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Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area: a Blueprint for Responsible Marketing Co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area: a Blueprint for Responsible Marketing © University of the West of England, Bristol ISBN 1 86043 326 X Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area: a Blueprint for Responsible Marketing Contents 1 Introduction 2 General Market Information for Marine Ecotourism 3 Making Marketing Work for Marine Ecotourism 4 A Step by Step programme for Marketing Marine Ecotourism 5 Monitoring, Evaluation and Ecolabelling Annex 1: the META-Model for genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism Annex 2: Examples of Accreditation Criteria for Ecolabels Notes Acknowledgements 1 Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area 1. Introduction This blueprint first summarises what is meant by marine ecotourism and provides some general market information on marine ecotourism with suggestions on how that information may be used in a local context. Principles for the responsible marketing of genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism are set out and the implications of these for the use of a standard marketing approach are identified for the different aspects of marketing that may be involved. These are then demonstrated in a step by step programme for marketing marine ecotourism. This draws on the practical experience of the META- project’s partner in the West of Ireland to derive a transnationally applicable model, which is finally taken a step further towards an Ecolabel-assured branded marine ecotourism product. 1.1 Audience for this Blueprint The audience for this document includes both potential ‘users’ and ‘readers’. It is aimed primarily at local ‘initiators’ and ‘facilitators’ working in or for EU Atlantic Area coastal areas that have actual, or potential for, marine ecotourism activities. Local ‘initiators’ may include entrepreneurs who are operators of existing boat trips or fishermen, accommodation providers, existing attraction providers, members of local marine wildlife protection societies and residents’ groups. All these can be described as local stakeholders, who will have an interest in the ways marine ecotourism is marketed even if they are not themselves directly involved. However, in many cases such local initiatives to develop genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism may, with advantage, be stimulated by people working in the public sector or as agents of the public sector. Such facilitators, whose role will be to build a capacity for independent, continuing, marine ecotourism activity in a locality, may include: • Regional Government Agencies • Tourist boards • Economic Development Boards • Local Authority Departments: Tourism Planning Environment Heritage Transportation Local Economic Development Local Agenda 21 Coastal Zone Management • Associated organisations: Trusts affiliated to a local authority Joint public/private tourism marketing Further readers and potential users of the document may be voluntary sector policymakers and initiators including those working for, with or as members of • NGO’s (non-governmental organisations) • Semi-state bodies 2 Introduction • QUANGO’s (Quasi-autonomous non- governmental organisations) • QUALGOs (Quasi-autonomous local governmental organisations) Private sector consultants working for such bodies may also be included. The associated document “Good Practice Guidance for Planning for Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area” is aimed at an overlapping audience. 1.2 Purpose To succeed, marine ecotourism needs to be marketed effectively. This document aims to offer local marine ecotourism initiators and facilitators a blueprint for the responsible marketing of genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism. It should be used in conjunction with “Good Practice Guidance for Planning for Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area”, which considers issues important to and provides advice for policy makers. Marine ecotourism concerns the activity of enabling tourists to appreciate and enjoy the natural marine environment in all of its forms. 1.3 Scope This blueprint is designed for use as part of a ‘bottom-up’ approach to marine ecotourism. Yet the local stakeholders, whose active support and participation is essential for genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism may see any ‘blueprint’ as an imposition from above unless it is clearly open to interpretation in the local context. It is designed for use by more or less formal associations of tourism providers, which are seen as a generally effective approach to organising marine ecotourism in a competitive market place. Individually small ecotourism providers may be unable to resource such a marketing approach, although they may be able to adapt it. 1.4 Context Many coastal communities are now turning to ‘new’ forms of tourism. In general, ‘new’ tourism, contrasted with traditional mass tourism, is a response by an ‘environmentintensive’ industry to global imperatives demonstrating the limitations to unrestrained growth1. The development of marine ecotourism represents an important opportunity for peripheral communities to improve the quality (including environmental quality) of their tourism product to meet the expectations of the ‘new’ consumers of the ‘new’ tourism. Tourism is the system of leisure or holiday travel, away from home for the day or overnight. The components of tourism include activities, facilities, transport and (when overnight) accommodation as well as local and international tour operators. Ecotourism is tourism that is based on enabling people to experience the natural environment in ways consistent with the principles of sustainable development. Because it is dependent on and seeks to be supportive of the local and global ecosystem, ecotourism must focus on the natural world but to be successful needs also to be economically viable and socially and culturally supportive of the local human community. This relationship between the ecosystem resource base for ecotourism and the business and social systems involved has specific implications for marketing. 3 Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area ‘Marine ecotourism’ as used in this document means ecotourism that takes place in the coastal zone, in the marine environment, or in both. The local providers of ecotourism activities may be specialist local operators of tours or may be from the local accommodation or transport sectors. 1.5 How this document has been prepared This document has been prepared as part of an EU Interreg IIc transnational research project– Marine Ecotourism for the Atlantic Area (META-). META- is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (via the Interreg IIc Atlantic Area Programme) and the UK Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions. (since June 7th 2001 Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions) with significant co-funding from the partners themselves – Torbay Council, Marine Institute (Dublin), MBA Escuela (Gran Canaria) and UWE, Bristol. This marketing blueprint draws on the practical experience of developing marine ecotourism in West Clare in the West of Ireland2. The Irrus website (www.irrus.com) promotes that product. Throughout the points made will be illustrated from that experience. 4 2. General Market Information for Marine Ecotourism World tourism has grown rapidly over the past 50 years, so much so that it is now considered to be the world’s largest industry, contributing over 10% of world gross domestic product and employing more than 10% of the global workforce. Ecotourism, meanwhile, is reputed to be the fastest-growing sector of the world tourism industry, with estimates of its rate of growth ranging anywhere between 10% and 30% per annum. Ecotourism is reputed to attract high spending tourists, and estimates suggest it to be ‘worth’ between (Euros) = C 12 and =C 20 billion worldwide, although the bases on which such figures are calculated are rarely explained. Ecotourism activities of some kind now take place in almost every country of the world, including those located along the EU’s Atlantic coastline. 2.1 What is Marine Ecotourism? The focus of this document is on the particular form of ecotourism known as marine ecotourism. Whale and dolphin watching is a high-profile example of the sort of activity that might qualify as marine ecotourism. Whales and dolphins have become important symbols of the environmental movement and cetacean watching is estimated, by research carried out for the (UK) Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, to be growing at 10% a year. In 1998, 300 communities around the world hosted 6 million whale watchers and generated some = C 500 million. Not all this revenue remains in the host community and not all whale and dolphin watching is genuine sustainable ecotourism but on the other hand there is much marine ecotourism that does not involve whale and dolphin watching. These figures do therefore give an initial idea of the current size and growth potential of the global market for marine ecotourism. Localising these figures to the European marine area, based partly on estimates by Hoyt3 (2000), Berrow4 (2001) identified approximately 1.5 million whale watchers, benefiting some 67 communities with a direct value of = C 32 million and indirect cash benefits of = C 121 millions. Table 1 indicates that 70% of these were in the Canary Islands and a further 20% or more in the rest of the Atlantic Area (some of France may be in the Mediterranean). By value 80% is in the Atlantic Area, with 57% in the Canaries, indicating that the spend per head in the Canaries is much lower than other whale watching areas. Marine ecotourism activities may be water-based, land-based, or both. They may be formally organised or undertaken independently. They may form the basis of a specialist holiday or simply be an element of a conventional holiday. Examples of activities that could be marine ecotourism include: watching whales, dolphins, sharks, seals and other marine animals, seabird ornithology, diving and snorkelling, nature-based sightseeing trips by surface boat or submarine, rock-pooling, coastal footpath and beach walking and visiting seashore and sea life centres. Whether such activities are indeed marine ecotourism depends on how they are planned, managed and marketed. Marine ecotourism can generate positive outcomes for the natural environment, for example by raising funds that can be used for environmental protection, by providing economic alternatives to activities that degrade or deplete the natural environment, and by more widely propagating eco-awareness and the principles of sustainable development. Yet, experience has shown that if marine ecotourism is to play this role effectively, it must be developed and marketed within a planning framework that ensures that the practice of 5 Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area The Value of Marine Ecotourism (adapted from Hoyt (2000), further adapted from Berrow (2001) Country/ area Year began No of whalewatchers Communities Direct value = C Indirect Value %of European total WW’s = C Market share (% of indirect value) Azores 1989 9,500 2 652,000 3,774,000 1% 3% Canaries late 80s 1,000,000 5 19,902,000 69,658,000 70% 57% Croatia 1991 21 1 16,800 20,000 - - Cyprus late90s minimal Denmark mid 90s minimal Faroe Islands 1996 minimal France 1983 750 6 460,000 573,000 - - Germany early 90s minimal 1 Gibralter 1980 18,750 2 504,000 3,024,000 1% 2% Greece late 80s 3,678 3 157,000 292,000 - - Greenland early 90s 2,500 6 932,000 3,080,000 - - Iceland 1991 30,330 8 3,313,000 7,246,000 2% 6% Italy 1988 5,300 2 270,000 608,000 0% 1% Ireland 1986 177,600 3 1,480,000 7,973,000 12% 7% 2% 11% 1 Monaco early90s minimal 1 Norway 1988 22,380 2 1,828,000 13,488,00 Portugal early 80s 1,398 1 35,000 97,000 Spain late 80s 33,000 11 616,000 UK mid 80s 121,125 12 Europe 1,426,332 Atlantic Area 1,362,123 - - 2,156,000 2% 2% 2,110,000 9,219,000 8% 8% 67 32,275,800 121,208,000 100% 100% 42 25,759,000 96,474,000 95% 80% ecotourism is compatible with sustainability considerations. Marketing marine ecotourism Geniunely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism encourages tourists to come close to nature: an activity that carries with it the risk of Is focused on the enjoyment and appreciation of nature, involving: (a) local participation in planning and management; (b) sustainable management with environmental protection as the key priority; (c) appropriate interpretation and education of the natural environment; (d) a judicious mix of formal and voluntary management measures; (e) collaboration among stakeholders; (f ) responsible marketing; and (g) appropriate monitoring and evaluation. experience. Marine ecotourism that is done badly, or excessively, may do more harm than it causing serious harm to the very things that ecotourism providers are helping tourists to does good. Any marketing plan for ecotourism therefore needs to be based on awareness of these risks Marine ecotourism is fundamentally about attempting to establish and maintain a symbiotic relationship between tourism and the natural marine environment. Good ecotourism marketing dictates that the tourism be designed in such a way that tourists receive a satisfying experience - one that they will pay for - while respecting the natural environment in which such activities take place and on which such activities depend. Bearing these points in mind, the META- project has derived the following definition: These features of genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism are dynamic, in that they identify sustainability as a necessary orientation for marine ecotourism, rather than simply a set of qualifying conditions which marine ecotourism must achieve. Local participation in planning and management as well as the collaboration of stakeholders will ensure that the ecotourism benefits local people economically as well in other ways. Sustainability is the key concept in defining genuine ecotourism. It has been argued, 6 General Market Information for Marine Ecotourism however, that the requirement of sustainability often represents the weak link between the principles and practices of ecotourism. While those responsible for ecotourism areas tend to be very willing to sign up to the concept of sustainability, too often the driver of ecotourism in practice is the desire to generate economic returns from otherwise under-used (and hence low opportunity cost) resources. Typically this implies stimulating progressive increases in visitor numbers (often through aggressive inappropriate marketing), inevitably leading to greater damaging impacts to the natural environment, in addition to various adverse socio-cultural impacts on the local population. The irony is that poorly planned and managed ecotourism can contribute to its own demise since genuinely sustainable ecotourism requires a high quality environment in which to operate. When analysing the potential for marine ecotourism in a particular area, there needs to be a recognition that the universal dependence of marine ecotourism on a high quality natural environment is at the same time both its major weakness and its major strength. On the one hand, marine ecotourism is an activity that involves bringing people into contact with the natural environment, risking damage. Whale watching activities from motorised boats may, for example, have the effect of disturbing the animals concerned at critical points in their life cycle (e.g. mating or suckling young). This in turn may threaten the biological viability of the population of whales that the ecotourists are being encouraged to watch. On the other hand, the reliance of marine ecotourism providers on a high quality environment in which to operate presents them with a strong incentive to respect and protect it. Furthermore, marine ecotourism can help to provide the necessary funds for the management of the activity and for conservation work relating to the components of the natural environment concerned. International experience suggests that those ecotourism providers that are most seriously and effectively addressing the criteria set out in the above definition tend to operate in relatively remote areas, have evolving environmental and tourism management structures in place, and be run by self-motivated operators. Moreover, as ecosystem-based tourism, marine ecotourism has an obligation also to respect the global environment, which may be adversely affected by the global warming implications of the transport needed to reach such remote areas. For the European tourism market, one of the largest in the world, the Atlantic periphery is relatively close at hand but includes many areas still remote from industrial and other human interference with wildlife and the natural world. Target Species for Marine Ecotourism Marine ecotourism is typically not targeted on a single species of wildlife. Due to the incidental nature of sightings for many of the species of interest to marine ecotourists, many tour operators focus their provision on multiple species. Other marine ecotours are concerned with the appreciation of the marine environment in general, rather than with watching particular species of wildlife. Non-Wildlife Resources for Marine Ecotourism Marine ecotourism has the potential to utilise a wide variety of non-wildlife resources. Tours based on the appreciation of seascapes and geological features (such as caves) are good examples. Many coastal communities also have a rich maritime heritage and unique cultural characteristics that will also be of interest to tourists. Land-based facilities, such as marine interpretation and sea life centres, can also help to extend the spectrum of ecotourism activities. Not only do such facilities extend the spectrum of ecotourism activities, but as ‘wet weather’ attractions they help iron out seasonality (an example is the Hebridean Whale & Dolphin centre in Mull, Scotland). Furthermore, they can facilitate participation by a broader section of the population (crafts, artisanal skills, local products etc. and, very importantly, can even act as ‘drop in’ educational centres for the local population. It is important that marketing plans recognise such opportunities, since this will help marine ecotourism to grow without unduly increasing the burden of pressure on marine wildlife. 2.2 Who are Marine Ecotourists? There exists a whole range of niche markets in which the ecotourist might be found, while those who are located in other tourism markets might still engage in ecotourism experiences. One widely cited classification of ecotourists is based on their level of dedication and time commitment5: • Hard-core nature tourists: scientific researchers or members of tours specifically designed for education, removal of litter, or similar purposes • Dedicated nature tourists: people who take trips specifically to see protected areas and who want to understand local natural and cultural history • Mainstream nature tourists: those who visit natural destinations primarily to take an unusual tourism experience 7 Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area • Casual nature tourists: those who experience nature incidentally as part of a broader-based holiday And the effects they have? Different levels of ecotourism can also be distinguished from one another by their effects rather than their intentions. These effects take two main forms: • The effect on the ecotourist, in which participating in ecotourism moves the ecotourist experience beyond mere enjoyment and progressively toward incorporating learning and changes in the ecotourist’s behaviour, both while on holiday and after return home • The effect on the environment, in which participating in ecotourism moves the ecotourist from a passive role, where their satisfaction is based purely on enjoyment of the natural setting, to an active role, where their activities actually contribute to protecting and/or enhancing the quality of the natural environment. There is also a useful framework, which is based on a spectrum between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ ecotourism6 as ideal types against which the characteristics of actual ecotourists can be measured. The following figure illustrates these ‘types’. In most cases, particular ecotourists (or groups of ecotourists) will fall somewhere between these two polar cases: Hard and Soft Ecotourism HARD (Active, Deep) SOFT (Passive, Shallow) The Ecotourism Spectrum Strong environmental commitment Enhancive sustainability Specialized trips Long trips Small groups Physically active Physical challenge Few if any services expected Deep interaction with nature Emphasis on personal experience Make own travel arrangements Moderate or superficial environmental commitment Steady state sustainability Multi-purpose trips Short trips Larger groups Physically passive Physical comfort Services expected Shallow interaction with nature Emphasis on interpretation Rely on travel agents and tour operators While, it is perhaps safest to conclude that the ‘typical ecotourist’ simply does not exist with an identifiable market profile, ecotourists can be found in a very wide spectrum of markets. The range extends from the small niche market of the dedicated wildlife watcher at one extreme, to the larger but under-researched casual nature-based tourist at the other. 8 The West Clare Ecotourist The META- partners have conducted surveys within their own tourism markets and identified the local awareness of, and potential for, marine ecotourism. While the areas are not necessarily typical of the Atlantic Area as a whole they do represent examples from three different types of tourism and three different marine eco-systems. Spreading from the subtropics to the sub-Arctic seasonality in the EU Atlantic Area is largely dictated by sea temperature. West Clare, in the West of Ireland has a short two-month summer season. The West Clare ecotourism survey illustrated that the ‘dedicated wildlife watcher’ type of ecotourist is in the minority. This became evident when the respondents were asked whether they (a) would choose a holiday mainly for the ecotourism experience(s), (b) would choose a holiday with some ecotourism experience(s), (c) would not be interested in an ecotourism experience, or (d) don’t know. Only 10% chose (a) while 69% chose (b). Respondents to (b) could be classified as ‘casual nature-based tourists’ as they would like an ecotourism experience but as a part of their normal holiday experience. This point was even more strongly emphasised when only 27 out of 312 respondents were members of any organisation involved with the conservation of wildlife or the natural environment and of those 27 respondents only 4 would choose a holiday ‘mainly for the ecotourism experience’, while 20 chose ‘some ecotourism experience’. There was therefore a moderate or superficial environmental commitment from the majority of respondents. This response supports the argument that the ecotourism product is desirable but cannot stand on its own and must be integrated with other tourism activities. Marketing packages should therefore be constructed with this in mind. Further response showed a strong preference for undertaking ecotourism activities in small groups (less than 7 people), which would include family and friends and would take place in scenic areas. Respondents expressed a preference for operators offering such packages to provide good quality information on the natural resources and conservation issues of the region through printed material and guiding services, while providing opportunities to view these natural resources without impacting on the environment. Operators should be active in conservation matters and abide by codes of conduct and regulations to reduce their and their visitors’ impact on the environment. From these findings the West Clare ‘ecotourist’ appears to be located at the ‘softer’ end of the ecotourism spectrum. which suggests that there may be an opportunity to market ‘harder’ forms of ecotourism which may also, in this case, be more commercially attractive. While ‘harder’ ecotourism tends to be a smaller market, it may also be less seasonable and, while more expensive to provide for7, may attract higher spending visitors. 9 3. Making Marketing Work for Marine Ecotourism 3.1 Responsible Marketing The starting point for making marketing work for genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism is the set of principles for responsible marketing set out in the META- document: “Good Practice Guidance for Planning for Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area”. That document sets responsible marketing into the wider context of the “META- model” (See Annex 1 of this document) for Marine ecotourism: To quote: • “The marketing and management of marine ecotourism are necessarily interdependent activities; there needs to be a process of integration to ensure mutual compatibility/ complementarity. • “Sustainability requires that management and marketing is supply-led – influencing demand to meet supply constraints, which are themselves determined by sustainability considerations. • “The involvement of stakeholders (and particularly the community) is essential in the development and implementation of both management and marketing plans. • “The process of developing and implementing management and marketing plans is not achievable through individual agents – collaboration and co-operation are necessary. • “There needs to be a process of continual monitoring and review of marine ecotourism marketing and management plans. “The central aspect of the principle is that the management and marketing of marine ecotourism are necessarily interdependent activities. It therefore advises that a management plan pays due consideration not only to the resource base and existing planning policies relating to it (the supply side) but also to associated patterns of actual and potential demand for marine ecotourism activities (the demand side). The underlying principle linking these two aspects of marine ecotourism activity is that any management, and therefore marketing, should be supply-led. The drawing up of a management plan should provide a robust foundation for the development of an appropriate marketing plan. Furthermore, the information that is required for drawing up such a management plan might additionally serve to meet the data requirements for the development of an associated marketing plan. It is also argued that stakeholder involvement is essential at the development and implementation stages of both the management and marketing plans. Finally, both types of plan should undergo a mutually informing process of periodic monitoring and review. ”8 At first sight, this set of principles may appear incompatible with conventional marketing. Normally, marketing as a philosophy for a company or other organisation is founded on the premise that the customers’ needs are the starting point. It is about finding out what the customer wants and then producing a product to meet the demand. This is the marketingorientated approach, carefully distinguished by marketers from the product-orientated approach, which looks to find a market for and ways of selling a given product or service. It is this marketing-orientated approach, with its ‘the consumer as king’ viewpoint which has given marketing its successes (on its own terms) over the past 50 years, from Ford to McDonald’s to Thomson Holidays. 10 Making Marketing Work for Marine Ecotourism Tourism marketing9 within that philosophy does recognise certain general peculiarities of and each is illustrated in an Irish marine ecotourism context below but is briefly described in The ‘Intangibility’, ‘Heterogeneity’, Perishability’ and ‘Inseparability’ of Tourism. the box. (Holloway and Robinson 1995) tourism. It can therefore also be about regulating and managing rather than simply stimulating demand and sales. Tourism as a product has been described as ‘intangible’, ‘heterogeneous’, ‘perishable’ and ‘inseparable’. Marine ecotourism shares these attributes ‘Sustainable marketing’10 seeks to incorporate sustainability principles and specifically recognises the dilemma posed in Hardin’s classic “tragedy of the commons” The tragedy of the commons occurs when a limited (typically natural) resource is in common ownership and therefore unpriced to any one seeking to exploit its value. Without regulation, it will be worthwhile for any and each individual to go on exploiting the resource until it has been overexploited (as with fish stocks). The Paramount Need to Protect the Marine Ecosystem The ecology and behaviour of many species of wildlife that are the subject of marine ecotourism are still relatively poorly understood. A vital prerequisite for genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism, therefore, is to ensure that appropriate programmes for achieving a better understanding of the interactions between ecotourism and wildlife are implemented. In the meantime, it would seem prudent to adopt a strongly precautionary approach to the development of marine ecotourism, avoiding those operations and practices where there is a high degree of scientific uncertainty about their possible negative impacts on the marine ecosystem. Responsible marketing has an important role to play in the implementation of such an approach. Brundtland’s challenge is that “there is still time to save species and their ecosystems. It is an indispensable prerequisite for sustainable development. Our failure to do so will not be forgiven by future generations”11. ‘Intangibility’: tourism usually has to be bought before it can be experienced and it is a service rather than a physically product based. ‘Heterogeneity’: is the opposite of standardisation: no holiday experience is exactly like another as is the case with a branded physical product or commodity ‘Perishability’:unsold transport seats, unsold beds in an hotel or unsold places on group tours become instantly worthless ‘Inseparability’: tourism has diverse elements – transport, accomodation, activities, with many different people involved, each of whom can critically affect the quality of a holiday. The basic marketing philosophy of primacy for the consumer or the sovereignty of the tourist remains problematic for genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism, which must focus on conserving and enhancing the marine ecosystem, which in marketing terms appears to be the ‘product’. However, the marine ecosystem is only a part of the raw materials of the ‘product’, which does not come to market as a packaged product before being combined, inseparably, with other more standard tourism elements like transport and accommodation. It is through the ‘packaging’ process to create a “range of integrated marine ecotourism products” (see below), that marketing techniques and skills can be responsibly applied to marine ecotourism. The advantages of the marketing philosophy can be garnered without putting at risk the resource, which is the marine ecosystem if due care is taken. This should involve the ‘precautionary principle’, which demands that because irreversible changes can occur with long lead times, action needs to be taken to avoid them even before the science is certain. This is how responsible marketing may reflect the supply-led emphasis that is required for genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism. This Blueprint sets the objective for marketing clearly to enhance the quality of the marine ecosystem, while recognising that, to achieve this goal, pleasing and serving the tourist is critical to success. Similarly critical is providing economic benefit to the local community, working with local stakeholders and working within global environmental constraints such as the greenhouse effect. 11 Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area Responsible marketing of marine ecotourism needs to balance the cost to the global The Global Environmental Cost of Travel This global effect is largely from the transport involved. Taking the figures for whale watching alone and making the assumption that the origins of whalewatchers within Europe reflect more general visitors to the Atlantic area’s destinations, about a million tonnes of CO2 are deposited into the atmosphere each year. If all went instead to (eg) the great Barrier Reef, Australia, it would be four million tonnes or more (see Hoyt’s figures for the numbers (quoted above) and the Transport Impact Toolkit of the “Good Practice Guidance for Planning Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area” for the analysis) environment of air and motor traffic but not discourage local or world regional travel, in such a way that longer-distance (air) travel is made relatively more attractive.12 Hyper-taxing leisure car travel may therefore simply encourage air travel, especially longhaul air travel, which uses untaxed fuel no less inefficiently per kilometre per head than the private car. Nevertheless, information for surface public transport needs to be provided. A key tool, which is also discussed in more depth in the META – Good Practice Guidance for Planning13 is interpretation and education of the tourist. This can raise their ecological awareness of the constraints of the natural environment as assets to be enjoyed and so manage their expectations and subsequent satisfaction. 3.2 Using Different Types of Marketing for Marine Ecotourism Conventionally, marketing comprises Social, Industrial and Consumer marketing. In tourism terms, social marketing, which is the marketing of non-commercial ideas for instance religion or ecology, is used by NGO’s such as Tourism Concern. So-called Industrial marketing is when business deals with other business. In Internet terms this is called B2B (Business to Business) marketing and is important to marine ecotourism in terms of destination clusters marketing to each other and to transport and international tour operators. Consumer marketing is marketing for and to the actual tourist. In Internet terms this is called B2C marketing. Each has its own techniques, though some are common to all. 3.2.1 Social Marketing for Marine Ecotourism Because marine ecotourism has an environment enhancing purpose, it has the opportunity to be promoted by the environmental and ecologically aware charities and NGO’s. Some even operate or promote their own ecotourism. Examples include the RSPB, the Whale and Dolphin trust etc. Such organisations market their ideals through the techniques of club membership and public relations to the press and opinion formers. Increasingly they make effective use of the Internet and database and relationship marketing. Mutual links to and from their websites can be important to raising awareness of particular types and localities for marine ecotourism. Access to their membership lists can be a useful way into market segments for marine ecotourism. However McKercher14 has noted that many members may only be interested in gaining inexpensive access to high quality experiences. Locally it is essential that marine ecotourism markets itself within its own community so that the local people are aware of the benefits to them and their locality of this activity. 3.2.2. Industrial (or Business to Business) Marketing for Marine Ecotourism In Internet terms this is called B2B (business to business) marketing and is important to marine ecotourism in terms of destination clusters marketing to each other and to transport and international tour operators. Important aspects of ‘industrial’ marketing for marine ecotourism will be the use of tourism trade-fairs, such as the World Travel Market. However, the expense of making an impact at such fairs, dictates that much of the effort for marine ecotourism should be in raising the awareness of the activity among larger players, such as tourist boards. In this way promotion of more general tourism in appropriate areas may refer to the marine ecotourism potential and marine ecotourism opportunities and thereby reach the international and major national tour operators who market themselves to the 12 Making Marketing Work for Marine Ecotourism general public. These will include significant tourism players in the general business to consumer (B2C) market such as late booking specialists and direct sell transport operators. The risk in such indirect marketing may be the loss of control of the message and therefore of the principles of responsible marketing for marine ecotourism. Such risk can be reduced by targeting ‘responsible’ tour operators, who themselves seek to work with their suppliers to achieve greater sustainability. 3.2.3 Consumer Marketing For marine ecotourism, consumer marketing, which is directly aimed at attracting the actual tourist has the advantage of keeping the activity under the control of the marine ecotourism providers. In Internet terms, consumer marketing is called B2C (Business to Consumer) marketing. In many cases, marine ecotourism is very small compared to other types of tourism in the area, or the area itself is relatively unknown, it can therefore be expensive to make an impact relative to competitors for the tourists expenditure. It is for this reason that this blueprint is more appropriate to local associations of marine ecotourism providers rather than to small individual businesses, such as a boat operator. Exclusive marine ecotourism is always going to be a niche within the larger tourism market. Where consumer marketing is going to be most important is in the local area itself. Local publicity material from providers and from their associations can be highly effective in encouraging marine ecotourism experiences as part of a holiday and can have an important role in demonstrating the commitment to the principles of marine ecotourism, for example by stressing adherence to codes of practice. 13 4. A Step-by-Step Programme for Marketing Marine Ecotourism (Adapted from the West Clare META- Parallel Project) Making Marketing Work for Marine Ecotourism I. (Marketing) Planning The META- Transitional Model of MArine Ecotourism Planning Good Practice (See Annex) II. Developing a Marketing Group III. Doing Marketing Research IV. Implementation of a Marketing Plan defining product/service defining the target market Defing competitors The marketing plan Promotion Advertising Distribution Public Relations V. Monitoring and Evaluation The intention of this framework is to ensure the ongoing commitment to the principles of responsible marketing for marine ecotourism, which were identified above. The crucial role of Monitoring and Evaluation (V) is dealt with in Section 5 ‘Accreditation and Ecolabelling’ below. This emphasises audit, evaluation and review, allowing the META- planning model15 to influence continuing marketing. The framework, which is elaborated below should be adapted to local conditions and requirements. 14 A Step-by Step Programme for Marketing Marine Ecotourism 4.1 (Marketing) Planning (I) 4.1.1 Marine Ecotourism as a niche market Marine ecotourism is a niche market and as such has different marketing requirements to mainstream tourism. It may be contrasted with main stream tourism in the Irish context. Currently niche tourism would be seen as an add-on to mainstream tourism, but is increasing its specialist market as it develops. It finds its market among the FITs who are staying 1-2 nights in various destinations while touring the country. These are likely to be Niche Tourism Attributes ‘Intangibility’: tourism in Ireland has always been sold on the basis of being clean, green and cultural and although family holidays such as archaeological summer schools and nature-based packages may be familiar, the visitor still has to trust the brochure and usually has to commit money before being able to experience the product. European in origin and will have knowledge of the niche tourism activity prior to leaving their home country and will have planned it into their itinerary. When marketing to such a niche market tourism as marine ecotourism in Ireland, it is still necessary to recognise the standard tourism attributes (see box): 4.1.2 Planning For such a niche market, marketing planning for genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism will begin with making contact with relevant agencies already with responsibility for the planning, management and marketing of such resources. They will help to assess where exactly the marine ecotourism product fits into the broader picture and what are the limitations/possibilities to its development. Such agencies also have important wider roles.16 Most important for the development and marketing of a marine ecotourism product, the relevant tourism development, planning and training agencies (on a local, regional and national level) that will impact on marine ecotourism development should be identified, through government and tourism agency directories. It is important to be aware of the agency’s responsibilities in relation to the planning and promotion of marine ecotourism. Different agencies may hold responsibility for different sectors, zones or activities. Such a ‘Heterogeneity’: a niche market for tourism maybe easier to manage than the mainstream because the target audience will already have narrowed down the sort of holiday that they are seeking and may therefore be less expectant of standardisation. Specific locations and specific attributes of that location are being sold. Nevertheless the same individuals may be considering other holidays or activities and be implicitly trading time (and expenditure) between them. ‘Perishability’:the product of niche tourism may be even more perishable than mainstream. because it is more likely to be rurally located, if there are last minute cancellations, the prospect of filling the vacancy is less likely than in an urban location where alternative customers may become more available. Marketing and pricing may have to incorporate a nonreturnable deposit fee on advance bookings. compilation of relevant agencies and their associated responsibilities will be a valuable source of reference when accessing future technical advice and support in areas such as training, funding and promotion. Mainstream and Niche Tourism in Ireland Mainstream tourism in Ireland includes overseas tourists on short holiday breaks or touring hoidays and domestic tourists on short holiday breaks or two-week family holidays. The overseas tourist to Ireland generally tours the country visiting the main tourism destinations such as Kerry, Galway, Connemara, the Burren and Dublin. These visits are not organised two-week package deals in one single destination. If the tourists are free independent travellers (FITs) they are likely to remain in the same destination for one to two nights, staying in B&B or guesthouse accomodation and travelling by hire car. Visitors who take package coach tours (which is a large part of the American market to Ireland), will travel long distances each day, touring the country in a whistle-stop fashion, stopping at major tourism attractions, such as heritage and historical sites, over a period of a week to ten days and generally using hotel accommodation. The domestic tourist is increasingly looking for short-break stays in hotels or B&Bs and this is a growing market in the off-season. The domestic tourist family holiday will consist of a two-week stay in selfcatering or caravan/mobile home accommodation in a coastal resort and is likely to be repeated annually but during a restricted season (July and August). ‘Inseparability’: niche tourism must be packaged to include accommodation, transport and entertainment. If the visitor is going to a rural location to experience ecotourism they are more likely to take the full package as access and nearby accommodation may be hard to locate. The quality of every component, even the welcome by every individual met, will affect the satisfaction afforded by the total experience. Niche tourism generally consists of visitors to adventure centres, walking holiday centres and summer schools (environmental, cultural, archaeological). These are taken usually as three to five day packages by FITs. Accomodation is usually arranged as part of the package in the centre’s accommodation or in local hostels or B&Bs. These packages may form part of a longer holiday in Ireland or may be taken as single day experiences as the visitor moves around the country. 15 Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area Shannon Development Shannon Development Ltd. is ireland’s only dedicated regional development company. The Company’s brief is to develop industry, tourism and rural development in the wider Shannon area, known as the Shannon Region, which includes County Clare META-project and their willingness to provide practical advice and expertise has been invaluable. The relevant agency personnel, at local and regional level, should be informed of the plans for marine ecotourism development at an early stage. This helps to create a personal connection with relevant people within the agencies. Such people should be consulted in advance, brought through the planning, asked for advice and developed as a jury to assess progress. This will save time and money in prevention of duplication of research and will provide access to valuable technical expertise. By the time the marketing plan is complete the marketing group and the product are well known and trusted. Current developments and future plans for marine ecotourism at an international, national, regional and local level should be taken into account, not least because of the significance of migratory species among marine ecotourism resources. The position of the service being West Clare The Mission atstement of the IRRUS Marketing group: ‘IRRUS brand members are committed to the sustainable development of West Clare tourism through caring for their environment, contributing to conservation and enhancing visitor enjoyment through interpretation.’ promoted in terms of how it fits into these plans should be determined. This will indicate the product position in the market and will also provide information on any grant aid or funding. Limitations to development must be explored e.g. rules and regulations which must be complied with. (For example West Clare: providing monitoring data on the Shannon Dolphins, obeying codes of conduct; obtaining a licence for seaweed harvesting for thallasotherapy17) If so, these should be allowed for in terms of time and cost. A relationship with the planning authorities will be of great benefit in terms of advice on such issues. Once the feasibility of the marketing promotion for marine ecotourism has been established and support pledged from the relevant authorities, all relevant product providers in the area should be contacted to form a cluster marketing group. 4.2 Developing a Marketing Group (II) A marketing group must be formed to promote the product/service i.e. the marine ecotourism of the region. This group should consist of the local stakeholders who are directly involved in the industry e.g. activity, accommodation and transport providers. People support a plan that they have created, so it is essential that the people who are to implement the plan, contribute to the vision that creates it and in this way the project is given local ownership. Recognition of the importance of those indirectly involved may need to be through broader community representation, for instance through the Local Authority. This will also allow recognition of the interests and role of those local people not automatically beneficiaries of marine ecotourism but affecting the marine environmentsuch as fish farmers. The stakeholders must first be identified. This type of information will be available through the regional tourism authorities operating in the region and through local knowledge. All the aforementioned stakeholders should then be invited to an information meeting held in a central location in the region. This meeting should be used to detail the potential for marine ecotourism in the region, the benefits of group marketing and networking of tourism providers and the proposed development of a marine ecotourism marketing group for the region. The stakeholders should then be invited to become part of this marketing group and elect a chair person. A mission statement for a marketing plan for the group should be developed, defining who the plan is for, the area in question and what will be the desired outcomes. This mission statement should then be officially adopted by the group. Developing such a mission 16 A Step-by Step Programme for Marketing Marine Ecotourism statement will establish the overall direction for the group and will serve as a ‘homing beacon’ to prevent the process wandering in the future into issues which are not directly relevant to the marketing of the region for marine ecotourism. The skills and abilities of the marketing group should be strengthened through the provision of workshops and seminars. The objectives of these workshops and seminars are two-fold: firstly to enhance the awareness of ecotourism among the stakeholders and secondly to enhance the capacity of the individual stakeholders to participate in market research and collective marketing action. The involvement of the local stakeholders throughout the process is vital to ensure local ownership and enhance the sustainability of the project. Training needs should be identified as the process develops and training programmes should be ongoing as required. Contact with relevant training authorities will determine availability of training and funding. The development process should follow the example of leadership, through facilitation to independence. This was exemplified in the West Clare project and is detailed in the ‘Planning for Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area: Good Practice Guidance’18. In accordance with the advice in that document, it will be essential that the type of management employed and process used be adapted to local conditions. For instance the level of participation by stakeholders, the nature of relationship between manager and stakeholders and the nature of the tasks being undertaken will need to be carefully considered and a critical aspect will be the reconciliation of the ‘external’ agenda of the manager with the ‘internal’ local agenda of any stakeholders’ association. In the West Clare case, this has been achieved by the withdrawal of the manager, once the process had become established and the local Association (‘IRRUS’) had taken on board the principles of marine ecotourism, as part of their brand image . 4.3 Marketing Research (III) Through initial and continuing marketing research, the marketing group will be able to find out what the specific needs of the customer are and how they can aim to satisfy those needs at a profit. Success will flow from finding and exploiting responsibly a particular need that cannot be satisfied elsewhere.19 The service should be continually refined to meet the actual needs of the customer as opposed to the perceived needs of the customer. This will then be mediated through the necessary parallel analysis of the needs of the marine ecosystem and the community, to develop responsible marketing solutions. This type of analysis is vital to the development of the marketing plan. It will help in the identification of the market segment and the target market, which the marketer should exploit in the promotion of the given product/service. The information gleaned from the analysis will also indicate the product positioning, the design of the marketing mix from which a marketing strategy is formulated and finally the marketing plan. The marketing group must direct and manage the market research process. It should be a ‘hands-on’ activity by the local stakeholders with external expert help employed only when necessary at stages requiring specialist expertise. This will enable the local stakeholders to understand and work through the process from the start. It will also help to ensure that a unique product, built on the local knowledge, experience, traditions, culture, crafts and artisanal skills is developed. This very local familiarity with the market research will also ‘fine 17 Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area tune’ the ability of the stakeholders to detect any changes or fluctuations in the market Resident School of Dolphins In West Clare the unique resource for marine ecotourism promotion, identified through the ‘Special Interest Marine Tourism Study’ (see below), was the resident school of dolphins in Shannon Estuary and the competitive edge was the emphasis on their conservation with the local operators and community working towards this objective. The wish to maintain the resource while developing a marine ecotourism product in a sustainable manner became the competitive edge or selling point of the West Clare META-project as a whole. The aims of the marketing group were built around eveloping ecotourism with a strong conservation ethos. This competitive edge was then carried through all the promotional materials. which occur at local level and thus allow action to be carried out immediately. The objectives of the marketing research should be written up on the basis of the agreed group mission statement. Objectives should include: • what information is required, • how it will be collected, • who will collect it and • how much time and budget should be spent on the process. A detailed work plan, assigning tasks and responsibilities, should then be compiled and agreed by all members of the group. 4.3.1 Defining the Product/Service The first task undertaken should be the compilation of an audit of the tourism resources of the area with emphasis on those that relate to marine ecotourism. This should include a full description of each potential resource, its location, its current status of development in relation to tourism and any conflicts which may arise in terms of its development. It will also relate to the local knowledge, experience, traditions, culture, crafts and artisanal skills. When complete, this audit of resources should be assessed using a SWOT analysis by all members of the group and relevant agency advisors. This will determine the unique resources for marine ecotourism and the strengths of the area for such a development. This definition process defines the competitive edge, which should then form the main focus for future promotional purposes. It will reveal areas of weaknesses that may need strengthening or removal; opportunities for future development that may give added value to the product at some future stage and threats or conflicts that need to be dealt with. In the case of West Clare, a preliminary study had been carried out.20 4.3.2. Defining the Target Market Target markets are people who are willing to spend, possess purchasing power and have identified needs. Analysis of the information gathered by the marketing group should determine what the market buys, why it buys, who are the main buyers and in what way do they buy. The target market may vary under different circumstances e.g. if the marine ecotourism product is being marketed as part of a general regional tourism package, the target market may be the general holidaymaker who may want to experience some ecotourism as part of his overall holiday; while if the product is being marketed as part of a joint marketing venture between different regions offering a total ecotourism experience the target market will be a more defined ‘ecotourist’. It is important to analyse who the target market will be so that promotional material is suitably adapted for each segment and is advertised and available in the right place. Each stakeholder within the marketing group should identify their individual target markets: who has been using their product to date, visitor numbers, profiles and reasons for using the product: what type of promotion they have been involved with, how and with what level of success. This process will help determine the market segment that is currently being targeted, how effective that targeting21 is and what segments are not being exploited. The above information gathering process carried out among the immediate marketing 18 A Step-by Step Programme for Marketing Marine Ecotourism group should be supplemented by further secondary and primary market research. Secondary research should be carried out using the information available through the contact agencies established and any known local surveys completed in the past. Primary research should be carried out to fill information gaps left after the above two actions are completed e.g. what other visitors come to the region, from where, when and why. This research may be developed through postal surveys, telephone surveys or questionnaire surveys. Questionnaire surveys are likely to give the highest degree of success as a snapshot of visitors to the area at a given time can be obtained and used for comparative purposes in the future. Sampling methods and sampling points should be carefully selected. Expert advice from contact agencies on sample selection and questionnaire design should be sought. It is essential to pilot test the questionnaire. A pilot survey should be carried out in the selected area for the selected sample. The results should then be analysed and interpreted. This pilot survey will reveal whether the required information is actually being collected. Problems in questionnaire design, sampling technique and analysis will be uncovered at this point and can be refined, thus preventing wastage of resources in future sampling and analysis.22 4.3.3 Defining Competitors When the target market has been established, competitors must be identified at regional, national and international levels. These are businesses that are offering the same type of tourism service. Information can be located in public and business directories, through tourism industry contacts and from local information. When identified, their marketing mix and competitive edge should be examined i.e. what they are selling, how they are selling it, who are they selling it to and at what price. When this information has been uncovered it can be used to help the marketing group to design a marketing mix for their own service that will distinguish it from the competition. Uniqueness in the product is likely to be enhanced by building in such assets as the local cultural heritage. All information gathered on product, price, promotion, target markets and the actual needs and demands of the customer will form the basis of the marketing strategy; that is to say the approach the group will use to marketing their service. 4.3.4 The Marketing Plan When analysed and interpreted, the data used to determine the marketing strategy will Special Interest Marine Tourism Study the West ClareMETA-project was preceded by a study commissioned by the Marine Institute. Shannon Development Ltd and Clare County Council in 1999 to examine the potential for the further development of special interest marine tourism in the West Clare peninsula. The recommendations of this report formed the basis for the objectives for the West Clare METAproject. The Special Interest Marine Tourism Study carried out a resource audit and SWOT analysis of the potential marine tourism resources of West Clare. The survey of resources included: • a population profile. • infrastructure (sanitary services, roads, marine infrastructure, tourist accommodation, access, tourist information and environmental improvement), • natural resources (topography, soils and landscape, coastline, nature conservation designations, river angling. lake angling, sea angling, swimming and sub-aqua diving, bird watching, dolphin watching) • other tourism resources, including cultural resources and • grant-aided projects Assessment of West Clare in the light of domestic and international market trends played a central role in this audit. The SWOT analysis provided a summary of the strengths and weaknesses internal to the West Clare area and an evaluation of the external apportunities and threats that the development of marine tourism activities and the potential markets for these activities was then prepared. form the basis for the marketing plan which will be put into operation by the group. Both short term and long term marketing plans should be developed. Short-term plans (one year to 18 months) should be detailed with activities and tasks assigned to various personnel with attached timescale and budget. A less detailed long-term plan should outline the objectives and direction for the marketing group over at least a five-year period 4.4 Implementing the Marketing Plan (IV) The marketing plan should be detailed with month-by-month implementation plans for different aspects. 4.4.1 Promotion Through the market research process the competitive edge for the marine ecotourism product of the region will have been identified. This should now form the basis from which a brand image and promotional tools are developed. 19 20 Don’t have blocks of text, break up with headings, pictures etc… Make sure the designer knows what product you are trying to reflect… Font size 9 point or more: greater if the audience is older (this text is 9 point) Put country of locatin on front (for international market) Where is the audience?… Have a good map showing the location in the context of the country and local region… Who is the Audience? … Assume reader knows nothing… What are the key messages?… Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area A Step-by Step Programme for Marketing Marine Ecotourism Promotional literature should be designed with future costs in mind e.g. a logo using variations on two colours is much cheaper to print than one having a greater number of Design Checklist colours. Logos should be designed so that they are equally effective in black and white as in • • • • colour. While unit costs of printing decrease with volume, print run numbers should be selected to suit both budget and distribution methods. Overproduction can lead to stocks of out dated material in future seasons. • When designing brochures, leaflets or flyers, their purpose should be clearly determined. Are they being designed to motivate, inform, remind or build up a relationship with the • customer? The design should reflect the identified marketing mix aimed at the target market. • • In terms of size will they need to be a standard size for envelope, postage or literature • holders. Decisions on distribution methods must be made. • Who is the audience? Where is the audience? What are the keymessages? Make sure the designer knows product and what you are trying to reflect Don’t have blocks of text, break up with headings, pictures etc. Typsize point 9 or more; greater if the audience is older Assume reader knows nothing Put country of location on front (for international market) have a good map showing the location in the context of the country and local region Quantities required The Design features checklist is illustrated overleaf with reference to West Clare leaflet and Webpage(s) The internet is a very powerful, cost effective tool for promotion. The key is to build traffic flows to the site and then to convert this to business. Inclusion of a guest page will help to monitor reactions to the site and act as a tool for the promotion of the areas attractions. Monitoring of the web site is important to determine how many hits it is receiving, from where, by whom and how many bookings result. The website http://www.irrus.com has been designed to promote West Clare’s marine ecotourism product. It is vitally important to test market promotional materials before final production. A focus group of relevant participants is a good method of assessing promotional materials before the final print run. The final drafts can than be amended before printing. 4.4.2. Advertising Market research should determine what type of advertising reaches the target audience, what is cost effective and how likely advertising in a certain place will be to convert into business. This information will help in the selection of the most cost-effective style of 21 Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area advertisement for the service. Advertisements should be placed in publications aimed at the identified target audience. There is however a risk that specialist magazines will be read only by a narrow group of specialists and conservation society members23. One off adverts seldom work. A series of small adverts is better. Costs should be budgeted carefully. Sources of free advertisement are useful e.g. press releases on the progress of the marketing group in local and regional newspapers. Adverts should be aimed to run when the service is open to business. Methods of monitoring where business came from should be built in. This will help in measuring the impact of the advertisement budget and to ensure it is cost effective. 4.4.3. Distribution The distribution channels on offer should be assessed carefully – are they aimed at the identified target audience – do they promote the message, which suits the service - will it be money well spent? The most expensive promotion is not always the best if it does not hit the target customer. The target audience must be kept in mind when deciding on distribution channels. Existing distribution channels can be used where appropriate to the service and new ones can be explored as the service builds up strength. Effective distribution can be achieved through integrating with existing promotional groups/agencies selling a similar product e.g. other marine ecotourism destinations in the same country. 4.4.5. Public Relations It is essential that locals/influencers are aware of the service being offered. Familiarisation trips should be organised to allow such contacts to experience the service. Invitations should be extended to accommodation providers, hotel receptionists, tourist office personnel and others who interact with your customers while they are in the locality. Word of mouth is an extremely important form of promotion. Happy customers are the best ambassadors. The media should be kept informed about the service on a regular basis especially when launching the service, adding new products, initiatives or features. Media personnel should be invite to experience the service for free. The final stage of implementing a marketing plan comes after the launch and is considered below in Section 5. 22 5. Monitoring, Evaluation and Ecolabelling IRRUS has been launched as a ‘brand’, which signifies firstly Irish marine ecotourism in West Clare and secondly that as a brand, it is based on the responsible marketing of the natural marine ecosytem. 5.1 Service Quality – matching performance to expectation In conventional marketing, the launch of a brand for a product or service will be followed by a process of continual monitoring and review of customer satisfaction. Market research by the group should be ongoing to keep track of changing customer needs and attitudes, product satisfaction and effectiveness of the marketing mix. Techniques such as SERVQUAL24 seek to establish an iterative process of improvement. SERVQUAL sets out 23 elements where customer expectation may exceed performance and works on the basis of such ‘gap’ analysis. The assumption of SERVQUAL, however, is that the only stakeholder needing to be satisfied is the client or tourist. This approach can only be reconciled with the principles of responsible marketing for genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism by managing the tourist’s expectations to the point where only a high quality marine environment will satisfy the discriminating tourist in the chosen niche market. If that can be achieved then conventional marketing is self-sustaining and sustainable. However, given the commercial pressures on local ecotourism providers and especially on international tour operators, it is normally necessary to have an external regulatory framework at least to re-enforce voluntary good practice. Such external input, with due accreditation, may lead to an Ecolabel. 5.2 Accreditation Applying the principles set out in Section 3 above (and detailed in the META- Planning Good Practice document25), baseline data, monitoring and evaluation programmes need to be established to assess the effectiveness of the marketing process, what return it has given for investment, what is working/not working and what needs to be refined. Criteria to which brand members must adhere for inclusion under group marketing need to be developed. The voluntary codes of practice also discussed in the planning good practice guidance are an important element. These are what will distinguish the product on offer from others and what will begin to identify it as a genuinely sustainable ecotourism service. There will need to be some form of independent body to monitor and assess brand members. A series of indicators to measure the environmental, social and economic impacts of the marine ecotourism project should be developed to monitor and evaluate the project to ensure that it’s development is sustainable. The marketing group should liase with ‘expert’ agencies in this field. These are the accreditation agencies which seek to ensure that brands, claiming to be ‘green’ meet their own standards. While not being part of one of the currently known schemes does not necessarily imply that an ecotourism provider is operating UN-sustainably, an ecotourism brand for a group of providers, which carries no specific criteria for inclusion, is what has been described as a pseudo-ecolabel. 23 Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area Lardarel’s Credibility Factors • All stakeholders participate in their development; • their criteria are based on sustainable development, including environmental protection and social factors, and take into account best available technology; • they provide business with a significant but achievable challenge that leads to real and continuous performance improvements; • technical support is available to businesses that wish to implement the criteria; • information about the actual performance of participating enterprises is publicly reported; • they are supervised by independent, notfor-profit organizations. 5.3 An Ecolabel for Marine Ecotourism: Assuring Continued Compliance with Responsible Marketing Principles Moving from ‘brand’ to ecolabel is the final stage in stabilising the long term ecological quality of the products that are to be sold as marine ecotourism to an increasingly discerning market. The purpose of an ecolabel is to give assurance, by independent monitoring, that products, such as ecotourism, advertised as ‘green’ will live up to their actual or implied promises to enhance and protect the environment and will comply with responsible marketing principles. Ecolabels in general are subject to European Union rules, which are associated with the International Standards Organization requirements for the ISO14000 series. There has been considerable debate about their applicability to tourism26. Lardarel of the United Nations Environment Programme (2000) 27 identifies six key factors in the credibility of the voluntary initiatives including ecolabels: In the Planning Guidance, a tool kit for monitoring and evaluation is put forward as a basis for keeping track of progress on the road towards sustainability. It uses the PREPARe model28, which has previously been used in connection with destination-based ecolabels. That model is linked to ISO 14001 practices, simplified for tourism but still including both global and local environmental protection criteria. Progress will be required within each and eventually all of the six areas headlined: Policy, Responsibility, Eco-awareness, Programmes, Audit and Re-view (“PREPARe”). The toolkit is designed to furnish the responsible authorities with information on the degree to which their destination is compliant with the process needed to achieve an ‘ecolabel’. Standards for such Environmental Management and Audit Schemes (EMAS) are voluntary in inception but as the basis for an ecolabel they become entrenched by the requirement to honour the marketing promise. Once, therefore, the six elements have, on average, achieved a ‘significant’ (about 60% or above) degree of compliance on a self-assessment basis, the final stage will be to introduce, the often costly and time-consuming, external accreditation to establish a destination ecolabel. At this point PREPARe is made into PREPARE the last ‘E’ now standing for “externally accredited Ecolabel”. Existing authenticating bodies are listed and reviewed in the book29 that reports a recent EC funded project on ecolabelling for tourism generally. Many established labels focus on landbased ecotourism and almost all ignore the journey to and from the destination. Ecotrans keeps an updated list at http://www.eco-tip.org/Eco-labels/ecolabels.htm . Each is described and the requirements to be met are specified. Regional and national Tourist Boards also sponsor ecolabels. There is current work in progress perhaps in time for the United Nations World Year of Ecotourism (2002), to harmonise the criteria so that the consumer is presented with less confusion30. At present none are automatically and wholly appropriate for marine ecotourism but the following are good examples and may be the most appropriate: PAN Parks (http://www.panparks.org),30 which is aimed at National Parks in Europe but whose criteria, while are not yet fully developed, are adaptable to the Marine environment 24 Monitoring, Evaluation and Ecolabelling Green Globe (http://www.greenglobe21.com)32, an international commercially funded authentication body. Green Tourism Business Scheme, UK (http://www.green-business.com)33 based on work originating in South Hams, Devon and the South West Tourist Board (now South West Tourism) and applied in Scotland since 1998. Ecotourism Symbol Alcúdia (Distinctive Ecotuistico Alcúdia, Spain)34 is an example of a local destination generated scheme in operation since 1994 and which has demonstrably raised standards in that resort.35 The criteria for these four ecolabelling accreditation schemes are shown in the Annex 2. They each share a commitment to continued monitoring, which contrasts with the ‘award’ based schemes, such as the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow. That award, although recently awarded to a marine ecotourism destination (Chumbe Island Coral Park off Zanzibar, Tanzania) is limited by being ‘one off’ and therefore potentially encouraging shortterm exploitation. Sponsored by an airline, its criteria do not include and are unlikely ever to include minimisation of long-distance travel. Many other ecolabel schemes in tourism are geared mainly to particular sectors, usually hotels. This Blueprint recommends that all marine ecotourism should seek to be authenticated and accredited through an Ecolabel, which though initially voluntary carries ongoing obligations to measure performance against compliance criteria for genuine sustainability. Finally to quote from the META- Planning Good Practice Guidance: “Marketing is the means of implementing marine ecotourism but marketing that does not prioritise environmental protection can serve to compromise even the most well planned and managed marine ecotourism experience. This is because the marketing of marine ecotourism may be in contradiction with the planning and management objectives, particularly in that it is likely to result in excessive visitor number or inappropriate behaviour on the part of the tourist. The same is also true of community participation in the marketing process, for unless the community is fully in control of the marketing of the activity, marketing efforts are likely to run counter to the planning and management of the activities being promoted. Responsible marketing in this context should embrace a notion of environmental and socio-cultural stewardship. In all respects, the marketing of marine ecotourism should therefore be consistent with the principles of sustainability”35. 25 Annex 1: The META- Transnational Model for Marine Ecotourism Planning in the EU Atlantic Area. (page 18 of META- Project, 2001, Planning for Marine Ecotourism in the Atlantic Area: Good Practice Guidance, UWE, Bristol). “A model of marine ecotourism planning has been developed for the EU Atlantic Area, in accordance with good practice evidence from both the research findings of the METAproject and from international experience of planning for genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism. Planning and management policies, structures and processes need to be developed so that marine tourism can be moved towards ecotourism and more sustainable practice. The META-Transnational Model for Marine Ecotourism Planning in the EU Atlantic Area Sustainability Local Participation Principles of Environmental Protection as a Priority Genuinely Sustainable Balance of Statutory and Voluntary Approaches Marine Education and Interpretation Ecotourism Collaborative Approach Responsible Marketing Audit and Review Toolkit Economic Impact Assessment Toolkit Transport Impact Awareness Toolkit the principles Voluntary Codes Toolkit for implementing Education and Interpretation Toolkit Toolkits: actions Community-Based Planning Toolkit ‘Tool book’ Continual monitoring of actions against the principles of genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism 26 Annex 2: Criteria for four examples of accreditation bodies for Ecolabels 1) PAN Parks (http://www.panparks.org) Development/Partners • Project organiser: the PAN Parks Organisation • Supervisory Board: WWF International, Molecaten groep • Background: the PAN Parks concept was initiated under the umbrella of WWF’s European Forest Programme by the World Wide Fund for Nature in 1997, as a label for excellent protected area management. • Partners: various protected area authorities, national and regional WWF Offices, local business partners • Objective: by creating a certification label for well-managed protected areas PAN Parks wishes to raise public awareness and appreciation for European natural heritage and thus foster acceptance and financial support for conservation issues. Principles and Criteria Protected areas and their partners wishing to receive the PAN Parks label have to follow guiding Principles split up into further Criteria and Indicators: • Target groups: Principle 1-3 - protected area authority, Principle 4 - sustainable tourism development strategy in and around protected area, Principle 5 - local business partners • Principle 1. Natural Values: PAN Parks are large protected areas, representative of Europe’s natural heritage and of international importance for wildlife, ecosystems and natural or semi-natural landscapes. • Principle 2. Habitat Management: Management of the PAN Park maintains and, if necessary, restores the area’s ecological processes and its biodiversity. • Principle 3. Visitor Management: Visitor management safeguards the natural values of the PAN Park and aims to provide visitors with a high-quality experience based on the appreciation of nature. • Principle 4. Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy (under development in cooperation with Europarc Federation) • Principle 5. Local Business Partners (under development) 2) Green Globe (http://www.greenglobe21.com) Development/Partners/Costs • Development: unique global environmental management and certification scheme dedicated to the world’s Travel & Tourism industry, working with communities, companies and consumers to promote sustainability in tourism through sound environmental management practices. • Preferred Partners: Hagler Bailly (provider of consulting, research and professional services), Montgomery Watson (private employee-owned environmental services), Scott Wilson • Advisory Council: An international Advisory Council is being formed to steer the activities of Green Globe. The Council is chaired by CRC Tourism and Green Globe Asia Pacific Pgy Ltd and includes representatives from a number of industry bodies, including: IATA, UNEP, WWF, PATA, Open Africa, Montgomery Watson, IUCN, Forum for the Future. 27 Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area • Members could be: hotels, airlines, tour operators, car hire companies, travel agents, tourist boards • Development and introduction of Green Globe for accommodations and tour operators (not for travel offers!); Development for destinations under construction Criteria • Target group: tour operators, hotels, resorts, other accommodation providers. • Criteria: Waste minimisation, re-use and recycling, Energy efficiency, conservation and management, Management of fresh water resources, waste-water management, Hazardous substances, transport, Land-use planning and management, involving staff, customers and communities in environmental issues, design of environmentally sensitive products, partnerships for sustainable development, protection of air quality, noise control, environmentally sensitive purchasing policy 3) Green Tourism Businesses: http://www.green-business.com Development / Partners / Costs • main auditors for the scheme: Scottish Tourist Board, Highlands and Islands Enterprise • Financing: Scottish Enterprise • Development of criteria and application form: Shetland Environmental Agency Ltd. (SEA ltd); SEA Ltd. are responsible for the main administration of the scheme and for distributing the awards • costs members 75 Euros to join at Bronze, 150 Euros for Silver and 220 Euros for Gold. These fees are payable every two years. Criteria • nearly 100 measures are divided into 10 sections • 10 sections: compulsory (have a number of staff with environmental responsibilities), waste (reduction, recycling), energy (lighting, hot water and draught-proofing), water, transport/cycling/walking, green products, monitoring, communication of environmental practices to guests (joint ventures, Community, World Wide Web), wildlife and landscape, bonus • Bonus includes examples of innovation or particularly good practice not covered by other sections (examples: use of electric vehicle to transport laundry, plastic curtain in doorway of walk-in fridge, establishment of nature reserve in grounds) Applications / Assessment procedure / Control • Members apply for one of three levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold) • The application form is a self-nomination form: a multiple choice for tourism business, takes account of regional environmental differences, encompasses the diversity of tourist business, business chooses how to achieve environmental targets • All applicants are visited every two years by qualified environmental auditor (Environmental Auditor’s Registration Association) from SEA Ltd. to assess the business against the nominated criteria; to identify additional appropriate measures and offer advice and information 28 Annex 2 • businesses have to sell in one, two or three items from each section depending on the level they are applying for. Additional measures which the business has to be taken into consideration can be included under the Bonus section. • Quality assurance scheme: Flexibility and choice, Accounts for different, geography, age, style and local energy and waste options, involving stakeholders, Customers, staff, local community, insurers, shareholders and regulators, Opportunity for businesses, Potential to reach EMAS/ISO 14001 standard • telephone support line to help business undertaking measures, achieving the different levels, basic costs, etc. • three levels: Bronze (basic environmental good practice); Silver (Examples of significant good practice and performance improvements); Gold (significant good practice, monitoring and supplier screening (ISO 14001) 4) Eco Tourism Symbol, Alcúdia Alcúdia - Municipio Ecoturístico: Label for the hotel trade/tourist accommodation and restaurant industry This project to establish the first Environmental Quality Label in Spain was initiated in 1994 by the Alcúdia Municipality with the support of the Alcúdia Hotel Trade Association. Its introduction resulted in the following actions: • Consumption of drinking water was reduced through the installation of flow limiters, in municipal buildings and hotels carrying the Environmental Quality Mark. Lower energy consumption was achieved through introducing energy saving street lighting and timers in all the municipality’s buildings. Traffic was reduced through promotion and improvement of public transport, extension of cycle paths and the introduction of traffic-calming areas in the town. Ecological improvements to the historic town centre were made by offering subsidies for the restoration of façades, setting up new green areas with indigenous plants and drawing up a plan for the restoration of Alcúdia ‘s old town wall. • Improved coordination and information has been achieved through the establishment of a municipal environmental department (Servicio de Medio Ambiente). This department coordinates a campaign to control illegal waste dumps, carries out water quality tests (blue flag) and is responsible for refuse collection and recycling. Since 1997 the “policía verde” (green police) check offences against the environment and monitor the observance of environmental regulations. Source: ECOTRANS at http://www.eco-tip.org/Eco-labels/ecolabels.htm Further information on Alcúdia is from a study in 1999 in connection with the PREPARe approach37 1994 hotel eco-label criteria38 1 Training Courses on ‘Tourism and Environmental Protection’ to be taken by the hotel staff (Eco-awareness enhancement). 2 Programmes to reduce waste and selective rubbish collection, with adequate containers for every kind of waste. 29 Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area 3 Programmes to use recycled materials and ecological products (whenever possible, that is, if they are obtainable in the market). 4 Programmes to reduce electrical consumption and to increase efficiency in the use of energy. 5 Programmes to save water: there is a chronic scarcity of water in Mallorca. 6 Programmes for improved waste-water collection systems. 7 Programmesof noise reduction and elimination. 8 Programmes for gardens areas: 40% of the site to be gardens planted with indigenous Mediterranean plants with low water consumption. 9 Behaviour that respects the environment and the avoidance of any action that can act against the environment (Eco-awareness). 10 The establishment should enhance Eco-awareness by giving information to its customers about environmentally conscious behaviour, promote the use of public transport or other environmentally friendly/ pollution free transport modes. The establishment should try to convince customers to make savings in water and energy consumption during their holidays through displays or informative talks. The establishment should have a environmental suggestions/ claims/complaints mail-box available to hotel customers. 11 Respect for the cultural heritage of Alcúdia. The establishment’s advertising should demonstrate respect for the culture, traditions, language, history and monuments of Alcúdia (enhancing Eco-awareness). 12 A Programme for building design to be adapted to the architectural characteristics of the region with use of local materials. 13 Programmes for regional menus promoting the use of fresh food or food from the area. (The idea is that a potato, for example, from New Zealand in less environment friendly than a potato from Sa Pobla, which is at 9 km from Alcúdia: CO2 emission is less because the lack of transport component). The Alcúdia Council includes the list of eco-tourism establishments in its Internet promotion and brochures on eco-tourism. Tour operators, who play an extremely important role in Alcúdia, have welcomed the programme. They have nearly complete control over the 25,000 beds in the dominant hotel and apartment sectors (Alcudia Council 1999). Germany, is the major originating tourism market for Mallorca and Alcúdia and is the most environmentally aware. German Tour Operators promoted the initiative at the Berlin ITB, one of the world’s largest tourism fairs. In 1998, the Alcúdia Council extended the Policy to the food and beverage sector (restaurants, bars, cafeterias, etc). The rules are more or less the same, with small adaptations for the special characteristics of these establishments. 30 Notes Poon, A. (1993) Tourism, Technology and Font X., and Buckley R.C. (Editors) (2001) New York, have sadly reinforced on 29 Competitive Strategies, CAB International additional safety grounds, the disadvantages op.cit Wallingford of promoting long-distance air travel over 1 2 The West Clare parallel study of the META- more locally or regionally based tourism. project is reported in Hoctor Z. (2001) 13 Marine Ecotourism: A marketing Initiative in Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area: Good West Clare, Marine Resource Series No 21, Practice Guidance op.cit. Marine Institute, Dublin. 3 Hoyt, E. (2000) Whale Watching 2000: 14 McKercher B. (2001) op.cit 15 META-Project (2001) op.cit. 16 META-Project (2001) op.cit. Worldwide Tourism Number, Expenditures, and Expanding Socioeconomic Benefits. International Fund for Animal Welfare, META- Project (2001) Planning for Marine 17 META- Project (2001) op.cit. 19 McKercher B. (2001) op.cit 20 Marine Institute (1999) Special Interest Berrow S. (2001) A study of Deep Sea Marine Ecotourism META-Project http://www.tourism-research.org 5 18 Lindberg, K. (1991), Policies for Marine Tourism Study for Marine Institute, Maximising Ecotourism’s Ecological and Shannon Development Corporation and Economic Benefits, World Resources West Clare Council Institute. 6 Weaver, D.B. (2002), “The Evolving 21 Impacts”, International Journal of generated 7 McKercher, B. (2001), “The Business of Ecotourism”, in Weaver, D. (ed.), The Encyclopedia of Ecotourism, CABI Font X., and Buckley R.C. (Editors) (2001) op.cit p336 32 ibid p.306 33 ibid p.314 34 ibid p.293 35 as reported in Bruce et al.(2001) op.cit. 36 META-Project (2001) op.cit. p30 37 Bruce et al.. (2001) op.cit 38 in compiling this table each criterion has been allocated to an appropriate segment of PREPARe (qv) in META- Project (2001) op.cit. Kyle of Lochalsh (Scotland) has suggested that significant repeat business can be ecotourism), Vol.5, No.3, forthcoming. 31 For instance a stakeholder’s experience in Concept of Ecotourism and its Potential Sustainable Development (special edition on Xavier Font – personal communication 2001 a health treatment based on sea water. Crowborough UK 4 30 22 Paul Brunt (1997) Market Research in Travel and Tourism , Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford details the issues involved. 23 McKercher B. (2001) op. cit. 24 Palmer A (2001) ‘Principles of Services Wallingford 8 META-Project (2001), “Planning for Marine Marketing’ 3rd Edition McGraw Hill. Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area: Good 25 META- Project (2001) op.cit. 26 Font, X and Buckley R.(Editors) 2001 Practice Guidance”, UWE, Bristol, http://www.tourism-research/meta (p29-30) 9 Holloway J.C. and Robinson C., (1995) Marketing for Tourism Longman Harlow, UK Tourism Ecolabelling: certification and promotion of sustainable tourism CABI Publishing, Wallingford 10 Fuller D. 1999 Sustainable Marketing: 27 ibid Forward by de Lardarel J. 28 Bruce D., Jackson M. and Serra Cantallops Managerial-Ecological issues, Sage, Thousand Oaks CA 11 World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) (1987) Our Common Future, OUP, Oxford p168. A. (2001) PREPARe: A model to aid the development of policies for less unsustainable tourism in historic towns, Tourism and Hospitality Research 3:1,21-36 12 The events of 11th September 2001 in 31 Acknowledgements The authors of this document are David Bruce, Zena Hoctor, Brian Garrod and Julie Wilson The META- UWE team - David Bruce, Brian Garrod and Julie Wilson - would like to extend their thanks and appreciation to the following people for their invaluable contribution to the META- Project: Erlet Cater (University of Reading), Simon Berrow (Shannon Whale and Dolphin Foundation), Maria Casado-Diaz, Vincent Nadin, Marion Jackson, Rosemary Burton, Isobel Daniels, Delphine Guillemoteau, Christina Smith, Phil Taylor, Michelle Elliot (UWE, Bristol), José Cardénes, Mario Benitez and Cristina Morales (META- MBA Escuela de Negocios MBA, Gran Canaria partner team), Paul Lucas, Alison McNamara, Emily HuguesDit-Ciles, Dominic Acland and Nigel Smallbones (META- Torbay Council partner team), Anne Wilkinson, Zena Hoctor and Nessa O’Connor (META- Marine Institute Dublin, Ireland partner team), Lisa Henry, Delwyn Matthews and Dominic Houston (UK South West Tourism), Carlos Fernandes (Politecnica de Viana do Castelo, Portugal), Greg Richards (European Association of Leisure and Tourism Education ATLAS) and Alastair Birtles (James Cook University of Northern Queensland). Additionally, we would like to thank all co-financiers of the META- Project: the EU Interreg IIc (Atlantic Area) Programme, The UK Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR), South West Tourism, the Consejería de Turismo del Gobierno de Canarias, the Patronato de Turismo del Cabildo de Gran Canaria and the Federación de Empresarios de Hosteleria y Turismo de Gran Canaria. Also thanks to Catherine Brown (Atlantic Area Secretariat) , Elizabeth Halpenny, Vanessa Williams (WDCS), Celine Liret, Chris Parsons (HWDT), Caroline Warburton, Tim Whitehead, Les Crump, Kevin Mowatt, Jo Trethewey, Robin Teverson, the Delphi Study Panellists, Project Supporters (Marine Conservation Society, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Ecoscope Conservation UK, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, Plymouth City Council, Shannon Development and the Biscay Dolphin Research Programme) and all those individuals who took part in the consultation process in August 2001. 32 for further information on the META- Project, please visit http://www.tourism-research.org META- Project, c/o Centre for Research, Innovation and Industry (CRII) University of the West of England, Bristol Frenchay Campus Coldharbour Lane Bristol BS16 1QY United Kingdom [email protected] Co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) via the EU Interreg IIc (Atlantic Area) programme and the UK DTLR UWE, BRISTOL F.11.01 Printing & Stationery Services