Mechanisms  for Benefiting the Poor from Tourism in Protected Areas
 

 

 

Assessment of the Economic Values of Ecosystem Services in Yemen

 

 

Lindberg and Enriquez (1994) illustrate the existing Potential income sources for benefiting local communities from the protected areas. . Box 9.1 lists a number of income sources potentially available to protected areas.

 

Many of the income sources shown in Box 9.1 do not appear in Figure 9.1, suggesting that there is considerable potential for park agencies to increase income by utilizing a broader range of revenue sources. Tourism has the potential to provide agencies with many of these income sources. A few examples are provided below and developed later ( in other article )

 

Mechanisms  for Benefiting the Poor from Tourism in Protected Areas

 

Employment and Economic Development

Many jobs are linked to the attraction that high quality environment generally have for tourists, in addition to those associated with destinations where nature-based tourism is the main attractive. The income and local employment generated by biodiversity -based tourism can create a strong incentive for communities, local authorities and governments to protect and invest in ecological infrastructure.

It is very relevant in the three protected areas demonstrated by the creation of job opportunities for the local communities at the JBNP. Some employment opportunities have also been created for women around the JBNP and AWPA, principally through the training and provision of equipment for income generating activities such as sewing, embroidery, handicrafts, livestock product processing. However, more attention should be given to create economic benefits for local communities in and around the three protected areas. Issues to be address include: general levels of awareness of ecotourism as a source of employment; education and training levels and provision; and identifying specific employment opportunities that are suitable for women, together with giving them confidence to purse them.

 

Supply of goods and Services to Tourism enterprises by the Locals

This about encouraging tourism enterprises to source more of their inputs (e.g. food products) from local communities to be offered to protected areas’ visitors, reducing leakages and strengthening the local supply chain. Again, it is good way of reaching larger numbers of local people who may not wish, or be able, to be employed directly in the parks. It is potentially important in Yemen in general and at JBNP, AWPA and Hawf protected areas in particularly, where most of the poverty is rural areas. Although links to other sectors, such as agriculture, are recognized, there does not appear to have been much work locally to strengthen this. However, it may be difficult to influence in Yemen. Where produce is available locally, hotels and restaurants appear to be accessing it anyway through local suppliers and markets; where it is not available, this is often due to fundamental problems with soils, water and climate.

Outdoor recreation often requires specialised equipment, much of which is difficult to transport over long distances. Therefore, the provision of such equipment in PAs, either for sale or rental, can be a source of revenue. All PAs visitors require food, either in the form of groceries or prepared in restaurants. The purchase of food is a major expenditure item for travellers, and parks can earn a substantial income from this source. Managers must decide whether it is better to operate these services within the agency structure, or utilize a concessionaire.

 

Direct Sales to Tourists by the Informal Economy

This is about helping the local communities living within or around tourist attractions producing products, such as handicrafts, or providing individual service through market and retail outlets, and facilitating the contact between communities and the tourists. It can be provide a good way of bringing income indirectly and jobs to the people involved.

There is considerable interest- in Yemen in general and key areas in particular- in gaining more benefit from handicraft sales and it is seen as a particular activity with opportunities for improvement. One reason for this level of interest is the opportunity available for women to earn income from tourism through handicrafts, given the high percentage of them involved in this activity. Many women`s groups at JBNP, AWPA and Hawf protected areas which provide an important social function, use handicrafts production as an important way of bringing in funding. Provision of local guide services to individual tourists and groups is another important example of this informal trading mechanism in protected areas in particular and Yemen in general. Some important issues of quality, price and delivery mechanisms need to be addressed here.

 

Establishment of Tourism  Enterprises by Local Communities

This is helping the local people to establish, or strengthen, their own small or micro tourism enterprise (SME). One of the largest expenditure categories for travellers is that of accommodation. Some parks operate camp-sites, cabins, and lodges, and charge visitors accordingly. Accommodation charges can be one of the largest income sources available for local communities living within or around protected areas. The management of accommodation (whether directly or through a concession) is a complicated activity that requires specially trained staff and proper business procedures.

 

It is a step up from simply informal trading and in some cases may grow from this. Examples may include simple accommodation or catering enterprises or the provision of other services and activities for PAs visitors. Enterprises may be individually owned or family based or could be established cooperatively within a community. SME development appears to be rather central to Yemen`s approach to sustainable development and poverty alleviation, supported by microfinance and other assistance. The Ministry of Tourism`s proposed projects to establish ecolodges  in  some attraction sites including Jabal Bura`a and Hawf protected as well as rehabilitation of various buildings in selected communities to provide catering, retailing and simple accommodation will lead to family or community owned SMEs. Capacity building, business planning and markets access are important issues.

 

Tax or Levy on Tourism With Proceeds Supporting the Locals

This is about making compulsory charges on the tourism sector or directly on visitors and using the revenue raised to benefit the local communities. It includes the way resources raised from general taxation are used, but it can also involve levying specific charges on tourism enterprises, such as through bed taxes or raising money from visitors through admission charges (e.g. entrance fees for protected areas). Some parks provide specialised recreation services, such as guided tours or special events. Charging for parking can be a lucrative source of income. For example, some camp-sites allow one vehicle to be covered per camp-site registration. Any other vehicles are charged a parking fee. Earmarking revenues for the protected area is important to improve stakeholder acceptance of fees. Revenues from entrance and user fees in protected areas provide funds that can be used for their management.

In contrast, independent financing of protected areas in Yemen has not been reached. The protected areas currently rely heavily on non-government sources of funding (even EPA is still heavily dependent on donors), including visitor revenues, although this is insufficient and not reliable enough to entirely fund the operation, maintenance and development of Yemen’s protected area system, and some sites, such as the Hawf Protected Area, are probably too remote to ever capture enough visitor revenue to become financially independent of government. For example, in JBNP, and since the Sustainable Natural Resources Management Programme (SNRMP) provided key infrastructure, there has been a considerable increase in visitor revenue, providing funds for the park management. However, the fees are not based on any calculation of how much money is needed to run the Park (operating, maintenance and development costs) or what visitors are prepared to pay (foreign visitors, especially European, Asia and US tourists could be comfortably charged more). In addition, there has been insufficient training in visitor management and guiding, and interpretation at the Park is poor (essential for a providing a successful, enjoyable visitor experience, especially for high-fee paying US and European tourists). in Yemen, opportunities to rely on visitors revenues for sustainable financing of protected areas are probably quite limited, especially in the current financial and political crises.