A guide to sustainable tourism in developing countries
Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1274933
THREE CRITICAL STEPS IN PLANNING A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM PROJECT: Step 1. Identifying objectives, options, activities and resources required The first step in developing a sustainable tourism project is to clearly determine the objective of the project. An objective should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound. Next recognise that there are usually many ways to achieve some objective and you should not jump straight to an action plan without evaluating different options. It can be useful to complete the table outlined below: You should also establish criteria on which different options can be evaluated. Then you will be in a position to identify the best option to achieve your objective. Now you can identify activities or operations to be conducted to achieve this option. Each activity must be: • Comprehensively described and quantified. • Researched to determine the factors that may be impacted by the proposed activity. • Analysed to identify relevant compliance requirements that need to be met. • Thoughtfully planned and implemented with reference to a suitable and detailed written proposal and plan of action. Often, in the early stages of a project it will be necessary to revisit the objectives and options for the project and the proposed activities or operations as new information is received. It may be that early costings or resource assessment for the project means that the overall objective needs to be reduced in scope. Activities which may need to be considered can include: CONSTRUCTING FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE • Introducing tours • Increasing the tourist footprint TOURISM OPERATORS SHOULD: • Avoid damage to the area • Minimise impact on the area • Repair previous damage Use the principle of SMART Action Planning to evaluate your idea. Specifically, think about the timeframe and the impact that you can have realistically. Your objective needs to be specific and realistic. Specific: What activities will you do to implement your project? Measurable: How will you measure if your project is successful? Be specific and, if possible, provide some quantifiable measures of success. Achievable: How can you achieve your project? Explain how you will ensure this happens. Timely: Why is this a good time to implement your project? When will you aim to complete your project? Given a specific date and work towards this deadline. 23