Nature Based Tourism and Ecotourism As a Response to Increase Competitiveness and Balance Territorial Development

UNIVERSITÉ TOULOUSE - JEAN JAURES INSTITUT SUPERIEUR DU TOURISME, DE L’HÔTELLERIE ET DE L’ALIMENTATION MASTER TOURISME ET HÔTELLERIE Parcours « Tourisme et Développement» MÉMOIRE DE DEUXIÈME ANNÉE Nature based tourism and ecotourism as a response to increase competitiveness and balance territorial development Présenté par : Sandrine Gloton Vertigan Année universitaire : 2013 – 2014 Sous la direction de : Anne Rostand et Aurélie Sanchez 1 2 UNIVERSITÉ TOULOUSE - JEAN JAURES INSTITUT SUPERIEUR DU TOURISME, DE L’HÔTELLERIE ET DE L’ALIMENTATION MASTER TOURISME ET HÔTELLERIE Parcours « Tourisme et Développement» MÉMOIRE DE DEUXIÈME ANNÉE Nature based tourism and ecotourism as a response to increase competitiveness and balance territorial development Présenté par : Sandrine Gloton Vertigan Année universitaire : 2013 – 2014 Sous la direction de : Anne Rostand et Aurélie Sanchez 3 L’ISTHIA de l’Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès n’entend donner aucune approbation, ni improbation dans les projets tuteurés et mémoires de recherche. Les opinions qui y sont développées doivent être considérées comme propres à leur auteur(e) 4 Acknowledgment I would like to thank Vivienne Holloway for the great opportunity of undertaking my work placement with the fantastic team of the City of Victor Harbor and for the help and support from every one. I also thank Leah and Amelia for trusting me with the signage project of the Whale Centre and for the rich experience it was. Many thanks to my family who gave me encouragement and support during the writing of this present memoire. 5 Contents Main introduction……………………………………………………………….. p. 7 Part 1- The foundations of the tourism development of Australia and the seaside resort of victor harbor: lands of possibilities, multiples stakes and potential for a sustainable future………………………………. p.9 Chapter 1: Introduction to Terra Australis Inconnu, the great southern land unknown …………………………………………………………………. p.11 Chapter 2: Nature based tourism, the benefits of using nature, controversies and evolution towards ecotourism…………………………… p.28 Chapter 3. Different levels of governance for natural heritage implies different visions, identity and use conflicts.…………………………………... p.47 Part 2 - Enhancing territorial development: bringing satisfaction to social, environmental and economic needs………………………………… p.61 Chapter 1: Victor Harbor city council and the scope of activities: tourism, a delegated authority……………………………………………………………… p.63 Chapter 2: The issues of the territory and the will for a nature based tourism planning strategy for Victor Harbor………………………………… p.80 Chapter 3: Record, analysis and diagnosis of the nature based tourism offering in Victor Harbor……………………………………………………….. p.89 Part 3 - Highlight on the opportunities, proposal of recommendations and a strategic development plan : ten years of actions to regain trust and competitiveness through an ecotourism vision……………………….. p.107 Chapter 1: A cross analysis between Victor Harbor’s tourism industry and market opportunities: recommendations to create a favorable economic environment for better industry competitiveness…………………………… p.109 Chapter 2: Development plan for nature based tourism strategy: regaining competitiveness through new experiences as a driving force toward economic development…………………………………………………………. p.131 Chapter 3: Checking hypotheses regarding ecotourism possibilities in Victor Harbor…………………………………………………………………….. p.140 Main conclusion p.160 6 Main introduction As one of the most important industries in Australia, tourism has had some significant impacts on natural and built environments. Tourism responds to a pursuit of adventure and a desire to discover new places with natural and cultural beauty. The irony of tourism is that in most cases these environments of value can become threatened by the flow of visitors driven to explore them. This phenomenon is the reason for the need to understand both positive and negative effects on the environment, on the culture and on general economic outcomes. Between the consumption of the natural spaces and tourism as an essential activity for the life and preservation of the heritage and with almost one million visitors a year, Victor Harbor is facing a problematic of tourism development. Faced with the increasing competition of national and regional tourism, Victor Harbor needs to decide on a new tourism model. However; tourism is not viewed the same way in every society. Some see tourism only as an economic function, others may benefit from cultural and social wellbeing from the destination. The degree of local resident’s desire for their involvement varies depending on the destination. Some destinations may consider tourism as a means to support and stimulate other forms of activity development while others view tourism as a long fundamental and sustainable sector for their economy. The desires and philosophies for tourism must be debated to reach an agreement on the constituents of the destination. This document links nature based tourism and ecotourism to two principles: competitiveness and balanced spatial territorial development. Before starting with demonstrating how it can be related, it is necessary to clarify the terms of nature based tourism and ecotourism, often confused and apparent to one another. With the purpose of demonstrating the relationship between ecotourism, competitiveness and territorial development, the study focuses on the role of public and private stakeholders with an ideal of participative governance, cooperation, coherence of different levels of governance on one hand for tourism 7 and on the other hand for natural resource management, the role of innovation and enterprise creation. The audit and recommendations made for the City of Victor Harbor were at the origin of a wish for an ecotourism strategy. From this demand, it is first obligated to ask: can ecotourism help regain competitiveness? How and what are the conditions? Indeed; the banner of ecotourism can be attractive for tourism planners, but often the requirements of engaging a whole new public and private organisation of the tourism industry, without forgetting other sectors of the territory such as agriculture, fisheries and so on, can overtake the capacity of the territory. Another question is why local governments are promoting ecotourism if not because of the positive image? It can be to change the situation of mass tourism, or to find a market responding to environmental values of some consumers. It seems that ecotourism and the tourism industry rely on a non explicit postulate that would be that the environment is a perpetual resource as a product of appeal to gain benefices and revenues. This is an issue with ecotourism, the want to conserve the environment and in the same time offer ecotourism products to gain a position with a growing demand on a global scale as well as responding to the fundamental needs of local communities. Ecotourism is therefore a topic to carefully address. Ecotourism is viewed as a solution of exchange to an economy traditionally based on natural resources, but in fact, ecotourism might not be a unique solution for a sustainable development. To address all these questions, thorough research and interviews with different stakeholders are needed to understand the functions, roles, authority and capacity of local governments to impact the tourism industry of their territory. A development strategy through ecotourism is a great initiative; however requires in depth understanding of the global environment of the territory itself and of the territory within a larger administration scale. Tourism is an activity shaped by numerous and varied elements. The conduct of a territorial diagnosis of tourism cannot be limited to the study of the local tourism organisation. The climate, landscapes, the history, the heritage, the inhabitants and their traditions are as much motives of attractiveness that come to shape the degree of physiognomy of 8 the tourist destination. The initial question that started the reflection to address in this document is how ecotourism can be a solution to evenly develop a territory that is mainly focused on seaside tourism and increase its attractiveness? Divided in three parts, this document will, in the first section; give an insight the foundations of the tourism development in Australia and in Victor Harbor, mainly focusing on nature based tourism and natural heritage with an overview of the stakes and potential for a sustainable development. The second part focuses on the functions of the local government of Victor Harbor as a body to enhance territorial development before analysing its nature based tourism market. Finally, the third part provides details of the opportunity for development, recommendations to reach the potential and counters to the barriers of industry growth; followed by the demonstration of three assumptions potentially allowing a balance of territorial development, a regain of competitiveness and an increase in environmental awareness to increase visitation during the low season. 9 Methodology Initial question: How ecotourism can be a solution to evenly develop a territory that is mainly focused on seaside tourism and increase its attractiveness? Ecotourism Territorial development Bibliography researches Nature based tourism Local government Natural heritage Begining of the work placement Low development Loss of competitiveness of remote areas Problematic : Lack of knowledge How a territory suffering a loss of its Wish for ecotourism of tourism market

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