Saturday, June 28, 2008 Nature conservation a must in RP adventure tourism
TOUR operators and travel specialists were advised to “assume a certain sense of responsibility” towards new and existing areas where adventure tourism is to be promoted.
“Environment care is topmost,” said Eddie Nuque, managing director of Lakbay Media Communications.
Nuque was one of the panelists in last Thursday’s seminar on adventure tourism as part of the second Philippine International Tourism Fair held at the Cebu International Convention Center.
Nuque pointed out that environmental conservation is an “imperative” for the country’s tourism industry to “strike a balance” between business and the community.
He said adventure tourism is not new since some provinces in the country have already started offering tours of such kind a few years ago. He cited the whale shark (locally known as butanding) tours in Donsol, Sorsogon, dolphin watching in Palawan, white-water rafting in Davao and surfing in Siargao, Surigao.
But he said to sustain adventure tourism in the country, stakeholders in the industry should observe an area’s carrying capacity by limiting the use of natural resources in a place, such as water.
“Adventure tourism is not mass tourism,” he said.
Since most adventure tour packages are in protected areas inhabited by indigenous people, operators should be cautious to not fall into the danger of creating a mass commodity out of adventure tours.
Unique
“It should be a unique individual experience,” he added.
In adventure tours, a system of waste and sewage disposal and a policy on souvenir collection should also be established.
Nuque cited an adventure tour he once joined in which he noticed some tourists getting endangered flora and fauna as a souvenir.
He also stressed the importance of safety during adventure tours. “It is important to have a disaster response support facility ready,” he said.
He encouraged local tour operators to give tourists stories about an area’s historical or geographical significance.
Aside from environmental efforts, Nuque said it is also important for local communities to be involved. “An operator should also look at the survival and livelihood of the host community,” he stressed. (DME)
