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Mountain tourism – Towards a more sustainable path









Romeo R., Russo, L., Parisi F., Notarianni M., Manuelli S. and Carvao S., UNWTO. 2021. Mountain tourism – Towards a more sustainable path. Rome, FAO.




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    Understanding and Quantifying Mountain Tourism 2023
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    All around the world, mountain tourism is driven by the human desire to experience nature in unique settings. In turn, tourism has proved to be a lifeline for many communities in mountain regions, and it can play a leading role in sustaining systems that contribute to protect these fragile ecosystems from overexploitation and support their adaptation to climate change. When the pandemic led to lockdowns, mountains became an attractive option for travellers looking for less crowded destinations and open-air experiences. Now, as international travel returns, we have an opportunity to rethink mountain tourism, its impact on natural resources and livelihoods, and how to manage it better. In this regard, measuring the volume of visitors to mountains is the first vital step we must take. With the right data, we can better control the dispersal of visitor flows, support adequate planning, improve knowledge on visitor patterns, build sustainable products in line with consumer needs, and create suitable policies which will foster sustainable development and make sure tourism activities benefit local communities. This study, jointly developed by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), addresses the current lack of relevant data and so improves our understanding of mountain tourism. The study also identifies trends and provides a set of recommendations to advance the measurement of mountain tourism, including the enhancement of official tourism statistics through the use of big data and new technologies. The United Nations proclaimed 2022 as the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development to increase awareness of its importance and to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). That same year also marked the 20th anniversary from the first International Year ever devoted to mountains as well as the 20th anniversary of the Mountain Partnership. UNWTO and the Mountain Partnership have been long collaborating to advance the contribution the tourism sector can make to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs. This study is a follow-up to the 2021 joint UNWTO/FAO publication Mountain Tourism – Towards a More Sustainable Path. It will enhance our understanding of tourism in mountains and the need to improve not only how we measure its volume, but also its full economic, social and environmental impacts, to ensure a more sustainable, resilient, accessible and inclusive development of mountain tourism that leaves no one behind.
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    Linking agriculture and tourism to strengthen agrifood systems in Asia and the Pacific 2023
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    Agrifood systems in Asia and the Pacific can be strengthened by tapping on agrifood-tourism linkages. When tourism and agrifood systems interact, both synergies and competition appear. Agriculture and tourism compete between themselves and other sectors for land, water, labour, capital, and transport and logistics services. Cross-sectoral synergies arise when agriculture and tourism influence each other through their respective demand conditions and changes in the enabling environment. These cross-sectoral synergies can be instrumental in strengthening agrifood systems in the region and addressing interlinked crises in the post-pandemic era. Governments across Asia and the Pacific have acknowledged the potential of tapping into agrifood- tourism linkages to advance sustainable development in both urban (food tourism) and rural areas (mostly agricultural tourism), and are implementing efforts to develop this subsector. Agrifood-tourism linkages can create income-generating opportunities for farmers and tourism operators, boost employment and stimulate overall economic growth, promote the development of sustainable agrifood systems, prevent rural youth outmigration and help preserve culinary and agricultural heritage. This publication guides policymakers in the region in the preparation of a strategic plan aimed at developing agrifood tourism and the tourism food value chain as drivers of sustainable development. The successful positioning of a country or location as a culinary or agricultural tourism destination and the creation of synergies between the agriculture and tourism sectors requires a shared vision and coordination between policymakers, destination managers, tourism and agrifood businesses, chefs, farmers and other key stakeholders.
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    Artisanal fisheries income diversification study: eco-tourism and recreational fisheries 2012
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    1. The income diversification study focusing on eco-tourism and recreational fisheries was completed between December 2011 and March 2012. 2. The consultant, Mr Simon Diffey, visited four case-study countries in the ESA-IO regionduring December 2011 and January 2012 - Pemba Island, Zanzibar; Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe; Ile Sainte Marie, Madagascar and Rodrigues Island, Mauritius. 3. The state of the recreational fishery and aquatic related ecotourism industry is highly variable in the countries visit ed – from emerging in Pemba Island to highly developed (but in recent years under-utilised) on Lake Kariba. 4. Ile Sainte Marie and Rodrigues Island have a generally well developed tourism sector with potential for developing more marine/fisheries related eco-tourism. 5. The study concludes that there is a general lack of readily available data (in-country) on the value of and participation in recreational fisheries and associated aquatic related eco-tourism activities. Economic research on the value of some of these eco-tourism related industries is recommended to help inform the policy decision making process and improve sector governance. 6. Landings in the artisanal sector are generally in decline due to over-fishing with limited control in most countries visited. There is therefore need for fisheries MCS capacity building within the artisanal sector in all of the countries visited. Support for strengthening community based enforcement is recommended. 7. Further research is needed on the use of FADs (and artificial reefs) to potentially move artisanal fishing effort offshore and support recreational fisheries development. 8. Both Pemba Island and Ile Sainte Marie are in need for FADs. Lessons can be learnt from existing FAD operations around Rodrigues Island. 9. There is a need for awareness-raising of environmental issues amongst the fisher communities. This is particularly the case when introducing new technology or techniques to fishing communities. 10. Future project interventions should be sensitive to the involvement of women in fisheries and the cultural norms that can be expected in each country. 11. Sector study research is needed to improve development planning and governance issues. The recent VCA work completed on Rodrigues Island should be repeated in other areas of the region. 12. The study recommends supporting existing eco-tourism related projects or projects already conceived but not yet funded (rather than conceiving new projects) 13. Five proj ect concept notes are recommended for funding: • A socio-economic project on Pemba Island (provisional budget €13,259) • Two EIAs for aquaculture projects on Lake Kariba (€10,086 and €5,827 respectively) • A sport fishery economic research project on Lake Kariba (€6,595) • An agro-tourism project on Ile Sainte Marie, which has potential to include marine eco-tourism related activities (€16,210) 14. Outline ToR has been prepared for an economic research consultancy focusing on the whale-watching industry around Ile Sainte Marie (28 person-days of input) and for a fisheries eco-tourism capacity building (business planning) input on Rodrigues Island (22 person-days of input). 15. The proposed economic research on the Lake Kariba sport fishery could be broadened and a VCA for the whole sector prepared. Alternativelythe research on the economics of the sport fishery could be combined with the proposed valuation of the whale-watching industry (on Ile Sainte Marie). 16. A detailed alternative livelihoods action plan has been prepared for the SEMPA region on Rodrigues Island. There are some short term priority objectives within this action plan that the SmartFish Programme could support. 17. A one-year alternative livelihoods project proposal has been prepared for the SEMPA region on Rodrigues Island and submitted to GEF for funding (total project costs €43,537 of which the funding requested was €35,521). Funding for this project should be considered if this project has not yet been launched. 18. Linkages to the MCS and governance components of the SmartFish Programme were identified which merit further investigation.

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