The
following steps should be followed:
1. Analysis of status-quo
A thorough compilation and analysis of existing information
and knowledge is the prerequisite for a Strategy.
It should take into consideration:
- Development of previous tourism management
or related strategies for the specific area
(What can be used? Has it been implemented?
Which lessons are to be learnt?)
- A stakeholder analysis (Who has an interest
in sustainable tourism development? Who are
the main actors?)
- Facts and figures of the local educational
system, economical and social structure
- Anecdotal and traditional knowledge
Methods for collecting this information are, among
others:
- Interviews with stakeholders
- Questionnaires distributed
and collected by e-mail, fax or personally
in oder to compile standardised data and perform
a statistical analysis
- Invitation to focus group meetings
(e.g. meetings on environmental education, biodiversity
management, good governance and fisheries)
- Literature search in the local
library and the internet
2. Strategy development
A Sustainable Tourism Strategy is based on the information
collected in Step 1 (see above). It defines the priority
issues, the stakeholder community, the potential objectives
and a set of methodologies to reach these objectives.
These can include, among others:
- Conservation of specific coastal landscapes
or habitats that make the area attractive
or are protected under nature conservation
legislation
- Development of regionally specific sectors
of the economy that can be interlinked with
the tourism sector (e.g. production of food
specialities and handicrafts)
- Maximising local revenues from tourism
investments
- Enabling self-determined cultural development
in the region, etc.
3. Action plan
The Action Plan spells out the steps needed
to implement the strategy and addressing a number
of practical questions such as: Which organizations
will take up which activities, over what time
frame, by what means and with which resources?
As the actions have to be tailored
to regional circumstances, there is no standard
Action Plan for all. However, Action Plans usually
include measures in the following fields:
- Administration: e.g. promotion of
co-operation between sectors and of cross-sectorial
development models; involving local people
in drafting tourism policy and decisions
- Socio-economical sector: e.g. promoting
local purchasing of food and building material;
setting up networks of local producers for
better marketing; development of new products
to meet the needs of tourists, etc.
- Environment: e.g. improving control
and enforcement of environmental standards
(noise, drinking water, bathing water, waste-water
treatment, etc.); identification and protection
of endangered habitats; creation of buffer
zones around sensitive natural areas; prohibition
of environmentally harmful sports in jeopardised
regions; strict application of Environmental
Impact Assessments and Strategic Environmental
Assessment procedures on all tourism related
projects and programs
- Knowledge: training people involved
in coastal tourism about the value of historical
heritage; environmental management; training
protected area management staff in nature
interpretation; raising environmental awareness
among the local population; introducing a
visitors information programme (including
environmental information)
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