STEP

World Tourism OrganizationTOURISM CONTRIBUTING TO

POVERTY ALLEVIATION

Tourism in many developing and least developed countries is the most viable and sustainable economic development option, and in some countries, the main source of foreign exchange earnings. Part of this income trickles down to poorer groups in society through employment of local people in tourism enterprises, goods and services provided to tourists, or the running of small and community-based enterprises, among others.

Aware of the close relation between tourism and local economic development and committed to help enhance tourism’s contribution to poverty alleviation, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) launched the ST-EP initiative (Sustainable Tourism – Eliminating Poverty) at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002.

To promote ST-EP and to implement its activities, UNWTO collaborates closely with stakeholders from the public and private sector, civil society, and international organizations, with the aim of raising awareness and building capacities to spread the benefits from tourism towards the poor. In less than a decade, the ST-EP initiative has evolved from an ambitious idea into a comprehensive and fully operational programme with research conducted, publications disseminated, seminars organized, and projects executed all around the world.

ST-EP ACTIVITIES

Research and Publications

Continuous research by UNWTO and partner organizations led to the publication of five reports, providing evidence of the impact of tourism in reducing poverty levels, as well as recommendations on how to maximize these impacts. The newest report, a ST-EP training manual published in early 2010 and titled “Tourism and Poverty Alleviation: Practical Steps for Destinations”, provides useful tools and methods to implement ST-EP activities in tourism destinations. The manual will be used to plan a series of ST-EP training workshops at regional, country and destination level.

Capacity Building and Awareness Raising

Since 2004, UNWTO has organized eighteen regional and national training seminars on tourism and poverty reduction, with a total participation of over 1,500 officials. These seminars are aimed at raising awareness and building capacities among public officials, NGOs, the private sector and communities in developing countries. Many times, the seminars helped establish partnerships at national and regional level to plan and execute interventions to enhance the local economic impact from tourism. In addition to these ST-EP seminars, UNWTO organizes a ST-EP forum during ITB Berlin, promotes the ST-EP Programme at international conferences and provides guest

lectures at tourism courses, all with a view to disseminating the experiences gained and lessons learned among individuals and organizations interested in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

“ST-EP seminars have created more awareness and understanding of decision-makers, tourism planners, industry regulators, developers and the general community on how communities can use tourism to reduce poverty. Specifically, the knowledge acquired on the application of the UNWTO Seven Mechanisms is very practical and useful”

Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism of the United Republic of Tanzania, the Honourable Shamsa Selengia Mwangunga

The ST-EP Programme aims to reduce poverty through

World Tourism Organization

World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) . www.unwto.org

Tourism and PovertyAlleviation (2002)

Tourism and PovertyAlleviation:

Recomendations for Action (2004)

Tourism, Microfinance and Poverty Alleviation

(2005)

Poverty Alleviation Through Tourism: A Compilation of Good

Practices (2006)

A ST-EP seminar conducted in Nicaragua in 2007

ST-EP ACTIVITIES developing and promoting sustainable forms of tourism

ST-EP Projects

In close collaboration with its Member States, UNWTO has identified over 150 ST-EP projects for implementation. With the financial and in-kind support received from public and private sector organizations for the ST-EP Programme, 90 projects have been launched among 31 developing countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe, as well as in two sub-regions (Southern Africa and West Africa). By the end of 2009, 46 ST-EP projects were completed. ST-EP projects are good examples of how projects with relatively

low operational budgets can derive a high return on investment and target large numbers of beneficiaries at the grass root level while using local expertise.

Projects are executed in close collaboration with national tourism authorities, local governments, NGOs, development organizations and tourism enterprises in the beneficiary countries. ST-EP projects focus on a wide range of activities, such as training of local guides and hotel employees, facilitating the involvement of local people in tourism development around natural and cultural heritage sites, establishing business linkages between poor producers and tourism enterprises, and providing business and financial services to small, medium and community-based tourism enterprises.

UNWTO ST-EP Foundation

The Government of the Republic of Korea was a pioneer partner in the launching of the ST-EP Programme, by offering an initial contribution of US$ 5 million to host and establish the UNWTO ST-EP Foundation in Seoul. As an international, non-profit organ of the ST-EP Programme, the Foundation works in consultation with UNWTO and in cooperation with national governments, international organizations, development agencies, corporations and individuals, to promote poverty alleviation through sustainable tourism development. The principal role of the UNWTO ST-EP Foundation is to provide essential support for the implementation of the ST-EP Programme, including financial and research channels, developing partnerships, raising awareness of ST-EP, and evaluation of ST-EP projects.

The ST-EP Programme aims to reduce poverty through

Chairperson of the UNWTO ST-EP Foundation Board of Directors Dho Young-shim speaking to the former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and current UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

The Tourism Committees of 10 villages in the Western Coast of Ghana have developed interesting products like the canoe ride from Ebanola to Nzulezo in the Amansuni wetland

World Tourism Organization

Sustainable Tourism - Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) . www.unwto.org/step

ST-EP PROJECTS WORLDWIDE

Tours to the sacred crocodile pond in Bazoulé, Burkina Faso, will be organized by members of the Tourism and Development Association ATDB

Photo: Olivier Born

Tubing adventures in the River Chixoy are organized by the Tourism Committee of the Community of Chicamán in Quiché, Guatemala (www.guatetubing.com)

The community-based tourism association RENITURAL has chosen the brand “simply extraordinary” to promote their products (www.turismoruralnicaragua.com)

REDTURC is the community-based tourism network of the Lake Titicaca whose members o! er a wide range of tourism experiences in di! erent locations such as Uros, Taquile, Amantani, Ccotos or Llachón(www.visittiticaca.com)

A recipe book containing traditional and innovative dishes from Bahía de Tela in the Northern Coast of Honduras has been pu-blished to promote the local gastronomic initiatives of the Garifuna community

Tourists learning and enjoying local traditional dances is part of the activities of the Responsible Tourism Programme in Saint Louis and Louga, Senegal

Interesting ecotourism activities are being o! ered by di! erent community associations in the Malian region of Siby et Pays Mandé (www.sibymande.org). Pictured here is the Cooperative An Ka Yelen which organizes rock climbing tours.

The Viengxay Visitor Centre organises bike tours to the legendary Viengxay Caves in Lao PDR (www.visit-viengxay.com)

The Great Himalaya Trail connects the main tourist trekking destinations with less visited trekking areas like Humla and Dolpa, providing opportunities for local communities to become part of mainstream trekking in Nepal(www.thegreathimalayatrail.org)

The Olowaru camp provides accommodation for volunteers undertaking a wildlife monitoring research in Loitokotok, Kenya, and employs 300 community members in handicraft making and other support activities

The community-run Saha Forest Camp o! ers cozy accommodation within the Anjozorobe-Angavo reserve near Antananarivo, Madagascar (www.sahaforestcamp.mg)Boat and medicinal plant tours and visits to Canhane

village and Limpopo National Park can be organized by the local guides of Covane Community Lodge in the province of Gaza, Mozambique

The new Pangani Tourism Information Centre of Tanzania provides opportunities to community members to organize guided tours, sell handicrafts, and promote local culture (www.panganitourism.com)

The Savannaland Tourism Destination (www.savannatourism.com) was promoted at the Accra International Conference Centre within the Framework of the World Tourism Day 2009. The stand, which presented much diversity in culture, historic and ecological wealth, was awarded the best stand plaque by the events organizer and the Ministrer of Tourism.

Portfolio of 90 ST-EP projects in 31 countries

A tourism information point installed by the project in Korca, Albania

REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF ST-EP PROJECTS

AFRICA 49% - 44 Projects

AMERICA 31% - 28 Projects

ASIA 18% - 16 Projects

EUROPE 2% - 2 Projects

Bene!ciary countries

Albania Ethiopia NamibiaBenin Ghana NepalBhutan Guatemala NicaraguaBolivia Guinea NigerBurkina Faso Honduras PeruCambodia Kenya RwandaCameroon Lao PDR SenegalChina Madagascar South AfricaColombia Mali United Rep. of TanzaniaEcuador Mozambique Viet Nam Zambia

World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) . www.unwto.org Sustainable Tourism - Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) . www.unwto.org/step

SEVEN ST-EP MECHANISMSUNWTO research activities have identified seven different mechanisms through which the poor can benefit directly or indirectly from tourism. These seven ST-EP mechanisms are integral parts of the ST-EP Programme and have been widely disseminated and incorporated in ST-EP seminars, studies, and training, and, in particular, in the ST-EP projects. Each ST-EP project always addresses one or more of the seven ST-EP mechanisms to ensure that the poor will receive tangible benefits from tourism development. An overview of each ST-EP mechanism, with an example of how it has been applied in the ST-EP project portfolio, is set out below:

Mechanism 1: Employment of the poor in tourism enterprises

In Inhambane Province, Mozambique, training in hospitality skills was provided to local people in collaboration with the local hotelkeepers association and the tourism authorities. 93 hospitality workers, 25 human resources officers and 60 community members (40 per cent women) participated in the training. The hospitality workers have maintained their jobs and some have been promoted. Around 25 per cent of community members have so far managed to obtain an internship or permanent employment in hotels and resorts in the province.

Mechanism 3: Direct sales of goods and services to visitors by the poor (informal economy)

In Djenné, Mali, the ST-EP Programme supported a group of 64 female artisans to develop new production methods needed to avoid health risks caused by burning plastics for making handicrafts. At the same time, the women received advice to improve the design and quality of the souvenirs, and to establish a cooperative to market their products. As a result of the project, the revenues the women receive from handicraft sales increased by 30 per cent.

Mechanism 4: Establishment and running of tourism enterprises by the poor – e.g. micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), or community based enterprises (formal economy)

In Cambodia, the Mekong Discovery Trail project is supporting eleven communities along the northern stretches of the Mekong River to offer eco-tourism activities to tourists. Various trails along the Mekong River that include visits to these communities were identified and promoted, e.g. via the website www.mekongdiscoverytrail.com and a trail guide book. The communities received training and matching grants to develop kayaking, bicycling, horse carts, handicrafts, restaurants and home-stays, and some 20 tour operators have taken up these products in their itineraries. Currently, it is estimated that a community family working in tourism earns an average annual income of US$ 167 directly from tourism. It is forecasted that with the further development and promotion of eco-tourism in the area, the total annual revenue for all families in the communities will be increased by US$ 100,000 in 2013.

 Cooking training in Inhambane

Members of the Saboumayan Cooperative

Discovering the Mekong river by bicycle is one of the many activities being offered to tourists in Stung Treng and Kratie

Mechanism 2: Supply of goods and services to tourism enterprises by the poor or by enterprises employing the poor

In Nicaragua, the Small Farmers Shop was established that acts as an interface between small producers and tourism enterprises, providing storage and technical assistance to 33 producer groups and supporting them in selling to hotels and restaurants. Sales have been established with thirteen hotels and restaurants, including some of the largest hotels in Managua.  

Locally produced lettuce is being sold at the Small Farmers Shop

World Tourism Organization

World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) . www.unwto.org

SEVEN ST-EP MECHANISMS

Mechanism 5: Tax or levy on tourism income or profits with proceeds benefiting the poor

In Konso, Ethiopia, a district fee for tourists visiting the indigenous communities in the area had been previously introduced by the Government. The project made arrangements that 70 per cent of the fees collected are redistributed to the communities for small scale development projects, such as improvements of schools and construction of toilets and water wells. Thanks to the development of new excursions and an active promotion of the tourism potential of the district, visitor numbers to Konso grew rapidly in two years and the income generated for community development projects

via the district fee grew from US$ 7,000 in 2007 to US$ 26,500 in 2009. www.konsotourism.gov.et

Mechanism 6: Voluntary giving/support by tourism enterprises and tourists

In Tanzania, over 30,000 tourists per year are making excursions organized by one of the 28 enterprises that are part of the country´s Cultural Tourism Programme (www.tanzaniaculturaltourism.com). The excursions vary from half a day visit to a rural village to a one week camel safari or hike in the mountains. Whenever possible, the guides show the tourists various development activities in their villages, such as educational, health and irrigation projects, which have sometimes been co-funded through income generated via the excursions. When seeing the activities and results of the projects, tourists and tour operators regularly make generous donations, which enable the communities to buy more educational materials, medicines, irrigation equipment, etc., and tourists may even continue supporting the projects when they have returned home. For example, the family of a Finnish tourist managed to raise US$ 190,000 for a school in Hanang, Central Tanzania, after undertaking an excursion in the area. In addition, the tourists, when satisfied about the excursions, give significant tips to the guides, local accommodation providers, and women’s groups providing meals, which sometimes may almost double their monthly income.

Mechanism 7: Investment in infrastructure stimulated by tourism also benefiting the poor in the locality, directly or through support to other sectors

In Ebogo, Cameroon, the community association for the development of Ebogo (OCDE) was supported by the project to provide canoe tours, forest hikes, restaurant services and accommodation to tourists. Because of the tourism potential of the site, the Ministry of Tourism managed to mobilize government funding of € 274,410 to improve the 8 km access road to Ebogo and provide water and electricity in the area. These investments were essential to help facilitate the growth of tourism to Ebogo, and moreover brought overall positive benefits to the villagers by providing them with basic services and faster routes to access markets in neighbouring towns, where they sell their fish and agricultural products.

Harghushay Primary School in Gendabi Village, Hanang District

   The access road to Ebogo and a water point in town

World Tourism Organization

Sustainable Tourism - Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) . www.unwto.org/step

The Konso Tourist Information Centre is a collecting point for the district fee

The generous financial and in-kind support of many partners from the public sector, private sector and civil society has been essential to make the ST-EP Programme a success. To plan and execute ST-EP activities, UNWTO established partnerships with the Governments of the Republic of Korea, Italy, France, Macao S.A.R. and the Flemish Government, as well as with the Netherlands Development Organisation SNV, the Korean International Cooperation Agency KOICA, the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development AECID, Tsingtao Breweries Ltd. (China), the Netherlands Committee of the World Conservation Union (IUCN-NL) and the Ramsar Swiss Fund for Africa. Alongside these partnerships, UNWTO is also collaborating with a wide range of government agencies, development organizations, educational and private sector entities that are making financial and technical contributions to individual ST-EP projects and other ST-EP activities.

Additional support from Governments, development agencies and other organizations will enable UNWTO to further expand the ST-EP Programme and help make the tourism sector work for the poor. Individuals, public and private sector organizations, and other entities who would like to explore how they can collaborate in the ST-EP Programme can contact UNWTO at [email protected]

Together we can make the tourism sector work for the poor

World Tourism Organization

Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourismof the Republic of Korea SNV Netherlands Development Organisation

Directorate General for Cooperation for Development Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy

Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development

Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France

Korea International Cooperation Agency

Flemish Government

Government of Macao, S.A.R. China

Tsingtao Breweries Ltd. (China)The Netherlands Committee of the World

Conservation Union

THE WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION (UNWTO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, is the only intergovernmental organization that serves as a global forum for tourism policy and issues. Its Members include 161 countries and territories as well as 409 Affiliate Members from the public and private sectors. UNWTO’s mission is to promote and develop tourism as a significant means of fostering international peace and understanding, economic development and international trade.