Ecotourism in hong kong

Tourism Industry in Hong Kong• Tourists spent HK$53 billion in 1999 HKTA 1999 • Highest tourism receipts and arrivals in East Asia / Pacific region in 1997 excluding China • 9th top tour

Ecotourism - Theory and Practice

Mr Cheng Wing Ming, Clement

Tour 2004-2005 (Jointly organized by Department of Chinese History, Department of Geography, Green

Club, )

Play a game first

• http://www.eduweb.com/ecotourism /eco2b.html

Tourism Industry

• Planet’s biggest industry

• Annual turnover HK$31 trillion

• An economy second in the world after USA

• Globe’s biggest employer, 10% of the workforce

Tourism Industry in Hong Kong

• Tourists spent HK$53 billion in 1999 (HKTA 1999)

• Highest tourism receipts and arrivals in East Asia / Pacific region in 1997 (excluding

China)

• 9th top tourism earner in the world

(WTO 1999)

Tourism Industry in Hong Kong (cont’d)

Country / Region Visitors (1,000s) % Total

Mainland 3,084 28.9 Taiwan 2,000 18.7 East Asia 1,260 11.8

-Tourism Category % Total Oriental culture 31.4 Shopping paradise 24.4

Heritage 13.5 Natural landscape 9.6 Stopover to China 9.6

Feng Shui 4.5 Theme parks 3.8 Horserace 1.3 Others 1.9

Tourists’ perception of Hong Kong

-Source: Vinci Li (2000)

• Ceballos-Lascusain (1987)

“Travelling to relatively undisturbed or

uncontaminated natural areas with the specific

objectives of studying, admiring and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals, as well as any existing cultural manifestations (both

past and present) found in the areas……while

producing economic opportunities that make the

conservation of natural resources financially

beneficial to local citizens.”

What is ecotourism?

What is ecotourism? (cont’d)

• Australian Commonwealth Department of

Tourism (2010)

“Nature-based tourism that involves

education and interpretation of the

natural and cultural environment and

ecologically sustainable management of

natural areas.”

Nature-based component

• Wildlife including species, habitat,

landscape, scenery and water features

• Camping, hiking, picnicking

• Nature-based tourism not necessarily

ecotourism

• Leaving nothing but footprints and taking nothing but photos

• Enhance knowledge and foster positive

attitudes of participants towards

environmental conservation (Bottill and Pearce 1995)

• Management strategy (Orams 1995)

• Green tag vs environmental disruption

• Ecotourism market vs nature-based and

educative dimensions

• Sustainable tourism not necessarily

ecotourism

• Green management measures

(minimize fuel and energy consumption,

effective waste disposal, waste recycling, educational, minimize impacts, etc.)

• Ecologically sensitive, economically viable,

Sustainable management

• Ecotourists vs mass tourists

• Shallow ecotourism vs deep ecotourism

• Ecotourists are motivated individuals with

specific values, attitudes and behaviour

• Buzzword

• Utopia in the tourism domain

• Fastest-growing sector of tourism industry, swelling by 20% a year

• Growing fastest in developing countries with

“natural wonders”

• “Dyed-green” package trips

Ecotourism Today

• Earth Summit on Environment in 1992

• Decline in tourists

1997 10,408,000 visitors

1998 9,575,000 visitors

• Development of new tourist attractions

(Disneyland Theme Park, Lantau Cable Car, Wetland Park, etc.)

• Lack of an interpretative dimension in our

Group Discussion

• Does Hong Kong possess enough tourist attraction to develop ecotourism?

• Country Parks

Potentials (nature-based perspective)

• Country Parks

Potentials (nature-based perspective)

• White dolphin watching

Potentials (nature-based perspective)

• Nature Walks

Potentials

(nature-based

perspective)

• Marine Parks

Potentials (nature-based perspective)

• Mai Po Nature Reserve

Potentials (nature-based perspective)

• Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve

Potentials (nature-based perspective)

• Hong Kong Tourism Board(HKTB)

• Advisory body without statutory power

• Specializes in marketing approach instead of proactive and sustainable management

• AFCD and EPD

- Specialized and

technical knowledge - Limited

by resources

Constraints (Stakeholders’ perspective) (cont’d)

• Tour operators - General travel agencies (mass travelling

- One-person operation (e.g guided nature

walks or dolphin watching) - Can they co-exist? - Accreditation / Certification

system of tour guide (English vs knowledge

on hiking, responsibility, taboos,

first aid, etc.)

Constraints (Stakeholders’ perspective) (cont’d)

• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) - Countryside Heritage Society

of Hong Kong, WWF, Green Power, FOE,

Hong Kong Marine Conservation Society

- Profound knowledge and expertise in

nature

- Advisory role, yet not influential (e.g KCR railway project at Long Valley) - Lack of coordination and commitment

Constraints (Stakeholders’ perspective) (cont’d)

• Tourists - Social attributes, travel experiences,

environmental values and future travel preferences (Higgins 1996) - 3 visitor information centers in town

- Pamphlets in Chinese less emphasis on

ecotourism

Constraints (Stakeholders’ perspective) (cont’d)

• Objectives or themes (bird watching, jungle

excursion, adventure sport, etc.)

• Target tourists (age, educational levels,

income groups, occupations, country or

origins)

• Format (safari, leisure tour, guided, duration)

• Recruitment and training of tour guides

• Site selection (criteria, uniqueness, resistance

to impact, reversibility)

Ecotourism Planning

• Baseline data of site (monitor changes)

• Management plan for site complete with

different threshold levels / carrying capacity

• Promotion

• Law and enforcement

• Periodic monitoring and evaluation

• 若爾大草原

• 黃龍

• 四姑娘山

• 米亞爾及桃坪羌寨

Evaluation of your choice to

• Brand new concept characterized by

misconceptions

and implementation

and professional services

Conclusion

The End

-Thank you!