Events

Regional Workshop on Recreation, Tourism and Ecotourism

17-21 March 2008, Gunung Ledang, Malaysia

Background

One of the crucial challenges of actively promoting biodiversity conservation is putting the face of people in biodiversity initiatives. Often, biodiversity conservation is all about the protection of species and other life forms. On the other hand, one dimension that has a significant impact on people’s lives is the role of biodiversity in providing opportunities for livelihood of people and communities. The promotion of tourism is one such clear area wherein the connection between people and biodiversity is highlighted.

Ecotourism has become an important economic activity in protected areas. It provides opportunities to visitors to experience various ways to learn about the importance of biodiversity conservation and local cultures. The World Conservation Union describes ecotourism as “environmentally responsible travel and visitation to natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature (and for any accompanying cultural features that promote conservation, have a low visitor impact and provide for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local people)”.

Ecotourism has emerged as a platform to establish partnership, and jointly guide the path of tourists seeking to experience and learn about natural areas and diverse cultures.

Demand for guidance on developing tourism, recreation and ecotourism opportunities and managing the rising tourism tide at parks are high. To ensure that the increasing pressure from tourism/ecotourism does not threaten the long-term health of the protected areas, more than ever it is important that tourism development for protected areas occur within the context of conservation management. 

The ecological values of protected areas, especially those found in the ASEAN region contain many great ecotourism attractions. These include rare and endemic species of flora and fauna, abundant wildlife, spectacular geomorphological formations, unique historic or cultural places. Tourism and ecotourism are usually part of the management strategy for a protected area.

The ASEAN Guidelines on Competence Standards for Protected Area Jobs   include recreation and tourism as one of the areas where competence of workers is needed. Recreation and tourism cover the provision and management of recreation opportunities and infrastructure for protected areas. They include basic work with visitors, planning and managing specific recreation activities, and addressing their impacts. It is also concerned with planning and regulating and with recreation and tourism as a business.

Current experiences indicate that there is a need to carefully package the blend of tourism activities and biodiversity conservation. A number of lessons can be documented in the ASEAN region with regards to how the objectives of uplifting welfare of people and conservation of ecosystems can be optimally achieved. These lessons need to be promoted and disseminated for other communities to consider in developing their respective eco-tourism activities.

General Objective

To enhance capability of ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHPs)/protected area (PA) managers and staff on recreation, tourism and ecotourism.

Specific Objectives

1. To share experiences and lessons learned on recreation, tourism and ecotourism in protected areas in the AMCs;
2. To identify possible strategies and mechanisms for establishing and/or enhancing recreation and ecotourism in protected areas;
3. To develop draft guidelines on how to establish and/or enhance recreation and ecotourism in protected areas; and
4. To identify possible pilot sites for ecotourism.

 Expected Outputs  :

1. Best practices and lessons learned in existing PAs with recreation, tourism and ecotourism activities
2. Possible strategies and mechanisms for establishing and/or enhancing recreation and ecotourism in PAs
3. Draft guidelines on how to establish and/or enhance recreation and ecotourism in protected areas
4. Possible pilot sites in AMCs

Partners:       Johor National Park Corporation 
Department of Wildlife and National Park, Malaysia
Singapore National Parks Board                    

                                                      
Schedule of Activities

Day/Time	Topic/Activity	Responsible Persons
Day 0 – Mar 17	Arrival and billeting of participants to Gunung Ledang	Secretariat
Day 1 – Mar 18
7:00 -   8:00	Breakfast
8:00 -   9:00	Registration	Secretariat
9:00 -   9:30	Opening Ceremony Welcome Remarks
9:30 – 10:00	Tea/Coffee Break
10:00 – 11:00	Introduction of Participants Workshop Overview, Objectives and Expected Outputs Leveling of Expectations House Rules	Monina T. Uriarte
11:00  - 12:00	Overview of Recreation, Tourism and Ecotourism	Resource person
12:00 – 1:30`	Lunch
	Best Practices on Recreation and Ecotourism
1:30 – 2:00	Taman Negara National Park, Malaysia	PA Manager
2:00 – 2:30	Khao Yai National Park, Thailand	PA Manager
2:30 – 3:30	Open Forum
3:30 – 3:45	Tea/Coffee Break
3:45 – 4:15	Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve	PA Manager
4:15 – 4:45	Johor Bahru National Park	PA Manager
4:45 – 5:30	Open Forum
7:00	Dinner
Day 2 – Mar 19	FIELD TRIP
Day 3 – Mar 19
7:00 -   8:00	Breakfast
8:00 -   9:00	Recapitulation of Days I & 2	Games
9:00 -  10:00	Ecotourism Management Planning; An Overview	Resource Person
10:00 – 10:15	Coffee/Tea Break
10:15 – 11:00	Continuation: Ecotourism Planning	Resource Person
11:00  - 12:00	Open Forum
12:00 – 1:30`	Lunch
1:30 – 3:00	Workshop 1 – Strategies  & Mechanisms for Establishing/Enhancing Ecotourism  Sites	Facilitated by Resource Person
3:00 – 3:15	Coffee/Tea Break
3;15 – 5:30	Workshop Outputs Reporting & Critiquing	Participants and Resource Person
7:00	Dinner
Day 4 – Mar 21
7:00 -   8:00	Breakfast
8:00 -   9:00	Recapitulation of Day 3	Games
9:00 -  10:00	Key Considerations for Ecotourism Development	Resource Person
10:00 – 10:15	Coffee/Tea Break
10:15 – 12:00	Workshop 2 – Guidelines on Establishing/Enhancing Ecotourism Sites	Facilitated by Resource Person
12:00 – 1:30`	Lunch
1:30 – 3:00	Reporting and Critiquing of Workshop Outputs	Participants and Resource Person
3:00 – 3:15	Coffee/Tea Break
3;15 – 5:30	Action Planning and Evaluation Closing Ceremony
7:00	Dinner