2. REGIONAL TECHNICAL WORKSHOP AND PUBLIC FORUM ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM IN THE AMAZON Georgetown Guyana June 14-15, 2011 Donald Sinclair – Coordinator Tourism, Transport, Infrastructure and Communication Permanent Secretariat Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization

3. Considerations regarding the development of Community-based tourism Presented at Tourism Technical Committee Meeting in Georgetown, December 2009

4. The Presentation PART ONE PART TWO ACTO – The organization Background GeorGeor Georgetown, 2009 TheThe The Considerations presented

5. Background ACTO – The Organization

7. The Eight Member Countries of the Treaty Bolívia Bolívia Brazil ColômbiaEcuador Guyana Peru Suriname Venezuela

8. General Mission (Article 1 – Amazon Cooperation Treaty) Treaty of Amazon Cooperation The Contracting Parties agree to undertake joint actions and efforts to promote the harmonious development of their respective Amazonian territories in such a way that these joint actions produce equitable and mutually beneficial results and achieve also the preservation of the environment, and the conservation and rational utilization of the natural resources of those territories.

10. Tourism in the Strategic Agenda The X Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Amazon Member Countries, held in Lima, Peru, in November 2010 2010, approved the Strategic Agenda for Amazon Cooperation.

11. The Meeting in Lima approved 5 Lines of Action for developing tourism in the Amazon Community -based Tourism Regional Observatorio Of Tourism Strengthening of the Tourism image Of the Amazon Mechanisms For Financing Tourism development Integrated Tourism Circuits

12. Workshop Focus - Community-based Tourism in the Amazon

13. Presentations to The 2009 Meeting in Georgetown

14. The Practice of Community-based Tourism Communities offer the following :  Accommodation of an internationally recognized standard  Cuisine preferably prepared by community members  Viewing, or participation in, cultural practices at the discretion of the community Visits to sites of special social, natural, cultural or historical interest Adventure or other physical activity which the location can offer to visitors in adherence to standards of safety An overall experience of (usually) rural tourism that respects community and ecological values

15. Main benefits for communities Revenues from the provision of accommodation, boating, meals, guide services etc Revenues from sale of cultural artifacts Revenues from fees for attending cultural events Increased employment opportunities for locals especially women Strengthening of cultural forms, culinary practices and traditions through re- enactment (rituals etc.) and consumption (foods) in a tourism context Possibilities of generating finance for protection of natural areas

16. Some important risks Dilution of cultural forms through artificial representation as tourist entertainment Increase in socially undesirable activities – prostitution, begging, petty crimes Social tensions caused by extravagant lifestyles flaunted by a few

17. Some key challenges Physical remoteness and isolation of many communities Weak marketing infrastructure that limits the tourism potential of the community Excessive donor- dependence that limits self-sustainability Limited entrepreneurial capacity in some communities Weak access to finance in start-up phases

18. Some general principles The community should participate or have inputs in all levels of the tourism operation Community members should be the owners, part owners, or in partnership with the owners of tourism enterprises The tourism experience should not degrade the landscape or natural environment of the local residents Local traditions, customs and practices should be respected and should not be compromised for the sake of additional revenues. The location of accommodations, duration and itinerary of tours should be principally community, or community-inputted decisions

19. General principles (cont’d) Fair trade principles and practices should govern all commercial transactions between local residents and tourists to avoid exploitation of either tourists or residents Community-based tourism accommodations and services should be in accordance with internationally recognized criteria governing health and safety standards

20. Gracias Obrigado Thank you Dank U