Ecotourism: Do it right!

Trekking along some of Saipan’s not-so-easily accessible beaches, I happened upon some disturbing sights. I came face to face with the fact that tourism can have a negative impact on the island’s natural environment. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not against tourism or tourists. I am proud that the CNMI has a bustling tourism industry, and appreciate that the revenue we receive from the industry supports the local economy. The CNMI received about $60 million from 500,000 tourists in 1998, according to the most recent Marianas Visitors Authority statistics I could find. That is fantastic, and I am sure that it also gives you a sense of pride that so many visitors enjoy our islands. Unfortunately, there are some in the industry that are not doing it right, therefore having a negative impact on the natural environment.

Some tour operators and travel agencies promote ecotourism activities, as they bring visitors close to nature. However, they apparently do not consider environmental impacts as an important consideration in their ecotourism offerings. They want all of the benefits of “being green,” without any of the responsibilities. On the excursion that I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I saw several 4-wheel drive vehicles transporting tourists. Out of curiosity, I decided to follow along with the tour. The tour agents illegally drove and parked on beaches to get tourists as close to scenic views as they could. Apparently ecotourism doesn’t include walking around in the environment! While guiding the tourists to prime photographic views, I noticed that the guides did nothing to curb littering. Drinking bottles and food wrappers were left on the beach or tossed into the water, and cigarette butts were flicked to the ground. I even witnessed two drivers washing their cars in a stream that lead to the sea. In just this one instance, the negative impacts to the natural environment came from litter, tire ruts on the beach that compact the sand and disrupt the natural ecology, and possible oil and gasoline deposits entering the water.

The CNMI is a prime spot for ecotourism but it needs to be done right. In an article in the American Pacific Business Magazine, Northern Marianas College professor Larry Lee wrote, “Simply put, ecotourism can be defined as nature- and culture-based tourism that is ecologically sustainable, and supports the well-being of local communities. Ecotourism seeks to balance the business of tourism, i.e. making money, with cultural preservation and environmental protection.”

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) advocates that those implementing and participating in ecotourism activities should follow seven basic ecotourism principles:

* Minimize impact

* Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect

* Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts

* Provide direct financial benefits for conservation

* Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people
* Raise sensitivity to host countries’ political, environmental, and social climate

Support international human rights and labor agreements

A good question to ask CNMI’s tour operators and travel agencies is if they fulfill these seven principles.

Fortunately, tourism can contribute positively to environmental conservation here in the CNMI. One direct way is through increasing tourist awareness and appreciation of the environment, by bringing visitors in contact with our beaches, trails, overlooks, etc. For example, a tour operator can point out the plants and wildlife at a beach, and is able to talk about how littering can have a negative impact in the marine environment.

Another way tourism can help is by direct participation in protecting, conserving, and restoring biological diversity and sustainable use of CNMI’s natural resources. A good example of this is the participation of the Northern Marianas Diving Operators Association (NMDOA) in government public hearings that agencies hold in order to get insight as how to better manage resources. More recently, NMDOA even participated in a number of beach clean ups, as well as the Environmental Awareness Week SCUBA clean up (see adjacent article).

There are additional ways that tourism could help in environmental conservation, such as financial contributions, contributions to government revenues, and improved management planning. To support the tourism industry in the CNMI, environmental conservation must take precedence, and visitors and residents alike should work toward a common goal in protecting the CNMI’s natural resources. In protecting our environment, we also protect our tourism industry, and therefore our economy. May is CNMI Tourism Month, so let’s celebrate by protecting CNMI’s environment! (John Dax Moreno)

Moreno is the CRMO Outreach and Education Coordinator.