1 fréderic thomas
TRANSCRIPT
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Why do sustainable tourism projects fail or succeed?
Frédéric ThomasAssociate Professor
IREST/EIREST – University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne
PM4SD™ European Summer School | PROGRAMMELeadership and Management in Sustainable Tourism:
Professionalising project managementNaples, 8-12 July 2013 Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples
Introduction
Does the responsibility of projects’ failure or success lies primarily with development agencies or with local communities?
1. Too high requirements from international organizations to rapidly transform low-skilled or unskilled workers into entrepreneurs
The Complexity of Entrepreneurship The introduction of new ‘forward-thinking’ concepts The novelty that tourism represents The complexity of local power structures
2. Lack of business capacities by implementing agencies
Case studies
Bazoulé – Burkina Faso www.bazoule.net/campementbazoule.html
Chambok ecotourism site, in the province of Kampong Speu, Cambodia www.chambok.org
Bazoulé – The Site
About 30km of Ouagadougou (4000 inhabitants)
Village known for its crocodiles’ pond (3 hectares)
About 2500 visitors per year including 50% of international tourists
Bazoulé – The project (1)
Association du Développement Touristique de Bazoulé (ADTB)
Comité de coopération de Belfort
Ministère de la Culture, des Arts et du Tourisme
Address local issues by the implementati
on of a tourism
project++
2006Request for financial assistance
to ST-EP
Bazoulé – The project (2)
3 bungalows with 3 beds, bathrooms and showers3 bungalows with 2 beds, bathrooms and showers6 bungalows with 2 beds only1 bungalow with on bed only
One restaurantMuseum
(musée des arts et des savoirs Mossi)
Bazoulé – Project Analysis
Conclusions conjointly made in 2010 by UEMOA officials
1. Started in 1999, the project was built without any business plan (An audit was made in 2010).
2. No tourism specialist on board
3. The proximity to Ouagadougou and the low standard of rooms makes that the occupancy rate for the bungalows is about 4%
4. In 2009/2010, 177 overnight stays for a turn over of €1,320 / Costs €1,450
(Initial investment for the accommodations = €38,000 / depreciation costs)
Chambok – The site
Community of 9 rural villages located 2 hours from Phnom Penh towards Sihanoukville
40-meter high waterfall
Strong illegal logging and hunting activities
Chambok – The Project (1)
Mlup Baitong
CCBEN
Establish a project to provide an additional
income for the local people
and help protect the surrounding
forest
The Chambok ecotourism project can be divided into three main phases: • Project establishment, (completed in 2002)• Project implementation and improvement (2003 to 2006):
Developing infrastructure, facilities, tourism services; Marketing; Capacity building for MC members and service providers;
• Project graduation (2007 to 2009):
Total cost(2002 – 2009)US$226,000
In 200915,000 visitors
(1000 foreigners) 20,000 USD
Chambok – The Project (2)
Construction, renovation and maintenance of infrastructure and facilities.
Building the capacity of the CBET MC members and service providers.
Establishment and marketing of income generation services and tourism products.
Keeping the eco-tourism site environmentally friendly
Formation of a Women Association and development of micro-businesses.
Chambok – Project Analysis
Conclusions made in 2011 by Cambodian officials:
1. Existence of tensions in terms of involved vs. left out categories of populations.
2. Since the organization has left, the revenues are decreasing (access to market, networking, etc.)
3. The gains are bigger for the population with the previous charcoal activity leading some of them to still cut trees when the community leader is absent.
4. The project is heavily dependent on the personality of the community leader.
5. No health services for the tourists or for the population
Recommendations (a)
Tourism-led poverty reduction programme - Opportunity study guidelines by Caroline
Ashley, Jonathan Mitchell and Anna Spenceley, ITC 2009
(www.intracen.org)
Tourism Initiative Assessment Primary Data Checklist by Christine Jacquemin and Frederic
Thomas, SolARE 2012
(www.sol-are.org)
Recommendations
A meta analysis using an analytical grid called “Tourism Initiative Assessment Primary Data Checklist”
Greenbelt initiative, Siem Reap, Cambodia (GIZ)
Tourism Initiative Descripti
on
Market Demand Analysis
Expected Impacts
Tourism Initiative Description
What is planned to be offered
- - -Main features
Where&
How long
What to see / do(in the site or along
the way)
List of necessary services (existing /
to be created)
List of complementary
services (existing / to be created)
How to reach the site or the starting point of the circuit
Enabling environment
(Institutions, HR, Partnerships, Stakeholders)
Attractiveness of the destination
What makes the activity attractive, unique, complementary?
Market Demand Analysis
Key Target Market
s
Volume
Motivations
ALOS
Expenses
Family with kids / individuals / group of friends / larger groups
Locals / Regional / Westerners / etc.
Existing and Foreseen
Expected Impacts (Economic)
Economic
Environmental
Socio-cultural
Direct Beneficiaries
/ Indirect Beneficiaries
Who owns
Who operates
Who works
Expected # of
products/activities sold @ what prices
Created Human
Resources
Is it financially profitable? • For business
owners• For the
destinationIs it financially
sustainable?
Expected Impacts (environmental)
Economic
Environmental
Socio-cultural
Impact on biodiversit
y
Energy efficiency measures
Resources managem
ent
Waste managem
ent
Mitigating measures foreseen?
Expected Impacts (Socio-cultural)
Economic
Environmental
Socio-cultura
l
Local communities involvement
(how they view it?)
Local communities involvement (how tourism
operators view it?)
Contribution to cultural heritage
preservation?
Human resources
(requirement, training, job
creation)
Mitigating measures foreseen?
Why do sustainable tourism projects failed or
succeed?
Merci
Frederic THOMAS
Associate Professor
IREST / EIREST