A DUTCH INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT APPROACH: SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT.

"You cannot make a travel destination more beautiful, but you can make it more interesting." This statement is often used as a slogan or motto to guide sustainable tourism development programs in many developing countries around the world in which SNV The Netherlands -- a Dutch international development organization -- plays a major role.

Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the world employing 7% (or 1 in 15) of the world's workers. The larger shares of world tourism flows are to and from the wealthier countries in the world. Countries like the USA, Japan, Germany and the UK hold dominant positions in outgoing tourism. Meanwhile, countries such as Italy, France, USA, Spain, Switzerland, and Greece possess strong positions in incoming tourism.

Tourism to developing countries in total figures is still modest, yet growth rates are promising. The World Tourism Organization predicts that by 2010, the number of tourists will reach one billion per year, and the tourism industry worldwide will be worth US$1.5 billion -- four times the revenue generated today. A quarter of all tourist arrivals will be received in Third World destinations.

Despite the currently modest figures relative to the world total, tourism is a major economic sector for some developing countries. For example, in Costa Rica, it is the second most important export product after electronic circuits and microchips (tourism accounts for approximately one-sixth of total exports). In The Gambia, 30% of the workforce depends directly or indirectly on tourism. In terms of percentage of GNP, direct tourism receipts in most developing countries do not exceed 1%, however. Exceptions are Tanzania and Botswana, where direct receipts are 2% and 3% of GNP respectively. Nevertheless, income from tourism often exceeds income opportunities offered by other economic sectors. In Kenya, for example, net income from wildlife observation creates about 50 times more income per hectare as compared to agriculture.

Although tourism contributes to additional revenue, not all expenditures go to or remain in the country/(ies) of destination. In the international tourism-leisure chain, large multinational enterprises such as tour operators and air companies hold a strong position in the linkage. A study of tourism `leakage' in Thailand estimated that 70% of all money spent by tourists leaked out of Thailand (via foreign-owned tour operators, airlines, hotels, imported drinks and food, etc). Estimates for other Third World countries range from 80% in the Caribbean to 40% in India. Moreover, tourism is an unstable industry, as it is highly sensitive to economic recession on the demand side, to political tension in destination areas, and to consumer taste. Other economic threats are local inflation of prices due to competition for resources (e.g. land, water, food, fuel) between tourism and local demands and tourism may require major investments in basic infrastructure (transport, accommodation, water supply, health care) which cannot be used elsewhere. This can be a heavy burden for the poorest of countries.

Impact On Developing Countries

Apart from economic benefits, tourism has numerous other impacts on developing countries, especially socio-cultural and environmental impacts. This includes both advantages and disadvantages. Advantages include:

* re-evaluation of individual cultural identity among the local population

* promotion of inter-cultural understanding

* tourists can initiate or support development projects in the areas visited

* re-evaluation of ecological values by the local population and authorities as a result of tourist interest, as well as economic justification and means for protection of nature

* increasing awareness of the environment and nature in general among tourists

* tourism may be less damaging to nature compared to alternative economic sectors such as agriculture and forestry (deforestation).

Meanwhile, socio-cultural/ecological threats include:

* alienation and loss of cultural identity

* creation of frictions within the community (between generations or between groups who do and do not profit)

* disruption of socio-economic structures

* conflicts over use of resources (land, hunting rights, infrastructure) which may also create hostility towards tourists

* deforestation for building accommodations or to obtain firewood, pollution of water and air, disturbance of ecosystems.

SNV, the Netherlands Development Organization, was founded in 1965. Alleviating poverty continues to be the central theme in SNV activities. Yet operational methods have changed considerably during the years. Whereas the organization worked mainly with volunteers, professionally trained advisors are now sent to the field to work with local staff. Its core function still remains to transfer and exchange knowledge, skills, ideas and technology in sustainable development. Field offices are maintained in 27 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe from where development activities are initiated. Development activities take place in marginalized areas and concern local governance processes and sustainable regional development. Assistance from SNV is always temporary and aimed at creating conditions for continuity. Economic development should lead to improvements in the living conditions of the most deprived part of the population.

Impact on Developing Countries

Tourism is rapidly emerging as an important economic sector in developing countries. It offers opportunities for economic development in areas that have otherwise limited development alternatives. In the 1990s, SNV gradually became involved in sustainable tourism development. By being present in the host country, SNV has been able to identify areas that have a potential for tourism. Close cooperation with local people and organizations offers a good starting point from which tourism can be developed: not massive scale or luxury tourism, but small-scale tourism in which the local population participates to the fullest extent and reaps the benefits. Principles of good governance, gender, institutional development and care for the environment are crucial components to a successful sustainable tourism project.

This article serves as an overview of the principles used by SNV Netherlands in sustainable tourism. Much has changed since the mid-1960s when SNV Netherlands Development Organization began sending volunteers to developing countries. Nowadays, professional experts from SNV work with locally hired experts at 27 SNV field offices located in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe with the primary tasks of transferring and exchanging knowledge, skills, ideas and technology to improve the living conditions of people in marginalized areas. In recent years, SNV has shifted away from project management to advice and service provision while placing the role of project management in the hands of local people.

Meanwhile, tourism development rapidly emerged as an important economic activity in many countries where SNV is active. Income from tourism is often the main foreign exchange earner for developing countries. Considerable economic benefits are possible in areas that have a potential for tourism development. However, the local poor are often not able to benefit from tourism. In this regard, the concept of sustainable tourism development couples well with SNV's mission statement which is "... to develop and share knowledge and skills with local organizations with the aim of better equipping them for their work in structurally alleviating the poverty of both men and women."

"Sustainable development" as defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development for the United Nations is "development, which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs." SNV views "sustainable development of tourism" as:

A balanced target group oriented development strategy involving:

* socio-economic development and economic empowerment

* local participation, social and political empowerment

* economic sustainability

* ecological sustainability

* socio-cultural consciousness, and

* improving gender equality.

Within SNV, sustainable tourism development is focused on community development, poverty alleviation and distribution of benefits to the larger part of the community. The aim is to "generate optimal additional income and jobs emphasizing target groups in the different program areas with minimum negative impacts on cultural and natural environments." SNV places a strong emphasis on social mobilization and local governance linked to community development.

Principles for Development

Although each tourism project is respectively unique, here are some general criteria to consider for development activities. The product should be attractive and accessible for tourists; there should be a sufficiently large market; and the project should be able to become self-sustaining. In the case of sustainable development, some additional criteria are necessary if the project is intended to contribute to the sustainable development goals of the specific area. These include maintaining cultural identity, protecting the natural environment, and developing positive gender relations and community empowerment. SNV uses the following principles to guide all their tourism development projects:

* Target group oriented approach -- SNV is particularly concerned with poor, discriminated and oppressed people, mainly in rural areas. These people should be the prime focus (and beneficiaries) of sustainable tourism projects.

* Focus on self-help -- Activities are aimed to help people better understand the opportunities they have to improve their own situation.

* Facilitating role -- SNV tries to avoid implementing activities itself, but rather involve existing local and regional organizations.

In order to apply these principles, a number of issues are incorporated in which SNV has expertise. These are used and sometimes developed in tourism development programs. Each issue plays a crucial role in relation to sustainable tourism projects. In essence, each could be viewed as a step involving a number of tools or methods in project development. The issues referred to are:

* Feasibility -- Which refers to exploring sustainable tourism's potential in a certain area. Such questions as "Do tourists frequent the region? Are relevant organizations willing to support the program? Does the local population have the basic skills required to manage a tourism program? Is the area politically stable?" must be assessed. Eight steps (not given) are necessary in the assessment of sustainable tourism development potential.

* Participation of local groups -- Which refers to the philosophy that active participation of local people, organizations and other stakeholders are a prerequisite for the successful implementation of any development program. Participation makes it more likely that benefits derived from tourism will reach target groups. It also creates a permanent process of action and reflection, which is useful to improve the actors knowledge of themselves and their situation. Participation should be incorporated from the very beginning of a program to maintain responsibility, interests and ownership of the development activities with the local actors.

* Equal distribution of benefits -- An equal distribution of economic benefits is an important topic in sustainable tourism development. An important concern is with the poorest and most marginalized groups in society and development programs aim to establish a more equal distribution of welfare. Tourism development should contribute to this general goal.

* gender -- The existence of gender inequalities should be recognized in all program areas. It is especially apparent in the decision-making powers of women regarding economic resources. A more equal distribution of costs and benefits between men and women should be a general goal of development policy. Tourism development gender issues are addressed by assessing workload, decision-making power and participation in community development.

* Marketing -- The aim of marketing is to sell the right products or services to the right customers, at the right place, the right time and the right price, using the right promotion techniques to reach the right type of tourist. Marketing is concerned with bringing all aspects of a tourism project together. It plays an important role from the very beginning of a project and is crucial for its success. Good preparation will prevent errors such as developing a product without a market. A good marketing strategy will result in the identification of the appropriate market for the tourism product and deliver the instruments for selling the product effectively to the market.

* Impact mitigation -- The intention of development programs is to create positive impacts through sustainable tourism development. Nevertheless negative impacts also occur. Tourism impacts are often a subject of discussion in development organizations. There are many examples of negative impacts to nature and culture. However, specialists believe that in certain areas tourism can definitely help to improve the well being of the rural poor and thus create many positive impacts.

* Institutionalization and organizational strengthening -- Institution building implies supporting organizations in networking and in developing institutional linkages and settings, in fostering collaboration between actors at the meso level and by linking them to higher national and international policy and institutional levels. Organizational strengthening is geared towards improved performance for the target group (service delivery, playing an advocacy role).

These descriptions provide some insight in the methods and tools applied in developing sustainable tourism projects. The aim here is to provide an understanding of methods that can be used in tourism development to help reduce poverty.

In summary, if left to market forces, sustainable tourism from a community-based context does not receive a fair chance in developing tourism policy when considering the economic aspects of mass tourism. Mass tourism symbolizes economic gains on a short-term basis for those destinations offering spectacular natural, cultural or historical resources such as the Iguazu Falls in Misiones Argentina or Machu Picchu in Peru. Sustainable tourism development is not about tourism destinations that offer spectacular natural resources such as water falls, volcanoes, or isolated white sand beaches that symbolize easy sales for tourism promoters, but more about those aspects of an area that make each unique.

It is about creating networks and linkages between individuals, groups of people, small enterprises, local governments, ministries and national governments, this list could go and on, to make known to local inhabitants and people outside alike what unique and interesting factors lie within their own environments. It is not about how to make an area more beautiful, but more about making an area more interesting. It concerns learning how to help local communities interested in tourism developments proceed in a sustainable way and to advance community development via small-scale enterprises - social mobilization.

For instance, Argentina promotes itself as a land of six continents with diverse cultural and natural regions attracting many visitors from abroad. However, international tourists visit primarily Buenos Aires, Patagonia, or Tierra Del Fuego in the Antarctica. Meanwhile, Uruguay, an interesting country with beautiful rolling landscapes and beautiful beaches remains relatively unknown except for their primary visitors coming from Argentina. Small-scale community based tourism development can help to enhance aspects of rural areas in both Argentina and Uruguay to attract local, regional, and perhaps even international tourists. Marketing efforts in developing countries should not always be focused on the international target groups. Often times, the local, regional, and or national markets could be the most significant as is the case in Uruguay.

Clearly, governments should be involved in establishing guidelines and formulating laws to guide the planning and implementation of tourism development. However, this is not enough. Local community involvement is necessary to enhance or to further develop sustainable communities. An important pre-condition is that tourism development will and should be community based, yet it needs the support of local, regional, and national governments.

Community based sustainable tourism can work, however, based on dedication and hard work. Local communities and the various stakeholders must be familiar with the process to appreciate it and thereby support it.

Check out "Sustainable Tourism Development-A Dutch International Development Approach" by Stuart P. Cottrell, Ph.D. on page 80. Dr. Cottrell recently completed a 7-month training project in Eco/rural tourism with representatives of the ministry of tourism in Argentina and Uruguay. He worked as a Park Ranger for the US Army Corps of Engineers, Illinois, and as Director of Programs at the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base, Boy Scouts of America, Florida Keys. His principle research interests are in the areas of community based tourism development; eco-tourism, outdoor recreation, environmental behavior, travel and tourism, international travel behavior, and adventure education.