Conservation And Profitability Through Ecotourism

Tourism is big business in Bulgaria, and the Black Sea coast is booming. But as seaside villages disappear under a plethora of hotels and tourists complain about the ubiquitous construction works, the industry could be in danger of becoming a victim of its own success. Conservation and eco-tourism Many of the most significant trends in tourism worldwide point to the high potential of eco-tourism development. Tourists around the globe are becoming more and more interested in activity and experiential/learning holidays. Although many tourists will never want more than a sunny beach and a cold cocktail, more and more are looking to diversify their tourist experience and reap some kind of physical or intellectual gain from their holiday. In addition, tourists are becoming increasingly aware of global environmental conditions. The more they learn, the more interested they become in nature and the more concerned they become with conservation. Tomorrow’s tourists will not only want to travel to natural places, they will want to know that what they see is being taken care of. Eco-tourism attractions are appealing precisely because they have been well preserved. Bulgaria’s many natural and cultural attractions, most relatively untouched, have considerable potential as the foundation of a strong and profitable eco-tourism industry. Eco-tourism is one of the best ways for Bulgaria to diversify its tourism industry and become more competitive worldwide. In order to provide for long-term economic, social, and environmental sustainability, however, Bulgaria’s attractions must be well preserved and responsibly managed. Central Balkan National Park Central Balkan National Park is just one example of Bulgaria’s eco-tourism potential. It is an area of immense natural beauty and biodiversity, and considerable steps have been taken to ensure its long-term sustainability. The Central Balkan National Park was established in 1991 to conserve the unique natural scenery and heritage of the area and protect the customs and livelihood of the local population. The Park contains rare and endangered wildlife species and communities, self-regulating ecosystems of biological diversity, as well as historical sites of global cultural and scientific significance. Although it covers only six per cent of Bulgaria’s land area, over half of the flora and fauna of the country have been identified within the Park. Over 130 plants and animals found in the park are listed in the World Red Book of Endangered Species, and 12 species are found nowhere else in the world. As such, the park is one of the largest and most valuable protected areas in Europe. The Park and eight of its nature reserves are on the UN List of Representative Protected Areas, and four of its nature reserves are included in the World Biosphere Reserves Network under the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Program. The park has recently become a member of the PAN Parks European Network. Despite widespread international recognition of the park’s significance, however, domestic awareness is still developing. Just some years ago half of the people living around the park had never heard of it. Following steps to raise its profile with visitors and local residents, a recent study revealed that now 90 per cent of locals are aware of its existence and most know where its borders lie. The number of locals expressing an interest in developing eco-tourism has doubled over the past several years. Visitor numbers are also on the increase. During the study, half of the park’s visitors were there for the first time, powerfully illustrating the potential for growth. Nearly 90 per cent of people spending their holidays in its environs had either visited the park or intended to do so. This growth in local ecological literacy is vital for the development of effective and truly sustainable preservation, management, and habitat restoration programmes. Nature reserves: the bigger the better Larger parks such as Central Balkan National Park are home to much greater biodiversity than smaller natural reserves, which cannot support full ecosystems. In order to best preserve biodiversity, a park must be big enough to encompass all aspects of it. Thus, larger parks not only maximise conservation efforts, but also indirectly increase the potential for eco-tourism and economic development. Wildlife is often the most popular tourist attraction in natural areas. Reserve areas that are too small to support full ecosystems have much lower biodiversity than larger areas, and thus fewer attractions for tourists. Thus, large forest conservation sites, of the order of 100km sq or more, are best for both conservation of rare species and for local economies. Creating forest conservation areas is often believed to lose money because of the loss of timber revenue, but protected areas can also generate jobs and income. Numerous examples around Europe and elsewhere have demonstrated the popularity of large protected forest areas such as national parks. These sites generate far more income through their visitors than would the value of their timber. Large sites can tolerate more visitors while still maintaining the integrity of their natural values; at the same time, larger protected areas are usually more important for biodiversity protection than smaller ones, because they can support larger populations of rare species. By Sasha Galitzki. Sasha Galitzki studyed Bulgaria’s eco-tourism industry and its effects on the economic development of local communities, regions, and the nation as part of a Fulbright Fellowship. She can be contacted at sgalitzki05@mckenna.edu. For more information on the Central Balkan National Park visit: www.centralbalkannationalpark.org