ISSN 1108-8931

INTERNATIONAL ECOTOURISM MONTHLY

Year 5-Issue 54, Nov. 2003

REVIEWS

Community Based Tourism Handbook - by Potjana Suansri, Responsible Ecological Social Tours Project (REST), Thailand, Published 2003.

Thailand's REST project, was the organizer of the 2002 International Year of Ecotourism Regional Conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the recipients of the recent 2002 World Legacy Awards for Destination Stewardship and veteran pioneers of successful Community Based Tourism (CBT) projects across Thailand. Under the auspices of REST, Potjana Suansri's recently published 'Community Based Tourism Handbook' presents a well-organised, comprehensive introduction to the process for developing community based tourism projects. The book represents the work of a group of dedicated practitioners over 8 years in many community tourism projects around Thailand.

Divided into twelve chapters, the book takes the reader on a step-by-step journey through the development process of a community-based tourism project. From the outset, the book preaches caution. CBT, it states, is not a panacea and the book not a blueprint to impose on the communities, on the contrary the handbook should be applied to needs identified by the community. Most importantly, perhaps, Suansri warns that practitioners should be prepared to walk away if things do not work out, emphasising that tourism development should happen only if it is in the best interests of the community. Each chapter represents a stage in the process, from choosing a destination, through planning the project and its marketing, to monitoring and evaluation of the scheme once in place. Thai tourism demographics are given, to identify information the practitioner will need to acquire before the outset. Practical exercises are given for the conceptualising stage, with possible group activities outlined to ensure maximum participation. Maps of villages are presented to illustrate the dynamics of the tourism product and producers within the geography of the settlement, and Venn diagrams used to identify relationships and levels of cooperation between different participants in the scheme, so that any unhealthy imbalances can be rectified. These visual tools would appear to be of great value when dealing with people where literacy levels may not be high. Generally, the translation into English is a good one, although some phrases are a little idiosyncratic.

The book could prove a useful tool for those interested in developing such a project in the region and beyond, such as NGO development workers, administrators of similar projects, tourism students, and community members with a good grasp of English.

120 pages, A4 size, Price: USD 15. To purchase, please contact:
Responsible Ecological Social Tours Project (REST), 109/79 Ladprao Soi 18, Ladyao, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, THAILAND
Tel: +66 2 938 7007, Fax: +66 2 938 5275, E-mail: rest@ecotour.in.th  
http://www.ecotour.in.th

The Rural Ecotourism Assessment Program (REAP), A Guide to Community Assessment of Ecotourism as a Tool for Sustainable Development, by Gail Y.B. Lash & Alison Austin.

The document is aimed at both development personnel, and local communities who wish to establish a community-based Ecotourism business, and is available free to anyone for download. It acts as a feasibility tool for potential projects. This project was originated by The International Ecotourism Society in partnership with Programme for Belize. It was made possible by a grant from the Summit Foundation. The idea behind the document is to enable communities to assess potential projects in terms of marketability, social and environmental sustainability. The methodology has been piloted in three communities in Belize, and the document provides detailed case studies of each pilot, summarising the methodologies based on the experience of Gail Lash and Alison Austin, the authors who spent months working in coastal Belize to determine how a community assessment tool might work within three local communities. The REAP document includes a detailed methodology and a case study analysis based on actual community experiences in Belize.

The three key principles behind REAP (p.8) are that community based ecotourism must:
1.Understand and meet the needs of the community;
2.Realistically deliver a long-term, quality tourism product; and
3.Make specific efforts to connect these products to international and local markets.

The document is essentially broken down into six sections. Sections 1-4 take the reader through the background and development of the REAP methodology, Section 5 is a step-by-step guide to the process and section 6 contains the case studies.
The text although a little academic in its approach, is certainly comprehensive. Bearing in mind that the authors wish to appeal not only to development organisations but to the communities themselves, it would perhaps be wise to produce a more succinct, easily downloadable version for those who wish to use the practical elements of the study, excluding some of the more theoretical information for further reference if desired.

With the undertaking still relatively new, the sustainable success of these projects has yet to be demonstrated, but the document and the REAP method would appear to be a valuable tool in the process of developing a community-based ecotourism project.
Download free at: http://www.eplerwood.com 

Free Publications

Waste management in the EU Accession candidate countries.
Undertaken on behalf of the Austrian Association of Cities, the study - entitled "Governance, Finance, and Capacity" - provides a valuable overview of the state of waste management in Central and Eastern Europe, while also providing recommendations on how the situation can be improved. Download free from: http://www.cameronsds.com/portfolio/bestpractice/ceec/ 

Renewable Electricity Policies in Europe, country fact sheets 2003
A detailed analysis of what, if anything, European countries are doing about energy alternatives.
http://www.ecn.nl/docs/library/report/2003/c03071.pdf 

A Practical Guide to Good Practice managing Environmental and Social Issues in the Accommodations Sector
A Joint Initiative of Conservation International and the Tour Operators Sustainable Tourism Initiative
http://www.celb.org/PDFs/HotelBooklet.pdf

Other Publications

David Barkin "Alleviating poverty through ecotourism : promises and reality in the monarch butterfly reserve in Mexico"
In: Environment, development and sustainability 5 (3-4, 2003) : 371-382

Stefan Gossling "Market integration and ecosystem degradation : is sustainable tourism development in rural communities a contradiction in terms?" In: Environment, development and sustainability5 (3-4, 2003) : 383-400

E-Fare Barometer: A Profile of Electronic Air Fares from Germany to Ten Asian Destinations -- The E-Fare Barometer series assesses the competitiveness of Asian destinations in key tourism source markets by comparing airfares available to consumers through Internet travel portals, available through PATA, E-mail: publications@pata.th.com 

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