Green Investments in Tourism: Unlocking Opportunities and Experiences for Sustainable Growth (World Tourism Day 2023)

Written by Oscar Morrison on July 19, 2023. Posted in Blog, Uncategorized.

Green Investments in Tourism: Unlocking Opportunities and Experiences for Sustainable Growth (World Tourism Day 2023)

green and eco-friendly hotel — Green investments in the tourism industry are crucial as we move farther away from the pandemic, as many consumer preferences have shifted to become more eco-friendly.

Environmentally friendly investments have been a hot topic of discussion in recent years, and now they get to live in the limelight thanks to World Tourism Day 2023. This day, on the 27th of September each year, has been created by the UN to highlight the increasing importance tourism brings to economic development worldwide. Many corporations and entities across all industries, from oil to travel, are now forced to consider other sustainable alternatives. These alternatives look different for each company and industry. In the travel industry, green investments look to accomplish six objectives from the hotel’s perspective, according to the UNWTO:

Boost profit margins through utility savings. In some cases, utilities can cost upwards of 20% of a hotel’s operating cost.
Increase revenue by satisfying consumer preferences and reducing reputational risk. Hotels should focus on hiring exceptional staff that leave a lasting impression on the guest.
Future-proof investment strategies. Will investments made today still be considered acceptable in future revaluations?
Safeguard against regulatory risk and benefit from incentives.
Increase value and validation through certification. Companies should be flocking to popular sites used by tourists, like Trip Advisor and Expedia, so customers can leave their positive reviews, which will be done with the right level of service.
Ensure a long-term energy supply. Hotels need to ensure that the flow of customers seen now is sustainable in various economic, environmental, and social conditions.

wasteful, unresourceful resort — All-inclusive resorts are the go-to for many tourists around the world, but hotels attract business by providing an abundance of food and material objects, not sustainable experiences. Learn how Solimar International is tackling this in our current project, Visit Tunisia

For people working in influential roles within the tourism industry, there is no better time than now to start adopting sustainable investments and initiatives. As we have transitioned into a post-pandemic world, travelers have been exploring more sustainable vacation options than they had before the pandemic. A 2022 Booking.com survey claimed 61% of respondents revealed that they wanted to reconsider how they traveled and were trying to be more conscious of their environmental impact due to travel. This is a massive potential market for emerging destinations around and over-visited cities alike. Tourists want to feel more connected to the places they visit and immerse themselves in local and sustainable experiences like they have never seen before.

A prime example of work being done in already popular tourist destinations is in the Caribbean. According to the UN, a clean and effective transition to a more sustainable future would increase jobs by 10.5% by 2030. A crucial part of creating and improving more sustainable experiences is ensuring local community members are involved in the decision-making process and providing insight. This is another main topic of World Tourism Day this year. When entities, be they from the public or private sector, choose to invest in local communities, it becomes a virtuous cycle between the locals and the visitors. One of Solimar International’s projects in the Caribbean did just that. The climate-smart islands project ran from November 2017 to December 2018 and focused on islands of three Caribbean nations: Trinidad & Tobago, the Bahamas, and Belize. One of the main activities was to involve locals and their knowledge about how climate mitigation and adaptation efforts could be achieved in practice.

Bay in Tobago — A bay on the island of Tobago, a perfect opportunity to invest in sustainable tourism by promoting homestays and hostels in place of large resorts

World Tourism Day 2023

World Tourism Day 2023 presented by the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization) is highlighting green investments in tourism this year. They have decided to center this day in accordance with the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDG’s) with an emphasis on female leadership and entrepreneurship. They are also focusing on a variety of issues, including “how to promote ease of doing business, how to better develop investment policies and how to embrace new innovative financial mechanisms and solutions to address emerging and complex challenges,” and “how to close the financing gender gap and accelerate access to capital in both domestic and international markets for women entrepreneurs.” Promoting and uplifting female voices in the tourism industry is crucial. According to the UNWTO, women constitute 54% of workers and employees compared to just 39% in the global workforce. When we take action and strongly consider women’s voices and input, everyone benefits. The world has seen tremendous economic development and poverty reduction under female entrepreneurship, demonstrating why global leadership needs to continue uplifting them.

sustainable global development and investment — The UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), designed to be achieved by 2030, cover many direct and adjacent aspects of economic well-being in relation to sustainability, from reduced institutional inefficiencies to care for life all around the planet.

World Tourism Day exists for many reasons, a couple of which, according to National Today, are to ensure that travel is accessible to everyone, especially those with disabilities and people from low-income backgrounds. Promoting world travel is incredibly important for many reasons, mainly because it provides many opportunities for sustainable economic development if done correctly. Hotels are currently responsible for 1% of global emissions (and rising) and are prominent energy and water consumers.

The Role of Community-Based Tourism

Community-based tourism is one of the best ways to go about green investments in the industry–perhaps the best. This model of tourism allows visitors to truly immerse themselves in new cultures. Knowledgeable community members serving as guides are key in this process. Kyrgyzstan has one of the world’s most robust and developed community-based tourism schemes. Many of the excursions are designed to show nomadic Kyrgyz life all over the country.

green homestay in Kyrgyzstan — A jailoo on lake Son-Kul, where nomadic Kyrgyz people take their livestock in the summer to escape the heat of the valleys. Read more about tourism in Kyrgyzstan

Much of the cost of these excursions goes directly into the pockets of the guides and community, promising the customer that their money is being put to good use. With significant and continued investments from the public and private sectors, community-based tourism will have tremendous effects.

Overall, the path to investing green in tourism may seem straightforward, but it is easier said than done. In reality, everyone needs to be hands-on and involved constantly because that is the nature of these investments. They will require much more work than simply putting money into a lavish beach resort, but the return on green investments will create a lasting legacy for the people, the planet, and the visitors to a destination. World Tourism Day serves to raise awareness of the importance of tourism around the globe. It is a reminder that while it is easier said than done to put sustainability over short or medium-run profits, green investments, if done well, will prevail.

Interested in learning more about Solimar’s green initiatives? Read more about us here!

Sustainable Practices: The Amazigh Community

Sustainable Practices: Learning About Tunisia’s Amazigh Community

Written by Noelle Faiza on July 19, 2023. Posted in Blog, Uncategorized.

Lessons from Dahar’s Amazigh Community

Aisle 16, Seat A — A window seat! — I thought to myself as I stowed my carry-on after a short layover in Frankfurt on my way back to the US from my family home in Tunisia. Like many other hyphenated US Americans, I make a trip back to visit family and keep my identity as a Tunisian alive nearly every summer. Sitting down, I noticed the gentleman beside me had a pendant around his neck: the symbol of the Amazigh community. I complimented the necklace and learned he was Algerian. He asked me where I was from.

“I’m Tunisian-American.”

“Then you are Amazigh, too.”

What ensued was a two-hour-long conversation about Amazigh history, culture, and language — much to the annoyance of our fellow passengers. When I showed him a picture of my grandmother, he showed me a picture of his own mother. She was wearing the same garments with similarly red hair dyed from henna and face tattoos holding blessings and protection. It was a healing and validating exchange of an identity that has survived against all odds.

My family is from a rural part of Tunisia’s Sahel region, about two hours south of the capital. Despite surrounding ourselves in Amazigh culture, Arabization successfully distanced us from our roots. In the 70s, the traditional clay houses in our village were torn down and replaced with more “modern” and impractical stone buildings. Around the same time, Amazigh words in our dialect began dying out. This was my father’s generation. They were taught “proper” Arabic due to a governmental effort to modernize Tunisia at a time when Amazigh community was connected with rural sustainable practices, in contrast to the idealized Western model of industrialization.

Author’s village in 2019, stone buildings pictured in Ouled Faiza, Monastir (Noelle Faiza) — Author’s village in 2019, stone buildings pictured in Ouled Faiza, Monastir, Photo by Noelle Faiza

Unfortunately, this is a reality that most of my community in Tunisia acknowledges as a type of necessary evil rather than a grief-worthy loss of our identity. This mindset is likely because we are those Tunisians who directly benefited from President Bourguiba’s urbanization efforts, unlike those who faced forced removals and brutal assimilations.

Meeting Dahar

This past fall, I had the honor of interviewing numerous business owners in the Dahar region as part of Solimar’s Destination Dahar efforts to increase tourism in the area. In getting to know the destination, my understanding of my country’s heritage greatly evolved. The region is home to some of Tunisia’s few remaining Amazigh communities, and this preservation of heritage was discussed in nearly every conversation I had with locals. Many of these individuals spoke Tamazight, the language of the Amazigh community, as their mother tongue. They shared with me the food they put on their table, the nature of the homes in which they reside, and how they continue to not only preserve, but celebrate their culture and region.

Within each conversation, I noticed a common thread: a desire to thrive alongside the natural environment of Dahar. The traditional homes of the Amazigh weather the desert’s extreme high and low temperatures with year-round comfort. The region’s farmers have a keen interest sustainable practices such as permaculture to respect the native fauna and flora, and water collection strategies work with the flow of the mountain — literally. Permaculture is an agricultural style that promotes a biodiverse, resilient ecosystem that can exist in synergy with the native environment.

It made me wonder how much “modernization” cost Tunisia. We abandoned our indigenous wisdom while idolizing foreign powers whose lifestyle was not only oppressive to our own identity as Tunisians, but incompatible with the realities of North Africa.

What is Sustainability

According to the United Nations, sustainability is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Such development requires a minimal carbon footprint, mindful use of resources, and support for local communities. Sustainability stands at the core of Solimar’s goals in any project, including Destination Dahar. As the threat of climate change increases and dangerous consequences reverberate worldwide, the path forward demands sustainable solutions to slow down the overconsumption and incredible amounts of waste that have already begun to plague the Earth. However, when it comes to sustainability in the Dahar region, mitigating scarce resources and extreme weather conditions has been a part of the Amazigh community reality for thousands of years.

In a memorable conversation, Radhouan Tiss of Domaine Ouled El Khil (located in the village of Ghomrassen in Dahar) emphasized the importance for us as a human race to “partake in sustainability and environmentally-friendly practices” in response to the challenges of climate change.

Amazigh Homes, an Example of Sustainable Practice

Radhouan Tiss runs an eco-lodge and permaculture farm with his family in an effort to educate visitors about sustainable living. However, the methods which Tiss uses are nothing new. In fact, Tiss enlisted village elders to help him create his ecologically friendly homes in the traditional isothermic Amazigh style.

One of the homes in Tiss’s eco-lodge (Destination Dahar) — One of the homes in Tiss’s eco-lodge, Photo by Destination Dahar

From a foreign perspective, it would be easy to assume that the extreme temperatures of Dahar’s desert would come to appalling heating and cooling bills depending on the time of year. The reality is rather to the contrary; the building style of Amazigh homes is naturally insulative, requiring no central heating nor cooling. “They are very good for insulation. They stay cool in summer and warm in the winter,” explained Tiss. “It is an environmentally friendly way of living… The houses are made from the same material and with the same technique as the ksours: from gypsum and clay.” Ksours, typically in the physical center of Amazigh communities in the region, are storage facilities meant for grain or other foods which are critical to store at a stable temperature.

The homes in Ouled El Khil are domed structures, but the structure changes depending on the specific village’s topography. For example, the isothermic dwellings are carved into mountainsides in more mountainous areas. Others may be built below ground, called “troglodyte” dwellings in English. For Star Wars fans, Luke Skywalker’s home on Planet Tatooine was literally inspired by these structures. For evidence, one does not have to look very far, as Star Wars creator George Lucas named the planet after the region’s real name. Go ahead, check a map! Tataouine, Tunisia — inspiration to Star Wars and sustainable solutions alike.

An example of a traditional home with a different structure — An example of a traditional sustainable home with a different structure, Photo by Jennifer Lundt

Agriculture Sustainable Practices

Permaculture is a type of farming that has only been recently defined, yet practiced for millennia in indigenous cultures… it was mentioned to some degree in nearly every interview I had with an individual from the Dahar region.

Madame Leila Gamar of La Cuesta explained, “gardening is a specialty of the house,” and most of the food she serves her guests comes directly from her backyard or the local area. In particular, she grows an array of fruit trees that flourish in the region: date, fig, and pomegranate. From the fruit, she makes jams and juices to serve year-round, but during the respective season of each tree, Gamar offers the produce fresh. Farm-to-table style local agriculture is one of the most sustainable methods of food consumption, reducing transport waste and supporting small business owners.

The Olive Reigns Supreme

Similar to most Mediterranean cultures, the olive tree holds immeasurable cultural and culinary significance in Tunisia. Dahar is certainly no exception, with most families having a certain number of olive trees they harvest annually. A portion of this olive oil is typically sold for profit, while a portion is kept to cushion the family’s supply of the household staple until the next year.

Author’s family Olive Orchard in Ouled Faiza, Monastir (Miled Faiza) — Sustainable agriculture – Author’s family Olive Orchard in Ouled Faiza, Monastir, Photo by Miled Faiza

Tarek Hasnaoui of Diar Toujane described the winter harvest season to me in detail, describing it as an exciting time to be in Dahar. “In the time of the olive harvest, guests are invited to pick olives and learn about the process,” explained Hasnaoui, “January is the peak season for harvesting the black olives. They still press the olives in the traditional style, with donkeys stomping.”

In another example of agriculture sustainable practices, the olive oil harvest is a tradition in Tunisia going back as far as written history can denote. The community cultivates the local trees, and the knowledge of how to upkeep the orchards is kept within communities responsible for caring for them. The traditional method of pressing the olives, using the force of a donkey’s stride rather than a machine press, adds to the sustainability of the practice by reducing carbon emissions. The result is a delicious oil with a freshness and purity far superior to the green bottles on grocery store shelves.

Sustainable Irrigation Practices

Located where the Sahara meets the Mediterranean, Dahar faces the ever-increasing threat of water scarcity. Due to climate change, the dry environment is only being exacerbated. At the time of writing, it has not rained in the region for three years. Historically, Dahar could expect rain on a somewhat regular basis. Over the centuries, the Amazigh community developed a unique irrigation technique complemented by the mountainous topography. Walls, not unlike dams, are built at the foot of slopes, such as towards the base of a hill, to collect run-off water for use. These structures are called jessours, or jessr in singular. One of their primary functions is to gather water for the purpose of irrigating fruit trees and agricultural crops. By collecting water, jessours help provide much-needed hydration to these plants, aiding in their growth and ensuring their health. They can be utilized for groundwater replenishment through a process called infiltration. The water collected in the jessours seeps into the ground, recharging the underground water sources. This is beneficial for maintaining a sustainable water supply and supporting the overall water cycle.

This water conservation method supports the natural flow of water without intruding on natural ecosystems, which is often a major concern when implementing dams. Therefore, it is an environmentally friendly method to use rainwater efficiently to fulfill the community’s needs.

An Example for the World

Dahar is a brilliant example of the ingenuity of indigenous peoples, whose cultures and ancient wisdom have developed alongside the land they still cultivate. The Amazigh community demonstrates a way to survive with respect for the Earth in even the harshest environments. Many of the individuals I interviewed in this project hope that their work will serve as a model for sustainable home and community construction, especially in similarly arid climates. Tactics such as adobe homes and permaculture agriculture for food production can be very beneficial. Looking towards the Amazigh people in the fight against climate change will be a critical step for Tunisia, a return to our roots and an amendment to the culture our nation abandoned in misguided attempts to modernize at our country’s own expense.

Want to learn more about how we are working to develop sustainable tourism in Tunisia? Check out Solimar’s USAID Visit Tunisia Project https://www.solimarinternational.com/project/visit-tunisia/

Sustainable Tourism Management for National Parks

Written by Kristina Algas on July 19, 2023. Posted in Blog.

We humans have always had a special relationship with wildlife. Just as we’ve relied on nature for shelter, protection, and comfort in all parts of the world, these delicate ecosystems rely on us to help support and maintain them. Today, global concern for the degradation of forest ecosystems is at an all-time high, along with a growing public interest in nature and natural landscapes. The best opportunity to address both concerns is to invest in sustainable management for natural parks with especially vulnerable ecosystems.

According to the World Commission on Protected Areas, the management of protected areas is central to legal, political, institutional, and practical conservation efforts worldwide. As such, maintaining these protected areas for future generations should be our top priority by ensuring they are managed with sustainability in mind. This is especially important for natural parks, which are prized ecological hotspots and some of the world’s most valuable tourism destinations.

What is Sustainable Destination Management?

Sustainable destination management is the planning, coordinating, and implementing tourism solution strategies to ensure long-term destination sustainability. These strategies help travelers and locals get the most out of a destination while minimizing damage to its natural resources.

The tourism sector has grown significantly over the past 50 years, with international arrivals increasing from 200 million to nearly 1.6 billion. With this growth comes many economic and societal benefits; however, protecting destinations and their resources from depletion makes it all the more important. To do this, strategic planning solutions must be developed for travel destinations at risk of ecological depletion. When implemented successfully, these plans can help the tourism industry flourish while benefiting local communities and protecting natural resources.

At Solimar, we develop tourism master plans that identify destinations’ assets, opportunities, and challenges. Our strategies are coordinated by in-depth research and engagement with local communities. This helps to ensure that locals and tourists get the most out of what a destination offers. Solimar’s most recent efforts involve applying these tourism master plans to national parks. These attractions have an inherent connection to nature that defines its value and greatest vulnerabilities, hence the importance of sustainable management for national parks.

Key Elements Of Sustainable Tourism and Management

When it comes to national parks, sustainable management plans should strike a balance between conservation and public access while addressing the needs of local communities. To practice sustainable management in national parks, conservation efforts have many moving parts that help consider all of these needs.

1. Visitor Management

National parks attract a significant number of visitors every day. The constant foot traffic and the threat of human interference put them at an especially high risk of ecological degradation. Sustainable management plans for national parks address this problem by managing the impacts of tourism on the environment. These efforts are highly visitor-centric, including implementing measures such as visitor education programs, infrastructure in environmentally sensitive locations, and technology for managing the number of visitors entering the park daily.

Another way visitor management can enhance the traveler’s experience is by providing information through visitor centers. Solimar has developed several visitor centers in destinations around the world. These visitor centers provide travel and accommodation information while supporting local businesses and communities.

2. Collaboration with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities

Indigenous peoples and local communities play a unique role in the sustainable management of national parks. Their deep understanding of the local ecosystems, wildlife, and natural heritage, as they have inhabited these lands for generations, is fundamental for understanding and managing biodiversity and developing relevant conservation strategies. Their traditional sustainable knowledge, love, and respect for their lands make them invaluable partners in the sustainable management of national parks.

Approximately 476 million indigenous peoples live across 90 countries around the planet. According to the United Nations, indigenous people are ‘inheritors and practitioners of unique cultures and ways of relating to people and the environment.’ Indeed, nowadays, these communities manage 17% of forest carbon around the world, significantly contributing to climate change mitigation.

Hence, involving these communities in the planning and decision-making process is vital for building trust, inclusion, and meaningful conservation efforts. The Conservation Wor Activity is an example of an inclusive and multi-sectoral project that highlights the importance of engaging local communities in the management and preservation of protected areas and enhancing their economic growth in the long term.

3. Conservation Of Biodiversity in Protected Areas

Despite international efforts, biodiversity across the globe continues to decline. The Living Planet Report 2022 reported a 69% average loss in mammal, bird, reptile, fish, and amphibian species since 1970. The designation of national parks as protected areas can help mitigate the loss of local plant and animal species, especially those that are endangered or on the brink of extinction.

Currently, Solimar is collaborating with USAID Conservation Works Activities (CWA). This project, centered in Liberia, is about developing a sustainable management plan that engages communities in conserving protected areas. Liberia, home to the Upper Guinean Forest and a renowned biodiversity hotspot continues to face threats such as deforestation and habitat destruction. It is essential to involve local communities in creating innovative protected areas through sustainable tourism management.

4. Resource Management

Resource management is key to sustainable tourism for natural parks. A thriving yet unregulated tourism industry creates a large demand for resources such as water and wood. Consequently, destinations that face this demand may find themselves especially vulnerable to ecological depletion. This threat can be mitigated by sustainable tourism infrastructure that consumes minimal resources while contributing to the visitor experience.

Solimar is proud to provide its own example of sustainable tourism infrastructure with the Sapo Eco-Lodge in Sapo National Park, Liberia. The entire complex, complete with solar-powered energy, is built with sustainability in mind. It showcases Liberian natural heritage while providing visitors with accommodations in the heart of Sapo Natural Park, creating an unforgettable visitor experience.

Sapo Eco-Lodge, Liberia

5. Destination Management Organizations

Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) are groups that play a large role in sustainable management. UNWTO defines a DMO as “the leading organizational entity which may encompass the various authorities, stakeholders, and professionals and facilitates partnerships towards a collective destination vision.” Solimar often works with DMOs to coordinate essential destination tourism management elements, including marketing, amenities, and public access to attractions. Most importantly, DMOs are often key players in implementing sustainable management strategies.

6. Measuring Impact for Sustainable Tourism

Measuring the impact of tourism in national parks is crucial for protecting its natural resources. Solimar proposes three main reasons behind its importance for sustainable tourism:

1. Conservation: Assessing the ecological footprint of the local tourism industry allows for developing strategies that minimize habitat degradation, pollution, and disturbance to wildlife.
2. Investment: Knowing the impact of tourism can provide important information on a destination’s overall economic value. If presented effectively, this information can attract potential investors and contribute to the destination’s socioeconomic well-being.
3. Education: Understanding how visitors behave and impact a destination can foster educational initiatives to raise awareness about environmental issues, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable tourism practices.

How Can I Make a Difference?

Travelers are the heart of a tourism destination. The choices we make as travelers are crucial for preserving and protecting natural resources around the world. These are just some of the many ways travelers can support sustainable tourism in national parks:

1. Educate Yourself: Before visiting national parks or other natural tourist attractions, research the unique ecology and the wildlife that calls it home. Knowledge of the local environment can only enhance your experience as a traveler, giving you insight into and appreciation of your destination.
2. Leave No Trace: Practice the “Leave No Trace” principles to minimize the environmental impact of your visit. Remember to properly dispose of your trash, including food waste and other biodegradable items. Respect wildlife by observing from a distance, avoid damaging plants or natural formations, and minimize the usage of campfires.
3. Choose Sustainable Transportation: Consider using eco-friendly transportation to reach your destination: for instance, public transit, carpooling, or cycling. If you’re driving, opt for fuel-efficient vehicles to decrease your carbon footprint.
4. Support Local Communities: Opt for local, eco-friendly accommodations. Buy traditional gifts from local artisans around national parks. Not only will you contribute to the local economy, but you will also have a unique opportunity to engage with local culture and traditions.
5. Volunteer and Support Conservation Efforts: Many national parks have volunteer programs and organized conservation projects. Consider participating in these initiatives, such as trail maintenance, habitat restoration, wildlife monitoring, and educational programs. You can also donate to park foundations and organizations that preserve and protect national parks.

Visit our website to learn more about sustainable destination management and what you can do for national parks.

Photo by Zoe Schaeffer on Unsplash

Blog by: Kristina Algas and Marika Matarazzo

Ecotourism in the Sundarbans and Local Food Security: Data Overview from Bangladesh Dissertation Research

Written by Cat Padgett on July 19, 2023. Posted in Blog, Uncategorized.

FINDING SOLIMAR

Throughout my time studying food security at the University of Edinburgh, I was vaguely aware of the advantages of sustainable tourism development projects in vulnerable areas of the world, but I wasn’t clear about how these efforts can actualize environmental and social improvements in practice. A friend of mine working in ecotourism then introduced me to Solimar, and I was energized by their results and success. Solimar connects people with economic opportunities and promotes environmental initiatives through sustainable tourism development.

I learned that Solimar was doing work in the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, and I became hooked on the idea of getting involved in their project. Throughout my course in food security, I developed a fascination with mangroves and how they can support food security in the world’s vulnerable coastal areas. I then got connected with one of Solimar’s project partners, the Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS). BEDS is a Bangladeshi NGO pursuing cooperative solutions to the country’s deteriorating mangrove habitat, coastal instability, and livelihood vulnerabilities among Bonojibi people (forest dwellers) who live in and around the Sundarbans. I was able to piggyback my research onto an existing project in the area – USAID contracts Solimar to develop the Bangladesh Ecotourism and Conservation Alliance (BECA) in collaboration with BEDS.

Getting connected with the larger Solimar, BEDS, and BECA networks granted me access to a world of sustainable development I thought I could only encounter much later in my career. These connections helped me better understand some of the vast economic and environmental results Solimar and BEDS have achieved with their program interventions.

Existing research in Bangladeshi mangrove preservation has focused on the ecological stability of the region. Working within existing frameworks, I proposed to contribute a food security angle to the existing data with my dissertation research, studying the effects of participation in mangrove conservation efforts on the four food security pillars in local households.

The Four Pillars of Food Security, as defined by The Committee on World Food Security

Thus, my research project was born:

Can Mangrove Conservation Interventions Increase Short-Term Food Security for Banojibi villages, while working towards Long-Term Ecological Stability, in The Sundarban Forest of Bangladesh?

A Case Study Evaluation of Local Perspectives on Bangladesh Environment and Development Society Mangrove Conservation Initiatives

The experience blew me away; I was able to travel to Bangladesh and interview stakeholders in and around the Sundarbans. I spoke with mangrove conservation project managers, forest rangers, farmers, ecotour guides, students and professors at Khulna university, and other interested parties to better understand the influence of mangrove conservation efforts on local livelihoods. The data collected from my study has since helped to inform food system lens for BECA project interventions in the Sundarban Reserve Forest, including the monitoring, evaluation, and learning of implemented project activities, specifically related to food security outcomes.

KEY FINDINGS OF ECOTOURISM IN THE SUNDARBANS ON LIVELIHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION

The culmination of my field research in the Sundarbans revealed some compelling themes linking ecotourism development to the improvement of livelihoods, including economic opportunities and food security outcomes for local people. BEDS’ ecotourism sector is one of five sectors (including agriculture, aquaculture, non-forest timber products, and mangrove reforestation) that is supporting regional environmental security in the Sundarbans. In addition to promoting mangrove health and coastal stability, BEDS’ ecotourism sector also facilitates cultural exchange between local people and tourists, and increased awareness of the vulnerable Sundarbans habitat. It also supports mangrove conservation in its emphasis on sustainable development, prioritizing local, small-scale, and sustainable materials for infrastructure, environmental education, and cultural exchange among local people and tourists. These actions increase awareness of the Sundarbans’ value and reduce resource pressures on mangrove habitat, in lieu of large-scale development of tourist facilities, and associated environmental degradation. The following statistics from my research showcase the results of ecotourism opportunities in the study area:

Nypa Palm and Bamboo Eco-Cottage Under Construction in Banishanta Union

A large majority (87.5%) of interviewees in the sector agreed that mangrove conservation initiatives have increased their access to professional opportunities.
Before the BEDS intervention, 50% of interview participants reported working as domestic and day laborers. All of those (37.5%) who reported working as domestic laborers were women. After getting involved in BEDS programming, however, 100% of people reported that their primary income came from ecotourism opportunities.
Over 71% of interview participants noted that increased opportunities for extended community partnerships between sectors could add value to ecotourism in the area. Specifically, 50% noted that opportunities to experience village lifestyle and culture would increase the value of ecotourism activities. Another 50% also mentioned healthier mangroves and Sundarban biodiversity as a driver of ecotourism value.
Ecotourism in the study area contributed to increased income and economic opportunities for women (affecting access to food), increased access to drinking water (affecting the utilization of food), increased ecological stability, improved land use practices, and cooperative partnerships (affecting the stability of local food systems).

Data from the ecotourism sector presented compelling opportunities for commercial cooperation and cultural-exchange between BEDS’ five sectors. For instance, BEDS’ ecotourism adds value to its local communities by developing increased employment opportunities and increasing regional awareness of the state of the Sundarbans. For instance, shrimp yields are highest from September to October in the study area. This is also the most popular tourist season, as it is the dry season in Bangladesh. This overlap could provide a valuable opportunity for pop-up retail markets in the aquaculture sector, and the diversification of market opportunities for farmers. This program also is one of the limited professional avenues for local people,especially women. This is a valuable avenue into the professional workforce for people in the study area, and a compelling avenue for reducing regional gender inequities.

WHERE TO GO FROM HERE?

The ecotourism sector in Bangladesh is facing an interesting opportunity. The introduction of a 6 km bridge across the padma river on June 25, 2022, which will streamline transportation between Bangladesh’s metropolitan hubs, including Dhaka and Khulna, and the co

astal part of the country, is certain to increase regional tourist traffic. Unrestricted tourism could be disastrous for the area. However, increasing measured and intentional opportunities for sustainable ecotourism development could present an opportunity for increased awareness of the SRF, and an influx in economic opportunities in depressed local markets. The influx in capital, as a result of ecotourism, can change the micro and macroeconomic landscape of local communities in the world’s mangrove supporting regions. These benefits are critical to regional food security; economic opportunities like this are positively correlated with increased access to food, a diversified diet, and increased stability of local food systems.

HOW CAN DEVELOPMENT OF ECOTOURISM IN THE SUNDARBANS SCALE THESE RESULTS?

These results reveal several compelling themes that highlight the intersections of mangrove conservation efforts in the SIZ, and regional food security:

Multi-stakeholder initiatives can address opportune connections between local markets and ecosystems, helping to support local mangrove conservation and food availability and access
Increasing opportunities for ecotourism will increase opportunities for the retail sale of premium mangrove-friendly products in food producing sectors
Increasing opportunities for young people to be involved in ecotourism will improve environmental education and gender equity
Opportunities for visitor engagement in forest regeneration in the study area will increase opportunities for improving coastal stability and habitat production for the ecotourism sector, and food-production habitats for food producing sectors

Much of what was revealed in this research is already documented in current literature: mature mangrove forests can support food security, and mangrove conservation efforts can support livelihoods. This work adds an additional, targeted food security angle to the field, and contributes to the emerging research about how conservation interventions can also support food security in the short-term, as reforested and protected mangroves grow from saplings to resource-giving trees. Not only can cooperative mangrove conservation interventions, like ecotourism development, endow Bangladeshi communities with food security-supporting services, but these efforts can also stimulate education, a fair distribution of incomes, gender equality, cultural celebration, access to land and ownership, regional climate resilience, and other socio-ecological and economic assets.

WORKING WITH LOCAL PEOPLE

A pillar of Solimar and BEDS’ work in the Sundarbans is to ensure that the perspectives and priorities of local people are centered in every initiative taken on the behalf of the forest that they steward. Results from my limited work in the study area contribute to existing research indicating that conservation interventions are most successful when local communities are involved. Formal interviews and casual conversations with locals revealed to me that there is a robust momentum for mangrove conservation in the region I visited. Community-based mangrove forest management in the Sundarbans, including the development of the ecotourism sector, appeared to be a successful avenue to conservation, based on the results of my research and the perspectives of local people. This avenue for conservation initiatives redistributes the agency of forest conservation from powerful stakeholders to local people who rely on the forests’ resources for their livelihoods. These are the people targeted in Solimar’s work in Sundarbans ecotourism, and these are the people who will most directly influence policy and conservation.

Meet Sylecia Johnston, Solimar’s New DMO Solution Lead

Written by Quentin Fidance on March 28, 2023. Posted in Blog.

Solimar International is known globally for our significant work in sustainable tourism initiatives. Engaging in enterprise readiness schemes, developing destination management organizations (DMO), and creating responsible tourism practices, the company is leading the way in countries that have huge economic potential for tourism post-COVID. And no one is better suited to help develop and achieve Solimar’s goals than Sylecia Johnston, our new project manager and DMO Development Solution lead.

Meet Sylecia Johnston!

Sylecia’s first family trip to Israel when she was just 13 months old initiated her life and love of travel, whether it be for education, business, or leisure. Throughout her career, she has also been heavily involved in the conservation of culture, heritage, environment and natural resources.

Graduating from George Washington University with a degree in sustainable destination management, she has used her education to its full career benefit. “I’ve worked for a few different DMOs, various conservation non-profit organizations, and have sat on many boards and committees. Now, I’m ready to help establish Solimar’s DMO program on a global scale.”

Sylecia’s Work at Solimar

As a project manager at Solimar, she leads efforts and drives project communications in some of the countries that we work in. “I am one of the many project managers at Solimar, but because of the company’s reformatted structure, I am also leading DMO solutions for different destinations,” Johnston explained.

Johnston has actually followed Solimar since her days at university. “I am in my dream job right now,” she exclaimed. “Getting to step into this role at this time in my life is fortuitous. I am most excited about working with a team of individuals who are just as passionate about sustainable and regenerative tourism as I am.”

This is her first time working with international development-funded projects like with USAID, but that doesn’t mean she is going to back down from a challenge. “I’m familiar with extensive government reporting, so I think it will be an easy transition to make,” she explained.

“What is great about a DMO is that there can be various levels of organization based on the needs or capacity of the destination, from the most basic forms to hugely elaborate with multiple committees and platforms,” explained Johnston. Because it is managed by stakeholders in the destination, DMO easiness is all about how open they are to make it as best as possible. DMOs can manage a simple website with essential information or a much more elaborate program – both can be equally effective,” she concluded.

Destination Dahar and Tunisia

Dahar area in Tunisia — Dahar Area in Tunisia (*Wikimedia Commons*)

Johnston is working on a wide array of DMO solutions for many Solimar projects, including the work to support Destination Dahar under the scope of the USAID Visit Tunisia project. Johnston is quite familiar with Tunisia. “Previous to Solimar, I was an independent consultant, and I had a client in Tunisia, so I have done a bit of research,” she elaborated. “I’ve also traveled there for vacation before, which has allowed me to keep up with the tourism industry in the country.”

Sylecia really enjoyed visiting Tunisia, despite any western world perceptions that are projected onto the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. “There is an opportunity for bridge building and cross-cultural understanding that could take place for more western tourists to be open to traveling to Tunisia,” she added.

This perception presents an obstacle to Destination Dahar eagerly promoting the Dahar region to travelers around the world. “Dahar is a region with some of the least economic opportunities in the whole country. Many in the local communities are abandoning their villages to go to Tunis or Sfax, or migrating to Europe. The main challenge is developing a robust organization’s product offerings, experiences, tourism management, and marketing that can find the next steps to drive economic growth in the area so that people are motivated to stay.”

The hills of Dahar (Destination Dahar)

Because of her experience and some insight into the future of tourism in the MENA region, Johnston believes Tunisia is very eager and open to international tourism, especially for expanded regional strength and economic benefits through travel beyond the northeastern coastline. “Development in the MENA region will lead to more stability, and investment in the industry will help establish more business, making the destination better promoted and more open to international tourists,” she commented.

As tourist industries around the world prepare to take full advantage of a post-COVID boom, they are going to need a reliable company with a dedicated workforce to help further establish themselves on a global scale. Sylecia’s invaluable experience in the travel industry will significantly help Solimar International in achieving these goals.

WE DEVELOP, MANAGE, AND MARKET SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DESTINATIONS

Category: Blog