Ecotourism and sustainability: Practices of the Lebanese nature-based operators

Jad  Abou Arrage; Suzanne  Abdel Hady

doi:10.5937/menhottur1901011A

Authors

Jad Abou Arrage Lebanese University, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Beirut, Lebanon
Suzanne Abdel Hady Lebanese University, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Beirut, Lebanon

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5937/menhottur1901011A

Keywords:

ecotourism, sustainable development, ecotourism practices, nature-based tour operators, Lebanon

Abstract

Doubts exist about the ability of ecotourism to make tangible contributions to sustainable development. Despite the doubts ambiguity, ecotourism is closely related to sustainability. This paper aims to study the contribution of ecotourism to sustainable development in Lebanon from a market perspective. In order to assess the level of understanding of the ecotourism concept by the Lebanese nature-based tour operators and their contribution to sustainable development, field data related to their profile and practices was collected using a survey administered to 50 operators. The main findings showed that their compliance with the international ecotourism principles and guidelines is weak and that they have a low level of specialization. However, despite this fact, ecotourism is trending in Lebanon and is providing rural areas with some economic benefits and opportunities without having a comprehensive contribution to ecological conservation and cultural preservation. Two decades after its emergence in Lebanon, ecotourism remains an unorganized sector.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abou Arrage, J., Khreis, A., El-Kurdi, A., Mikhael, M., & Nasr, F. (2014). Heritage and Landscape Sustainable Management in the Tourism Industry: Case studies from Lebanon. University of Helsinki, Ruralia Institute, Series Reports 139, 53-70.

Abou Arrage, J. (2017). Rural tourism “Economic Impact Analysis” report. Lebanon Industry Value Chain Development project LIVCD, United States Agency for Internations Development USAID.

Acott, T., La Trobe, H., & Howard, S. (1998). An evaluation of deep ecotourism and shallow ecotourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 6(3), 238-253. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669589808667314

Barzekar, G., Aziz, A., Mariapan, M., Ismail, M. H., & Hosseni, S. M. (2011). Delphi technique for generating criteria and indicators in monitoring ecotourism sustainability in Northern forests of Iran: Case study on Dohezar and Sehezar Watersheds. Folia Forestalia Polonica, 53(2), 130-141.

Blom Invest Bank (2018). The Lebanese Economy in 2018: Time for Drastic Reforms. Blom Bank.

Burton, R. (1998). Maintaining the quality of ecotourism: Ecotour operators' responses to tourism growth. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 6(2), 117-143. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669589808667306

Cater, E. (2015). Ecotourism. International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 6, 4165-4168.

Browder, J., & Rich, R. (2004). Ecotourism and Sustainable Development in Costa Rica. Costa Rica: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Cobbinah, P. B. (2015). Contextualising the meaning of ecotourism. Tourism Management Perspectives, 16, 179-189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2015.07.015

Courvisanos, J., & Jain, A. (2006). A framework for sustainable ecotourism: Application to Costa Rica. Tourism and Hospitality Planning & Development, 3(2), 131-142. https://doi.org/10.1080/14790530600938378

Das, M., & Chatterjee, B. (2015). Ecotourism: A panacea or a predicament? Tourism Management Perspectives, 14, 3-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2015.01.002

Dekhili, S., & Achabou, M. A. (2015). The perception of ecotourism Semantic profusion and tourists’ expectations. Revue Interdisciplinaire Management, Homme & Entreprise, 5(19), 3-20. https://doi.org/10.3917/rimhe.019.0003

Drumm, A., & Moore, A. (2005). Ecotourism Development - A Manual for Conservation Planners and Managers. Volume I - An Introduction to Ecotourism Planning. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, Virginia, USA.

Fennell, D. A. (2001). A content analysis of ecotourism definitions. Current Issues in Tourism, 4(5), 403-421. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500108667896

Fennell, D. A. (2009). Ecotourism. Canada, ON: Canada, St. Catharines.

Fennell, D. A. (2015). Ecotourism (fourth edition). New York: Routledge.

Houtte, M. V. (2015). Sustainable tourism management in protected areas using a systemic approach: A case study from Þingvellir National Park, Iceland. Reykjavik, Iceland: Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland.

Jalani, J. O. (2012). Local people’s perception on the impacts and importance of ecotourism in Sabang, Palawan, Philippines. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 57, 247-254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.1182

Kiper, T. (2013). Role of Ecotourism in Sustainable Development. In: Advances in Landscape Architecture, Edited by Özyavuz, M., IntechOpen.

Leksakundilok. (2004). Ecotourism and Community based Ecotourism in the Mekong Region. Australian Mekong Resource Centre Working Paper No. 10.

Mondino, E., & Beery, T. (2018). Ecotourism as a learning tool for sustainable development. The case of Monviso Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, Italy. Journal of Ecotourism, 18(2), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2018.1462371

Mosammam, H. M., Sarrafi, M., Nia, J. T., & Heidari, S. (2016). Typology of the ecotourism development approach and an evaluation from the sustainability view: The case of Mazandaran Province, Iran. Tourism Management Perspectives, 18, 168-178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2016.03.004

Ross, S., & Wall, G. (1999). Ecotourism: towards congruence between theory and practice. Tourism Management, 20, 123-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(98)00098-3

Sirakaya, E., & Uysal, M. (1997). Can sanctions and rewards explain conformance behaviour of tour operators with ecotourism guidelines? Journal of Sustainable, 5(4), 322-332. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669589708667295

Weaver, D. B. (2001). The Encyclopedia of Ecotourism. Wallingford: CABI Publishing.

Wheeller, B. (1993). Sustaining the ego. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 1(2), 121-129.

Wight, P. (1993). Ecotourism: Ethics or Eco-Sell? Journal of Travel Research, 31(3), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1177/004728759303100301

Wood, M. E., Norman, W., Frauman, E., & Toepper, L. (1999). The green evaluation program: Preliminary results from a pilot ecotourism monitoring program for nature tour operators. Yale F&ES Bulletin, 99, 211-231.

Wood, M. E. (2002). Ecotourism: Principles, Practices, and Policies for Sutainability. France: United Nations publication.

Yeo, M., & Piper, L. (2011). The Ethics and Politics of Defining Ecotourism: Not Just an Academic Question. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1(8), 11-18.