Session B. Eco-City - Conception and Evaluation
Ecotourism and sustainable development in São Tomé
and Príncipe
Edwlne Gomes Afonso Neto
Department of architecture, National Taiwan University of science and Technology, 43 section 4,
Keelung Rd, 106 Taipei, Taiwan
Abstract
Ecotourism is a form of tourism that involve traveling to tranquil and umpolluted natural
areas. According to the definition and principle of ecotourism established by the
International Ecotourism Society (TIES) ecotourism conserves the enviroment and
improves the well being of local people, and so on (TIES 1990).
Known as a treasure of the biodiversity and with rehabilitation of some of colonial
architecture built during the Portuguese occupation which remains as architectural
patrimony and recently construction of some eco-resorts, São Tomé and Príncipe gather
basic conditions for development of ecotourism. Those colonial architecture was
rehabilitated for ecotourism purpose with renewable materials and in way to offer to the
visitors the opportunity of a great approach and contact with the nature and culture of
local people.
This paper demostrate the engagement of São Tomé and Príncipe in sustanaible issue and
have sucefull result concerning in encotourism and sustainable development. By using
case study this document will describe the actual situation of development of ecotourism
in S.tome and Principe and point out ways to keep and improve ecotourism in sustainable
path.
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Session B. Eco-City - Conception and Evaluation
1. Introduction
Ecotourism has become one of the fastest-growing sectors of the tourism industry
worldwide. While ecotourism has the potential to create positive environment and social
impacts, it can unfortunately be as damaging as mass tourism if not done properly.
Generally located in pristine and fragile ecosystems ecotourism projects constitute a risk
to very environment assets on which they depend. The loss of biodiversity and wildlife
habitats, the massive production of waste and polluted effluent in areas that most of the
time have no capacity to absorb them are just some of the worries.
Ecotourism began as an untested idea that many hoped could contribute to the
conservation of natural resources worldwide. Deeply rooted in the conservation
movement, ecotourism has provided a highly strategic source of revenue to natural areas
that need protection. Putting ecotourism on a truly sustainable path is a major challenge,
requiring partnership and cooperation between the tourism industry, government, local
people and tourists themselves.
Beginning in 1990, Ecotourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the tourism
industry, growing annually by 10-15% worldwide (Miller, 2007), with the potential of
being an important sustainable development, with billions of dollars in annual sales. In
2004, Ecotourism/Nature tourism was growing globally 3 times faster than the tourism
industry as a whole. (World tourism organization, June 2004).Ecotourism frequently
operates completely different than other division of the tourism industry, because it is
defined by its sustainable development results such as: conserving natural areas,
educating visitors about sustainability and benefiting local people. Ecotourism has unique
role to play which is educating travelers about the value of a healthy environment and
biological diversity.
What is Ecotourism?
Is responsible travel to natural areas where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the
primary attractions which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of the
local people.
Ecotourism is a conceptual experience, enriching those who delve into researching and
understanding the environment around them. It gives us insight into our impacts as
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Session B. Eco-City - Conception and Evaluation
human beings and also a greater appreciation of our own natural habitats. (Martha
Honey-1998)
Principle of ecotourism relies on:
Minimize Impacts.
Ecotourism strives to minimize the adverse affects of hotels, trails, and other
infrastructure by using either recycled materials or plentifully available local building
materials, renewable sources of energy, recycling and safe disposal of waste and garbage,
environmentally and culturally sensitive architectural design. Minimization of impact
also requires that the numbers and mode of behavior of tourists be regulated to ensure
limited damage to the ecosystem.
Build environmental awareness.
Ecotourism means education, for both tourists and residents of nearby communities.
Ecotourism projects should also help educate members of the surrounding community,
schoolchildren and the broader public in the host country. To do so they must offer
greatly reduced entrance and lodge fees for nationals and free educational trips for local
students and those living near the tourist attraction.
Provide direct financial benefits for conservation.
Ecotourism helps raise funds for environmental protection, research and education
through a variety of mechanisms, including park entrance fees, Tour Company, hotel,
airline and airport taxes and voluntary contributions.
Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people.
The local community must be involved in the issue and receive income and other tangible
benefits such as (potable water, roads, health clinics, etc.) from the conservation area and
its tourist facilities.
Campsites, lodges, guide services, restaurants and other
concessions should be run by or in partnership with communities surrounding a park or
other tourist destination. More importantly, if Ecotourism is to be viewed as a tool for
rural development, it must also help shift economic and political control to the local
community, village, cooperative, or entrepreneur.
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Session B. Eco-City - Conception and Evaluation
Respect local culture.
Ecotourism is not only "greener" but also less culturally intrusive and exploitative than
conventional tourism. Ecotourism strives to be culturally respectful and have minimal
effect on both natural environment and in the culture of population of the host country.
Part of being a responsible ecotourism is learning beforehand about the local customs,
respecting dress codes and other social norms.
Support human rights and democratic movements.
Ecotourism demands a more holistic approach to travel, one in which participants strive
to respect, learn about and benefit both the local environment and local communities.
Although apart of The Ecotourism Societies definition, giving economic benefits and
showing cultural sensitivities to local communities cannot be separated from
understanding their political circumstances. Ecotourism therefore need to be sensitive
to the host country's political environment and social climate.
Components of Ecotourism
z
Contribute to conservation of biodiversity.
z
Sustain the well being of local people.
z
Includes an interpretation / learning experience
z
Involves responsible action on the part of tourism and tourism industry.
z
Requires lowest possible consumption on non-renewable resources.
z
Stress local participation, ownership and business opportunities, particularly for
rural people.
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Session B. Eco-City - Conception and Evaluation
2. Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe is a small island developing country, situated next to the
equator line, in the sub region of Central Africa, specifically in the Gulf of Guinea.
Geographically, it consists of two main islands, São Tomé and Príncipe, and a set of
islets, and the entire 1,001 kilometers unevenly distributed.
The climate is typically tropical wet; it can distinguish two main stations, the season
of rain (2) and drought (3), where the temperature ranges are minimal varying between
21c and 27, unlike the rainfall, which is abundant, reaching 6000 mm per year. The
islands are of Volcanic origin, causing accidents in relief, mainly the big mountain
peaks and elevations, interspersed with valleys, bays and beaches.
The archipelago distinguishes itself from most African states, not just because it is an
island, the isolation and the size, but mainly by history: Portuguese colonial
domination over a period of 500 years, with late independence; changing
socio-politically, culturally.
Politically, São Tomé and Príncipe is a young democracy, which adopted the
democratic early 90, living a situation of instability of government, characterized by
an alternation in power, showing traces of conflict, exacerbated by the recent
negotiation of the exploitation of oil resources.
Demographically, São Tomé and Príncipe is a young country, with around half of the
population has aged children and youth, focusing on urban areas, particularly in the
area of capital, Água Grande(4), or in adjacent districts, resulting of internal migration
process, resulting in rural depopulation and desertification.
From the landscape, the country is characterized by vegetation abundant and diverse,
being endowed with endemic species, both fauna and flora, particularly in primary
forests, Ôbo Natural Park. The archipelago is characterized by a group of
environmental specificities, translated: in the diversity landscape; in the preservation
of the forest; in the density of the vegetation; in the endemism of the fauna species
_____________________________________________________________________
(2)
Rain season occurs between January to May and September to December.
Drought also known as “gravana” is the dry season occurs June and August.
(4)
Água Grande is a district of São Tomé. Its capital, São Tomé, is also the provincial
capital of São Tomé, and national capital of the equatorial Atlantic islands of São
Tomé and Príncipe. Covering only 17 square kilometers, it is the smallest of the
nation's seven districts in terms of area, but the largest in population with an estimated
54,300 residents in 2004.
(3)
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Session B. Eco-City - Conception and Evaluation
and flora; in the white, gold and black variety of deserted beaches; in the quality of
the marine waters, characteristically crystalline, hot and rich in animal life. Can be
identified three levels of forest in the archipelago (MPF, 1998: 69): the "natural virgin
forest" (28.418ha), the secondary forest (30.111ha), the "forest of shadows" (32.289ha)
reaching the forest cover 95 % of total area of islands (PNADD, sd).
3. Case study
Bom Bom island resort- Eco Tropical Resort
The resort is located in north coast of Príncipe Island;
it is made up two parts: 25 spacious bungalows(5) on
Príncipe Island and restaurant on ilheu (Bom Bom
Island). The two islands are linked by a 230m (755ft)
wooden walkway. Some of the bungalows open
straight on to beach; others are built into rocky
outcrops overlooking the beach and the water.
Sustainable simplify in protective behaviors in which
we have toward ecosystem, and these behaviors are
well implemented in this eco resort. The resort is
considered a sensitive architectural design with small
foot print, renewable materials such as wood and
respect the build environment. The resort offer work
to local people, trained several people as guides who
can now accompany tourists along forest trails.
The resorts offers visitors activity such as:
„ Nature hikes through untouched primary forests;
„ Bird-watching expeditions;
„ Whale watching;
_____________________________________________________________________
(5)
In Africa, the term bungalow never refers to a residential house but means a small
holiday house, a small log house or a wooden beach house. Which due to its footprint,
kind of materials used, can be considered a sustainable architecture.
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Session B. Eco-City - Conception and Evaluation
Bom Bom island resort
bungalows
4-Conclusion
Ecotourism is still a minor sector in the economy of São Tomé and Príncipe thus it
requires the adoption and development of a set of integrated measures, the regulatory
level, economic, social and cultural, etc. The increment of the sector requests the
application of investments at several levels with objectives of effective modernization,
creating infrastructures which promote the improvement of the conditions of life of
the local populations, the enlargement and the improvement of the lodging capacity
with diversification of the offered services.
The dynamism pedagogical and educational aspects inherent to the practice of
ecotourism permit, visitors to increase understanding about the diversity of tree
species and plants, as well as about the potentiality for food and medicine, the
development of traditional practices. In parallel, contact between visitors and the
communities are incentivized, so the exchange of experience and exchange of
knowledge are naturally possible.
In São Tomé and Príncipe the development of ecotourism is facing a set of constraints,
such as:
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Session B. Eco-City - Conception and Evaluation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Reduced domestic investment, which, when present, are insufficient to the needs.
A national business that presents problems, showing lack of support and
incentives investment.
The lack of creation of infrastructure for connection and support, as well as
rehabilitation of existing.
Reduced foreign investment.
Lacking a policy of planned marketing to ecotourism as a way to capture the
international demand.
The limited supply of hotel and catering, and the use of scarce resources and
architecture with historical and cultural interest, particularly with regard to
installations of the old colonial architecture.
Face the inexistence of one politicizes enlarged of incentive to investment and of
promotion of the ecotourism as privileged sector for change, São Tomé and Príncipe
government has been manifesting so much concern recently with the environmental
preservation, (I glide national for durable development), although, in spite of the
officially concerning expressed, from regular point of view a observational
correspondence is not evidenced, above all in what respects to the exploration of
natural resources. Thus, the legislation framework of the sector is accompanied by a
concern with natural resources, especially forest, through the attempts to regulate Ôbo
Natural Park(5), transforming it into a nature reserve, which makes the protection of
species. Through ecotourism, the forest can be adequately valued and enjoyed, no
small thanks to its corps of forest rangers.
The ecotourism potential of the archipelago is also the basis of a human factor, since
the development of activities is promoted from the local communities. Contacts
between the visitor and community groups are encouraged, with objectives, to
exchange experiences and share knowledge. Visitors seeking direct contact with the
local population, revealing receptive to talk, listen to stories, gather information, learn
the cultural traits, the most authentic possible, while the local population, have great
curiosity about the ways of life of visitors, close contacts that would establish as a
way of making local resources: traditional knowledge, food, art and craft production.
(5)
Ôbo Natural Park, Parque Natural Ôbo de São Tomé e Príncipe) was created in
1992 on both Sao Tome and Principe islands, is a natural preserve occupying roughly
one third of the country's surface area, about 300 km². The goal is to rationally protect
and preserve forest ecosystems. This project is incorporated into the ECOfAC
program, which is of great relevance to central Africa
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Session B. Eco-City - Conception and Evaluation
References
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism
2. http://www.untamedpath.com/Ecotourism/what_is_ecotourism.html#eco-links
3. http://www.turismo-stp.org/pages/en/eco/obo.htm
4. http://www.ecofac.org/
5. http://www.cerescaico.ufrn.br/mneme/
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PRINCIPLES,
PRACTICES
&
POLICIES
FOR
SUSTAINABILITY. Megan Epler Wood
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politics
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