Maliau Basin Conservation Project. Eco- Tourism

Project report by Eco-tourism Technical Assistant Carsten Broder Hansen Esboenderupvej 85, Saltrup 3230 Graested, Denmark Phone: + 45 48 36 22 04 E-mail: [email protected] Project participation: October 13 -November 03,2000 February 06 -February 28, 2002 2 Table of contents List of abbreviations 4 5 .Options for eco-tourism in Maliau Basin 5 2.1. Introduction 5 2.2. Assumptions and risks 6 2.3. Policy framework 7 3. Stakeholders in Sabah's tourism industry and their view on Maliau Basin 8 3.1. Introduction 8 3.2. Stakeholder criticism and tour operator co-operation 8 3.3. Tourism industry stakeholder summary 9 .Eco-tourism strategy and target groups 9 4.1. Maliau Basin eco-tourism objective 9 4.2. Target group considerations 10 4.3. Eco-tourism strategy 11 4.4. Existing tourism situation and immediate recommendations 13 4.5. Scenario for eco-tourism in the Maliau Basin 14 References Annex 1 17 Annex 2 TOR for Eco-tourism TA Annex 3 26-27 FEB Eco-tourism Workshop introductory presentations 20 Annex 4 26-27 FEB Eco-tourism Workshop conclusion 27 3 List of abbreviations CTA Chief Technical Advisor BRL Borneo Rainforest Lodge DANCED Danish Cooperation for Environment and Development EIA Environmental Impact Assessment KK Kota Kinabalu MBCA Maliau Basin Conservation Area MBMC Maliau Basin Management Committee MBSC Maliau Basin Studies Centre MYR Malaysian Ringgit NP National Park PMG Project Management Group TA International Technical Assistant TOR Tenns of Reference YS Yayasan Sabah WTO World Tourism Organisation 4 Background In a world where pristine natural areaswill become increasinglyscarce Maliau Basin is a symbol of conservationfor all of SoutheastAsia. As a high profile protected area Maliau Basin is expectedto be one of the major tourist attractions in Sabah. The TOR for the Eco-tourjgm TA was to assessthe challengesand potentials of the eco- tourjgm developmentin Maliau Basin and to provide specific recommendationsfor a tourjgm strategy (TOR in Annex 2). During the stay the eco-tourjgm TA provided training to selectedstaff including an Eco-tourjgm workshop (Annex 3 and 4). During a field visit the eco-tourjgm TA furthermore gave site related recommendationsof which several have been successfullyimplemented. The first input started in October 2000 and ended in November2000. The result was submitted in December2000. The final eco-tourism TA input is this report submitted in March 2002. The two reports presentsresuhs and recommendationsfrom the entire input of the eco-tourism TA 2. Options for eco-tourismin Maliau Basin 2.1. Introduction Human activities will continuously alter the natural environmentin the near future. Additional lossesor modifications of the world's remaining wildernessareas are inevitable regardlessof increasedpublic awarenessand numerous conservationinitiatives. While nature sites decreasesm size and wildlife diminish the few remainingpristine natural areas will be mcreasinglypopular as tourist destinations.The number of nature seekmg tourists will grow, just as the overall number of tourists will grow. Accordmg to recent figures from the WTO close to 800 million people fell under the definition of tourist in year 2000. One billion people every year will travel before the year 2005 evengiven the occasionalglobal setbacksas September11 and in spite of local incident as the terror attack in Egypt a few years ago and the kidnappmgs in Sabah. These statementsare facts, not just speculations.The obvious long-term consequenceis a growing tourist demandto visit the last pristine natural areas.Even though the global tendencyis clear large regional fluctuations in visitor arrivals will also remain a future fact. Such fluctuations may be causedby economical development, destinationprices, image and marketing initiatives, fear of terror or crime and a number of other factors that will affect tourism options and the local economy. For Sabahthe prospects for a huge increase in tourists number in the near future are not encouraging.The combination of the September11 attack, the previous kidnapping incidents and the unstable situation in the nearbyPhilippine province of Mindanao have seriously damagedthe local tourism industry. 5 I. However the growth in the global tourist number will continue and tourist memoriesare traditionally very short. It should be expected that if Sabahgives priority to the protection and security of its natural heritagea very profitable future tourism income is certain. The tourist demand for nature experienceswill eventually far outweigh the limited supply of areas that offers such experience.The amount of money that the individual tourist is willing to pay for nature attractions will also increase(further background is found in the fITstreport). While the revenuesincreases the temptation to allow more tourists inside the nature reserves will also increase.We are alreadyall too familiar with sightsof natural locations being degraded or spoilt by uncontrolled tourism In Sabahwe have seenpeak season crowding of tourists in SungaiMenanggul, Sipadanand Mount Kjnabalu. The risks of failure are well known. In a distant future one of the most seriousthreats to Maliau Basin might prove to be successin terms of number of visitors. The eco-tourism objective for MBMC is to support the continued conservationas a fully integrated part of the ManagementPlan. The recommendationsand suggestionsin the previous report and in this report are based on the objective and are in accordancewith the tourism policy outlined in SabahTourism Masterplan and the MalaysianNational Eco- tourismPlan. 2.2. Assumptionsand risks The objective of the tourism developmentis to establishan ere-tourism activity that supports the conservationof the Maliau Basin. The principal assumptionsunderlying this objective are that: .The commitment of YS to conservethe key tourism areaswithin the Basin and in the buffer area is not reassessedin favour of alternative uses. .MBSC is constructedto allow permanentadministration staff within the conservationarea. .Adequate tourist facilities are constructed and infrastructure is established The main risk in the initial phase of the eco-tourism project is that one or more of these assumptionsare wrong. Tourism is the only significant argument for conservationof the Maliau Basin of any economical importance. For tourism purposesthe conservationof the buffer area outside MBCA is a very important element. A large part of the wildlife of particular interestto tourists are found in the buffer zones (Traeholt, 2001) and many of the tourism activities will take place in the buffer zone. Thesefacts are firmly recognised by YS and it is consideredunlikely that the first assumptionshould fail. Failure in constructing the MBSC is not a seriousrisk. Commitment, fmancesand architectural designare available. At the time of submitting this final report a high profile ceremonyto initiate the actual construction was plannedto take place within a few weeks. 6 The third assumptionis not consideredthreatened. Based on previous recommendations from Eco-tourism T A the Agathis Camp has beenupgraded and is now capableof handling the few tourist arrivals that are likely during this year. A plan to construct additional facilities at Belian Camp is well in progress. However to securethe future long- term tourism developmentadditional constructionsand infrastructure must be planned and budgeted by the managers. Provided that the asswnptionsare correct and basedupon the view of the various tourism stakeholdersas well as experiencefrom other parts of the world it is consideredvery probable that successfuleco-tourism activities will be carried out in Maliau Basin. 2.3. Policy framework Under The Forest Enactmentof 1968, the Chief Minister of Sabahhave in 1998 given The MBMC the following rules related to tourism: The Committee shall facilitate and co-ordinate the managementobjectives of: .Promoting of the reserve for appropriate recreationand nature tourism .Creating a role model forest managementarea that combines conservation. forestry and nature tourism activities on a sustainablelong-term basis Theserules are in accordancewith the MalaysianNational Tourism Plan of 1997 used by the SabahState Governmentto guide tourism development.The policies are: .To minimise negative socio-cultural and environmental impact of tourism in the process of development .Tourism developmentto be tailored in line with the state's unique characteristic of "unspoilt nature" .Encouraging tourists to spreadinto rural regionsrather than concentrate in the towns so that rural folks can benefit directly from tourism The SabahTourism Masterplan is also in accordancewith the policy. One of the objectives of the plan is to position Sabahas the best place in Asia to experience rainforest and specifically for Maliau: .The Maliau Basin, if carefully developedas a remote wilderness experience,has great opportunities as a high value rainforest operation setting a "lost world" image for Sabahas the most remote and unspoiled forest in Borneo Thus eco-tourism developmentin Maliau is both highly desired and officially endorsed. The very successfulpublic awarenessinitiatives from the project so far have managedto put Maliau Basin on the agenda among local stakeholders.Further visits by foreign journalists and film crew will undoubtedly also help create interests among tour operators and individual travellers overseas. 3. Stakeholders in Sabah's tourism industry and their view on Maliau Basin 3.1. Introduction Meetings with the various tourism stakeholdersas

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