Final Report Bolivia Ecotourism Assessment February 2002 Carrasco National Park Task Order No. 823 Contract No. PCE-I-00-96-00002-00 Bolivia Ecotourism Assessment February 2002 Prepared for USAID/Bolivia Prepared by International Resources Group Team Members William J. McLaughlin, Regional Tourism Planner, Team Leader, IRG Alberto Abastaflor, Tourism and Pasto Grande Specialist, IRG Jose Courrau, Protected Area Management and Human Capacity Building Specialist, IRG Andy Drumm, Ecotourism Specialist, Ecotourism Director, The Nature Conservancy Steve Edwards, Ecotourism Specialist, Americas Region Manager, Ecotourism Department, Conservation International Peter McFarren, Private Sector Business Analyst, IRG Barbara Rossmiller, Business Management Analyst, IRG Ryan Taylor, Site Design/Small Business Specialist and Community Development, Associate Director, Peace Corps/Bolivia Environmental Policy and Institutional Strengthening Indefinite Quantity Contract (EPIQ) Partners: International Resources Group, Winrock International, and Harvard Institute for International Development Subcontractors: PADCO; Management Systems International; and Development Alternatives, Inc. Collaborating Institutions: Center for Naval Analysis Corporation; Conservation International; KNB Engineering and Applied Sciences, Inc.; Keller-Bliesner Engineering; Resource Management International, Inc.; Tellus Institute; Urban Institute; and World Resources Institute Contents Acronyms ..................................................................................................................................iii Executive Summary...................................................................................................................iv Placing Assessment Regions in Context of Worldwide Ecotourism Development ................iv Ecotourism Product Positioning and Competition..................................................................v Ecotourism and USAID’s Strategic Objectives......................................................................v Summary of Key Findings....................................................................................................vi Conclusion...........................................................................................................................xi 1. Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1 1.1 Scope of Work............................................................................................................1 1.2 Purpose and Objectives...............................................................................................1 1.3 Ecotourism .................................................................................................................2 1.4 Context .......................................................................................................................5 1.5 Distribution of Benefits...............................................................................................8 1.6 Assessment Methodology ...........................................................................................9 2. Chaco/Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park Assessment Region......................................11 2.1 Regional Perspective.................................................................................................11 2.2 Existing Tourism Patterns—Points of Entry..............................................................13 2.3 Socio-Economic Indicators.......................................................................................13 2.4 Ethnic and Gender Opportunities ..............................................................................13 2.5 Biodiversity and Conservation Concerns...................................................................14 2.6 Economic Reality—Trends, Investments ..................................................................15 2.7 Existing Tourism at the Portal Level.........................................................................15 2.8 Strengths and Weaknesses—Chaco/Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park..............17 2.9 Potential Ecotourism Products and Packages.............................................................18 2.10 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................20 2.11 Recommendations ....................................................................................................21 3. Amboro National Park Assessment Region .........................................................................24 3.1 Regional Perspective.................................................................................................24 3.2 Existing Tourism Patterns—Points of Entry..............................................................25 3.3 Socio-Economic Indicators.......................................................................................26 3.4 Ethnic and Gender Opportunities ..............................................................................26 3.5 Biodiversity and Conservation Concerns...................................................................26 3.6 Economic Reality—Trends, Investments ..................................................................27 3.7 Existing Tourism at the Portal Level.........................................................................28 3.8 Strengths and Weaknesses—Amboro National Park .................................................34 3.9 Potential Ecotourism Products and Packages.............................................................37 3.10 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................40 3.11 Recommendations ....................................................................................................42 i 4. Chapare/Carrasco National Park Assessment Region...........................................................47 4.1 Regional Perspective.................................................................................................47 4.2 Existing Tourism Patterns—Points of Entry..............................................................48 4.3 Socio-Economic Indicators for the Chapare Region ..................................................49 4.4 Ethnic and Gender Opportunities ..............................................................................49 4.5 Biodiversity and Conservation Concerns...................................................................49 4.6 Economic Reality—Trends, Investments ..................................................................50 4.7 Existing Tourism at the Portal Level.........................................................................54 4.8 Strengths and Weaknesses—Chapare/Carrasco National Park Assessment Region ...58 4.9 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................60 4.10 Recommendations ....................................................................................................62 5. The Yungas Assessment Region..........................................................................................64 5.1 Regional Perspective.................................................................................................64 5.2 Existing Tourism Patterns—Points of Entry..............................................................65 5.3 Socio-Economic Indicators.......................................................................................65 5.4 Ethnic and Gender Opportunities ..............................................................................66 5.5 Biodiversity and Conservation Concerns...................................................................66 5.6 Economic Reality—Trends, Investments ..................................................................66 5.7 Existing Tourism at the Portal Level.........................................................................66 5.8 Strengths and Weaknesses ........................................................................................67 5.9 Potential Ecotourism Products and Packages.............................................................69 5.10 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................70 5.11 Recommendations ....................................................................................................71 6. Strategic Ecotourism Recommendations for USAID ...........................................................72 6.1 Summary of Key Findings ........................................................................................73 References ................................................................................................................................79 Annex A. USAID Strategic Objectives and Intermediate Results...........................................A-1 Annex B. Interview Forms ....................................................................................................B-1 Annex C. Business Plan Guide for Ecotourism Projects in Bolivia ........................................C-1 Annex D. Investment Budget and Source of Funds................................................................D-1 Annex E. Bolivian Government Reform of Travel and Tourism: The Institutional Scene ...... E-1 Annex F. Chaco Region Detailed