REFEREED PAPERS PARALLEL TRACKS (Academic
Session)
"Moving Up Ecotourism Along The Value Chain"
Related to the main
theme of moving up ecotourism along the
value chain are several sub themes,
which are as follows:
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Innovative Ecotourism Product
Development and Packaging
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Targeted and Coordinated Marketing
of Ecotourism
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Certification for Community Based
Ecotourism/Rural Tourism Projects
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Dynamic Business Models for
Community Based Ecotourism
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Application of Value Chain Analysis
in Ecotourism
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Economic Valuation of Ecotourism
Sites
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New Techniques in Visitor Impact
Management
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Unlocking the Potential of Volunteer
Tourism
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Minimising Carbon Footprints of
Tourists at Ecotourism Sites
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Public/Private Partnerships in
Managing National Parks
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Use of High Tech Gadgets and ICT at
Ecotourism Sites to Enhance Tourist
Experience and Satisfaction
-
Application of Social Networking
Mediums to Market/Promote
Ecotourism.
-
Advanced Training Modules For
Ecotourism Interpretation and
Guiding
-
Branding of Ecotourism
Speakers on ecotourism are
invited to deliver lively and thought
provoking presentations touching on:
Environment, People and Nature
Progress, Success and Energy
Conflicts, Challenges and Degradation
Synergy, Partnership and Facilitation
Future,
Technology and the Unexplored
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The Conference Main Theme is:
Urban
Ecotourism & Biodiversity Hotspots in Developing
Countries: Shifting Paradigms and Strategic
Adaptations
We’ve learned much about place and tourism over
the last few decades, from movements like
ecotourism, cultural tourism, and heritage
tourism. Our goal is to integrate these and
other approaches, add a strong dose of the
public’s voice, and “use” ecotourism as a tool
to build healthier communities. If effect, we
encourage flipping two paradigms:
1)
Use ecotourism to serve place (its preservation
and maintenance), rather than using place to
serve the tourism economy.
2)
Build towns to benefit residents, rather than
building towns to attract visitors.
Evidence suggests that towns, which focus on
building a healthy place for residents will
ultimately attract high-value visitors who want
to experience livable communities. Conversely,
towns that put too much emphasis on attracting
tourists risk destroying place, and alienating
residents.
Dr Dan Shilling, Project Director, Civic Tourism
The Conference topics will cover current
and relevant issues that are of concern
to movers and shakers in the ecotourism
industry:
Market Development &
Ecotourism ROI:
Viability vs Responsibility |
While ecotourism helps to support
developing countries economic growth,
the increasing demand for ecotourism
experiences creates human-led pressure
on fragile natural eco-systems.
Developing regional and domestic markets
for ecotourism, learning from the
leaders in destination positioning,
e-marketing and the evaluation of green
tourism economies in developing
countries, acquiring green
certification; and analyzing how and
where the ROI is achieved.
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Sustainable Tourism &
Roadmaps:
Turning Green |
Sustainable Tourism embraces all
segments of the industry with guidelines
and criteria that seek to reduce
environmental impacts, particularly the
use of non-renewable resources, using
measurable benchmarks, and to improve
tourism’s contribution to sustainable
development and environmental
conservation. Where are we now and where
are we heading? What are the "real" and
"hidden" impediments?
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Urban
and Rural Ecotourism: New Paradigms? |
Theoretically, urban and rural
ecotourism are at odds with the many
accepted definitions of ecotourism.
Should the scope of ecotourism be
broadened to include nature-based
attractions with high level of nature
and pro-environmental interpretation and
education directed at changing attitudes
and values in urban areas which are
cradles of civilisation? What are the
challenges and opportunities ahead?
Should urban ecotourism operations be
included in ecotourism definitions?
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Special
Sessions: Bilateral Governmental
Meetings and Public
- Private Sector |
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Academic Session: Refereed Papers
Parallel Tracks
- Moving Up Ecotourism Along The Value
Chain |
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In recognition of the
crucial role of academics and
researchers in shaping the philosophy,
theories, concepts and techniques
associated with ecotourism, the Academic
Session is aimed at showcasing and
disseminating research findings that are
focusing on moving up ecotourism
along the value chain.
It is widely
acknowledged that ecotourism is
relatively easy to develop as long as
there is a will on the part of the
government and/or private sector and
local community as well as the
availability of nature based resources.
However, ensuring the
long term viability or sustainability of
ecotourism is a bigger challenge that
requires sound planning and management.
Central to the upscaling of ecotourism
is the interface and integration between
ecotourism, rural tourism and community
based tourism. Scaling up ecotourism
requires the community to be better
empowered thorough advanced capacity
building programmes so that local youths
can have a promising career path and
will not remain a menial worker in his
own community based enterprise. In the
same light, community tourism ecotourism
and/or rural projects should mature into
smart partnerships with tour operators
who have international networking, to
be able to attract new market segments.
Conversely such
market segments are likely to demand
better standards and service quality,
hence upscaling of both the hard and
soft infrastructure of ecotourism are
essential.
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