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Developing Sustainable Tourism Through Ecomuseology: a Case Study in the Rupununi Region of Guyana

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Developing Sustainable Tourism Through Ecomuseology: a Case Study in the Rupununi Region of Guyana Developing Sustainable Tourism through Ecomuseology: A Case Study in the Rupununi Region of Guyana. David Jared Bowers A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Arts and Cultures Newcastle University December 2013 Abstract. Sustainability is a concept that continues to evolve and perplex in tourism, one of the world’s largest industries. Effective new theories and practices are constantly explored to incorporate the three pillars of sustainability (economic, socio-cultural and environmental) into tourism frameworks. Although marginally successful, sustainable tourism development remains a much criticised concept due to its lack of consistent implementation and conceptual and practical difficulties. In comparison, due to their focus on participation processes, integration of resources and response to specific needs and contexts, ecomuseological principles can be very useful for the development of community-based sustainable tourism products. These principles can be recognized within the philosophy and practices that tend to characterise individual ecomuseums and can be viewed as the key values of the ecomuseum ideal. This research project examines the potential of using the principles of ecomuseology to support sustainable tourism development. In particular, the research adopted a mixed- methods approach which analysed the potential of using these principles for supporting sustainable tourism development in the Rupununi, an isolated and heritage-rich region in central Guyana. The data collection process involved a mixture of literature reviews, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with a variety of local, national and international stakeholders. The primary goal in data collection was to construct a profile of the Rupununi tourism structure to identify and evaluate areas in which ecomuseological principles would be best suited to provide support. The findings from this research suggest that the principles of ecomuseology possess considerable potential to support sustainable tourism development in the Rupununi and potentially other destinations internationally. Indeed, results demonstrated that several of these principles were already being implemented by stakeholders in the region, although the term ‘ecomuseum’ is not being used anywhere by stakeholders. However, many principles are decidedly underused while the Rupununi is currently experiencing a significant shift in its relationship with the ‘outside’ world where societal changes are already affecting local economic development, heritage resources and host communities. Ultimately, this dissertation argues that ecomuseology presents a flexible framework that can be used to address these changes and dually support heritage management and ii economic development in the region. However, adopting the ecomuseum name is not recommended as a way forward for Rupununi stakeholders to improve sustainability. Instead, incorporating particular ecomuseological principles including a holistic approach to interpretation and information sharing, placing equal attention on cultural and natural resources and monitoring the changes to the region over time can support the three pillars of sustainability in the region. Lastly, this research demonstrated that these principles can be applicable to sustainable tourism development in many developing world contexts. However, the researcher argues that the theoretical framework for ecomuseums needs to be re-considered before it can be fully adopted in the lesser developed countries. This dissertation concludes by addressing this and other areas in need of further research while outlining the future of Rupununi tourism. iii Acknowledgements. I would like to thank my supervisors, Gerard Corsane and Peter Davis, for their constant support and enthusiasm. Both have provided me with useful feedback and advice and I’m extremely grateful to them for guiding me through this whole process. I would also like to thank them for the many opportunities and contacts they have helped me with in the field. I am particularly thankful to Gerard, whose initial interest in the subject area for this dissertation was the impetus for my research. To the communities in the Rupununi, thank you for allowing me to conduct my research in your villages and for making me feel welcome. This also applies to all of the individuals I was fortunate enough to interview – your interest, time and support in my research is greatly appreciated. I am hopeful that this report can be a useful document in shaping a sustainable future for Rupununi tourism – easily one of the most beautiful and impressive areas I have experienced. Additional gratitude goes to the Iwokrama International Centre, the North Rupununi District Development Board, Conservation International, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency. Lastly, it would have been difficult to finish this project were it not for a few other key individuals. To the other ICCHS Ph.D. students and colleagues, thank you for the daily banter, encouragement and as always the ‘choons’. I would also like to thank Zelda van der Waal for her unrelenting patience, understanding and ‘technical support’ – it’s been a long and enjoyable trip since life on the Essequibo. Finally, I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my family, especially my mother, father and grandmother, for instilling in me the fortitude and passion required to succeed in life – I am eternally grateful for all that you have done for me. iv Table of contents. Abstract. ____________________________________________ ii Acknowledgements. __________________________________ iv List of figures. ________________________________________ x List of tables. ________________________________________ xi 1 Introduction. _____________________________________________________ 12 1.1 Research Inspiration and Significance ______________________________ 12 1.2 Research Question, Aims and Objectives ___________________________ 13 1.3 An Introduction to the Rupununi __________________________________ 16 1.3.1 Historical Background ______________________________________ 18 1.3.2 Residents _________________________________________________ 19 1.3.3 Economic Development _____________________________________ 21 1.4 Heritage Resources _____________________________________________ 23 1.4.1 Natural Heritage ___________________________________________ 23 1.4.2 Cultural Heritage ___________________________________________ 25 1.4.3 Relationship between nature and culture ________________________ 27 1.5 Thesis Outline _________________________________________________ 28 1.6 Publications and Conferences ____________________________________ 29 2 Sustainable Tourism. ______________________________________________ 32 2.1 Introduction __________________________________________________ 32 2.2 Historical Background __________________________________________ 33 2.2.1 Sustainable Development ____________________________________ 33 2.2.2 Emergence of Sustainable Tourism ____________________________ 34 2.2.3 Definition and Tourism Typology _____________________________ 36 2.3 Principles and Impacts __________________________________________ 38 2.3.1 Environments _____________________________________________ 41 2.3.2 Society and Culture _________________________________________ 42 2.3.3 Economy _________________________________________________ 44 2.4 The Key Actors in Sustainable Tourism ____________________________ 46 2.4.1 Public Sector ______________________________________________ 47 2.4.2 Tourism Industry ___________________________________________ 48 2.4.3 Voluntary Sector ___________________________________________ 50 2.4.4 Host community ___________________________________________ 51 2.4.5 Media____________________________________________________ 52 2.4.6 Tourists __________________________________________________ 53 v 2.5 Implementation Difficulties ______________________________________ 54 2.5.1 Conceptual and Practical Limitations ___________________________ 56 2.6 Conclusion ___________________________________________________ 58 3 Ecomuseology. ___________________________________________________ 61 3.1 Introduction __________________________________________________ 61 3.2 Historical Background __________________________________________ 61 3.2.1 Shifting from Traditional Museology to Ecomuseology ____________ 62 3.2.2 Ecomusée du Creusot-Montceau-les-Mines ______________________ 65 3.3 Definition and Philosophy _______________________________________ 66 3.3.1 Theory ___________________________________________________ 68 3.3.2 Environment, Sustainability and Community Participation __________ 71 3.4 Ecomuseum Principles __________________________________________ 73 3.4.1 The 21 Principles___________________________________________ 74 3.4.2 Assessment _______________________________________________ 76 3.5 Limitations of the Ecomuseum Ideal _______________________________ 78 3.5.1 Conceptual Limitations ______________________________________ 78 3.5.2 Practical Limitations ________________________________________ 80 3.6 Conclusion ___________________________________________________ 81 4 Methodology. ____________________________________________________ 83 4.1 Introduction __________________________________________________ 83 4.1.1 Tourism Research and Stakeholder Perceptions ___________________ 83 4.1.2 Indigenous Communities ____________________________________ 85 4.2 The Methodological Framework: A Mixed-methods Approach __________ 86 4.2.1
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