Specific Opportunities for Linking Ecotourism, Biodiversity and Poverty Alleviation Relevant to the The Protected Areas

Based on the above analysis of the situation in the three protected areas – JBNP, AWPA and Hawf protected area against UNWTO principles and mechanisms for sustainable tourism and reflecting the situation found on the ground during the field visits, it is suggested that the following specific needs and opportunities should be given, particular attention in JBNP, AWPA and Hawf protected areas.

Specific Needs and Opportunities for Linking Ecotourism and Poverty Alleviation Relevant to the Protected Areas

Improving Handicraft Quality and Sales

(This relates mainly to mechanism 3)

Purchasing of souvenirs is a feature of all tourist visits to Yemen, and activity to strengthen the economic return from this to poor communities and household is relevant across the country. During the mission many examples of handicrafts were encountered. Many products did demonstrate a vital link to Yemeni and local traditions and authenticity, much valued by tourists. However, they often demonstrated weakness in their suitability as souvenirs for purchase by visitors, especially from western markets. Some challenges to address include: poor quality materials; inferior or unimaginative design; some lack of skills in execution and finishing; inappropriate size and weight; and products not suited to certain markets in terms of style and potential use. Of certain is the lack variety, with a need

to focus on different traditions and materials distinctive to the different areas of Yemen.

The problems identified applied especially to the output of the different women`s groups visited. This is unfortunate, these groups are particularly well placed to channel visitor spending to poor households and to address gender issues. They also undertake a variety of other social functions that can be directly assisted by the income generating from handicrafts production and sales. The women`s groups did recognize these weaknesses and were very interested in receiving help.

Various actions can be taken to address this situation, including:

 More research into the response of different types of visitors, bearing in mind that there may be considerable differences between western and regional markets;

 Provision of training to groups on design, production skills, pricing and retailing. These should be linked to market understanding and should be delivered by people who possess this, possibly through linked ‘train the trainer’ processes;

 Provision of appropriate support in the acquisition of materials;

 Improving local sales outlets – ensuring easy access by tourists to products made locally, supported by good information to confirm authenticity; and

 Strengthening opportunities for tourists to meet the products and possibly observe production, which can give greatly strengthen likelihood of purchase.

Securing Community Benefit From Guiding

(This relate mainly to UNWTO mechanism 3)

Guiding of visitors around the protected areas is very much part of the experience of Yemen, happening in all historic towns of all sizes and also in rural areas. Currently, much formal guiding is provided by

guides who do not come from the local areas visited and some are non- Yemenis who have been selected by tour operators for their language skills. However, informal guiding is often offered by local

people living in or around the protected areas. There may be an opportunity to improve the potential for local families to benefit from providing guiding services in a more coordinated way, tackling this nationally as well as locally. Actions to purse include:

 Establishing and promoting codes of conduct which favour the use of local guides, with sections applicable to tour operators, guides and tourists;

 Provision of sample, locally delivered training within communities for people interested in accompanying visitors, covering: local facts and stories; communication techniques ( how to relate visitors); and basic language skills;

 Liaising and working with the main tour operators, so they see this as an opportunity for them to enhance their clients experience as well as bringing local benefit, and are therefore prepared to support solutions identified;

 Designing local excursion and promoting them among tourists and tour operators.

 Strengthening contacts between local tourism officers and local guides.

Improving local Awareness of Tourism and Access to Training

(This relates mainly to UNWTO mechanism 1 but also assist with most others)

In the protected areas visited during the mission, tourism was not well understood by local people and was usually not seen as an activity that was relevant to them, offering opportunities and benefits. At

the same time, some hotels, tour operators and other employers found it hard to find local people who had the right attitude, let alone the right skills for the sector. Increasing awareness, and linking this on

to appropriate training, is seen as a priority in the natural and cultural targeted sites. However, it is important to be realistic about the number of job opportunities that may be available in the future and

not to raise expectations falsely - (as we found some resentment at JBNP and complains at Hawf) therefore, actions should be planned and executed in conjunction with local businesses, taking account

of their needs. Actions to purse include:

 Running local awareness campaigns involving media, schools, community groups;

 Securing direct links between tourism enterprises such as hotels and local schools and groups;

 Promoting short introductory and skills training courses that are accessible to local communities; and

 Strengthening vocational courses at local colleges and outreach to communities.

A pilot project could be established with one or more selected larger hotels in Sana`a or Aden, as a collaboration between the hotel company, the Ministry of Tourism, local training providers and relevant NGOs. This would involve: labour supply and training needs assessment; improved on-the-job training in the hotel for lower level staff; and especially women; work experience days more extended

programmes in the hotel; dissemination of results to other hotels.

Strengthening the Concept and Delivery of Family Based Accommodation and Catering Enterprise

(This relates mainly to UNWTO mechanism 4)

Small scale, family owned accommodation and catering enterprises form the backbone of tourism in many countries, providing an important source of income in often relatively poor communities. Yemen has much good quality local, family owned cafes and restaurants, as mentioned earlier, but the extent to which they are well used by tourists is unclear. Provision of accommodation for tourists by local families, especially in the countryside, appears much less common. However, it does exist. One of the major tour operators interviewed was very positive about the potential of funduqs – small traditional family owned guest houses – and used them extremely popular amongst western clients. During the mission, one or two houses them visited where the women catered for and visitors and were keen to extend this. Actions purse include:

 Establishing guidelines for family owned restaurant and accommodation enterprises seeking to cater for tourists;

 Strengthening contact between local tourism officers and such establishments;

 Providing simple training courses and one-the-top advice. The proposed use of students from the hospitality training course in Ibb University provides a good examples;

 Establishing and promoting a brand concept for authentic local accommodation, meeting agreed standards;

 Strengthening access to microfinance to enable investments in hygiene and sanitary improvements; and

 Establishing some demonstration projects for others to follow.

 Establishing a network of home stay providers.

 Developing a website and other promotional materials for home –stays.

Providing Focal Points for Visitor Information and Access Services

[This assists with the delivery of most of the UNWTO 7 mechanisms]

The issue of access to markets is critical for the success of small

tourism enterprises, handicrafts retailers, and providers of services such as guides. At the same time, visitors can benefit from well signed locations where they can offer a welcome, orientation about the local area, helpful information, a sense of security, interpretation of local culture, and opportunity to purchase local products. Visitor centres of this kind are rare or absent in JBNB, AWPA and Hawf protected areas in particular and Yemen in general. Strategically located in well visited towns or on through routes, they would play an important role in stimulating and channeling visitors spending. They would be relevant both to groups and to individual visitors. They can also play a role in the community by increasing awareness of tourism through their visible presence and can be a location for answering local enquiries. Actions to purse include:

 Identify projects/sites for one or more visitor centres strategic locations;

 Work with community groups and/or private sector to assess and agree operational models for centres, including relationship with local services; and

 Establish the above as pilots, well monitored, for others to follow.

Considering Judicious Introduction of Admission Charges in Appropriate Locations

[This mainly relates to UNWTO mechanism 5]

In many developing countries, arrangements are made for communities in and adjacent to major visitor sites to benefit by having access to a share of the admission income, either directly or through this income being used on projects which benefit their community. Some of the natural and historic heritage areas and locations in Yemen do charge admission. The Jabal Bura reserve, for example, has a gated entrance on the road, with differential charging for foreigners and locals. Consideration could be given to extending this process in certain locations, including some of the historic building or enclosed core areas of historic towns. Actions to purse include:

 Discussing the principles and practice of admission charging with the Ministry of Tourism, tour operators and other stakeholders; and

 Developing mechanisms and guidelines for the use of revenues raised.

Establishing Guidelines for Voluntary Donating

[This mainly relates to UNWTO mechanism 6]

Some opportunities for visitors to donate have already been established. For example the Tourism Promotion Board has worked with hotel companies to set up a scheme for raising donations for cancer support. However, such initiatives are a little distant. Tourists are often more inspired to donate to local causes and projects in areas they visit. During the mission, visits were made to a mosque and a number of local NGOs working with disability groups, as well as women`s groups, all of which inspired a wish to make a gesture of support and goodwill. However, the process of trying to donate proved awkward.

Visitors in this position need to have some confidence that a donation will be well received and will definitely find its way to the specific beneficiary cause. They need to have an idea of how much to donate, when, how and to whom.

Primarily, this needs to be addressed locally through; providing guidance to the local organizations involved; providing information for the visitor either in written form or by the tour guide acting as

intermediary; if appropriate, having a very visible receptacle for donations; establishing procedures for reporting on amounts collected and how they are used. However, this could also be facilitated by

national level exposure of the issue. Actions to purse include:

 Discussing the situation with representatives of hotels, tour operators, guides, relevant NGOs and social groups;

 Establishing a few local test cases in close collaboration with NGOs and the private sector, providing education and information as described above and monitoring the process; and

 Issuing guidelines for hotels, tour operators, guides, heritage sites, local groups etc., including providing information to tourists before visiting Yemen and at the start of tours.

Improving Links To Agriculture In Local Supply Chain

[This mainly relates to UNWTO mechanism 2]

In a number of countries specific interventions have been made in the local supply chain by bringing hotels and restaurants together with local agriculture producers from poor rural communities to

establish new local sources of food for them to use in their kitchens. Strengthening links between tourism and agriculture sectors has been identified in national policy in Yemen but specific initiatives in

this respect have been drawn to our attention. Primarily this would require dedicated projects to be established at a local level, but this could be facilitated nationally. Actions to purse include:

 Holding discussions between the Ministries of Tourism and Agriculture, also involving representatives from tourism associations and agricultural advisory services;

 Identifying one or more local pilot projects involving individual marketing companies or local tourism associations, who would undertake an audit of suppliers and identify gaps that could be

filled locally;

 Determine whether it is possible for agriculturalists in poor communities in the areas in question to meet standards and volumes required by the marketing companies. If so, providing advice and support to start production; and

 Monitoring and disseminating results.

The above opportunities have been identified as relevant to Yemen as a whole. They can be supported by national action but in the main require local projects and initiatives as indicated, which may be set up partly as

pilot or demonstration projects. Many of these opportunities are relevant to the local areas visited during the mission and described in detailed article titled Opportunities in the Development of Sustainable Ecotourism.

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