A new tourism policy in the French West Indies:

from the end of the tourist resort of mass towards a new policy for

sustainable tourism and ecotourism

Dominique AUGIER

Université Antilles-Guyane - CEREGMIA

TURTLE CONSERVATION ECOTOURISM AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

July 28-29, 2009

INTRODUCTION

The study of tourism in Martinique immediately comes up against an astonishing ambiguity; the neighbouring islands, so similar in nature, drink incessantly from this source of wealth and yet the current seems to deliberately avoid Martinique despite their best efforts to redirect it their way (Cazes 1968).

This recognition of the limits of mass tourism is at the origin of late awareness of the need to define another model for tourism development.

Thinking about ecotourism helps to highlight the destinations of these delays and difficulties in adapting to new tourism practices.

Plan

1. Tourism on Martinique

2. The need to develop alternative approaches: ecotourism at the heart of the discussion

3. Turtles, an asset for marine ecotourism

-1-Tourism on Martinique

A belated tourism development

• Based on the classical three S: sun, sea and sand

• A promising sector

0

200000

400000

600000

800000

1000000

1200000

1985 1990 1995 1998 2000 2005

Short break tourists Cruise ship passengers Pleasure boat enthusiasts

Other sightseers TOTAL

- A lack of consistency and rationality in the tourism policy

- Loss of attractiveness

-

A sector in crisis from the end of the 90s

To summarise…

• depreciation of tourism,

• economic limitations,

• ecological nuisance

• fragility of the ecosystems

develop alternative approaches

-2-The need to develop

alternative approaches

ecotourism at the heart of the discussion

Theory of ecotourism• Ecotourism is associated with activities that

have a limited impact on the physical and cultural environment (Weaver,2001;Lequin 2001, 2002)

• An instrument for sustainable development at the centre of new governance models (WTO 2003 and 1992)

• A new conceptual framework that can be used to implement revitalised development procedures based on revenue from a better thought out and organised tourism consumption (Blamey 2001)

• A form of tourism that has a marginal impact on host areas and societies (Scace, Grifone et Usher 1992)

Ecotourism based on forest resources

Ecotourism based on marine resources

-3- Turtles, an asset for marine

ecotourism

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Turtles and ecotourism

•5 species of turtles

•Protected by the decree of 14 october 2005

•Restoration plan for turtle’s protection

•The Turtles network of Martinique

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The Turtles Network of Martinique

•DIREN : project supervisor•ONCFS : coordination and animation•SEPANMAR and other associations : communication and awareness, monitoried field activities•Diving clubs : do survey on diving sites

Some projects : nocturnal followed, counting traces, participation in beach cleaning actions, Intervention under the Global Days of the Ocean in schools …

Conclusion

Since the end of the 1990s, tourism has undergone a noticeable recession in the French West Indies within a background of strong regional competition. The islands must reconsider their position within the regional marketplace.

For destinations like Martinique that based their tourism on the traditional resources of tropical beaches, ecotourism has become unavoidable.

Ecotourism, an original product for a more authentic image

• A better distribution of tourists• Economic attractiveness• The involvement of local people in tourism• The protection of natural resources

Nevertheless, the position of Martinique on ecotourism is still unclear. There are only individual initiatives in spite of a real ecotourism policy.

Bibliography• AUGIER D. (2005). L’écotourisme à la Martinique, mémoire de Master, Université

Antilles-Guyane, Faculté de Droit et d’Economie. • AUGIER D. (2007), « L’écotourisme forestier : pour un rapprochement entre

tourisme et environnement à la Martinique », Études caribéennes, 6/2007, L'écotourisme dans la Caraïbe. URL : http://etudescaribeennes.revues.org/document440.html. Consulté le 05 juillet 2009.

• Caribbean Tourism Organization (2002), Caribbean Tourism Statistical Report (2000-2001 Edition), St.Micheal (Barbados), CTO.

• CAZES G. (1968). « Le développement du tourisme à la Martinique ». Les Cahiers d’Outre -Mer, t.21, n°83, p. 225-256.

• COUTUREe, M. (2002) : « L’écotourisme, un concept en constante évolution », Téoros, 21 (3) , pp. 5-13.

• DEHOORNE O. (2007). « Les déboires du tourisme à la Martinique », Travaux et documents, n°32, p.85-106.

• DIRECTION REGIONALE DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT (2009), Profil environnemental de la Martinique,pp. 43-54 .

• LEQUIN, M. (2001) : Ecotourisme et gouvernance participative, Presses de l’Université du Québec.

• OBSERVATOIRE DU MILIEU MARIN MARTINIQUAIS (Mars 2006), Esquisse cartographique au 1/100 000e des biocénoses benthiques de la Martinique,

• OFFICE NATIONAL DE LA CHASSE ET DE LA FAUNE SAUVAGE (Janvier 2006), Plan de restauration des tortues marines des Antilles Françaises

• SHELLER, M. (2003), Consuming the Caribbean : From Arawaks to Zombies, London and New York, Routledge.

• http://web.martiniquetourism.com• http://www.tortuesmarinesantilles.org

Thank you for your attention…