The concept of sustainable tourism arises from the mother concept of sustainable
development. The term sustainable development is defined in the Brundtland Report (Our
Common Future) (1988:43) as:
…development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
The report stresses the importance of integrating environmental protection and conservation values into the development process, as well as incorporating the well-being of present and future community of the area. The concept furthermore proposes some changes in the idea of „development versus conservation‟ to „development in harmony with the environment‟ (Godfrey, 1996:60). The term sustainability, is widely used to refer to the management and maintenance of ecological systems and resources, but it has also been applied to the economic, social, and even cultural spheres (Barke and Towner, 2003; McCool, 2001; Hall and Page, 2000). Today the concept of sustainability is widely applied on all development sectors including tourism. In fact, sustainable tourism development is seen as the one of the solutions to the current environment crisis (Burns and Holden, 1995:211) and reducing social, cultural and physical environmental impacts of tourism (Barke and Towner, 2003: 166). In addition, sustainable tourism development is compatible with the maintenance of essential biological diversity and natural resources. There are a number of specific terms used to describe tourism activity that relates to natural environment, for example ecotourism, nature tourism, alternative tourism and green tourism. This study however will focus on ecotourism and its development in MP.
Ecotourism in Malaysia has seen continued growth for the past decade. The concept of ecotourism is generally credited to Ceballos-Lascuráin, who defined ecotourism as: „travelling to relatively undisturbed or uncontaminated natural areas with the specific objective of studying, admiring, and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals, as well as any existing cultural manifestations (both past and present) found in these areas‟ as cited in Blamey (2001: 5).
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Another well known definition given by The Ecotourism Society in 1990, currently known as The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) is „responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people‟ (TIES, 2005: 2). Apart from the definitions given above, Valentine (1993: 108) identifies various other definitions which are synonymously defined as nature-based tourism, environment- friendly tourism, and, alternative, responsible, ethical, sustainable, green and appropriate tourism. In line with Valentine (1993), Wight (1994) emphasizes that the common expectation from the ecotourism industry is that it provides an intimate and educational experience with the natural environment, as well as encouraging local participation in the conservation of biodiversity and at the same time supporting rural development.
In line with the definitions above, Richardson (1993) notes that ecotourism usually involves small numbers of people in a group, with a leader who is knowledgeable about the environment and cultures of the destination. Furthermore, according to Richardson, the per capita expenses of ecotourism trips are higher than the general mass tourism trips because of the small group sizes, remoteness of the places, additional equipment required, cost of transportation, and the need for an expert or specialist guide. In short, ecotourism can be regarded as an activity that:
Contributes to biodiversity
Requires the lowest possible consumption of non-renewable resources Involves responsible action on the part of tourists
Includes an interpretation/learning experience
Is delivered to small groups by small-scale businesses
Stresses local ownership and business opportunities for local - particularly rural people
Sustains the well-being of local people
Thus, it can be contended that all of the above definitions are similar in content. They imply generally that ecotourism is a complex phenomenon, involving the integration of many stakeholders including tourists, local community, public and private sectors.
In terms of Malaysia, the National Ecotourism Plan (NEP) of Malaysia adopts the definition of ecotourism from the IUCN‟s Ecotourism Programme as quoted in Ceballos- Lascuráin (1996, p. 20), which defines the term in Part 1 of the Plan as:
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environmentally responsible travel and visitation to relatively undisturbed natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature (and any accompanying cultural features – both past and present) that promotes conservation, has low visitor impact, and provides for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local population (MOCAT, 1996: 2).
The NEP recognises ecotourism as an important growth sector and has estimated that up to 10 percent of all future tourism products will be from this sector (MOCAT, 1996). The NEP consists of 25 aspects, which includes:
Categorizing sites and activities
Carrying capacity and limits of acceptable change Marine parks and island
National parks and reserves Mangroves
Use of local accommodation
Accreditation of ecotourism products Visitors‟ roles and responsibilities, etc.
Based on the NEP, it is clear that the government has addressed and prioritised on the development of ecotourism on MPs and islands. It is clearly stated in the Part three of the guideline that all ecotourism activities in the MPs “must be managed and channelled so that it is not directly conflicted with the objectives of marine parks” (MOCAT, 1996: 19). This is due to the fact that MPs have been established primarily for the conservation of the natural environment and resources. With increasing demand from both local and foreign visitors and growing awareness by businesses for ecotourism settings, the importance of healthy MPAs and MPs cannot be understated.
There are positive and negative economic impacts on MPs from tourism. These impacts can cut across economic sectors and geographical areas. Among the typical impacts of tourism on MPs highlighted in the NEP are the deterioration of groundwater, increase in marine pollutants and damage to coral and marine life. It is hoped that ecotourism is able to minimize the impact on MPs. The impact, however minimal, must be recognized so that any ecotourism development is not only viable and feasible but also sustainable in the MP areas. Among the activities which may be permitted in the MPs, according to the guideline, are scuba-diving and snorkelling, swimming, photography and canoeing. On
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the other hand, activities such as jet-skiing, power-boating, water-skiing and fishing should be totally prohibited. Finally, it is hoped that ecotourism in MPs is able to provide an opportunity for management authorities to create an awareness, understanding and appreciation of the marine environment and the need to protect and conserve it.
2.10 Conclusion
Generally the establishment of a MP, protected area or reserve shares the common objective of conserving and preserving the marine environment and resources. It is in tandem with the concept of ecotourism which ensures minimal impact and promotes conservation. However the establishment of a MP is not an easy task due to the trans- boundary nature of the area coupled with overlapping jurisdiction in management. Having these facts in mind, the goal can be achieved through proper planning and smart partnership inter-agencies enhanced by the legal system.
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