Ecotourism

Velondriake Ecotourism Plan
Introduction
Velondriake is a region consisting of 25 small villages located in southwest Madagascar. It is situated approximately 150 km north of the regional capital of Toliara and 45 km south of Morombe. The area is characterized by long white beaches, lagoons and coral reefs along the coast, unique spiny forests, bird life and a distinct Vezo culture. Velondriake’s location is very remote and accessibility is limited by poor roads and infrastructure. Madagascar’s southwest coast supports some of the largest coral reef systems in the western Indian Ocean. These reefs do not only provide critical habitat to thousands of marine species, but are also essential to the cultural identity of the indigenous Vezo people who rely on healthy marine resources for food, transportation and income. However, coastal populations are growing rapidly and international fishery companies have begun exploiting the region’s waters through a sophisticated collection network to supply an expanding export market. As a result local fishermen have reported declines in the size and number of their catches in the last years.
The people of Velondriake consider the viability of ecotourism as an additional livelihood option for their fishing community, in the context of the development of the dwindling marine resources. Earning extra income from tourism, which depends on a healthy marine environment, is necessary to ensure the future well-being of the population and the protection of their environment. Local people need to benefit significantly from tourism if they are to support its development and support conservation of the resources tourism depends on.
Tourism in Velondriake has little local impact; employment or service provision by local people to tourists is minimal and tourists generally do not spend directly in the villages. For tourism to benefit conservation and development, greater local benefits need to be realised.

Vision * In a few years time ecotourism provides a major contribution to the economical situation of the local population, which has led to a decreasing pressure on marine resources through fisheries and stimulates the development of infrastructure. Despite of the growing number of visitors and duration of their stay, tourism has a positive effect on its environmental surrounding as it is used as a conservation tool. Local people are able to work in tourism activities and communicate with tourists in order to provide a satisfying tourist experience and learn from tourist through interaction.

Objective * To provide a specific framework for sustainable tourism development in Velondriake

Key Objectives 1. Establish a tourism association to manage tourism development
Actions for this key objective include :
• Translate the Velondriake Ecotourism Plan in French and Malagasy for further understanding;
• Organize the first series of meetings;
• Evaluate all key objectives;
• Draw up a tourism policy statement. 2. Set up a monetary system to gain overall revenue from tourism
Actions to be implemented under this key objective include :
• Discuss the best way to secure a tourist fee;
• Discuss the right amount which is acceptable for both Velondriake and the tourists;
• Formalize an agreement of collecting the tourist fee in a signed document by members of the VTA;
• Set an administration system for the fee collection;
• Draw up goals on where investments are made.

3. Construct a community eco-lodge
Actions to be implemented under this key objective include:
• Research how to construct the eco-lodge;
• Provide an architectural design plan for the construction; • Provide a business plan for the eco-lodge • Calculate and find financial resources for the construction; • Construct the eco-lodge; • Assign staff and management for daily operations.

4. Improve transportation infrastructure to increase the accessibility
Actions to be implemented under this key objective include:
• Research and decide which boat(s) should be used for transportation;
• Arrange landing piers and reservation points in Morombe and Toliara;
• Research possible collaboration with tourism operators in Salary;
• Seek support at the ORTU for integration in broader transportation structures;
• Appoint staff to take responsibility for the operating the transportation system.

5. Offer visitors at least five significant different activities to undertake on site
Actions to be implemented under this key objective include:
• Discuss and determine the product portfolio to develop;
• Assign responsibilities to involved stakeholders for different projects;
• (If project needs investments) Write business plans and gain financial needs.

6. Increase the number of tourist nights to 15.000 per year
Actions to be implemented under this key objective include:
• Assign a communication manager to lead the communication programs;
• Set up a Velondriake website;
• Create Velondriake folders;
• Research and contact incoming agents;
• Research and contact independent traveller guides (printed and web-based);
• Invite incoming agents and give them a tour on the destination;
• Send promotional material to international tour operators in the core markets.

7. Ensure a tourism impact monitoring program

Actions to be implemented under this key objective include:
A) Planning for Monitoring
1) Formation of an association
2) Holding a community meeting
B) Developing a Monitoring Program
3) Identifying impacts and indicators to be monitored
4) Selecting methods of measurement
5) Identifying limits or ranges of acceptable change
6) Developing an operational monitoring plan
C) Conducting Monitoring and Applying Results
7) Training staff, managers and community representatives
8) Carrying out monitoring and examining data
9) Presenting monitoring results
D) Evaluating and Advancing Monitoring
10) Evaluating the monitoring program and conducting outreach

Stakeholders * Tourism industry * There are mutual advantages for the tourism industry as a whole to embrace Velondriake and where possible to package tourism activities into Velondriake holidays. * Running a healthy business serving visitors with accommodation, activities, food & drinks and in some cases transportation.

* Visitors * Visitors seeking tourism experiences are the reason why there is a tourism market. * Visitors participate in tourism activities, utilize facilities and infrastructure on site and bring money into the area.

* Local community * They want to employ themselves in the tourism industry as well as expecting tourism activities in general to benefit local infrastructure and improve the community well-being. * Local community are directed to be an alternative livelihood from fisheries tourism.

* Conservation group * Conservation groups often have direct interest in areas utilized by the ecotourism industry. * For example; Blue Ventures conducts research in the marine environment of Velondriake in order to conserve the coral reef and biodiversity of the area as well as trying to improve the sustainability of the coastal livelihoods. * For another example; ANGAP manages Madagascar’s protected areas system to enable local communities to benefit directly from conservation. Blue Ventures and ANGAP work closely together to develop conservation strategies that benefit both people and nature.

* Educational and research institution * Blue Ventures partners with Institut Halieuteque et des Sciences Marines (IHSM) to collect data on marine resources, develop conservation strategies and implement management plans. * This educational institutions also can make positive contributions to the ecotourism development by ensuring appropriate training, education and research opportunities are available.

* Other special interest group * Support and contribute to the development of a sustainable tourism industry include:- * Ministry of Transport and Tourism - responsible for the general policies on tourism and focuses on the promotion of investment opportunities, professional training at all levels and promotion of tourism in Madagascar. * L’Office National du Tourisme de Madagascar (ONTM) – the National Office for Tourism in Madagascar is responsible for improving general image of Madagascar, raising public attention for Madagascar as a tourism destination, assuring the promotion of Madagascar and increasing the number of tourists and tourism revenues. * L’Office Régional du Tourisme de Tulear (ORTU) - the Regional Office for Tourism in Toliara is concerned with the promotion of the province of Toliara, in which Velondriake is located.

SUMMARY current tourism activities in Velondriake, its marketing environment and provides a strategy for future development. Velondriake consists of 25 small villages along the Malagasy west coast situated approximately 40 km south of district capital Morombe. Due to growing populations in the area the pressure on the marine resources of Velondriake, on which the local ‘Vezo’ people depend, has led to the suffering of the coastal ecosystems. Fishing the way the local population has done for centuries cannot provide sufficient income for all Velondriake’s inhabitants in the future. Therefore alternative livelihoods are searched in sea farming and ecotourism. Madagascar is one of the most poor countries in the World. The lack of international investments in the country together with the difficult accessibility and underdeveloped educational facilities provide a major constraint to the growth of the tourism industry in the country. The tourism masterplan for Madagascar (2004) has given the Velondriake region a long term priority. Although there are tourists coming to the area, there is no significant benefit for the local people leading from the presence of these tourists. Only few people have found work in one of the few (small) hotels and there are no jobs in recreational activities. There are not enough facilities and activities to pursue tourists staying for a longer period. An improvement of activity services can strengthen the attraction of the area and make the whole more appealing for tourists. Besides the marketing efforts of the individual hotels, there hasn’t any destination planning, development or marketing been done. Therefore the destination is relatively unknown in the target market destinations. Because of the poverty that is found all over Madagascar the transportation systems are very underdeveloped. In the area of Velondriake there are no paved roads, nor is there public transport present. Except for tour groups organized from Antananarivo, there is no organized transportation which tourist have easy access to. The lack of transportation makes the area hard to access. There have been studies conducted in the potential opportunities and threats tourism brings to Velondriake in recent years. This report however is aimed to put tourism analyses one step further and provide a plan for The future development for Velondriake as a successful destination. In order to do so a strategy based on ecological, social and economical sustainability has been drawn up and outlined in goals an objective.