.

At first, calls for balance confused me. If tourism is on a collision course with nature and culture, is balance really the best response? Advocating for moderate course corrections is easier to sell to skeptical audiences, but what exactly are we balancing? Authenticity vs. Disney sensibilities? Turtle nesting beaches vs. tourist basking beaches? Locally owned and operated fish fry huts vs. fast food corporations? Shameless profiteering vs. self-righteous turtle hugging?

A "balanced" beach with just the right amount of tourist trash in Eleuthera, Bahamas. Photo: Andy Dumaine.

A beach “balanced” with just the right amount of tourist trash in Eleuthera, Bahamas. Photo: Andy Dumaine.

The first sustainable-tourism conference I attended was wrapped around the virtues of balance. The word was built into the title: “Keeping the Right Balance.” If I have learned anything from my decades of conference participation it is this: Those in the sustainability camp seem believe that the pursuit of  balance will restore our most beautiful and fragile places.

Once I became aware of the cold facts of tourism’s destructive force, calls for balance smacked of self-delusion and naïveté. If you found yourself in a crowded minibus heading straight into a brick wall at 100 miles an hour, would you calmly urge the driver to balance his instinct to avoid the deadly obstacle in the road? Conference presenters have a fundamental weakness—their need to be perceived as moderate and rational, but sustainable tourism seeks to address challenges that are anything but moderate and rational.  Razing an irreplaceable historic structure to make room for a generic all-inclusive resort is an irrational, immoderate act perpetrated by an industry that cloaks its irrationality in the name of job creation and balance.

The need to embrace sustainable practices is all too real and all too urgent.  Once a destination loses its authentic sense of place, it is gone for good.  No amount of pleading and planning or balancing with Disney’s most-talented experience designers will bring it back. Authenticity cannot be reproduced.

Calls from the podium for “a balanced approach” certainly play well with audiences with their hands deep in the tourism cookie jar, but advocates of balance are dangerously underestimating the costs of inaction. The idea that the tourism industry can balance its way out of its destructive habits bleeds away any sense of urgency. “Balance” holds out the false hope that destinations can always buy more time, that we can always restore what tourism destroys, that we can compromise with the planet’s ecosystems—ecosystems that appear disinclined to compromise with humanity.

Cultural Heritage Tourism

Topic Editor: Lucy Matthews

Heritage, Architecture, Cultures, Gastronomy These links provide resources for enhancing the interaction between tourism and the human story of the locale. Scroll down to see Pertinent Findings: The Case for Heritage Tourism.

Cultural tourism is: “A type of tourism activity in which the visitor’s essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions/products in a tourism destination. These attractions/products relate to a set of distinctive material, intellectual, spiritual and emotional features of a society that encompasses arts and architecture, historical and cultural heritage, culinary heritage, literature, music, creative industries and the living cultures with their lifestyles, value systems, beliefs and traditions.” UNWTO

Pertinent Blog Posts

Organizational Resources

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (US) Independent federal agency that recommends preservation policy for the President and Congress and provides information on how to work with Section 106 and on Training and Education.

African World Heritage Fund (Africa) The inter-governmental AWHF provides grants to support UNESCO World Heritage sites and candidate sites in Africa to protect cultural and natural heritage. 

AIA-ATTA Guide to Best Practices for Archaeological Tourism (US-Global) These useful guides from the Archaeological Institute of America and Adventure Travel Trade Association come in versions for site managers and for tourists.

Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (US-Global) Learn about opportunities for culturally related funding for developing countries through the US Department of State. 

American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (US) – AIANTA offers resources for indigenous tourism including a Cultural Heritage Tourism planner, trainings, a website for Indian Country travel and more.

Europa Nostra (Europe) “The European Voice of Civil Society committed to Cultural Heritage” engages in knowledge-sharing, site advocacy, and procedures for the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards.

European Capitals of Culture (Europe) This EU program helps promote tourism to destinations throughout Europe.

European Heritage Alliance 3.3 (Europe) Follow links to EU and Alliance member  documents related to heritage policies and promotion.

Global Sustainable Tourism Council (Global) Their Destination Criteria includes a section on cultural sustainability.

International Council on Monuments and Sites (Global) This nongovernmental organization for conservation of heritage collects and disseminates expert information on conservation principles, techniques, and policies. The ICOMOS International Scientific Committees page lists a host of specialty committees that each provide additional information.

National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (US) Find your US State HPO who can help protect your site.

National Park Service (US) Find out how to take local preservation action and how your community can achieve National Heritage Area designation.

National Trust for Historic Preservation (US) This D.C.-based nonprofit offers various services. Hotels occupying buildings more than 50 years old can apply for membership in the marketing program Historic Hotels of America, which publishes a directory and provides a central reservation service. The forum includes networking events, conference and hotel discounts, and announcements about grants, awards, and other opportunities.

National Trust for Historic Preservation Library, University of Maryland (US) This extensive collection of American preservation resources includes books, maps, journals, postcards, architectural records, and more.

Preservation Directory (US & Canada) Preservation Directory provides listings of conferences, grants, articles, organizations, historic real estate and more, along with heritage tourism-specific resources such as museums & historic structures, historic lodging, and historic tours.

The World Tourism Association for Culture & Heritage (Global) WTACH is an NGO membership organization working across stakeholders to balance the needs of tourism and cultural heritage.

UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme (Global) Facilitates collaboration between tourism and heritage stakeholders for responsible tourism at heritage sites. The page has links to useful toolkits and guides.

UNESCO World Heritage List (Global/Regional) Check out the comprehensive list of World Heritage Sites. Find your regional WH Centre: Africa, Asia & Pacific, Europe & North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.

UNWTO Tourism and Culture (Global) Find links to relevant UNWTO declarations, conferences and research.

World Monuments Fund (Global) Search for case studies similar to your project. The biennial World Monuments Watch highlights heritage sites in danger.

Educational Opportunities

Professional Certificate in Cultural Heritage Tourism (US) This program from The George Washington University’s School of Business in partnership with AIANTA focuses on indigenous cultural tourism.

Undergraduate Certificate, Cultural Heritage Tourism (US) This online certificate program from Indiana University readies students for careers in heritage tourism and related fields, and includes an internship experience.

MSc Tourism Development & Culture (UK-Europe) This joint Master’s program from the University of Glasgow provides opportunities to study part of the time at universities in Malta, Sweden, and Portugal.

MA Cultural Heritage Management (US) This online Master’s degree from Johns Hopkins explores both tangible and intangible forms of cultural heritage.


Pertinent Findings: The Case for Heritage Tourism

Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe The collaborative CHCFE report led by Europa Nostra shows the benefits of heritage for a variety of key European sectors.

Historic Preservation: An Overlooked Economic Driver This 2018 study finds impressive economic impacts of heritage tourism for Rhode Island.

The Case for Responsible Travel: Trends & Statistics 2017 Section 4 of this CREST report discusses Cultural Values, Diversity, and Heritage, including the business case.

The Economic & Fiscal Impacts of Heritage Tourism in New Jersey This 2013 report finds that heritage tourism is beneficial to the economy of the state of New Jersey.

The Economic Impact of National Heritage Areas These US National Park Service  reports from 2013-2017 illustrate the positive economic impacts of Heritage Areas.

The Importance of Cultural Heritage Tourism AIANTA pulled together this infographic with sourced statistics.


Do you have research or links to add to this list? Let us know! Comment or contact us.

Editor for this page: Lucy Matthews.

News from the Alaska Geotourism Initiative

[Above: Lake Naknek, gateway to Katmai National Park. Photo courtesy Bristol Bay Borough]

Fall 2014 Update

The Alaska Geotourism initiative is a collaboration convened by University of Alaska faculty and program specialists and now includes rural tourism business and community leaders focused on identifying viable rural economic development management strategies that maximize beneficial tourism for their communities and seek to further good destination stewardship. Another outcome is to provide a source of information to re-introduce Alaska gateway communities to the US and international geotourism communities.

The following is a brief overview of Alaska geotourism projects currently underway.

1. Community Familiarization – Alaska Geotourism is looking at strategies to promote rural Alaska for those regions/villages that see geotourism as a viable approach to maintain community health and community viability. The communities of Naknek and King Salmon in association with the Bristol Bay Native Association will be hosting a familiarization tour for some small tour operators to visit the Bristol Bay region (Salmon Capital of the World and also gateway to Katmai National Park)

Bears feed on salmon, Katmai National Park. Photos: Adelheid Hermann

to participate in a planning session with village leaders to help plan the geotourism strategy for their communities. (See also http://www.bbna.com/NewsLetters/June2014NewsletterWEB.pdf)

BearFalls1

Local communities want to grab more bear-watching tourists flying into Katmai.

2. New Educational Curriculum – The University of Alaska Fairbanks Department of Alaska Native Studies and Rural Development faculty member Cathy Brooks, Assistant Professor & Faculty Advisor for Festival of Native Arts Advisor (cabrooks2@alaska.edu) is currently developing a geotourism class for undergraduate students. It will be offered both campus-based and distance. Jonathan Tourtellot and Larry Dickerson of University of Missouri have been project advisors.

3. OLE in cooperation with the UAF Cooperative Extension Service is presenting a non-credit 4-part course entitled Geotourism: Preserving a Sense of Place at the Anchorage Extension Center with hopes to introduce the geotourism approach to a wider Alaskan audience.

4. Cultural Exchange – The Asian Alaskan Cultural Center representing 8 Asian communities www.aaccus.org is working with the communities of Seward, Fairbanks and Wasilla to bring the story of 1890s Japanese Alaskan pioneer, Jujiro Wada, back to Alaska in 2015 via a musical play/cultural exchange in those communities. Wada, from Japan, was an early Alaskan adventurer, early explorer, and marathon runner and much much more ( http://www.cityofseward.us )

For more information, contact: Alaska Geotourism Chair Willard Dunham via info@destinationcenter.org

It Takes Two To Tango: Hands Across The Med

Above: Artisans at the Cyprus-Egypt exposition. Photo: Inji Amr, MAWARED

Geotourism theme unites St. Catherine, Egypt and Troodos, Cyprus    

The St. Catherine region of Egypt’s Sinai and the Troodos Mountains of Cyprus are attractive Mediterranean destinations with a lot in common: UNESCO World Heritage recognition, substantial tourism potential, wealth of creative, nonpolluting community industries, and distinctive local agriculture. Both offer unique, self-contained, and unspoiled destination experiences ready for responsible and engaging tourists to visit and actively help develop. Both destinations struggle to keep growing their unique natural products in the face of commercial modernization pressures that affect land and society.

Photo: Tarek El-Baz

Troodos. Photo: Tarek El-Baz

To initiate a new economic collaboration between the two locales, more than 80 geo-travellers from St. Catherine visited Plattres/Troodos, the “Green Heart of Cyprus,” on September 12-15, 2013 to participate in a geotourism-themed dual-nation conference and exhibition entitled “From Bio-diversity to Geo-Diversity.”

This Cypriot-Egyptian event was the product of a new initiative called Connect to Grow (C2G), which uses the innovative concept of geotourism to help poor or vulnerable communities adopt a joint operating platform for marketing the local agro-food and creative industries essential to these rural communities. C2G is intended to assist any such rural communities that have unique business ideas and entrepreneurial vision.

Troodos is a protected area according to the EU Network; its churches are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage. The expo launched an initiative that builds on a history of cultural and economic links between Egypt and Cyprus. Egyptians, including the former King Farouk, have long favoured the Troodos Mountains as a resort destination. Both share a British colonial past as well. Supporting the visit were Egypt’s MAWARED foundation for Sustainable Development in collaboration with Cyprus’s Local Council of Platres and YPM Consulting,

The Egyptian party included three segments— civil society, responsible government officials, and responsible business entrepreneurs from the agro-food and creative industries, along with the St. Catherine’s Medicinal Plants Association (SCMPA), including Bedouin farmers and artisans.  Welcoming them were the Troodos Network (the leading local NGO) with the strong support by the local council of Plattres/Troodos and the governments of both Cyprus and Egypt.

 Mutual exploration

Activities during the Egyptian visit included seeing and sampling items unique to each of the natural reserves, such as herbs and spices, as well as exploring the forests and natural environment of Troodos and discovering the creative work of both destinations. This was the first time that a community NGO, representing St. Catherine, has had the opportunity to introduce its products abroad directly and not through a mediator.

Bedouin expo participant. Photo: Inji Amr, MAWARED

Bedouin expo participant. Photo: Inji Amr, MAWARED

Cypriot and Egyptian participants learned from each other.  Some discoveries were practical: Bedouin artisans learned a way to improve their traditional soaps; Cypriot artisans learned a new weaving technique. The two agricultural communities also gained new perspectives from each other on their respective climatic limitations—St. Catherine as a desert and Troodos as a winter-freeze zone.

Most significantly, each community learned that their own culture and way of life is of interest to others.

Geotourism as catalyst

Geotourism trips like this one can serve as a catalyst for helping targeted women and young entrepreneurs penetrate markets, access finance, and market their products—especially to geotourists who go beyond practicing eco-friendly tourism to sustaining and supporting community stewardship and human livelihood.

For these two destinations, developing food-related products is primarily an act of passion, of caring to keep local culinary traditions and artisanry alive. So by embracing the simple human quest of experiencing basics of a destination—traditional food, culture, nature, and knowledge—the geotourism approach becomes an engine for adding value, triggering collaboration between the two destinations in the form of:

  1. Growth in market demand for both places;
  2. Citizen participation, especially among women and young people;
  3. Increased “destination pride” (as emphasized by the “godfather of geotourism,” Jonathan Tourtellot)—in essence, the pride that people take in celebrating our diversity and special natural and cultural identity.

 Wide applicability

This geotourism-led solution can apply to vulnerable communities in various Euro-Mediterranean countries, such as Cyprus, Lebanon (Arz El-Choouf Biosphere), Tunisia, and of course to Natural and Biosphere reserves in Egypt. Along with the governorate of South Sinai (St. Catherine), Egyptian communities in the governorate of New Valley (villages of Bashandi & Mounira) and of Aswan (Nubia and Wadi Allaqi) all face similar challenges.

Such communities have the opportunity to sell their their creative artwork as well as traditional agricultural foods and herbs within their communities when geotourists travel to Egypt. St. Catherine’s has 472 species of rare medicinal plants, of which 19 are endemic. Poorly informed farming and tourism practices now put some species at risk. Raising their perceived value is critical. Responsible tourism that appreciates culture and nature can create market demand for such products, which these communities urgently need.

 Growth in knowledge

That has been a reason for communities to upgrade their products to be in compliance with tastes and technical requirements of EU markets.  C2G takes these vulnerable communities beyond production standards and compliance (which does not by itself guarantee access to market demand) to include learning about obtaining access to local and regional markets; l attaining sustainable value-chain integration, ownership and governance; and acquire business development skills and the ability to form microenterprises or SMEs.

During their visit, St. Catherine participants, for instance, were able to improve commercial exchange skills by learning about quality-control practices and business expertise from the Cypriot Plattres Council and YPM Business Consulting.

CREATE team artisan. Photo: Inji Amr

CREATE artisan. Photo: Inji Amr, MAWARAD

Keys to success

The success of the C2G model can be attributed to heartfelt desire by the vulnerable community to improve and get better. But dynamic knowledge and practice of commercial activities needs more than better information. Ownership of lessons learned requires generating and institutionalizing Hubs of Knowledge among participating countries.

This will materialize when responsible government members engage with responsible business people with a sufficiently long-term perspective. In the case of the Troodos visit, unparalleled representation ranged from Bedouins of St. Catherine, who had never before left Egypt, to high government officials of both Cyprus and Egypt. Representing Cyprus were H.E. Commissioner of Environment and Commissioner of Volunteering and NGOs; representing Egypt were the current and former H.E. Ministers of Environment, demonstrating continuity of effort.

The collaborative approach adds dimensions to the existing intrinsic value of both destinations:

  1. By sharing effort and resources, the two destinations can drive down the costs of exhibiting indigenous knowledge of medicinal and aromatic herbs from both destinations. Over 150 visitors at the Expo had an opportunity to buy traditional artwork from St. Catherine as well as indigenous Cypriot herbs and honey.
  2. Product enhancement: A local young group of designers called “CREATE Team” help generate knowledge that does not disrupt indigenous practices. Trained in Cyprus and working with local community producers and processors (majority of whom are women), the youth team helps develop products and add innovative techniques and designs to already distinctive cultural products.
  3. A joint twinning agreement between the Platres Community Council (PCC) and the St Catherine’s Medicinal Plants Association (SCMPA) formalized the steps by creating a network of NGOs in Egypt and Cyprus to materialize and foster what was learned, namely:
    • Capacity building: How to maintain market-driven products while keeping their authentic local nature.
    • Business acumen: How to make viable business deals and design systems for quality control.
    • Cultural awareness: Learning and building shared respect for differences in destination cultures.
    • Public relations: Teaming up to support advocacy programs for both destinations.

This process is replicable. It can generate and institutionalize Hubs of Knowledge among participating countries.

The “Connect to Grow” solution thus adds value to both host and visiting communities. This is how Two Destinations Can Tango.

For more information: WWW.Facebook.com/CREATEDESIGNERS

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Editor’s note: The Connect-to-Grow approach was selected for one of the presentations this past February at the UNDP-affiliated First Arab States Regional South-South Development Expo in Doha. Of all presenting teams, only C2G’s included members of the target communities. An excellent innovation, we think.

Statewide Collaboration: “Alaska Geotourism”

The Alaska Geotourism initiative is a collaboration convened by University of Alaska faculty and program specialists and involves rural tourism business and community leaders focused on identifying viable rural economic development management strategies that maximize beneficial tourism for their communities and seek to further good destination stewardship. Another purpose is to provide a source of information to re-introduce remote rural Alaska to the US and International Geotourism communities. See Alaska Geotourism Charter.

Alaska Geotourism is a geotourism initiative, which is a statewide rural tourism collaboration that is now undertaking discussions to identify and promote projects currently underway as well as identify future collaborative endeavours.

Geotourism is very much a theme that is currently ongoing in several rural Alaskan communities well before the formal organization of Alaska’s geotourism efforts. Future Alaska Geotourism endeavors look to several Alaska communities to provide models for other Alaska communities interested in the geotourism approach. These pioneering communities are: the city of Craig, located on Prince of Wales Island in southeast Alaska http://www.craigak.com ; Seward, located on the shores of Prince William Sound at mile “0” of the Iditarod Trail http://www.cityofseward.us ; and communities in southwest Alaska.

Alaska Geotourism is looking at strategies to promote rural Alaska for those regions/villages that see Geotourism as a viable approach to maintain community health and community viability.

For more information, contact: Alaska Geotourism project co-chair Corey Hester via info@destinationcenter.org

To Compete in Tourism, Cooperate

Dancers from the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh perform at an arts & crafts show, New Mexico. Photo: Seth Roffman

Dancers from the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh perform at an arts & crafts show, New Mexico. By cooperating, Pueblo communities attract more tourism. Photo: Seth Roffman

Visitors rarely travel to see one business; rather, they visit an interesting region.

Regionalism sets the context for effective tourism. Since visitors tend to spend several days and look for a variety of engaging activities and amenities, a connecting perspective is essential. Providing information—before arriving, during the visit, and after leaving—on how local resources are linked for the vacation experience, contributes to the comfort level of the visitor. Continue reading

Challenging Hit-and-Run Tourism in Cultural Heritage Sites

Cultural Heritage sites facing Hit-and-Run Tourism need to elaborate targeted strategies in order to balance tourism and heritage conservation, to define limits or find solutions in order to protect natural and cultural heritage and to mitigate negative impacts. In a paper by Engelbert Ruoss and Loredana Alfarè of the Global Regions Initiative, nine heritage sites in South East Europe are studied, including typical Hit-and-Run destinations such as Venice (I), Dubrovnik (HR), Hallstatt (A) and Aquileia (I), allowing four different types of Hit-and-Run sites to be distinguished. Continue reading