Finding a place for Ecotourism in the UAE

Yet, tourism is not just something done on a holiday. It is an industry; rather, a diverse group of industries involving transport, accommodation, entertainment, catering and others. And no longer is tourism just an occasional pastime of the rich and adventurous. Today, more tourists are taking to the road, sea and sky than ever before, making tourism one of the world's largest industries.

Tourism's environmental impacts are mounting. Underestimated in the past, these are causing concern now because so many sites around the world have been spoilt; many times, resulting in destruction of the very attraction that draws people to a place. It has happened in the Caribbean, where 'sun-sand-sea' vacation packages are concentrated along the coast.

It has happened in Mexico (Cancun) where resorts, piers and marinas have replaced mangroves and salt marshes. Particularly badly affected has been the world's tourism capital - the Mediterranean region - where huge tourism infrastructure developments have dramatically altered the natural dynamics of the coastal ecosystem, urbanizing more than half the coastline. And now, it's happening in the Gulf countries.

Mass tourism
The explosive growth of the tourism industry has made it very big business the economic impact of which is astounding indeed. But there is a negative side to the economic boom: the sheer numbers traveling around the world has a major and ever increasing impact on nature and people.

Too much concrete, too much neon, too much plastic, too little regard for waste and emissions, insufficient attention to carrying capacity and harmony with nature - mass tourism has degraded habitats and landscapes, depleted natural resources, generated waste and pollution and proven detrimental to the social fabric of local communities. In doing so, it has destroyed the basic resource upon which it depends to thrive and grow: a sound environment. Tourism's sustainability is the greatest challenge facing decision makers today.

Ecotourism
Ecotourism is at the other end of the tourism scale. It is gaining popularity as holiday makers' tastes change - moving away from highly packaged, standardized, traditional city or beach-based mass tourism destinations to more personalised, life-enhancing travel in attractive natural environments.

Consequently, ecotourism has become the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry, estimated to be increasing 20% annually compared with 7% for tourism overall. The World Tourism Organisation predicts that the trendiest destinations of the future will be the tops of the highest mountains, the depths of the oceans and the ends of the earth!

Touted as a solution and responsible alternative, ecotourism is considered as one of the trump cards of tourism. But is it?

Yes if it entails responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well being of local people. It is low-impact tourism, based on appreciation of the environment, and where a conscious effort is made to re-invest an adequate proportion of revenues in conservation of the resource upon which it is based. A natural extension of this definition is ensuring that benefits flow to local peoples.

No if it entails just any travel that occurs in a natural setting regardless of what is being done, and how. In many cases it is not ecotourism at all. It is conventional tourism in the garb of 'nature tourism', 'adventure tourism'... even 'ecotourism' just because it provides visitors access to ecologically sensitive areas.

Tourism in national parks supported by high-end facilities with all the trappings of luxury, roads, car parks, gift shops, cafes and other infrastructure is not ecotourism; just an attempt to capitalise, commercialise and commodify nature. Unregulated, it can suffer from the same, if not greater, pitfalls as conventional tourism including using resources irresponsibly, generating waste and endangering ecosystems, some being the world's most ecologically fragile.

Ecotourism is often used as a profitable marketing label for adventure holidays instead of indication that tour operators are practicing responsible tourism.

Tourism in the UAE
In the UAE, tourism is developing in leaps and bounds. Of the two models discussed in preceding paragraphs the emirates, in particular Dubai, have disregarded ecotourism and opted for mass tourism.

To support this, massive infrastructure development is taking place on the coast and off it, some requiring dredge and fill operations. In doing so, the integrity of marine and coastal biological resources is being compromised and is destroying valuable ecosystems such as coral reefs.

As more and more resorts come up, additional pressures will be exerted on critical water resources, soil and atmosphere; while the generation of even larger quantities of waste will have to be dealt with, and landscapes will alter drastically as buildings replace unspoiled beaches.

Although a tiny country, the UAE supports impressive biodiversity and has some of the most important coastal and marine habitats of the Arabian Gulf as well as mountain ecosystems such as freshwater wadis.

The outdoor activities practiced are often confused with ecotourism because they take place in a natural environment but, in reality, they are far removed from it. Off road vehicle driving, camping and picnicking (with attendant littering), water sports and other such recreation are very much the products of mass tourism.

Ecologically insensitive schemes will not be viable in a market in which the 'green minded' tourist is becoming increasingly important. There is still scope to introduce ecotourism as a means to protect ecosystems, while generating awareness of, and support for, conservation among local people and visitors. One existing example is the bird watching tour business that brings over a million dirhams a year to the UAE's travel industry.

Reserves at sensitive sites with programmes for visitors involving nature appreciation, education and interpretation are a way forward. Considering environmentally responsible tourism is a more appropriate, sustainable development approach.