17.) Institutional: “Nature Tourism.”

Source Notes

Title:
Nature Tourism.

Summary:
In an excerpt from Nature Tourism (1991),author Tensie Whelan summarizes how tourism to nationals parks can maximize government revenue by implementing user fees, concession fees, royalties, tax policies, and donation programs.

 

Topic:
The benefits of nature tourism.

 

 

 

 

Category:
Institutional.

 

What is it?
Book.

Publication Information:
Published by Island Press on September 27^th, 1991.

 

 

 

 

Author:
Tensie Whelan.

 

 

 

 

Location:
Knight Library, University of Oregon.

 

 

 

 

Accessed:
February, 18^th, 2009.

 

Support:

 

Kenya.

 

Elizabeth Boo (1990), author of Ecotourism: The Potentials and Pitfalls, World Wild Life Fund-US.

 

S. Frueh (1988), author of Report to WWF on Tourism to Protected Areas.

 

A. Mathieson and G. Wall (1982), authors of Tourism: Economic.

 

China.

 

Mountain Gorilla Project in Rwanda.

 

K. Lindberg (1989), author of Tourism as a Conservation Tool.

 

Saba Marine Parkin the Netherland Antilles.

 

Van’t Hof (1989), author of Making Marine Parks Self-Sufficient: The Case of Saba.

 

Cambodia.

 

In this passage from Nature Tourism, Author Tensie Whelan provides specific examples of profit that are due in-part by the implementation of user fees, concession fees, royalties, tax policies, and/or donation programs. In Kenya the safari industry generates earnings of $350 million to $400 million per year. E. Boo, author of Ecotourism: The Potentials and Pitfalls, cites a World Bank report conducted by S. Freuh that estimates that over one-half of gross tourism revenues  in developing countries leaks back to developed countries. “This is hypothesized to be even higher in the least developed countries, where most of the goods used by tourist are imported (A. Mathieson and G. Wall (1982).” While discussing user fees, Whelan cites China’s two-tiered fee structure for most cultural and historic sites. Lindberg remarks on Rwanda’s charge fee of $170 dollars per day (highest site fee known) for access in the Mountain Gorilla Project. In regards to the Saba Marine in the Netherlands, which charges one dollar a day for access, Van’t Hof asserts that “this modest fee provides valuable revenue” for the country. The Cambodia tax policy produces revenue by collecting a special tax on all hotel rooms in the nearby towns of historic, cultural, or national parks.

Audience & Agenda:
Nature Tourism:By Tensie Whelan, foreword by Peter A. A. Berle. Copyright 1991 Island Press. Publication: Island Press, Suite 300, 1718 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington D.C. 20009.

 

Usefulness:
This excerpt from Nature Tourism provides a firm plan of action for national parks to generate income through several processes. Up to this point, articles I have gathered have provided me specific examples of where, when, and amount of profit but not how. User fees, one of the easiest methods of gathering benefits from nature tourism, charges a fee, which provides valuable revenue, for day use of sites. “In addition to charging fees directly to visitors, concession fees can charge individuals or firms who provide services to these visitors. This would include concessions for food, lodging, transportation, guide services, and retail stores.” Royalties for permission to take photos and films may also be another way to generate revenue. Also, Governments can enact tax polices to increase revenues they receive for nature tourism. The most common type of tax is a hotel room tax, which is charged to visitors not residents, and charges around 5 to 10 percent. To conclude, governments can take advantage of the increasing international awareness of the problems faced by important natural areas by establishing and promoting donation programs.

Works cited:
Whelan, Tensie. Nature Tourism. Washington D.C.: Island Press, 1991

 

 

 

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