Responsible Tourism, Critical issues for conservation and development
2
(which many NTOs monitor and manage but which was not dis- cussed elsewhere in the book); local governance and need for long-term strategies; the role of the public and private sector fund- ing to mitigate impacts, policy choices to make decisions to pursue ameliorative protective measures and/or adaptive measures, compliance with emerging legal frameworks, litigation threats and hazard identification and the pursuit of risk averse strategies. Lastly, the importance of maintaining the well-being of local communities amidst these profound climate change predictions was outlined. This has been a lengthy review, not least because I would agree that this is an important topic now and will remain so. However, reading the book left me disappointed. It does not appear to have been edited and put together in a way that I would have expected: I do not attribute my criticisms to the editors as hard pressed academics fitting book writing and editing into their day to day activities means publishers need to take a much greater responsi- bility to copy edit manuscripts. This would remove instances of repetition between chapters over the climate change debates and literature. The content of some chapters are unbalanced, lacking any clear template to ensure consistency and the ability to draw out systematic themes and issues. The book is uneven in its treat- ment of topics and I maintain it is too fragmented into multiple chapters that need combining. This would have made the book a more holistic synthesis of the field and probably made it more suitable for a wider audience. Clearly this is one view of a book and other readers may disagree. However I do feel that the publishers (as opposed to the editors) need to be far more active in the organisation and copy-editing of their books. With that caveat I would make this recommended reading for my module on Destination Management and Marketing as it has a good global coverage in the case studies and some useful conceptual material. It will certainly be essential reading for anyone writing a dissertation on climate change and coastal destinations. It deserves a wide read- ership as coastal tourism is poorly researched despite underpinning of the European mass tourism holiday markets. References Johnson, G. & Scholes, K. 1988. Exploring corporate strategy. Hemel Hempstead: Prentice Hall. Page, S. J. & Connell, J. 2010. Leisure: An introduction. Harlow: Pearson Education. Stephen J. Page London Metropolitan Business School, London, UK E-mail address: [email protected] 13 April 2011 doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2011.04.002 Responsible Tourism, Critical issues for conservation and devel- opment, Edited A. Spenceley (Ed.). Earthscan, London and Sterling VA, USA (2010). Cost: (pbk £29.99) Originally published in 2008 in hardback, text is now available in paperback, accessible to a wider readership. Spenceley has worked hard in her introduction and conclusion to bring together the themes of the book. It is perhaps best understood as .“essentially a tangible response to the questions frequently asked about whether tourism can be used as a development tool – for both biodiversity conserva- tion and poverty alleviation.” (p. xxi). Both is the issue. Spenceley has brought together chapters in three parts. The first set deal with policies, institutional interventions and market forces, the second with responsible nature-based tourism, the third with community- based tourism, followed by a concluding chapter by Spenceley. It will not surprise those familiar with the literature going back to the Integrated Conservation and Development Projects of the 1980’s and the continuing debates about whether ecotourism is more than a good idea, that Spenceley does not provide a defini- tive answer. As she points out the research across southern Africa is ‘patchy’ (p. 180). The answer depends on how utility is judged and the particular circumstances – Barnes points out that one of the reasons why community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) has been successful in Namibia is that opportunity costs are low and the potential of tourism is high (p. 355). There is surprisingly little data available on the returns to local communi- ties and to conservation from the same places at the same time. It is difficult to prove the negative when the possible number of cases is so large, however, after the publication of so many words and so many case studies it is important to ask why there is so little evidence. Rylance concludes, echoing Nel and Rogerson’s assess- ment of South Africa, that in Mozambique local economic develop- ment is “pro-poor in policy not practice” (p. 37). Spenceley has presented a range of efforts to document employ- ment, supply chain and other livelihood benefits, but a definitive set of figures on development and conservation impacts remains elusive, Varghese demonstrates that national parks in South Africa have benefitted through the leasing of concessions, Collins and Snell conclude from their review of CBNRM in South Africa that it cannot be used as a panacea for alleviating poverty in rural areas (p. 105), Ashley and Haysom present data on the impacts of changes in the supply chain at Spier identifying a net community benefit of 2,400USD, against savings to Spier of 15,600USD in 2006, the first year of operation (p. 146). This analysis needs to be repeated to see whether the net benefit has been sustained. Suich presents data on accommodation and tour operator employment and local spend in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, Mbaiwa presents data on employment and trust fund dispersals in Botswana and concludes that ecotourism has “improved rural liveli- hoods in some . villages in Botswana” but that “the empowerment of local groups through training in entrepreneurial and managerial skills in tourism should be given priority.” (p. 220). Simpson applies livelihoods analysis to two initiatives in Maputaland, South Africa, one of which Ndumo Wilderness Camp, closed during his research. Simpson makes the important point that tourism initiatives can generate “unrealistic expectations on the part of the commu- nity.” (p. 259). Relly analyses Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa and demonstrates the substantial local employment created. Spenceley summarises her research on community-based tourism enterprises in southern Africa and confirms the familiar litany of reasons why they struggle, lack of market access, problems over access, advertising and communications – more than half were still receiving some form of external support (p. 299). Dixey found that in Zambia several community-based tourism projects were “alarm- ingly ill-conceived and/or poorly implemented” and interventions by several NGOs had “resulted in wasted technical, financial and community resources, disappointed expectations and disillusioned local people.” (p. 336). Nelson in a particularly important contribu- tion points to the problems of resisting “the efforts of political elites to monopolize control over valuable resources and commer- cial activities.” (p. 317). Both the research and the evidence is patchy. The editor’s concluding chapter ends with a quotation from the Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism in Destinations, with a call to governments, development agencies and the private sector to promote tourism in a more responsible manner and “to take responsibility for achieving sustainable tourism, and to create better places for people to live in and for people to visit.” Book Reviews / Tourism Management 33 (2012) 480–488 487
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Transcript of Responsible Tourism, Critical issues for conservation and development
Book Reviews / Tourism Management 33 (2012) 480–488 487
(which many NTOs monitor and manage but which was not dis-cussed elsewhere in the book); local governance and need forlong-term strategies; the role of the public and private sector fund-ing to mitigate impacts, policy choices to make decisions to pursueameliorative protective measures and/or adaptive measures,compliance with emerging legal frameworks, litigation threats andhazard identification and the pursuit of risk averse strategies. Lastly,the importance of maintaining the well-being of local communitiesamidst these profound climate change predictions was outlined.
This has been a lengthy review, not least because I would agreethat this is an important topic now and will remain so. However,reading the book left me disappointed. It does not appear to havebeen edited and put together in a way that I would have expected:I do not attribute my criticisms to the editors as hard pressedacademics fitting book writing and editing into their day to dayactivities means publishers need to take a much greater responsi-bility to copy edit manuscripts. This would remove instances ofrepetition between chapters over the climate change debates andliterature. The content of some chapters are unbalanced, lackingany clear template to ensure consistency and the ability to drawout systematic themes and issues. The book is uneven in its treat-ment of topics and I maintain it is too fragmented into multiplechapters that need combining. This would have made the booka more holistic synthesis of the field and probably made it moresuitable for a wider audience. Clearly this is one view of a bookand other readers may disagree. However I do feel that thepublishers (as opposed to the editors) need to be far more activein the organisation and copy-editing of their books. With thatcaveat I would make this recommended reading for my moduleon Destination Management and Marketing as it has a good globalcoverage in the case studies and some useful conceptual material. Itwill certainly be essential reading for anyone writing a dissertationon climate change and coastal destinations. It deserves awide read-ership as coastal tourism is poorly researched despite underpinningof the European mass tourism holiday markets.
References
Johnson, G. & Scholes, K. 1988. Exploring corporate strategy. Hemel Hempstead:Prentice Hall.
Page, S. J. & Connell, J. 2010. Leisure: An introduction. Harlow: Pearson Education.
Stephen J. PageLondon Metropolitan Business School,
London, UKE-mail address: [email protected]
13 April 2011
doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2011.04.002
Responsible Tourism, Critical issues for conservation and devel-opment, Edited A. Spenceley (Ed.). Earthscan, London andSterling VA, USA (2010). Cost: (pbk £29.99)
Originally published in 2008 in hardback, text is now available inpaperback, accessible to a wider readership. Spenceley has workedhard in her introduction and conclusion to bring together the themesof the book. It is perhaps best understood as.“essentially a tangibleresponse to the questions frequently asked about whether tourismcan be used as a development tool – for both biodiversity conserva-tion and poverty alleviation.” (p. xxi). Both is the issue. Spenceleyhas brought together chapters in three parts. The first set deal with
policies, institutional interventions and market forces, the secondwith responsible nature-based tourism, the third with community-based tourism, followed by a concluding chapter by Spenceley.
It will not surprise those familiar with the literature goingback to the Integrated Conservation and Development Projects ofthe 1980’s and the continuing debates about whether ecotourismis more than a good idea, that Spenceley does not provide a defini-tive answer. As she points out the research across southern Africa is‘patchy’ (p. 180). The answer depends on how utility is judgedand the particular circumstances – Barnes points out that one ofthe reasons why community-based natural resource management(CBNRM) has been successful in Namibia is that opportunitycosts are low and the potential of tourism is high (p. 355). Thereis surprisingly little data available on the returns to local communi-ties and to conservation from the same places at the same time. It isdifficult to prove the negative when the possible number of casesis so large, however, after the publication of so many words andso many case studies it is important to ask why there is so littleevidence. Rylance concludes, echoing Nel and Rogerson’s assess-ment of South Africa, that in Mozambique local economic develop-ment is “pro-poor in policy not practice” (p. 37).
Spenceley has presented a range of efforts to document employ-ment, supply chain and other livelihood benefits, but a definitiveset of figures on development and conservation impacts remainselusive, Varghese demonstrates that national parks in South Africahave benefitted through the leasing of concessions, Collins and Snellconclude from their review of CBNRM in South Africa that it cannotbe used as a panacea for alleviating poverty in rural areas (p. 105),Ashley and Haysom present data on the impacts of changes inthe supply chain at Spier identifying a net community benefit of2,400USD, against savings to Spier of 15,600USD in 2006, the firstyear of operation (p. 146). This analysis needs to be repeatedto see whether the net benefit has been sustained. Suich presentsdata on accommodation and tour operator employment and localspend in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area,Mbaiwa presents data on employment and trust fund dispersals inBotswana and concludes that ecotourism has “improved rural liveli-hoods in some. villages in Botswana” but that “the empowermentof local groups through training in entrepreneurial and managerialskills in tourism should be given priority.” (p. 220). Simpson applieslivelihoods analysis to two initiatives in Maputaland, South Africa,one of which Ndumo Wilderness Camp, closed during his research.Simpson makes the important point that tourism initiativescan generate “unrealistic expectations on the part of the commu-nity.” (p. 259). Relly analysesMadikwe Game Reserve in South Africaand demonstrates the substantial local employment created.Spenceley summarises her research on community-based tourismenterprises in southern Africa and confirms the familiar litany ofreasons why they struggle, lack of market access, problems overaccess, advertising and communications – more than half were stillreceiving some form of external support (p. 299). Dixey found thatin Zambia several community-based tourism projects were “alarm-ingly ill-conceived and/or poorly implemented” and interventionsby several NGOs had “resulted in wasted technical, financial andcommunity resources, disappointed expectations and disillusionedlocal people.” (p. 336). Nelson in a particularly important contribu-tion points to the problems of resisting “the efforts of politicalelites to monopolize control over valuable resources and commer-cial activities.” (p. 317). Both the research and the evidence is patchy.
The editor’s concluding chapter ends with a quotation from theCape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism in Destinations,with a call to governments, development agencies and the privatesector to promote tourism in a more responsible manner and“to take responsibility for achieving sustainable tourism, and tocreate better places for people to live in and for people to visit.”
Book Reviews / Tourism Management 33 (2012) 480–488488
This is a laudable aim and a sound rallying cry. However, despite thebook’s title, the treatment of the development of ResponsibleTourism in South Africa is limited. Spenceley places the develop-ment of Responsible Tourism in the context of the New EconomicPartnership for African Development (NEPAD) rather than in theinternational critique of tourism which originated in the 1980’s,the work of Krippendorf; and the post-apartheid newly democraticSouth African government’s imperative for radical reform andemployment creation which resulted in the 1996 White Paper,the first national policy commitment to Responsible Tourism.
With the exception of Frey and George this collection of chaptersdoes not address the development of Responsible Tourism in SouthAfrica, where the national policy deals with all forms of tourism,recognises the importance of the private sector and of applyingthe principle of economic, social and environmental responsibilitytomainstream tourism. Spenceley has brought together a useful setof contributions to the debate about tourism, conservation and
development, the collection should be judged against the secondpart of its title. By encouraging a diverse group to contribute casestudies and reflections across the broad canvas of southern Africa,a group which ranges through academia, consultancy and develop-ment workers, Spenceley has brought together material whichprovides a rich resource for third year undergraduate or Masterslevel courses for students and practitioners. The book should stim-ulate classroom debate about the unresolved question of whethertourism can generate sufficient resources to fund developmentand conservation.
Harold GoodwinInternational Centre for Responsible Tourism, Leeds Metropolitan
University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UKE-mail address: [email protected]
doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2011.09.006
