CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES 3

Leading to the official Launching of TESS on Saturday 23rd February 2008.

Eco-Tourism and the Important Question of Sustainability

Measure No. 3 of 25 (In no particular order)

The long-term economic future of our tourism industry
and the health of our natural eco-systems depend on
a firm commitment of the Eco-Tourism market.

In an age of so little left, how much is enough and how much must we protect to guarantee the long-term survival of our bio-diversity, our culture, our history and our “raison d’être”?

Of course today, to most travellers of taste and intelligence, the standard vacation trip has frequently become, at best a crushing bore, at worst a horror, a nightmare. For all over the world, small-minded entrepreneurs, urged by profits, have nullified the charm, complexity and distinctive qualities of numerous leading destinations.

How under these most unfortunate prevailing circumstances, can a self-respecting, intellectually curious, spirited individual continue to travel? The answer lies in a new approach, using new modes of travel, in search of learning. The key objective is to experience events, lifestyles, attitudes, culture, political outlooks and theological views utterly different from what the traveller ordinarily encounters at home.

The question therefore, is unless that happens, why travel? Why endure the fatigue of transportation and its associated burdens, just to reach a replica of your familiar surroundings? Thus unless vacation travel is a learning experience, unless it leaves the traveller a bit different than when it all began, it is in my view a pointless physical exercise.

That is why eco-travel is today the fastest growing segment of the travel industry. That is why we in Seychelles are continuously contributing to this growth and broadening the appeal of eco-travel by increasing consumer awareness and beautifully presenting the extraordinary array of eco-travel options that are available.

The term “eco-travel’ is really an umbrella term for a variety of travel industry segment including adventure, heritage, culture, educational, altruistic (volunteer) as well as active sports, all tied together by an emphasis on fun, environment sensitivity and social responsibility.

Our task therefore, is to continuously encourage travel that is not only exciting and enjoyable but above all that educates travellers to ways they can help preserve the earth and our host culture. In doing so we are fully conscious that it is impossible to evaluate the role eco-tourism can play in both conservation and local development scenarios, unless it is clearly understood as a business that is part of the larger tourism business community.

PS: Excerpt from an Article Entitled: “Eco-Tourism and the Important Question of Sustainability” By Marc MRM Marengo, published in the magazine Tourism in Progress. For the Tourism Week 2000