Conservation- Tourism For The Long Term
Excerpt from “COME CLOSER: How Tourism is Shaping the Future of Nations”©
A Mendiratta
Anita Mendiratta
Managing Director of CACHET CONSULTING, an international strategic consulting firm focused on TOURISM and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
Memorable moments of travel are found across the globe. Super-natural moments are found all over the world. Their beauty, their power, and their sense of blessing, is caused by a combination of factors critical to creation of experiences which go beyond adventure – they reach into the space where words such as ‘magic’, ‘wonder’, ‘awe’, ‘humility’, ‘authentic’ and ‘purity’ live. Where lives change perspective. Where tears fall because you are there.
At the heart of these incredible moments of discovery is remoteness – quiet, still, remoteness. The remote chance of not just being there, but of discovery occurring:
- Catching a glimpse of baby Gorillas playing like schoolchildren high up in the canopy of trees deep within the Central African mountain forest;
- Spotting the shadow of a whale nearing the boat hovering patiently in the intense blue waters of the reef;
- Hearing the deep, baritone cracking of a glacier in what feels like stretched seconds before a mass of ice crashes into the frigid Arctic waters that the polar bears call ‘home’.
And yet, for all of the beauty and wonder, such remarkable places are disappearing. Each and every day as the world undertakes pursuits for a better way, the lives of other precious creatures and ancient creations of our world become threatened.
To enter into the remotest, richest places of exploration, understanding and discovery means, by its very nature, disturbance of a natural world. Natural environments, natural eco-systems and natural habitats become unnaturally exposed when they become accessible to travellers. The risks are real. Animals may become frightened off. Food supplies killed off. Reef structures broken off, free-growing space sold off. Waters polluted.
The here and now destroyed.
For all of these reasons, and more, tourism conservation - actively preserving and protecting the place, people and promise of the destination - is critical to the long-term health and well being of the destination as an environment, as an economy.
Conservation is everyone's responsibility. The well being of the destination is not only the responsibility of the tourism sector - it is also the responsibility of the tourist.
As much as tourism can bring prosperity, purpose and pride to a destination, so too can it take these benefits away.
What are the core elements of conservation that need to be considered? It begins with the following:
- Essence: The core proposition which uniquely, competitively and proudly defines the destination as a Brand and experience.
- Earnings: Revenues and investment generated directly and indirectly from tourism activity.
- Economy: Inter-related, inter-dependent sectors which work together to service and support the Tourism industry.
- Employment: On-going, year-round job creation of the sector.
- Environment: Safety, stability and survival of the natural surroundings of the destination.
- Eco-systems: Natural eco-systems which inhabit the destination’s land, water and air environments.
- Equity: The sense of value and worth of the destination, financially and emotionally.
Conservation is fundamentally important to the long-term viability, credibility, authenticity and productivity of the tourism sector.
Ultimately, conservation is a reflection of a measurable approach to sector growth and development which focuses and invests directly into ensuring on-going strengthening of the core elements of the destination, for the next generation of travellers.
And even more so, for the next generation of wildlife.
