Bolivia Ecotourism Assessement - Natural Resource Management

Transcription

Final Report
Bolivia Ecotourism Assessment
February 2002
Carrasco National Park
Task Order No. 823
Contract No. PCE-I-00-96-00002-00
Bolivia Ecotourism Assessment
February 2002
Prepared for
USAID/Bolivia
Prepared by
International Resources Group
Team Members
William J. McLaughlin, Regional Tourism Planner, Team Leader, IRG
Alberto Abastaflor, Tourism and Pasto Grande Specialist, IRG
Jose Courrau, Protected Area Management and Human Capacity Building Specialist, IRG
Andy Drumm, Ecotourism Specialist, Ecotourism Director, The Nature Conservancy
Steve Edwards, Ecotourism Specialist, Americas Region Manager, Ecotourism Department,
Conservation International
Peter McFarren, Private Sector Business Analyst, IRG
Barbara Rossmiller, Business Management Analyst, IRG
Ryan Taylor, Site Design/Small Business Specialist and Community Development, Associate
Director, Peace Corps/Bolivia
Environmental Policy and Institutional Strengthening Indefinite Quantity Contract (EPIQ)
Partners: International Resources Group, Winrock International, and Harvard Institute for International Development
Subcontractors: PADCO; Management Systems International; and Development Alternatives, Inc.
Collaborating Institutions: Center for Naval Analysis Corporation; Conservation International; KNB Engineering and Applied
Sciences, Inc.; Keller-Bliesner Engineering; Resource Management International, Inc.; Tellus Institute; Urban Institute; and
World Resources Institute
Contents
Acronyms ..................................................................................................................................iii
Executive Summary................................................................................................................... iv
Placing Assessment Regions in Context of Worldwide Ecotourism Development ................ iv
Ecotourism Product Positioning and Competition.................................................................. v
Ecotourism and USAID’s Strategic Objectives...................................................................... v
Summary of Key Findings.................................................................................................... vi
Conclusion........................................................................................................................... xi
1. Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1
1.1 Scope of Work............................................................................................................1
1.2 Purpose and Objectives...............................................................................................1
1.3 Ecotourism .................................................................................................................2
1.4 Context .......................................................................................................................5
1.5 Distribution of Benefits...............................................................................................8
1.6 Assessment Methodology ...........................................................................................9
2. Chaco/Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park Assessment Region......................................11
2.1 Regional Perspective.................................................................................................11
2.2 Existing Tourism Patterns—Points of Entry..............................................................13
2.3 Socio-Economic Indicators .......................................................................................13
2.4 Ethnic and Gender Opportunities ..............................................................................13
2.5 Biodiversity and Conservation Concerns...................................................................14
2.6 Economic Reality—Trends, Investments ..................................................................15
2.7 Existing Tourism at the Portal Level.........................................................................15
2.8 Strengths and Weaknesses—Chaco/Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park..............17
2.9 Potential Ecotourism Products and Packages.............................................................18
2.10 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................20
2.11 Recommendations ....................................................................................................21
3. Amboro National Park Assessment Region .........................................................................24
3.8 Strengths and Weaknesses—Amboro National Park .................................................34
3.10 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................40
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4. Chapare/Carrasco National Park Assessment Region...........................................................47
4.3 Socio-Economic Indicators for the Chapare Region ..................................................49
4.8 Strengths and Weaknesses—Chapare/Carrasco National Park Assessment Region ...58
4.9 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................60
5. The Yungas Assessment Region..........................................................................................64
5.8 Strengths and Weaknesses ........................................................................................67
5.10 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................70
6. Strategic Ecotourism Recommendations for USAID ...........................................................72
6.1 Summary of Key Findings ........................................................................................73
References ................................................................................................................................79
Annex A.
Annex B.
Annex C.
Annex D.
Annex E.
Annex F.
Annex G.
Annex H.
Annex I.
Annex J.
USAID Strategic Objectives and Intermediate Results...........................................A-1
Interview Forms .................................................................................................... B-1
Business Plan Guide for Ecotourism Projects in Bolivia ........................................ C-1
Investment Budget and Source of Funds ................................................................D-1
Bolivian Government Reform of Travel and Tourism: The Institutional Scene ...... E-1
Chaco Region Detailed Information....................................................................... F-1
Buena Vista and Samaipata Detailed Information ..................................................G-1
Chapare and Carrasco Detailed Information...........................................................H-1
Chapare Tropical Resort Detailed Information........................................................ I-1
Site Visit Contact List............................................................................................. J-1
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Acronyms
AD
AMNI
BOLFOR
CABI
CAM
CAT
CI
CIES
CODAP
CONCADE
CTR
DAI
DDCP
DEMOSOT
EE&C
EG
ENV
EO
FAN
FAO
IR
IRG
LIDEMA
MAPA
MSDE
SERNAP
SNAP
SO
TCO
TNC
UNEP
WTO
Alternative Development Team
area de manejo natural integrado (natural integrated management area)
Bolivia Sustainable Forestry Program, a USAID-funded project
Capitanía de Alto y Bajo Izozog (local government body)
Amboró-Madidi Corridor
Center for Tourism Assistance
Center of Investigation, Education, and Services
Comité de Defensa de Areas Protegidas
Consolidación de los Esfuerzos del Desarrollo Alternativo (Consolidation of
Alternative Development Efforts, a USAID-funded project)
Chapare Tropical Resort
Development Alternatives Incorporated
Democratic Development and Citizen Participation Project
USAID Democratic Initiatives Strategic Objective
environmental education and communication
economic growth (A USAID Strategic Objective)
Environment Team
Economic Opportunities Team
Fundación Amigos de la Naturaleza (Friends of Nature Foundation, an
environmental NGO
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
Intermediate result
Liga de la Defensa del Medio Ambiente (Environmental Defense League, an
environmental NGO/civil society apex group)
Market Access and Poverty Alleviation (an economic growth project)
Ministry of Sustainable Development and the Environment
Servicio Nacional de Areas Protegidas (National Protected Area Service)
National System of Protected Areas
strategic objective
community land of origin
The Nature Conservancy
United Nations Environment Program
World Tourism Organization
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Executive Summary
The four Assessment Regions identified by USAID/Bolivia and reviewed by the International
Resources Group (IRG) Team are extremely different, as is each of their positions in the tourism
development cycle. First, there is the Chaco/Kaa Iya Del Gran Chaco National Park Area with
very few tourists and limited, identified ecotourism opportunities within or nearby the protected
area (“just thinking about it” phase of tourism development—little or no local citizen capacity to
judge likely impacts). Second, there is Amboro National Park Area with an existing domestic and
international clientele, some established tourism portal communities and moderate numbers of
developed ecotourism products and services. (initial development phase—relatively
undiscovered tourism and small-scale ecotourism development).
Third, there is the Chapare/Carrasco National Park Region. The area north of Carrasco National
Park presently receives reduced numbers of domestic and international visitors. The once active
destination of Villa Tunari now has a moderate diversity of underutilized tourism and ecotourism
products due to coca eradication efforts (“re-capitalization and reinvention phase” of tourism
and ecotourism development to the north and west of the park). The southern park area is
relatively undeveloped and only somewhat discovered in terms of ecotourism (“initial
development” phase – want to be discovered phase to the south of the park).
Fourth, there is the Sud Yungas/Cotapata National Park Area where most of the region is in the
initial stages of tourism development with the exception of Coroico and a few other specific
areas (Phillips and IEST 2001). Soon to be improved ground transportation and proximity to La
Paz means this area is positioned for change (“transition tourism development” phase—little
local citizen agreement on kinds of tourism or ecotourism products to use to position itself,
markets to target, and image to create and promote).
Placing Assessment Regions in Context of Worldwide Ecotourism Development
Although ecotourism throughout the world has been expanding rapidly over the past two
decades, continued growth is expected. Besides Bolivia, nearly every developing nation in the
world has its eye on using ecotourism to address its conservation and economic problems. The
reality is that ecotourism can only create a limited number of jobs and its actual role in
conservation is yet to be determined. At the same time, ecotourism presents a rare opportunity
for sustainable economic development, particularly in the area of Amboro. In other words, it is
neither a cash cow nor a land use devoid of social and biophysical impacts.
In the four regions assessed it is clear that ecotourism can play a role as a supplemental
economic activity. It has the potential to create full and part-time jobs and provide work for both
men and women at a variety of skill levels. In particular, the part-time positions fit well into a
rural lifestyle and if patterns experienced in other countries hold, women will make the largest
gains in part time work. Although ecotourism will generate employment opportunities it should
not be seen as a widespread replacement for existing economic activity, especially traditional
coca production.
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Ecotourism Product Positioning and Competition
The four assessment regions have potential ecotourism products and opportunities that could be
competitive within Bolivia, in surrounding countries and globally. But creating this competitive
edge will require investment in product development, human resources and basic infrastructure.
All of the regions assessed presently have access to both international and domestic markets. All
have ecological and cultural features that can be used to position them in the global marketplace.
Levels of human settlement and the presence of indigenous peoples are further dimensions that
differentiate the four regions from one another. The Chapare/Carrasco and the Chaco
Assessment Regions have the potential to include nearby indigenous communities and their
cultures as an integral part of ecotourism products. Of course, this assumes the local indigenous
groups desire to be a part of sustainable tourism products. The Sud Yungas, Carrasco and
Amboro areas have the potential to include archeology as a part of their ecotourism products.
Therefore, within Bolivia each assessment region has the potential to offer ecotourism products
that allow it to position itself in a unique manner. The competitiveness and success of these
products will hinge on more than this. They will also depend on access to markets, infrastructure
and demand.
The present diversity of developed ecotourism products is greatest in the South Yungas
Assessment Region, followed by the Amboro Region and then the Chapare/Carrasco. In terms of
access to domestic and international markets the Sud Yungas with its proximity to La Paz is best
positioned followed by Amboro and then Chapare/Carrasco Regions. Presently, a difference
exists between Amboro and Carrasco due to ease of access and social political unrest caused by
coca eradication in the Chapare. But for the purposes of this project, we assumed that that these
issues would be resolved within the next 1–3 years. Finally, the access to the Chaco Region is
much more limited with higher travel costs.
In terms of the international ecotourism market, Bolivia is still undiscovered and
underdeveloped. For the most part its products are not known and at quality levels currently
below international expectations. This puts Bolivia in the position of being able to create the
awareness, image and orientation it desires. Because of this, a well thought out national
“ecotourism marketing strategy” is critical to the success of regional and local ecotourism.
Presently, the “Bolivian tourism marketing strategy” only minimally features ecotourism.
If the Bolivian ecotourism product is to penetrate the world marketplace it is critical that a
quality sustainable product be offered. To successfully do this, mechanisms like product
certification, human resource development programs, and investments in basic community
infrastructure are required.
Ecotourism and USAID’s Strategic Objectives
It is clear that ecotourism is a cross-cutting theme and has the potential to accomplish multiple
USAID strategic objectives—environment, economic opportunity, alternative development,
democratization, and health. The diversity of objectives that can be accomplished is directly
related to how USAID implements its sustainable tourism and ecotourism related activities and
programs.
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USAID Bolivia should play an active role in ensuring that any ecotourism projects are well
planned, fit within municipal governments development plans, and promote benefits for local
communities, nature conservation and the regional economy. We believe that USAID’s role
should focus on building capacity within the Bolivian governmental system, specifically local
government in the area of tourism systems planning. Second, it should feature integrating the
resulting sustainable tourism strategies into sound alternative development projects carried out in
the private sector to complement the already ongoing projects in sustainable agriculture and
forestry.
Sustainable tourism results from having quality services and products to place in both the
domestic and global marketplace. The products must be supported by a professional, trained
workforce and a targeted strategic marketing program—product development, testing,
evaluation, targeted advertising, and promotion. Community level ownership and support of this
alternative development strategy is critical, along with well-thought out public policy that links
the various levels of government, the private sector and other nongovernmental actors.
To say this is simple, but to do it is much more difficult. Although USAID worldwide has a
strong tradition and expertise in agriculture and forestry, its efforts and abilities in promoting the
development of sustainable tourism via community-based participatory approaches is limited.
The team suggests that USAID engage in a much more democratization oriented approach that
empowers the central and local governments of Bolivia and the rights of indigenous peoples.
In this type of an effort, the dominant role we see for USAID is one of training and
empowerment, sharing of natural resource management and business development expertise, and
facilitating a continuing dialogue among the diverse actors involved in the sustainable tourism
and related conservation. USAID is in a unique position to leverage sustainable tourism efforts
underway through many donors and organizations.
If possible, ecotourism should not be a stand-alone concept. The team thinks it fits better as a
cross-cutting program that is integrated into at least the environmental, democratic initiatives,
and alternative development strategic objectives. To effectively accomplish this integration we
believe tourism expertise is needed in at least each of these three strategic area. This would
provide enough of a cross-cutting sub-unit of specialized expertise to begin to give sustainable
tourism standing within USAID Bolivia.
Summary of Key Findings
Across all four regions it is clear that common needs include investment in basic infrastructure—
potable water, electricity, roads, communications, health services and community amenities
including plazas, parks, and urban design. These physical infrastructure investments need to be
complemented with investments in human capacity in the area of hospitality including guide
training, small business operations, marketing, and attraction management. Investments in any of
these areas provide dual benefits to local citizens and travelers alike. In addition to these general
investments needed across the assessment regions the IRG Team proposes five demonstration
projects.
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1.
Promote Sustainable Tourism for Amboro-Carrasco-Isiboro-Secure as a Coordinated
Whole
If we were to remove the problem of illegal coca-leaf cultivation in the Chapare, the Amboro and
Carrasco National Parks and their surrounding environs including Isiboro-Secure National Park
could be seen as one unit in terms of ecotourism opportunities. This unit could function as a
circuit, creating a ring road around Amboro and Carrasco parks to facilitate access to a series of
portal communities and ecotourism attractions (natural and cultural). Tourists could fly into or
out of either Santa Cruz or Cochabamba,1 and then travel the northern or southern route around
the parks. Only the northern route is currently possible, but the physical connection of the
Amboro & Carrasco, and the proximity of Isiboro-Secure, provide for unique ecotourism
opportunities accessible to international and domestic markets.
This initiative could serve as a demonstration of how to use sustainable tourism, including
ecotourism, to stimulate a regional economy. This project has the potential to stimulate job
creation, provide a sustainable alternative development strategy and simultaneously promote and
enhance the conservation of biodiversity. Furthermore, with a large enough critical mass of
sustainable tourism destinations and products, it will be financially sustainable (e.g., collect
enough park entrance fees to finance conservation, sufficient tourist flow to support local
businesses). Simultaneous investment in the portal communities around the parks (Buena Vista,
Villa Tunari, Samaipata, Pocona) would be necessary. This infusion could speed up the
Chapare’s transition from its coca dependency to a more diversified economy that would include
ecotourism.
This idea is not without difficulties. The three parks have very little interaction, and the
communities presently have no links to each other. Perhaps the largest is that there is no shared
infrastructure and each park is in a different Department. Furthermore, the Amboro region’s
tourism operators may be very concerned about their image being tarnished by the Chapare coca
image. Despite these issues, efforts underway by mancomunidades suggest a regional venture
could be feasible.
2.
Establish an Ecotourism Investment Fund
We recommend that an Ecotourism Investment Fund be established that would provide a
mechanism for financing investments in ecotourism projects in the four assessment regions. This
pilot effort should be tested and evaluated in the four assessment areas prior to expanding it to
other areas of the country. The team proposes a US$10 million fund per year for a 7-year period,
with support from multiple sources. Loans would be awarded to legal entities (business, NGO,
local government) on a competitive basis. The projects supported would be required to fit into
the development plans of municipios or mancomunidades.
This proposal addresses one of the key concerns of tourism operators—the lack of private sector
financing for ecotourism projects in Bolivia. The banking system in Bolivia is not funding
tourism projects because of the risks involved and because most are located in rural areas. The
lack of financing was repeatedly cited as a significant limitation to developing and expanding the
ecotourism sector. The investment fund would be managed by existing micro credit or financing
1
Santa Cruz in an international airport, while Cochabamba services domestic flights only.
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institutions, such as PRODEM, Pan-American Securities, PRODEM, BancoSol, and FIE, as a
result of a competitive bidding process. The goal is to get the money to the ground and have it be
invested in projects.
A key element for the operation of the fund would include a success fee mechanism for the
management institution. Guidelines for financial and legal due diligence and clearly established
terms of reference would be reviewed and approved by a board comprised of donors, business
leaders/entrepreneurs and ecotourism experts. Performance criteria for qualifying for a loan
would include environmental impact, social impact, economic sustainability criteria and other
pertinent issues.
This pilot effort should include ongoing performance monitoring and regular economic viability
reviews. The intent is to build a self-sustaining funding institution for sustainable tourism
development projects. Projects funded would promote alternative development, create
employment opportunities, encourage the enhancement of business development skills and the
integration of environmental concerns.
3.
Develop an Ecotourism Vision for Bolivia
This project proposes to bring together SERNAP and the Vice Ministry of Tourism to jointly
sponsor a national forum to develop an ecotourism vision for Bolivia. This vision would be
developed over 12–18 months and the cost is estimated to be approximately $200,000–250,000.
Hopefully, it could begin in 2002, the “Year of Ecotourism.” This estimate includes the design of
the forum, training of SERNAP, Vice Ministry of Tourism and Prefecture tourism professionals
as workshop facilitation teams, conducting the regional forums, processing the outcomes and
sponsoring three regional events (La Paz, Santa Cruz, Coachabamba) to share the results with the
general public, local governmental officials, private sector operators, and interested NGOs.
The approach is to use the trained facilitation teams to simultaneously conduct forums
throughout the country that focus on educating participants about ecotourism, its benefits and
impacts, defining the kinds of ecotourism local people are interested in promoting in their area,
and determining what participants perceive as barriers to developing ecotourism.
Each forum would be associated with either a protected area actively involved in ecotourism as
identified by SERNAP or a regional group with demonstrated interest in ecotourism as identified
by the Vice Ministry of Tourism. The goal would be to cover all of the geographic areas of
Bolivia interested in pursuing ecotourism as an alternative development strategy. The envisioned
outputs of the forums would be definitions of ecotourism for a geographic space, the
identification of interested parties, a list of existing ecotourism opportunities and identification of
barriers to achieving their desired ecotourism vision.
A national-level committee would use this information to develop and finalize a national
ecotourism vision statement. It would serve as the policy instrument for coordination of
ecotourism efforts. Hopefully, this would unify Bolivia’s efforts and clarify roles and
responsibilities for all sectors and organizations involved. Additionally, the team believes that
the participants who attend the regional forums can serve as a resource for municipalities to work
locally on ecotourism development.
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4.
Use the Democratic Initiatives Program to Promote Participatory Tourism Systems
Planning
Some of the funding to USAID’s Democratic Initiatives Program should be used to train people
at the municipalities and mancomunidades on participatory tourism systems planning. USAID
should use the knowledge it has acquired in the Democratic Development and Citizen
Participation Project (DDPC) to develop a training program for municipalities and
mancomunidades. This sector-based activity could build upon program successes in areas of
community budgeting, health, etc. These entities have a key role to play in sustainable tourism so
it is critical to develop their human resources to understand the tourism industry and its proper
planning.
This training facilitates the empowerment of the local stakeholders. It addresses the concern of
local leaders that municipalities must play a role since tourism impacts them directly in terms of
additional costs for services and potential sources of tax revenue. Using this program
demonstrates USAID’s willingness to empower local governments and institutions in the area of
sustainable tourism. The training program needs to be designed to promote dialogue across
sectors involved in tourism, as well as inter-governmental agency boundaries
This avenue is recommended instead of a local ONG or international conservation organization
because of the need to incorporate tourism planning into the newly emerging decentralized local
governments. It capitalizes on an existing USAID program and communication networks already
developed. Preliminary estimates to develop materials and carry out at least one round of
sustainable tourism planning locally are approximately US$350,000.
5.
Initiate an Ecotourism Dialogue in the Chaco
As part of the effort to decentralize and empower local units of government and indigenous
groups of the Chaco Region, a pilot project is proposed to educate and promote open dialogue
concerning the likely impacts from protected area-based and off-site ecotourism development.
Impacts to culture, social structures, sacred sites, the existing economic situation, and the fragile
ecosystems of the park and surrounding environments would be addressed. The target audience
should include: (1) settlement/community level indigenous leaders within the greater area, (2)
civic leaders and local government officials in the potential tourism gateway and portal
municipalities (Santa Cruz, San Jose de Chiquitos) and communities (Camiri, Natividad)
surrounding the park, and (3) existing and potential tourism operators.
Threats to the Natural Resource Base That Supports Ecotourism
The key threats to the natural resource base and conservation efforts across the assessment
regions are as follows:
•
Colonization of national park land (regardless for what purpose);
•
Instability in the social, political scene (drugs, inequities, poverty, ethnic relations,);
•
Lack of natural resource and tourism management capacity in SERNAP, especially at the
local level. Capacity issues significant for zoning, visitor site planning, visitor impact
management, income generation management, income generation mechanisms, guide
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certification, business skills, conflict resolution, resource inventory, monitoring, marketing,
and concessionaire management);
•
Limited land use planning being done by municipal governments;
•
Illegal activities (hunting, collecting) within park boundaries;
•
Limited shared vision of park management and development by local populations living
around and within the park (exceptions are La Yunga, La Chonta, etc.); and
•
Lack of agreement and understanding concerning the sustainability of alternative
development activities such as ecotourism in and nearby the park.
Key Barriers to Ecotourism Development in Bolivia
Across each of the assessment areas, the team identified the following key barriers to ecotourism
development:
•
Lack of basic infrastructure (water, sewer, roads, health services, communication etc.);
•
Lack of investment funds;
•
Lack of capacity and practice at the municipal level in carrying out participatory planning for
sustainable tourism, including ecotourism;
•
Lack of trust and collaboration among the private, public and non-governmental sectors;
•
Lack of mechanisms to coordinate and encourage collaboration among stakeholders and
institutional structures, especially government units and the private sector, and local
communities are most marginalized;
•
Lack of a skilled hospitality and tourism workforce;
•
Limited business management skills among tourism operators;
•
Lack of capacity and experience using strategic alliances, joint ventures, and partnerships in
marketing, especially in the product development, testing and implementation areas of
marketing; and
•
A general unwillingness to empower local people who have not been a part of the traditional
power structure with the exception of SERNAP.
The Potential Role of Ecotourism in Biodiversity Conservation
Bolivia’s strengths for ecotourism rest with its expansive natural landscapes, biodiversity and
cultural richness. If these resources are not adequately considered in the planning processes that
guide where sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, is located, biodiversity will be negatively
impacted. Common biophysical impacts from tourism and ecotourism land uses include:
fragmentation of the landscape, water quality impacts due to liquid and solid waste disposal, soil
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erosion from clearing land and the improper location of tourism infrastructure (roads, trails,
buildings), and impacts to wildlife movements from roads and trails and inappropriate human
behavior (feeding, harassing).
To mitigate these impacts, as well as social, cultural and economic impacts it is necessary to
understand how the ecotourism delivery system functions. Having a tourism impact monitoring
program is one way to begin to understand the changes. We believe that USAID should support
and encourage efforts that stress planning for and monitoring of impacts from ecotourism
development. This would provide the opportunity to introduce biodiversity conservation into the
local land use decision-making. This should be done in all four assessment regions. Additionally,
in each of the four assessment regions there is potential to enhance biodiversity conservation via
the pilot projects we have proposed. Finally, and perhaps most important it is key to continue to
build the natural resource and tourism management capacities of SERNAP. Actions targeting
this are described in the last chapter of the report.
The Role of Ecotourism in Economic Development
It is clear from our assessments that ecotourism has the potential to create primary (e.g., nature
guides, hotel managers, food service employees, mid-level managers) and secondary (e.g.,
handicraft makers) job opportunities, generate tax revenues locally, and stimulate multiplier
effects, especially if leakages are minimized by promoting local ownership and the buying of
products locally.
The number and types of positions created will be related to the kind of ecotourism that is
ultimately developed. The investment necessary to create jobs is likely to be lowest in the
Amboro Region, followed by Sud Yungas and Chaco Assessment Regions and finally the
Chapare/Carrasco Region. However, the likely return on the investment in economic
development is also important. The highest return is likely in Amboro, then Sud Yungas,
Carrasco/Chapare, and finally the Chaco. These differences are based on the ability to build upon
the existing tourism supply and on how easy it would be in the short term (3–5 years) to
stimulate additional demand for the region and its ecotourism attractions (cultural and natural).
Conclusion
The IRG Team believes that all of the demonstration projects suggested will have the greatest
impact if they are carried out in a cooperative manner that includes multiple USAID Program
areas. We believe that this type of a unified approach to sustainable tourism will lead to better
thought out and integrated activities and programs.
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1.
1.1
Introduction
Scope of Work
International Resources Group (IRG) was contracted by USAID/Bolivia to conduct the Bolivia
Ecotourism Assessment under the aegis of three USAID Strategic Objective (SO) Teams within
the mission: Environment Team (ENV), Economic Opportunities Team (EO), and Alternative
Development Team (AD). Each of these teams has identified ecotourism as a potential
development activity to meet their different objectives. This assessment’s scope of work was to
analyze the real potential of ecotourism in this regard, and to analyze and recommend priorities
and activities in order to best further these SOs, and to select potential demonstration sites for the
most viable ecotourism activities or organizations. The assessment was limited to four areas of
Bolivia: the Chaco and Gran Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park; Amboro National Park
region; Chapare and Carrasco National Park region; and, the Southern Yungas region (La Paz,
Chulumani, Irupana, Pasto Grande, Palca Circuit).
The assessment team comprised seven members gathered from four different organizations and
representing different skills sets and governmental, private sector, and non-governmental
entities. The team members were:
•
Bill McLaughlin, Team Leader/Regional Tourism Planner, IRG
•
Alberto Abastaflor, Tourism and Pasto Grande Specialist, IRG
•
Jose Courrau, Protected Area Management/Human Resource Training Specialist, IRG
•
Andy Drumm, Director, Ecotourism, The Nature Conservancy
•
Steve Edwards, Americas Regional Manager, Ecotourism Department, Conservation
International
•
Peter McFarren, Private Sector Enterprise Analyst, IRG
•
Barbara Rossmiller, Business Management Analyst, IRG
•
Ryan Taylor, Community Development Specialist, Peace Corps Bolivia and IRG
The results of this assessment will provide guidance and input for USAID/Bolivia’s ongoing
strategic planning effort in addition to identifying specific potential ecotourism opportunities.
1.2
Purpose and Objectives
The purpose of this consultancy was to assess the potential for USAID Bolivia to become
involved in ecotourism in Bolivia in the Chaco, Amboro, Chapare/Carrasco and the Yungas
assessment regions. The specific objectives of this project are as follows:
1
•
Recommend strategic direction in ecotourism for USAID Bolivia’s next Strategic Planning
Cycle;
•
Assess and determine if and how ecotourism can play a role in enhancing biodiversity
conservation in the four regions studied;
•
Assess and determine if and how ecotourism can play a role as a viable alternative
development or economic development mechanism in any of the regions studied; and
•
Identify ecotourism demonstration projects (sites, products, institutions or processes) that
USAID Bolivia should support over the next 2–3 years in and/or across the four regions
studied.
The specific objectives of the three USAID SO teams formed the lens through which each area
was assessed. The Environment Team’s programs are designed to stimulate sustainable
economic growth through improved management of forests, water and biodiversity. The
Economic Opportunities and Alternative Development Teams have identified tourism as a
potential mechanism for stimulating economic development as an alternative to illicit coca-leaf
cultivation and related non-sustainable land uses.
More broadly, all existing activities and potential were analyzed against three widely accepted
criteria for ecotourism. USAID’s strategic approach to ecotourism centers on these criteria, listed
below.
•
Ecotourism creates a positive force for conservation by providing economically viable
alternatives to undesirable land uses, through minimum impact design and implementation,
and through efforts to strengthen local resource management capability;
•
Ecotourism produces economic benefits for host communities and is designed and managed
so that the communities endure the impacts of ecotourism are also guaranteed an equitable
share of the benefits; and
•
Ecotourism is supported by interpretive services aimed at creating local environmental
(natural and cultural) awareness both among tourists and area residents.
IRG/EPIQ Team combined these three criteria with the three strategic objectives guiding this
assessment so that USAID and the Government of Bolivia can be sure that its ecotourism
development activities are consistent with Mission Strategy and that they meet or exceed
international and national standards for ecotourism (Ham 2001)
1.3
Ecotourism
This section provides an overview of ecotourism in general as well as related definitions, which
form the basis of the Bolivia Ecotourism Assessment. The team and USAID used the criteria
listed above to judge whether or not a particular aspect of sustainable tourism is, in fact,
ecotourism. For a sustainable tourism destination, circuit, area, enterprise, attraction or activity to
be called ecotourism all three criteria must be met. This means that attributes like whether the
sustainable tourism takes place in a natural or modified environment, involves nature or culture,
2
is small or large scale, or whether or not it is locally owned and operated is of little or no
significance if the three criteria are adequately addressed.
These criteria are consistent with the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and the United
Nations Environment Program (UNEP) characteristics used to describe ecotourism,2 and other
internationally accepted definitions and criteria for ecotourism.
Sustainable tourism is often the starting point for ecotourism. When the IRG team used the
term sustainable tourism we used the WTO definition.3 Sustainable tourism is “envisaged as
leading to the management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic
needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, and
biodiversity and life support systems” (International Year of Tourism 2002, World Tourism
Organization and United Nations Environment Program Joint Concept Paper, 2001). Ecotourism
is a segment of the tourism delivery system or industry where the principles of sustainable
tourism should apply to all activities, operations, processes and enterprises involved. Sustainable
tourism requires a diverse system of elements to function.
A tourism system is the interaction, cooperation and connection among the following sectors:
marketing, carrier and ground transportation, accommodation/lodging, attractions (natural,
cultural & human-built), tour operations, food and beverage, complementary retail (e.g., natural
products), planning and management, and associated governmental and non-governmental
enterprises. As a service industry system, sustainable tourism offers products and services for
both domestic and international travelers. When the system, or elements of it are providing
tourism products or services in a sustainable fashion, and meet the three criteria for ecotourism
described above we define them as ecotourism.
The concept of biodiversity is relevant when sustainable tourism affects the landscape,
ecosystem, social and/or cultural processes of an area regardless of who manages or promotes it.
As with any viable economic development strategy, ecotourism decisions need to actively
address sustainability in terms of economic, social, cultural and natural systems. In doing so,
2
The WTO and UNEP characteristics are:
1.
All nature-based forms of tourism in which the main motivation of the tourists is the observation and
appreciation of nature as well as traditional cultures prevailing in natural areas
2. It contains educational and interpretation features
3. It is generally, but not exclusively organized for small groups by specialized and small locally owned
businesses. However, foreign operators of varying sizes also organize, operate and/or market ecotourism
tours, generally for small groups.
4. It minimizes negative impacts upon the natural and socio-cultural environment
5. It supports the protection of natural areas by:
• generating economic benefits for host communities, organizations and authorities managing natural areas
with conservation purposes;
• providing alternative employment and income opportunities for local communities; and
• increasing awareness towards the conservation of natural and cultural assets, both among locals and
tourists
(WTO and UNEP 2001. International Year of Tourism 2002. Joint Concept Paper.)
3
This definition has been in widespread use since 1988.
3
sustainability must be defined temporally, designate who is to receive the benefits, and determine
at what levels the four systems are to be continued. This requires planning and the setting of
standards by stakeholders.
Stakeholders are all those who might directly or indirectly benefit from (government agencies,
NGOs, business operators) or be negatively affected by (local government, indigenous groups,
local businesses, community residents) decisions and activities.
1.3.1 The Potential Role of Ecotourism in Biodiversity Conservation
Bolivia’s strengths for ecotourism rest with its expansive natural landscapes, biodiversity and
cultural richness. If these resources are not adequately considered in the planning processes that
guide where sustainable tourism, including ecotourism is located biodiversity will be
undoubtedly be negatively impacted. Common biophysical impacts from tourism and ecotourism
land uses include: fragmentation of the landscape, water quality impacts due to liquid and solid
waste disposal, soil erosion from clearing land and the improper location of tourism
infrastructure (roads, trails, buildings), and impacts to wildlife movements from roads and trails
and inappropriate human behavior (feeding, harassing).
To mitigate these, as well as social, cultural and economic impacts from tourism development it
is necessary to understand how the ecotourism delivery system functions, and for a specific
context how and what elements of the human and biophysical systems are affected. Having a
tourism impact monitoring program is one way to begin to understand the changes.
We believe that USAID should support and encourage efforts that stress planning for and
monitoring of impacts from ecotourism development. This would provide the opportunity to
introduce biodiversity conservation into the local land use decision-making. This should be done
in all four assessment regions.
Additionally, in each of the four assessment regions there is potential to enhance biodiversity
conservation via the pilot projects we have proposed. We believe that in the Chaco Assessment
Region this would result from dialoguing about ecotourism and tourism development within and
adjacent to the Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park versus developing ecotourism services
off-site at gateway community locations. In the Amboro and Surrounding Environs Assessment
Region biodiversity would be enhanced through the community-based multi-sector planning
effort, the proposed visitor and resident education programs, and guide-training program.
Finally, in the Chapare/Carrasco Assessment Region the community-based multi-sector planning
effort, the pilot national ecotourism Web site, and the marketing program to re-brand the area
would result in promoting awareness of biodiversity conservation among travelers and hosts, and
perhaps in some cases, biodiversity itself would be enhanced, or at a minimum, maintained.
Finally, and perhaps most important it is key to continue to build the natural resource and
tourism management capacities of SERNAP. Actions targeting this are described in the last
chapter of the report.
4
1.3.2 The Potential Role of Ecotourism in Economic Development
It is clear from our assessments that ecotourism has the potential to create primary (trail guides,
hotel managers, food service employees, mid-level managers) and secondary (handicraft makers)
job opportunities, generate tax revenues locally, and stimulate multiplier effects, especially if
leakages are minimized by promoting local ownership and the buying of products locally. In the
table below (Table 1), we depict examples of the kinds of jobs that could be created and the
associated wages. These wages are certainly competitive with others within the assessment
regions.
Table 1. Tourism jobs and associated wages
Tourism Position
Reported Monthly Wage (US$)
Trail Guide
$60-150
Head Cook
$150
Assistant Cook
Waiter
$50-$75
$50, half-time
Park Guard
$250
Maintenance Worker
$80
Note: Wages represent best estimates based on information provided by
employees, tourism operators, and guides interviewed. Therefore, they need to
be used with discretion.
The number and types of positions created will be related to the kind of ecotourism that is
ultimately developed. Therefore, it is not feasible at this time to estimate number and type of
jobs. The number and types of positions created will be related to the kind of ecotourism that is
ultimately developed. The investment necessary to create jobs is likely to be lowest in the
Amboro Region, followed by Sud Yungas and Chaco Assessment Regions and finally the
Chapare/Carrasco Region. However, the likely return on the investment in economic
development is also important. The highest return is likely in Amboro, then Sud Yungas,
Carrasco/Chapare, and finally the Chaco. These differences are based on the ability to build upon
the existing tourism supply and on how easy it would be in the short term (3–5 years) to
stimulate additional demand for the region and its ecotourism attractions (cultural and natural).
1.4
Context
1.4.1 The World, Regional, and Bolivian Travel and Tourism Scene in Brief
Tourism is a powerful economic force in the world today. Here are just a few statistics of note:
•
Tourism currently accounts for 10.7% of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP).4
•
Nearly 700 million people engaged in foreign travel in 2000.5
4
UNEP 2001 (www.unep.org).
5
•
Tourism generated more than $464 billion in 2000.
•
The average international tourist arrival is worth $664.6
•
Tourism employs 260 million people worldwide.
•
Tourism has had an annual growth rate of 7% since 1950 (from 25 million tourists to 700
million).
WTO predicts that by 2020, 1.6 billion people will undertake foreign travel each year (WTO,
2001). In 1999 some areas of the world posted increases of 10% to 16%. An issue for Bolivia,
however, is that in the same year the Americas only increased foreign visitors by 2.6%
(Ministerio de Comercio Exterior E Inversion, Viceministerio de Turismo 2001).
Due to the vast power of tourism to create jobs and generate revenue for countries, it is becoming
an increasingly popular alternative for developing countries. At the same time tourism cannot be
thought of as a panacea for poor countries, including Bolivia. Tourism growth has positive and
negative impacts that must be carefully considered, planned and monitored.
Bolivia’s tourism market can broadly be delineated into groups: international visitors and
domestic travelers. We will discus the international market first.
Bolivia and the International Market
International visitors come from the following primary markets (based on hotel registrations):
Peru (13%), United States (11.7%), Argentina (11.5%), Brazil (6.4%), Germany (6.2%), Chile
(5.9%), and other (45.3%). The median length of stay is 10 days. The average spent per day by
these visitors in Bolivia is US$50 (Ministerio de Comercio Exterior E Inversion, Viceministerio
de Turismo 2001). These statistics do not differentiate between business or pleasure travelers.
Despite growing numbers of international visitors, Bolivia lags far behind its South American
neighbors in terms of volume and growth. The rate of growth of international travelers between
1993–97 in Bolivia was approximately 6.5%.7 The growth in nearby Brazil and Peru during the
same period was over 20%, and in Ecuador it was approximately 10% (Inter-American
Development Bank, 2001).
These figures support the team’s observations—Bolivian tourism is at a relatively early stage of
development. Possible reasons for this could include the lack of competitive sustainable tourism
products, lack of adequate marketing, higher transportation costs to get to Bolivia from Europe
and the United States relative to the region, images of Bolivia as being remote and having
underdeveloped infrastructure, and, in the case of the United States, the image of security
problems associated with coca production and the related drug industry. Certainly a factor for
today’s “upscale ecotourist market niche” are security and health care access concerns.
5
Tourism Market Trends, WTO 2001.
Tourism Market Trends, WTO 2001.
7
To illustrate: international travelers coming to Bolivia via air have increased from 254 million in 1990 to 284
million in 1995 and 306 million in 2000 (Inter-American Development Bank 2001).
6
6
Bolivia’s place in the international ecotourism scene is even more marginal with international
awareness quite low. This is especially evident when compared to such well-established
ecotourism markets such as Costa Rica, Australia, Brazil and the growing markets in Ecuador
and Peru. Like any emerging industry, sustainable tourism and ecotourism require investment
capital and demand for the products. Lack of capital locally and nationally has limited the growth
of Bolivia’s tourism industry, especially in areas outside of the major gateway and commerce
communities of La Paz, Santa Cruz and Cochabamba. The global demand for ecotourism exists
but has been largely unexplored for Bolivia.
Bolivia and the Domestic Market
In 1999, nearly twice as many domestic travelers (708,192) registered at hotels, as did
international travelers (409,142).8 In 2000, the majority of lodging establishments
(439/691=64%) and beds are concentrated in three principle cities: La Paz (139 establishments)
Santa Cruz (185 establishments) and Cochabamba (115 establishments). It is these three cities
that are most visited by international and domestic visitors (Ministerio de Comercio Exterior E
Inversion, Viceministerio de Turismo 2001). They contain the three international airports in
Bolivia and service the greatest number of travelers.
The result is that La Paz, Santa Cruz and Cochabamba are the primary gateways for tourists
traveling throughout Bolivia. If demand for domestic tourism is to be increased, then the efforts
need to be coordinated through agencies, and public and private entities in these three cities.
Bolivians have a reputation for enjoying a weekend holiday. This existing market is probably the
best place to tap initially for interest in ecotourism.
1.4.2 Government of Bolivia—The Institutional Scene
The Government of Bolivia developed an official strategy and policy document behind
sustainable tourism for 2001–05 (Ministerio de Comercio Exterior e Inversion, Viceministerio de
Tourismo 2000). This document was developed by the Ministerio de Comercio Exterior E
Inversion, Viceministerio de Turismo (hereafter referred to as the Vice Ministry of Tourism)
who is responsible for tourism in Bolivia. Despite the existence of this document, in practice
there was little evidence of a clearly articulated, disseminated or integrated vision for tourism
development.
The Vice Ministry of Tourism’s strategic effort and plan is commendable and has the best of
intentions. It does set in place a national plan, policy and guidelines. However, without this plan
being articulated or made pervasive throughout the Ministry, the result is a de facto lack of
vision. On the other hand, the document reflects the commitment of the Ministry and Vice
Ministry to tourism as a development strategy to increase income levels, employment and GDP
for Bolivia, along with an understanding of how important it is to develop tourism sustainably, at
least at the highest levels. Unfortunately, there is still a widespread perception that ecotourism is
only jungles and trees, and doesn’t have much relevance to Bolivian tourism.
8
This statistic needs to be taken with some caution since smaller rural hotels are known to not keep records as
completely as those in larger cities. Also, this statistic does not account for travelers who stay with extended family
members or friends.
7
Ecotourism is a relatively new concept within the Vice Ministry of Tourism. The Vice Minister
seems to fully grasp the potential benefits and implications of ecotourism. The Servicio Nacional
de Areas Protegidas (SERNAP—National Service for Protected Areas) is actively working to
support ecotourism. SERNAP is responsible for management of the national parks and protected
areas across Bolivia. In addition, the Director of SERNAP is a non-political position, which has
afforded continuity and vision to their strategy and management plans.
There has been a push in recent years to devolve increasing responsibility and funding decisions
to municipal governments. In addition, the government has supported the creation of
mancomunidades, which allow different municipalities and communities to form together as a
legal entity around a strategic purpose or development goal and to receive some federal, bilateral
and multilateral funds towards their goals.9 Municipalities and mancomunidades are in a position
to work with private and non-governmental organizations to coordinate and guide ecotourism
development efforts. The team found that each of the municipal governments and
mancomunidades that they met with were enthusiastic about sustainable tourism, and to varying
degrees, ecotourism as well. There was a widespread appreciation of the ability of ecotourism to
attract high-paying international tourists and Bolivians tourists to a lesser extent.
Interaction between government at all levels and the private sector appears limited. These two
groups are often working towards exactly the same goals, and so there is a great opportunity to
leverage each other’s resources.
An additional area for consideration is that government representatives at all levels, as well as
private sector operators at each region demonstrated a commitment to highlighting the country’s
diverse indigenous culture and peoples as a way to distinguish itself from its nearby competitors.
Many people felt that potential could exist for tourism based on the unique cultural heritage of
their region, and Bolivia overall. The cultural aspects could be tied into ecotourism to create
Ethno-Ecotourism products. Ultimately, for a country with the largest portion of indigenous
peoples in the world, the success of Bolivia’s sustainable tourism depends on the active inclusion
of native communities and the integration of local need and preferences into the planning process
when considering tourism development projects.
1.5
Distribution of Benefits
The distribution of benefits from ecotourism returns will be a critical issue, especially for
community projects. The team was not able to reach any broad conclusions as each project was
so unique in its structure, organization and management. The following are a list of possible
strategies that could be used to promote the distribution of benefits form sustainable tourism,
including ecotourism, across residents of a given area.
•
Provide communities with adequate information and training about ecotourism prior to
asking them to make judgments.
9
One good example of this is the Mancomunidad de Municipios de Sara e Ichilo, which is located in the Amboro
region and is united in a regional plan for economic development.
8
•
Inform the entire community at every stage of tourism development not just leaders or the
power structure and allow adequate time to facilitate local decision-making processes.
•
Determine community objectives and expected benefits through a participatory process that
clearly explains likely benefits (material, social, personal) and do this early in the process.
•
As community benefits are discussed, encourage formal objectives be developed and
included in any plan or agreement that addresses distribution across gender where culturally
appropriate.
•
Promote collaborative efforts or policies that include communities in the benefit structure.
•
Provide information on community models for collecting and distributing benefits equitably
•
Increase the capacity for local institutions to manage collective resources.
•
Encourage the establishment of community owned facilities that support tourism and at the
same time provide a service or opportunity for locals—municipal protected areas;
environmental education center, community owned to tourism business managed by young
adults from the community who learn entrepreneurial and hospitality skills.
•
Educate inbound tour operators on the benefits of working cooperatively with local
communities and provide mechanisms to easily form linkages.
•
Promote the use of locally produced sustainable products.
•
Link local craft development and with tourism—distribution point, using crafts to decorate
hotel rooms.
•
Promote the use and improvement of local modes of transportation where possible.
•
Train and hire local employees (e.g., local guides).
•
Train locals to understand how to set prices for goods and services sold to tourists.
•
Assure that once community members are trained in tourism-related services there in
sufficient tourism traffic to sustain workers.
These ideas were considered in designing potential recommended ecotourism demonstration
projects and in our prioritization.
1.6
Assessment Methodology
A rapid assessment method for each of the four regions of interest was used. All
recommendations are based upon the results of this assessment, background readings and
research, and ongoing discussion and analysis among the seven person consulting team.
The team carried out the following activities:
9
•
Visited the four areas of interest;
•
Conducted group or individual interviews with stakeholders concerning the evolution of
tourism development in their region or an enterprise analysis (see annex B);
•
Met with government officials at all levels associated with tourism planning, development
and oversight;
•
Used available secondary materials related to tourism and the sites studied; and
•
Used its group members previous experience working with ecotourism in similar situations.
Results of the interviews were compiled and team discussions were regularly held to address
conflicting information, and to process and make recommendations concerning the findings
reported herein. Teams of two or three individuals drafted each section of the report, and the
entire document was reviewed and critiqued by each member of the team. In general, decisions
were made by consensus (agreement of at least 5 out of 7 team members).
10
2.
2.1
Chaco/Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park Assessment
Region
Regional Perspective
The “Gran Chaco” of Bolivia represents a physiographic unit, a continuation of the Benian Flat
parts of which lie in southeastern Bolivia, western Paraguay and northeastern Argentina. The
Bolivian portion of this expansive area includes transition forest, dry forest and shrub land
vegetation types (CABI/FII and WCS 2001). Figure 2.1 shows the region and protected area
complex studied.
The Chaco has a dry climate with few rivers and soils that vary from sandy to clay within short
distances. Precipitation can fluctuate from 1,000mm in the mountain range to 300mm at the
western end of the flat. Temperatures range from 48°C in the summer to 1°C in the winter
(CABI/FII and WCS 2001). These conditions lead to a dry season lasting 4–8 months.
Indigenous groups living on community land of origin (TCO) sparsely populate the area.
Twenty-five Izoceño communities with approximately 8,000 inhabitants live near the west side
of the protected area, and are the primary actors in the area. About 230 Ayoreos occupy 11
temporary religious settlements alone the railroad. The size of the settlements is in constant flux
due to their nomadic nature. Some of the clans live inside of the park but all see the park land as
a fundamental part of their cultural identity (CABI, FII, and WCS 2001). A small portion of
Chiquitanos (approximately 200) associate themselves with the protected area.10 In addition, to
the indigenous peoples, Mennonite communities and colonists engaged in agriculture and
ranching are present.
Oil and gas exploration is present in the area. The Bolivia/Brazil 3,100 kilometer gas pipeline
transverses the area (see Figure 2.1) and remains a national priority project. Road and rail
improvement projects between Santa Cruz and Puerto Suarez are scheduled, and would add
increased access to the northern part of the Chaco. Municipalities and communities are beginning
to develop local economic development strategies that include tourism components that link to
the Jesuit Mission World Heritage Site, and the National Park and Natural Area of Integrated
Management (ANMI—Area Naturaleza de Manejo Integrado) (see Figure 2.1 as AMNI’s 1-3).
10
Of the 57,000 Chiquitanos living in eastern Bolivia, two communities (Natividad, San del Norte) of approximately
200 people associate themselves with the Chaco and the protected area.
11
Figure 2.1 Chaco/Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park Region
Kaa-Iya is the largest protected area in Bolivia and was established in September 1995 and
covers some 3.4 million hectares (Winer 2001). The protected area includes a national park and
the ANMI. A series of disparate events influenced the creation of this protected area.11 The result
was that Kaa-Iya was created as one of the first protected areas in the Americas at the instigation
11
Among these are the struggle of the Izoceño people to stop extension of the agriculture frontier to assure their
survival, the increased awareness of the Chiquitanos about the fragility of the natural system in which they lived, the
land use plan that classified the area as an immobilization reserve, and the concern of conservationists to save the
best representation of Chaqueño tropical dry forest. There were also national reasons that led to the creation of the
protected area: SNAP’s urgency to add the Chaqueña Ecoregion to the protected area system; the Bolivia-Brazil
Gasoduct’s EIA documenting the fragility of the resources; and commitments of the governments of Bolivia and
Paraguay to consolidate transborder protected areas (CABI/FII and WCS 2001). After establishment, CABI
(Capitanía del Alto y Bajo Izozog), under an agreement with the Government of Bolivia, was appointed as coadministrator of the protected area. These conditions make Kaa-Iya one of the first protected areas in the Americas
to be created from the initiative of an indigenous group, which was awarded administrative responsibility (Winer
2001).
12
and initiative of an indigenous group, the Capitania del Alto y Bajo Izozog (CABI). To make the
situation further noteworthy, CABI was awarded administrative responsibility.
Adjacent to the Chaco is the Jesuit Mission Circuit, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in
1991. The mission circuit is one of the better known tourist destinations in Bolivia.12 There could
be potential to use the mission circuit as a tie-in to ecotourism or ethnotourism in the Chaco.
2.2
Existing Tourism Patterns—Points of Entry
There is currently very little if any tourism flow to the Chaco region.13 In 2001, the only regular
flows of tourists nearby the Chaco region visit Santa Cruz or the mission circuit. The Santa Cruz
Airport is a gateway for international travelers. With a resident population of over 1 million,
Santa Cruz also is a potential domestic market.
2.3
Socio-Economic Indicators
The Chaco area is mainly located within the jurisdiction of the Charagua and San Jose de
Chiquitos municipalities, with a smaller portion of territory in the Pailon and Robore
municipalities. These are within two provinces (Cordillera and Chiquitos) and all of the
municipalities are located within the Department of Santa Cruz. This Department is the largest in
Bolivia and is home to Santa Cruz, Bolivia’s second largest city. The area is best known for its
natural gas and agricultural industry although it is also rich in biodiversity.
Infrastructure in the city of Santa Cruz is well established due to the business boom that occurred
there in the past twenty years. However, the rest of the Department is relatively undeveloped.
Within the entire department only 34% of homes have potable water and 37% of households
have access to sewage services (septic, latrine, etc.). Malnutrition is a serious problem for
approximately 11% of children under 5 years of age in the rural areas of Department. Basic
socio-economic indicators for the municipalities most associated with the park are shown in
Annex F.
2.4
Ethnic and Gender Opportunities
Opportunities for Izozog women who participate in the governing structure are provided via the
Central Intercomunal de Mujeres de la Capitanía del Isoso (CIMI). This organization is active in
promoting activities for women, especially the development of new products (jevae kui,
algarrobo coffee and chocolate and crafts). No data were collected on other ethnic groups.
12
The circuit is through seven towns—San Javier, Concepcion, San Ignacio de Velasco, Santa Ana, San Miguel,
San Rafael and San Jose de Chiquitos. There are six wood missions, all of which have been restored. Only the stone
mission in San Jose de Chiquitos is yet to be restored (Swaney 2001).
13
The team was unable to document any regular flow of domestic or international tourists, other than researchers, to
the Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park and its ANMI or the TCO Del Isoso.
13
2.5
Biodiversity and Conservation Concerns
The following issues were identified via secondary sources and through the discussions held
during the onsite visit in December 2001. For more in depth discussion see Winer (2001) and
CABI/FII and WCS (2001):
•
Hydrocarbon development
•
Expanding agricultural frontier
•
Illegal timber extraction
•
Unregulated mining
•
Colonization
•
Lack of productive endeavors for humans
•
Illegal hunting
•
Declining cultures that desire to be revitalized.
•
Pasture burning
•
Grazing in eastern and southwestern of the protected area
•
Opening access roads
14
2.6
Economic Reality—Trends, Investments
Most people inhabiting the area live a subsistence lifestyle that includes raising a few goats, pigs,
burros, horses and/or chickens. Individuals or households that engage in extensive cultivation,
animal grazing and raising farm animals (chickens, pigs, horses) have higher incomes and a
somewhat different lifestyle.
2.7
Existing Tourism at the Portal Level
Santa Cruz serves as the international and domestic gateway to eastern Bolivia. As discussed
above, however, tourism, let alone ecotourism, is almost nonexistent in the Chaco. Currently
CABI and WCS are the only linkages to the area, aside from settlements. These organizations
manage the park and conservation programs in the park and ANMI. There are no tourism
outfitters, although these organizations are interested in exploring ecotourism options.
Proposed visitor, heritage or cultural centers in Santa Cruz and/or San Jose de Chiquitos have
potential to be off-site portals to introduce tourists to the protected area and associated cultures.
Projects presently under discussion have information, environmental and cultural education
components that could fulfill this role.
Five sites with ecotourism potential were identified via management planning and the
Assessment of the Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco Project (Winer 2001).14
•
Eje Palmar de la Isla Ravelo
•
Tucavaca
•
Yeyu Laguna Porvenir
•
Yandeyari
•
La Brecha Community and the Cerro Colorado
The team visited the La Brecha Community and the Cerro Colorado Site.
2.7.1 Cerro Colorado Potential Ecotourism Site
This site is located within the TCO adjacent to the park, and is a former ranch. The ecosystem
present there has been affected by the cattle practices of the previous owner. The shell of the
ranch house remains. It lacks windows, doors and the roof and walls are in need of work. The
property is currently being used by WCS and CABI as a research camp. In general the condition
of the structure was poor and would require a great deal of investment if it were to serve as a
facility for tourists.
14
The biophysical characteristics of the sites listed are described in the Plan de Manejo Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco
Parque Nacional y Area Natural de Manejo Integrado (CABI/FII and WCS 2001, p. 108)
15
The natural attractions at this site are opportunities for bird watching, hiking and some mountain
climbing, as well as sporadic sightings of game animals. However, the Chaco is dry forest,
consisting primarily of scrubland, and is not visually appealing, unlike mountain, forest and
jungle areas. Cultural attractions offer perhaps some of the best potential. For the Chaco area, it
is impossible to separate nature from the culture of the Izuceño people. This particular site
happens to be a sacred site, which makes it largely untenable as a tourist site. There is no direct
access to the park, and no desire to create such access.
Finally, access to the site is expensive, lengthy and uncomfortable, even by the most expeditious
manner. Access is by a hired small plane to La Brecha15 and from there one can go by foot or
truck, if available. The trip requires a river crossing and driving dirt roads for about 2 hours only
to arrive at a site that at present has very little to offer a tourist.
While La Brecha offers handicrafts products, and has a small store, there are no facilities or
products developed at Cerro Colorado.
Stakeholders and Key Players Cerro Colorado Site
The following is a list of the principal stakeholders for both the Cerro Colorado site itself and the
great Chaco area that was analyzed.
•
Local Izuceño Leaders: Elected men and women from the different communities.
Responsibility to look out for the interests of their community.
•
CIMI: An Izuceño women’s cooperative concerned about natural products, crafts and
women’s issues. Deal with nutrition, health, reproductive rights, empowerment of women,
education, and development of a stable household income.
•
CABI and CABI Park Administration: Guarani inter-communal government structure that
incorporates the upper and lower Izozog areas. Technical person responsible for the general
management of the protected area. Responsible for the conservation of biodiversity, law
enforcement, protection of cultural sites, and enforcement of international conventions.
•
SERNAP Park Administration: Co-administrators of the protected area. Interested in
minimizing impacts to the protected area, the level of compliance with the management plan,
and insuring that the biodiversity of the Chaco is protected for the long term.
•
WCS: Non-governmental organization concerned about the conservation of wildlife around
the world. Responsible for managing the USAID’s Kaa-Iya project in the Chaco.
•
FII: Foundation that manages resources for the CABI. Some of these resources are related to
the USAID’s Kaa-Iya project. This project would generate income for the Foundation.
•
Wildlife researchers and para-biologists: Concerned about loss of a temporary research
station
15
Any visitors have to contact the pilot directly, and the cost was $640 for up to 4 people.
16
2.8
Strengths and Weaknesses—Chaco/Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park
Strengths
•
At high government levels within the Guarani there is well-developed support for protecting
and conserving patrimony
•
CABI and WCS, the principal actors in the park & protected area, want to consider
ecotourism as one strategy for developing productive, income-generating activities to pursue
at the community level
•
Cultural attractions are tied to the natural attractions in the region
•
CABI & WCS are experienced NGOs (conflict resolution, empowerment, organizing groups
to accomplish tasks) and are actively working in the region directly with park management
•
ArteCampo has a facility in La Brecha
•
A SERNAP/CABI facility exists in La Brecha that has lodging space
•
Some communities want to share and educate people about their culture
•
International interest in indigenous rights and culture among citizens in developed nations
(especially Scandinavia, the Netherlands and US) is growing and it provides a target market
•
Possible connection to Mission Circuit World Heritage Site
•
Access should improve with proposed highway through San Jose de Chiquitos
•
Local products exist that could be sold to tourists on or off-site
•
The Izozog is outside of the actual protected area thus tourist activities would only indirectly
impact the protected area
•
Gender equity is in practice in governance, is demonstrated in product development
activities, and through CIMCI (Central Intercomunal de Mujeres de la Capitania de Isoso)
Weaknesses
•
No flow of tourists on site
•
Difficult access to TOC and protected area
•
Expensive access (private plane) or uncomfortable, time consuming access (poor roads)
•
No well thought out sustainable tourism products with local backing exist at this point in
time
17
•
Ethnotourism opportunities that could be offered would have to compete with those in
Paraguay and others in Bolivia that are perceived to be more attractive
•
Communities themselves are not visually attractive (and you can go to other Guarani
communities that are visually appealing and are in beautiful settings)
•
Unique nature of park is how created and being managed—not clear how to make this a big
attraction
•
Exposure, capacity and tourism experience level of locals is very low
•
Extent and rationale of WCS and CABI’s commitment to ecotourism is unclear
•
Basic infrastructure mostly doesn’t exist
•
A level of incompatibility between idealism of ethnotourism and ecotourism, and the basic,
subsistence lifestyle of many of the residents of the region
2.9
Potential Ecotourism Products and Packages
The ecotourism potential in this region is limited, yet the potential for high quality niche specific
and off-site products exist. Although the team did not visit all the proposed ecotourism sites, we
were able to use secondary information to determine that all of them have problems with potable
water, accessibility and a lack of basic infrastructure. The indigenous people the team
interviewed and interacted with expressed deep concern about encouraging visitation to the
protected area. The only area where there was some interest in having visitors was the corridor of
communities along the Parapeti River, north of La Brecha.
If the communities, CABI and WCS decided to further explore ecotourism development, it
would require a much deeper dialogue to determine how best to proceed. There is potential for
sustainable ecotourism products whereby the Guarani indigenous groups would educate tourists
about their culture and its relationships to the surrounding landscape and the processes of nature.
In conclusion, the team feels that there are two ecotourism products that could be viable in the
Chaco (Table 2.1).
The first is a wildlife viewing trek. Small groups would pay to accompany the para-biologists
working in the park. A minimum investment would be needed, as visitors would provide their
own gear. WCS has already proposed taking advantage of potential wildlife viewers, so initial
buy-in exists. In addition, it capitalizes on ongoing research projects and the presence of parabiologists on site.
The second is to establish a Heritage Visitor Center in nearby city or community. This reflects
the community interests to share who they are, their language, cosmology, history, and their
relationship to the protected area. It further supports related tourism planning efforts in Santa
Cruz and San José de Chiquitos. Either or both locations are positioned to support a Heritage
Visitor Center. A basic admission fee should be charged to pay for the operations and
maintenance of the center and some portion could be returned to the indigenous people to
support programs related to ecotourism.
18
Table 2.1
Potential Near-Term Tourism Products for the Chaco/Kaa-Iya del Gran
Chaco National Park Assessment Region
Tourism
Attributes
Brief
Description
Wildlife Viewing Research Trek
Heritage Visitor Center
Accompanying a local para-biologist in
the field to collect flora and fauna
information. Could be done in
association with research stations/camps.
Small groups up to 3 people. Focus is on
learning from the local and assisting in
the process of biodiversity conservation.
Drive to La Brecha on the way in and
out of the TOC. Walk across the river,
visit craft demonstrations at ArteCampo,
and buy crafts, natural products, park.
Natural and cultural heritage center that includes
environmental interpretation, history of the Izuceños
and the park, Guarani cosmology and culture and
community museum. The general history of the
Chaco can also be briefly depicted. Overall theme
concept is a virtual walk through the park. Will
include a museum store including native crafts,
natural products, books and other information. It
should include an environmental education area with
wet and dry labs for use by local schools and park
research programs. Information and Communication
Technology Center for information, environmental
education programs, tie into global monitoring
programs for children and serve as the community
and municipal government internet center. An entry
fee would be charged. This structure could include a
park management office. Two likely locations for
the Center are Santa Cruz and San José de Chiquitos,
due to their proximity to existing tourist flow.
Twenty-five or less each year.
The market is wildlife biologists,
researchers, graduate students who are in
good physical condition. Their
motivation would be to learn and
contribute to conservation.
Lodging
Stay multi-nights in own tents. Length of
stay depends on research program needs,
but is envisioned to be less than 1 week.
N/A
Food Service
Eat their own food with researchers at
the research camp.
N/A—maybe food, water
Other Service
Provides
Para-biologist as interpreter and guide to
learn about flora and fauna.
Other Basic
Infrastructure
Public latrines
Communication from research station
Physical plant, park office (internet communication
to use park, visitors, community)
Likely
Impacts to
Biodiversity
Little or no new impacts since the
research is already ongoing
Introduce new culture
Communitybased
Benefits
Buying of crafts and natural food
products
Promote culture
Promote sustainable use
Fee, income, jobs
Communitybased Impacts
Mostly positive
Mostly positive
Internet training
Potential
Partners
CABI, WCS, ArteCampo, Hombre y
Naturaleza
CABI, WCS, ArteCampo, ASUR (South Andean
Anthropologists/Sucre), UNESCO (Community
Museum Program), American Railroad Company &
road reconstruction (IDB Project), Municipality of
San Jose de Chiquitos, Hombre y Naturaleza
19
Tourism
Attributes
Wildlife Viewing Research Trek
Heritage Visitor Center
Potential
Markets
International
WCS members
Conservationists
Domestic, International
Jesuit Mission Heritage Site Users
Brazilian Pantanal Users
Nearby communities and schools
Market
Distribution
Approaches
WCS connections
CABI Web site
Jesuits, RAMSAR, UNESCO, ARTECAMPO
Training
Needs
Guiding, Environmental Interpretation,
Sanitation, Basic Operations
Management, Emergency Services
Hospitality Training, Environmental Interpretation,
Sanitation, Basic Operations Management,
Emergency Services
Funding
Potential
CIDA Canada, The Dutch Government,
Fondo Indigena, Danish Cooperation
International Development Bank, American Railroad
Company, Municipalities
2.10
Conclusions
While potential products and opportunities exist, time and effort would be needed to develop
appropriate ecotourism products, generate demand through marketing, and increase existing
human resource capacity in the area of business and hospitality management. Additionally, the
Team was concerned that the indigenous groups in the area have not had a full discussion of the
benefits and impacts associated with ecotourism.
Because of this the IRG Team felt that the most useful investment at this point in time was not in
product development per se, but rather in promoting a dialogue about sustainable tourism and its
benefits and impacts. This is critical since it is likely that ecotourism will be considered as an
alternative approach to development in this assessment area. Such a dialogue would position the
local groups to be involved in the decision process from a position of understanding ecotourism
rather than simply having to react to it.
2.10.1 Constraints to Ecotourism in the Chaco/Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park
Region
•
Although ecotourism attractions and opportunities for bird watching, wildlife viewing,
trekking, and exploring remote areas exist, the indigenous groups of the area are not at
present in agreement on opening up these opportunities for ecotourists.
•
The transportation to and within the Chaco area is inadequate to develop the ecotourism
potential that exists.
•
Basic services (electricity, potable water, communications, and human and solid waste
disposal) are limited for the entire area.
•
Available healthcare is limited and inadequate for tourists.
•
Human capacity in the area of ecotourism outside of Santa Cruz and Jesuit Circuit
communities is nonexistent.
20
2.10.2 Potential for Ecotourism in the Chaco/Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park Region
•
Some indigenous groups expressed an interest in sharing their culture (language, cosmology,
natural medicines, and political reality) with outsiders and this cultural opportunity could be
linked to nature-based activities.
•
Ecotourism attractions and opportunities for bird watching, wildlife viewing, trekking, and
exploring remote areas exist although the best locations for these relative to potential cultural
impacts are unknown at this time.
•
Some indigenous groups within the area, especially the women, are already engaged in
making handicrafts that could complement ecotourism, and indigenous cooperatives are
involved in developing natural products that ecotourists are likely to find appealing.
•
Efforts are ongoing to locate SERNAP facilities in Santa Cruz (Information/ Visitor Center)
and San Jose de Chiquitos (Guard Station), which could support and inform tourism to the
Chaco.
•
Communities north of the park along the soon to be completed highways (2003–05) are
presently engaged in development planning that includes sustainable tourism as a potential
activity.
2.10.3 Cerro Colorado Site
The Cerro Colorado Site is not a viable location for ecotourism due to the areas zoning for
research and due to nearby important cultural sites.
2.11
Recommendations
CABI needs to engage the municipalities and communities in and around the park to assess and
plan whether or not ecotourism is a desired part of the park and region’s future. The potential
exists and in the mid term (3–5 year horizon) investments could be made to encourage or
discourage sustainable tourism (cultural or nature-based) as a development strategy. Certainly, a
sustainable tourism strategy that includes ecotourism could complement other forms of economic
development.
Because CABI is presently considering alternative approaches to economic development we
would encourage them to take the lead on promoting a dialogue about what ecotourism is at the
community/settlement level (Guarani, Ayoreo, Chiquitanos near, adjacent to, or within the park).
This dialogue needs to openly address cultural impacts, impacts on sacred sites, and impacts to
the fragile ecosystems and biodiversity of the protected area.
WCS should consider sponsoring, potentially with USAID assistance, a study tour for key
community leaders and residents. Travel by these individuals to other sites in Bolivia and the
region where ecotourism is occurring within an indigenous settlement and near a protected area,
would provide a better understanding of what’s realistic and viable, especially in terms of
investment levels and capacity needs.
21
CABI, WCS, and SERNAP should facilitate a dialogue between municipalities near the park,
local indigenous populations, and tourism providers in the greater region to explore the interest
and viability of developing a heritage visitor center in Santa Cruz, San Jose de Chiquitos and/or
some other location.
If CABI and WCS desire to immediately experiment with an ecotourism product, we suggest a
wildlife viewing research trek where impacts can be easily monitored to determine the level of
acceptance by resident para-biologists and local community residents. Such ecotourism product
testing would be low cost and would provide an opportunity to test the ecotourism marketplace,
cultural acceptance, and the ability to deliver an on-site ecotourism product.
2.11.1 Potential Pilot Project
As part of the governments effort to decentralize and empower local units of government and
indigenous groups of the Chaco Region, a pilot project is proposed to educate and promote open
dialogue concerning the likely impacts from protected area-based and off-site ecotourism
development. Impacts to culture, social structures, sacred sites, the existing economic situation,
and the fragile ecosystems of the park and surrounding environments would be addressed. The
target audience should include: (1) settlement/community level indigenous leaders within the
greater area, (2) civic leaders and local government officials in the potential tourism gateway and
portal municipalities (Santa Cruz, San Jose de Chiquitos) and communities (Camiri, Natividad)
We believe this proposal will do the following:
•
Facilitate empowerment of indigenous groups
•
Address key concerns of local leaders
•
Promote strategic thinking about ecotourism instead of incremental decisions on
development projects
•
Provide the opportunity for the local governments to practice democratization
•
Ensure that impacts to biodiversity conservation are given serious consideration along with
potential impacts to the cultures
•
Capitalize on USAID ongoing Democratic Initiatives Program and all it has created
•
Promote environmental education for residents and guests
This environmental education program needs to be designed and implemented to directly address
the issue of sustainable ecotourism in and around protected areas where indigenous cultures
dominate. Travel by some local leaders and residents to other sites in Bolivia and surrounding
countries where ecotourism is already occurring within a similar situation (within an indigenous
settlement and nearby a protected area) should be a part of such an educational program. The
program should also bring together a diverse group of storytellers—indigenous leader, tourism
operators, non-indigenous, women—from an already ecotourism impacted or ecotourism
22
changed indigenous area to the Chaco to create the opportunity for a realistic appraisal of the
tradeoffs associated with this economic alternative. Outputs of this project would be a local
capacity to make a judgment about whether or not to pursue ecotourism. The approximated cost
of this project is $175,000–250,000 and we believe there is a potential to obtain partial funding
from private foundations.
23
3.
3.1
Amboro National Park Assessment Region
Amboro National Park (est. 1984) is located in the Department of Santa Cruz and is a large
predominately natural area in the eastern Andes. It consists of 637,600 hectares, of which
442,500 are designated as national park and 195,100 as an integrated management area (ANMI)
of the park. The ANMI serves as a buffer zone to the park. Settlement and limited land use by
residents is permitted. The National Park Service (SERNAP) manages both zones (Figure 3.1).
The struggle over the exact park boundary continues, as does the issue of defining the exact
authority and management responsibility of the National Park Service in the ANMI. These
situations are likely to intensify, especially as another 30,000 coca-growers in the nearby
Chapare could lose their livelihood and look for places to engage in agriculture. Efforts to
manage and direct colonization of the ANMI are important to retaining the areas potential for
ecotourism.
Figure 3.1 Map of Amboro and Carrasco National Parks.
24
Amboro is located at the confluence of four geographic regions: the Southern rim of the Amazon
Basin (tropical rainforest), the Western edge of the Brazilian Shield (sub tropical deciduous
forest), the northern limit of the Chaco (temperate woodlands) and the very diverse subtropical
and temperate forests of the Andes. The area of the park is characterized by high indices of
biodiversity including over 830 bird species. The altitude ranges from 300m to 4,700m above sea
level. Rainfall varies between 1,400–5,000mm according to zone. The park is very important for
the water supply of surrounding human settlements, irrigation and hydro electricity (TNC 2001).
To the south of the protected area in the ANMI is El Fuerte, a pre-Columbian ruin and UNESCO
World Cultural Heritage Site.
Nine municipalities border the park and the ANMI is home to approximately 3,759 families in 97
settlements (SERNAP 2001a). Subsistence agriculture is the main activity adjacent to the park
and within the ANMI.
Three municipal associations coordinate and provide technical expertise for local government
initiatives in the area around the park—Sara Ichilo along the Northern Border, Los Barres in the
South and el Eje in the East. The park uses a management committee that includes local
representatives from communities, representatives from the provinces, someone from the Santa
Cruz Prefecture, a representative from SERNAP, a representative from the Amboro National
Park and several other key actors.
3.2
The Amboro area is accessed primarily through the gateway city of Santa Cruz with a population
over one million. Santa Cruz also has Bolivia’s second busiest international airport. Both sides of
the park are within a 2–3 hour drive of Santa Cruz. The roads are mostly paved and travel is
relatively easy. The park is essentially split into north and south by virtue of the highway access.
There is no road through the park connecting the north and the south sides directly. The two
principal portal communities are Samaipata (alt. 1,600m) and Buena Vista (alt. 400m).16 The
park can also be accessed through the towns of Yapacani, San Carlos, Bermejo/Los Volcanes, El
Torno, Comarapa, Pampa Grande, Porongo and Mairana.
Tourism demand exists for visits to the national park from Santa Cruz and Bolivian tour
operators in Santa Cruz and La Paz offer itineraries that include stops on the north and south
sides of the park for both domestic and international visitors. In 2000, the Amboro National Park
received 5,000 registered visitors (60% foreigners) and an estimated 5,000 unregistered visitors.
Local tour operators also access the park from the portal towns of Buena Vista and Samaipata. It
remains the case, however, that tourism is still small-scale. The Buena Vista operator estimated
that he had 700–800 customers a year.
There are no formal controls or limits to access into the park—park guard station, permits, gates.
Access is limited by the absence of roads. This is a deliberate strategy to make colonization
difficult and to try and limit impact to the ANMI.
16
Portal communities: towns near the park that have tourism services and serve as take-off points for tourists
entering the park.
25
Protected area-based ecotourism sites are principally located near to existing SERNAP guard
stations, which have, and still do to a degree, serve as free lodging for overnight visitors.
SERNAP has, however, actively encouraged nearby communities/settlements to provide services
for visitors. In return, several guard stations have limited or eliminated over night stays in order
to promote ecotourism in the nearby communities or at sites operated by members of nearby
communities. The National Park Service has facilitated this compatible development alternative
as one of its management strategies to reduce threats to the park’s integrity.
As park manager, SERNAP plays an active role in tourism for Amboro. There is a full-time
tourism coordinator, based in Santa Cruz, which reflects their level of interest and involvement.
While SERNAP has stated that they do not want to be and ecotourism provider, they know that
they have to coordinate and manage tourism in the park. Currently SERNAP guard stations
usually provide limited free overnight lodging in the ANMI. This practice is being scaled back to
promote ecotourism operators in nearby communities or community-run ecotourism projects.
The management and strategic plan for SERNAP in Amboro highlights ecotourism as a
compatible development alternative that promotes and protects conservation efforts and
generates community support for protection of the park. This kind of continual collaboration and
involvement with SERNAP is critical to ecotourism development in Amboro.
Communities presently involved include La Yunga, Mataracu, La Chonta and Villa Amboro.
3.3
The rural area and communities surrounding Amboro are relatively undeveloped with very basic
infrastructure. The main sources of income in both north and south Amboro are agriculture and
ranching (small to medium-sized ranches). Tourism was seen as third for the portal towns of
Buena Vista and Samaipata.
3.4
Communities in the ANMI are primarily Quechua migrants from the high Andean region and
have in large part, lost traditional cultural expressions. Inhabitants of portal towns are largely
mestizo and some foreigners, particularly south of the park. Tourism jobs at the community level
are largely male dominated except for food service. However, some women hold positions in the
municipal and private tourism sectors in portal towns, especially in hotel and restaurant
ownership.
3.5
Significant threats to biodiversity in the park originate from colonization and unsustainable—and
at times illegal—land use by the community in the ANMI. These occur through slash and burn
farming, hunting, fishing, cattle, indiscriminate logging, new settlements, mining and gas
exploration, and sand and stone quarrying from the river (SERNAP 2001a, 2001b). Uncontrolled
visitation to several sites also is known to result in illegal and unsustainable collection of tree
ferns. Overuse of some trails is another source of impact. Finally, unregulated private sector
tourism development at Mataracu on the park border has resulted in the introduction of alien
species and some deforestation, and is likely to result in additional visitation to park.
26
The absence of clear land use regulations in the ANMI, and the continued migration by Quechua
Indian farmers from the highlands and displaced farmers are major threats to biodiversity and the
park concept itself. Due to the lack of adequate impact monitoring the level and rate of these
changes are indefinite.
3.6
Amboro, as with all other regions assessed, struggles with benefit-sharing, revenue-sharing,
taxes, and user fees on all issues that need to be resolved for successful tourism and ecotourism.
Tourism is growing in and around the Amboro National Park. In Buena Vista $6 million has
been invested ($4 million in hotels and $2 million in cabins). Hotel capacity has increased
enormously, but occupancy only averages 25–30% (25% in Samaipata) and strategies to increase
demand are needed. The municipality estimates its on-site return from sustainable tourism per
year is approximately $750,000 and its off-site return per year is $150,000.
Tourism to both portal towns has been primarily recreational in character; however, the growing
trend is for tourists to be attracted to a package of sustainable tourism products that includes
ecotourism and cultural tourism. In Samaipata, second homes for residents of Santa Cruz
continue to increase, and el Fuerte draws Bolivian tourists from Santa Cruz for weekend miniholidays.
Preliminary discussions have taken place between tour operators and the protected area
management staff. There is general acceptance for user fees (Sistema de Cobro—SISCO), which
are likely to be introduced within the year. This is a component of SERNAP’s program which is
receiving technical support from the Nature Conservancy. Numerous stakeholders
(municipalities, private sector operators, etc.) in the region desire to gain access to these fees and
SERNAP has yet to decide how the fees will be used and/or allocated. Some colonists living in
the ANMI feel they should be able to charge visitors a fee for crossing their land. This could
have negative impacts on ecotourism and is likely to become more of an issue if SERNAP
charges a user fee and some of it is not returned to communities surrounding the park.
Many tourism operators reported that they do not collect the required government value added
tax due to difficulties in the accounting procedures that result in them being unable to get their
refund through the retail taxing process. Certainly, if local governments are not getting an influx
of tax money from sustainable tourism operations then it becomes difficult for them to get
excited about investing public money in the supply-side of tourism or tourism marketing.
Almost all of the existing tour service providers are small-scale, with 2–3 employees, often
family members, and maybe 5–10 guides that they may use at any time. None of the operators
interviewed had developed business plans or done any concrete long-term strategic thinking. All
had gotten started by investing their own money, and all growth was financed through reinvestment of profits. This highlights the overall lack of private investment capital in the area for
developing new sustainable tourism, including ecotourism products and services. Many private
providers commented on the general lack of any kind of tourism planning or coordination for the
community, municipality or region. This further translates into no coordinated marketing
program for demand creation.
27
Employees in the tourism sector often lack basic hospitality and business training. Although a
labor pool exists in the towns around the park most of the work force is unskilled in tourism.
Wages in the various sectors of the tourism industry vary. In general, head cooks earn US$150
per month, assistant cooks US$50 per month, half-time waiters about US$50 per month,
gardeners and groundskeepers US$75–$100 per month, and maintenance workers US$80 per
month. Guides earn US$10–20 a day.
Most of the guided tours are place oriented, and do not use environmental interpretation to
enhance the visitors’ experience. The two exceptions on our trip were the guided walk at La
Chonta and the guided walk at El Fuerte, where the service was excellent and the guides were
well trained in environmental interpretation and tour group management. In the ANMI, conflicts
exist between local guides and guides brought along by tour operators. Based on data collected in
Buena Vista and north Amboro, average annual guiding income could range between US$850–
2,500 per year per guide.17 Trained local trail guides charged from US$10–20 for a 1–2 hour,
guided walk for a group of up to five tourists and on average received a tip of US$3–5.
Monthly wages from guiding ranged from approximately US$100–250 a month. In many cases
these local guides use a rotation system to allocate jobs (groups of customers) among their group
or association to distribute benefits. There was a desire by local guides, especially those in the
ANMI who have invested in training, to obtain sole rights to customers in their area. In other
words, non-local guides should not be allowed to lead walks. The local guides felt this job
security would further stimulate them to engage in conservation by reducing their dependence on
farming, which most often is slash and burn agriculture.
3.7
There is a major portal town for both the southern (Samaipata) and northern (Buena Vista) parts
of Amboro National Park.18 Samaipata received approximately 13,000 visitors in 2000 (40% are
estimated to be foreigners). Buena Vista received approximately 4,000 visitors in 2000 (50% are
estimated to be foreigners).
Samaipata
Tourism in the region developed in the 1980s and improved throughout the 1990s. Investments
in road improvements and El Fuerte, a local UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, were the
stimulus.
Visitor levels are currently around 13,000 per year. In addition, Samaipata is in a transition zone
with a moderate climate and a beautiful location, making it an attractive escape from the Santa
Cruz climate.
17
Figures based on estimates by tour operators in Buena Vista and local guides and La Yunga on guiding pay rates
estimated customer flow, length of high and low tourist seasons, and number of guides sharing duties at various
sites. See Annex G: Amboro Region Detailed Information.
18
Portal town: a community having tourism services that is near the intended or existing attraction and serves as
takeoff point for ecotourists
28
Samaipata offers basic tourist services, but lacks potable water, and adequate sewage and solid
waste management. There are a range of hotels and over 500 beds. In addition, many Santa Cruz
residents own weekend homes there, which are occasionally rented out.
Samaipata has potential to develop into a pleasant tourism destination. As mentioned above, the
area has significant natural attractions, with the climate, beautiful landscape, and proximity to
Amboro National Park, and the La Yunga fern forest trail. El Fuerte is a large tourist draw and
received 13,000 visitors in 2000. The town itself is also pleasant, although somewhat basic by
international standards. However, there is an archaeological museum, handicraft shops,
restaurants, cafe and ecotourism outfitters, all of which form a solid foundation for further
development of tourism and ecotourism.
View of Amboro National Park in the Samaipata area.
There are some marketing materials for the area. Most of it is on display at providers’ location.
The Camara Hotelera19 has a flier, and the ecotourism operator has brochures. The problem is,
that unless you were there, and knew where to go, finding the information was difficult. There
was no distribution of materials to Santa Cruz, and little cross-marketing among hotels,
restaurants and businesses. Demand generation of this sort is a significant issue if ecotourism is
to be truly viable and have an impact.
Buena Vista
Buena Vista is the major portal to the north side of Amboro. It is located 100km northeast of
Santa Cruz, and is another weekend destination from Santa Cruz.20 The municipal government
19
20
Chamber of Hotels
The drive is roughly 3 hours from Santa Cruz to Buena Vista
29
Mancomunidad Sara Ichilo, and the Sara Ichilo Foundation have a vision for their role in
promoting tourism development in collaboration with the private sector. A promotional video
has been developed and the alcalde works closely with the Camara Hotelera and the
Mancomunidad. This level of cooperation and the understanding of its importance will be
important as Buena Vista works to better develop ecotourism in the area.
There is established tourism infrastructure in Buena Vista. There are approximately 725 beds
from hostels to hotels, resorts and condominiums that range from no stars to 4 and 5 star
designations (Pineiro 2000).21 There is a range of attractions from the natural beauty of the
national park, the Curichi Cuajo Municipal Reserve, many rivers and related activities in the
area, a coffee plantation and processing plant, handicrafts, and community-run ecotourism
sites.22
An advantage that ecotourism has in Buena Vista is that there are already ecotourism operators,
local business owners and government officials who know what ecotourism means and
understand its importance. There are community-owned as well as private sector ecotourism
products. While it is not actually an ecotourism enterprise, the largest tourism complex is the
Amboro Eco-Resort, which draws Bolivian and foreign tourists as well as the conference market.
In addition, SERNAP has an office in Buena Vista and Peace Corps has an ecotourism volunteer
stationed there. Access from Santa Cruz is very easy along the new paved highway that links
Santa Cruz, through the Chapare, to Cochabamba. However, access to communities off the road
is almost exclusively via poor dirt roads and/or river crossings that often flood.
3.7.3 Featured Ecotourism Products and Communities Associated with Amboro National
Park
Southern Amboro
1. Refugio Los Volcanes
Privately owned ecotourism lodge with 6 double bedrooms and communal dining room
overlooking river offers hiking, bird watching, a completely isolated location, unpolluted
views of the night sky, and a spectacular riverside location, surrounded by red rock cliffs and
cloud forest on the park’s southeastern border at its closest point to Santa Cruz (less than 2
hours in 4-wheel drive vehicle). Lodge is not operating at a high occupancy level, but could
likely increase visitor flow with improved marketing. Road access also is difficult and during
the team visit service was basic. It is exclusively marketed by Neblina Forest, a Santa Cruz–
based inbound operator specializing in bird watching tours.
21
22
The 4 and 5 star designations are subjective, and do not reflect international standards of quality at those levels.
There are nature trails managed by local communities at Mataracu, Saguayo, Macunucu, and La Chonta
30
Los Volcanes Ecolodge.
2. La Yunga
Community-run ecotourism project providing guided walks in the frequently visited Tree
Fern Forest Trail (1,880m), including a panoramic viewpoint.23 It is easily accessed from
Samaipata (30km) and supports half- and full-day hikes, and camping trips up to three nights.
March is the best time for wildlife viewing. Currently receives approximately 60 visitors per
month. There are two locally owned and operated restaurants and a park guard station in the
village at the base of the trail access road. The guide service is community-run and was
established with the support of FAN and SERNAP. There is an unplanned campsite on the
park border established by Samaipata-based tour operators that competes with the
community operations.
3. Comarapa and Tambo
The communities are located just over 100 km west of Samaipata. Comarapa and Tambo are
characterized by forest patches and dry thorn scrub forest. They are the best place in Bolivia
to see the endemic Red-fronted Macaw (Neblina Forest 2000).
4. Siberia
The cloud forests of the Serrania de Siberia represent the southernmost limit of humidtemperate cloud forests in South America and provide habitat for several rare and endemic
bird species, including the Rufous-faced Antpitta, Black-hooded Sunbeam, and Grey-bellied
Flowerpiercer. (Neblina Forest 2000)
23
The trail is located within the ANMI. The community abuts the ANMI, and the viewpoint looks across the ANMI
into the park.
31
5. El Fuerte UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site
This archaeological site in Samaipata presently attracts approximately 13,000 visitors per
year, approximately 60% domestic and 40% international. Many people visit on day trips
from Santa Cruz or on route to other destinations. Its archaeological interpretation program
includes how inhabitants used the site and how they were linked to the land, plants and
animals. The site offers panoramic views of Amboro National Park. The entrance fee is 20
Bs for foreign travelers and 10 Bs is charged to Bolivians. Well-trained local guides were onsite to be hired for 30 Bs for approximately 2 hours. Four tour operator companies offer
guided trips to the site. El Fuerte is a popular attraction that could be packaged with
ecotourism products in the area to create a multi-purpose destination. The site is presently
being upgraded with viewing platforms and walkways to reduce impact. New entrance
facilities under construction will include improved restrooms, office space, and tourist
facilities.
Northern Amboro
1. Mataracu
Community ecotourism project located 39 km from Buena Vista near the Mataracu park
guard camp. Access is difficult because of poor road conditions and the need to cross the
Yapacani river access. Area attractions include unmarked nature trails to cascading natural
pools, a waterfall, and dinosaur fossils encrusted in river rock. The community project is
designed to provide rustic lodging, kitchen facilities, and latrine. It has been under
construction for the past two years and remains unfinished. A nearby private tent/cabin camp
is now being built in the same area and plans to open in January 2002. Lack of coordination
has resulted in conflicts between the two projects, one community-based and one privatebased. At this point even the community is divided on what to do.
2. Villa Amboro
Community ecotourism project located 38 km from Buena Vista near the Macuñucu park
guard camp. Forty-three of the 45 families living in Santa Rosa de Amboro co-manage and
benefit from the community camp facility which includes a dining area, shelters, restrooms,
showers, and related nature trails. The area has abundant flora and fauna and beautiful
waterfalls along the Macuñucu river trails, one of which is 40 meters high. The river trail
offers panoramic views of hills cut by streams, deep pools and wide beaches. From this area
you can reach the crest of Mt. Amboro.
3. La Chonta
Community ecotourism project located 35 km south of Buena Vista offering camping, nature
trails, and basic services for visitors. Access is difficult beyond the Surutu River due to the
poorly maintained road. The three year-old micro enterprise project is a community initiative
managed by four of La Chonta’s thirteen families. The project has received support from
CARE (US$6,000) to complete a community-owned ecolodge by providing water, trail
design, and trail construction. The facilities will provide basic accommodations, bathrooms
and food service. The project’s excellent trail resulted in local guiding and interpretation
services opportunities and 1,200 day and overnight visitors into the Amboro National Park
this past year. Attractions include a diversity of flora and fauna, natural springs, pools, and a
lookout. You can reach the Saguayo camp by walking along the La Chonta River.
32
3. Curichi Cuajo
The Curichi Cuajo Municipal Wetland Reserve is a municipal area situated 1km from Buena
Vista on the road between Buena Vista and the Surutu River. The area, which serves as the
community water source, has been used for years as a bird watching site and was declared a
municipal protected area by the Buena Vista government in 2000. The Reserve contains
transitional forest (humid tropical/sub-tropical), a wetland area (curichi) with year-round
water, and pastureland. It offers the opportunity to see monkeys, birds, mammals, and local
flora. The management objectives of the reserve are to conserve biodiversity, to protect the
local water source, to support local income generation through ecotourism, and to offer
programs in environmental education and interpretation. To accomplish these goals the area
needs to be made more accessible to the general public.
Stakeholders and Key Players for the Amboro National Park Assessment Region
SERNAP. The National Park Service plays an active role in the management and protection of
Amboro and the ANMI. This mandate includes conservation, social justice, ecological
sustainability and economic viability. They feel that their primary role is the park’s protection
and then promoting compatible economic development projects including ecotourism. SERNAP
recognizes the need to establish viable, self-sustaining ecotourism enterprises in communities
around the park, and that work be done with communities, NGOs (15 NGOs currently work in
the Park) and private sector entities, especially tour operators. SERNAP’s annual budget is
$180,000, and it employs 25 park guards (USAID Assessment Team 2001).
Communities. The adjoining and nearby communities are the gateway for park visitors. Residents
are often a significant threat to the park through illegal land use (hunting, trapping, harvesting).
Communities have the potential to gain tax revenues if they are collected and reported by
tourism operators and transferred by the municipality to them, in addition to benefit sharing
through direct involvement, with ecotourism operators.
Tour Operators. Stake in the park stems from their value as a resource and attraction for their
client operators can be very valuable to help promote, market, use and properly educate visitors
about Amboro. Unethical operations can also cause significant damage through over-use or high
impact tourism.
Municipalities. Major engines of local regional development. Buena Vista declared themselves a
Tourism Municipality in 1996. They host tourists who are potential park visitors and provide a
potential market for environmental education opportunities about parks and nature conservation.
Residents are sometimes engaged in activities that negatively impact the park (hunting, trapping,
harvesting). Municipalities can generate tax revenues if they are collected and reported by
tourism operators.
Private sector businesses. Local lodging providers, retail businesses, food and beverage
establishments, etc., will benefit from increased tourist flow to the area, which increases overall
demand for services.
NGOs. Fifteen NGOs currently work in the park some of which are helping to establish and
promote ecotourism enterprises.
33
FAN. Provides technical assistance to La Yunga community on ecotourism development. Works
with Fundacion de Turismo y Desarrollo Sara Ichilo to promote an alliance of nine
municipalities to keep oil and natural gas exploration outside of the protected area.
PROBIOMA. Promotes community development through technical assistance and marketing
support for Villa Amboro.
Ecological Association of the West (ASEO). Environmental health in urban and rural areas.
Peace Corps. US government volunteer grass-roots development organization supporting
communities and municipal governments in the areas of ecotourism, micro enterprises, craft
development, environmental education, interpretive guide training, and basic sanitation and
water projects. Ecotourism volunteer places in Buena Vista and another assisting with
conservation efforts in the region.
3.8
Strengths and Weaknesses—Amboro National Park
North Amboro National Park
Strengths
• Quick and easy highway access from Santa Cruz (domestic and international tourist hub)
•
Strong municipal support for ecotourism and conservations efforts
•
Municipal interest in collaboration across sectors
•
Interest in forming an association of municipalities surrounding the park
•
Tourism has strong community support
•
Communities identify themselves as portal areas linked to the park
•
Sara Ichilo Mancomunidad was created to promote and develop tourism
•
Active Sara Ichilo Foundation interested in tourism
•
Active local private sector that is investing, and additional investment potential from private
sector in Santa Cruz
•
NGO involvement in ecotourism development (PROBIOMA)
•
Tourism is already associated with the park and SERNAP
•
Stakeholders view tourism from a regional perspective
•
Some capacity building activities and resources already in place—guide training, food
preparation, scientists living in the area
34
•
Local artisans produce top-quality handicrafts
•
The Buena Vista portal offers a distinctly different experience from that of the Samaipata
portal
•
Limited security issues
Weaknesses
• SERNAP lacks clarity on ANMI occupants’ rights (land tenure and use) and management
responsibilities, including lack of an ecotourism strategy in which all stakeholders have
ownership
•
Lack of planning and technical capacity
•
Continued colonization by farmers threatens the ANMI
•
Lack of cooperation between the sectors
•
Tension between community and privately operated ecotourism projects
•
NGO involvement in ecotourism development restricts participation by private enterprise
(PROBIOMA)
•
Lack of education about environmentally sound tourism practices
•
Existing tourism operators do not contribute tax revenues, thus local government does not see
tax revenue from tourism
•
Access to ecotourism products is poor—river crossings, signage, and road maintenance
•
Lack of basic infrastructure and services (for locals and guests) at portal communities and
sites
•
Little marketing in place for ecotourism products, and it is focused on relatively narrow
markets of backpackers and bird watchers
•
Lack of interpretative centers to describe the areas rich environmental and cultural heritage
•
Lack of a trained tourism workforce (basic hospitality and business training)
•
Investors are expecting handouts
•
The two sides of park (north and south) are currently competing and not cooperating
•
Santa Cruz is not known internationally as a gateway for ecotourism
•
Lack of funding to develop or redevelop community ecotourism projects
35
South Amboro National Park
Strengths
• Easy access from Santa Cruz (3–4 hours), a hub for international and domestic market
•
Community-based ecotourism is already linked to the park and SERNAP
•
Private sector sees park as an asset and tourist draw
•
Stakeholders view tourism from a regional perspective
•
Nearby World Cultural Heritage archeological site (El Fuerte) that is presently being
upgraded in terms of facilities and services
•
SERNAP plans to create interpretive center as part of the Samaipata Guard Station
•
Existence of complementary tourism products accessible by road and close to Samaipata, as
well as nearby sites with ecotourism potential—La Pajcha Falls, Lajas Canyon, Eagle and
Condor Trails, Devil’s Tooth Mountain
•
Diversity of ecological offerings that could support ecotourism
•
Existing hospitality infrastructure in Samaipata
•
Knowledgeable local tour operator with strong interest in the park and ecotourism
•
SERNAP has tourism officer for Amboro who works closely with communities
•
NGO involvement in ecotourism development (e.g., FAN)
•
Investment potential from private sector in Santa Cruz
•
Samaipata area provides a distinct experience relative to Buena Vista portal
•
Limited security issues
Weaknesses
• General lack of understanding of ecotourism within local government and general public
•
Lack of education about environmentally sound tourism practices
•
SERNAP lacks clarity on ANMI occupants’ rights (land tenure and use) and management
responsibilities, including lack of an ecotourism strategy in which all stakeholders have
ownership
•
Lack of planning and technical capacity overall in tourism development applies across all
sectors
36
•
Lack of cooperation between the sectors
•
Lack of basic infrastructure and services (for locals and guests)
•
Little marketing in place for ecotourism products, and it is focused on the relatively narrow
markets of backpackers and bird watchers
•
Lack of a trained tourism workforce (basic hospitality and business training)
•
Santa Cruz is not known internationally as a gateway to ecotourism
•
The two sides of park (north and south) are currently competing and not cooperating
3.9
The IRG team identified two ecotourism product development ideas (Table 3.1) that appear most
viable for immediate development in northern Amboro. The team acknowledges that our visit
only allowed for brief exposure to the area, and other sites may exist that are equally as viable.
Table 3.1
Highest Potential Ecotourism Products—Northern Amboro
Curichi Municipal Reserve Project
completion, development and
promotion
Self-guided, multi-day camping, guided
interpretative trail circuit
Brief
Description
Reserve has been created but needs
interpretative signage, programming,
environmental education materials, and
active management that enhances public
access for locals and tourists
Link Villa Amboro (Macunucu), Carbones (La
Chonta), and Isama (No facilities at present)
together into a circuit. A rough trail exists but
would need improvement (La Chonta-canyonsIsama-hike Cerro Amboro-Macunucu). The
community of Isama has expressed interest in
providing tourism services and has approached the
Alcaldia of Buena Vista for assistance. In doing this
it would be necessary to make sure each product
offered was unique and different.
Lodging
Capitalize on existing lodging in Buena
Vista
Improve lodging on site in Macunucu and La
Chonta, and develop it in Isama.
Food Service
Utilize existing food service
infrastructure in Buena Vista
Needs to be refined or developed and there is
interest and at least some trained people in La
Chonta. Could encourage ecotourists to use kitchen
facilities themselves on site.
Other
Services in
Place
Can capitalize on existing tourism
product and support services in Buena
Vista
Local products and handicrafts, locally grown food
could be sold to tourists
Other Basic
Infrastructure
Trash receptacles
Signage, improved or new trail
Likely
Impacts on
Biodiversity
Maintain a stopping place for a range of
bird species as they move through the
area
Initial impacts to area disturbed by trail and
campsite development. Minimal amount of
additional fragmentation of landscape patterns.
Tourism
Attributes
37
Tourism
Attributes
Curichi Municipal Reserve Project
completion, development and
promotion
Self-guided, multi-day camping, guided
interpretative trail circuit
Communitybased
Benefits
A fee or donation could be collected and
used to partially offset operation costs.
Could serve as a community
environmental education center. Could
serve as a regional guide training center
to develop local guides and naturalists to
work in the greater Amboro area
Circuit travelers might be willing to stay in area
longer and thus spread benefits to portal
communities.
Communities involved would have to improve upon
existing products to capitalize on investments
already made.
Could be done in a way to re-infuse new energy
into current projects that have lost some of their
appeal to locals.
Communitybased
Impacts
Community needs to pay for operations
and maintenance. Likely success will be
had if it is a showcase not a community
product that degrades over time.
Community will need to develop a mechanism to
share benefits. Community needs to pay for
operations and maintenance over time.
Potential
Partners
Municipality, community, NGOs, Peace
Corps, tourists, SERNAP, etc.
Communities, Buena Vista, Peace Corps, Amboro
Park, mancomunidad
Potential
Markets
Community residents and visitors to
Buena Vista. The site is within walking
distance of the community and serves as
an activity that anyone in town can do
during the scheduled times of operation.
Existing travelers to the area; hiker market niche
that could be attracted from Santa Cruz, La Paz,
and Cochabamba
Market
Distribution
Approaches
Tourism establishments located in Buena
Vista, national and international travel
guides, SERNAP
Tourism establishments located in Buena Vista,
national and international travel guides, SERNAP
Training
Needs
Environmental education training for
teachers whose students could collect
data, monitor trends and perhaps even
serve as guides in training
Use trained people from SERNAP and La Chonta
to train people in Isama in trail design,
interpretation. Provide basic hospitality training
program on servicing customers, packaging
products, and marketing.
Funding
Potential
International NGOs or foundations
interested in birds (e.g., Audubon),
USAID
Municipality, SERNAP, CIDA Canada, Dutch
Government, Danish Cooperation, USAID
Table 3.2
Tourism
Attributes
Brief
Description
Highest Potential Ecotourism Products—Southern Amboro
Completion of the Interpretative Center at
SERNAP Headquarters in Samaipata
Interpretative signage at El Fuerte linking it
to Amboro National Park
A park headquarters complex has been built
and a room for training and a room for an
interpretative center are included. All that is
missing are exhibits, programming, and staffing
in the area of environmental education.
Programming could include training; programs
for tourists and in the off-season environmental
education programs for children.
At the entrance to El Forte near the parking
area and new facilities under construction
develop signage to link the cultural site to the
National Park and the additional ecotourism
opportunities it has to offer. Certainly
landscape level environmental interpretation
would fit this setting, which includes
panoramic views of the park. Nature
interpretation should also be further integrated
with the ongoing cultural interpretation.
38
Tourism
Attributes
Completion of the Interpretative Center at
SERNAP Headquarters in Samaipata
Interpretative signage at El Fuerte linking it
to Amboro National Park
Lodging
There are a minimum number of beds on-site
and the lodging in the community could be
used to host trainees. Tourists coming to the
community would have one other place to visit
and an additional reason to spend a little more
time and money in town.
Exiting lodging in Samaipata.
Food Service
Could create increased customer flow to
existing establishments.
New facility is under development.
Other
Service
Provides
Serves as an information center; booking center
for ecotourism sites and guided walks on the
south side of the park.
Other Basic
Infrastructure
Need to develop parking area and perhaps
picnic area for visitors to use.
Capitalizes on existing tourism site and
facilities
Likely
Impacts to
Biodiversity
Potential to educate visitors about area’s
biodiversity and how to protect it as they hike
and vacation in the park. Provides forum to
explain about impacts of illegal hunting, plant
collecting, etc.
Potential to educate visitors about the area’s
biodiversity and how to protect it as they hike
and vacation in the park. Provides an
opportunity to talk about landscape level
environmental change over time.
Communitybased
Benefits
Additional ecotourism attraction; potential
marketing point for tourism services offered in
town. A way to link outlying ecotourism
products to town making it easier for a tourist
to do multiple things while staying in
Samaipata.
Additional ecotourism site; potential marketing
point for promoting National Park Service
rules and its conservation agenda
Communitybased
Negative
Impacts
Some existing businesses might view it as
competition.
No obvious ones identified
Potential
Partners
Local hotels, El Fuerte, Vice Ministry of
Tourism.
El Fuerte, Vice Ministry of Tourism, SERNAP
Potential
Markets
Some 10,000–15,000 visitors already visiting
the area.
Some 10,000–15,000 visitors already visiting
the area
Market
Distribution
Approaches
Could sell package with El Fuerte and museum.
Every hotel in town could contribute some set
amount of money every year and receive so
many free passes to pass on to their customers.
They can become part of the green sustainable
tourism system surrounding the park.
Encourage cultural site visitors to view. Could
promote it at the interpretation center at park
headquarters.
Training
Needs
Environmental education, basic hospitality,
booking customers, customer service.
Designing and developing sign-based
environmental interpretation
Funding
Potential
International conservation NGOs, International
Division of US Park Service, CADA
International conservation NGOs, International
Division of US Park Service, CADA
In addition to the “new” products for the northern and southern zones, numerous other projects to
improve or reinvent existing tourism products and services were mentioned by locals. Two key
issues raised were the lack of funding and the limited access to technical assistance with
39
expertise in tourism product development. The team recommends funding an existing micro
credit program to grant small loans for sustainable ecotourism projects. This approach would
also serve as an incentive to get existing tourism businesses to convert to sustainable ecotourism
operations. The three criteria for ecotourism outlined in the Introduction would serve as one of
the requirements to qualify for a loan. The other requirements would entail at a minimum a
sustainable business plan with well-conceived financial, management and marketing analyses.
The team concludes that programs in ecotourism product development, testing, and marketing
are needed.
Nature guide at Bosque de Helechos in the Amboro ANMI, Buena Vista area.
3.10
Conclusions
Amboro National Park offers a diverse natural environment with complementary cultural
attractions adjacent to it. It is nearby an international gateway and major population center, Santa
Cruz. The portal communities of Samaipata and Buena Vista are accessed from Santa Cruz by
paved roads and these towns provide access to different tourism experiences on the north and
south sides of the park some of which are ecotourism.
The park continues to suffer because of the lack of an agreed to boundary (red line) and
colonization of the ANMI. Pressure from illegal settlement of areas along the edge of the Park is
a serious concern. Periodic conflicts involving landless farmers and highland migrants have shut
down access roads. Tourists have also been asked to pay a fee by the ANMI inhabitants. Access
points have randomly appeared threatening park integrity. This leads to a de facto decrease in the
size of the protected area. In addition, the lack of human resources and training to adequately
monitor the changes taking place in the ANMI, and to enforce the requirement that all activities
40
taking place within it are sustainable, are leading to confusion in terms of the parks management
responsibility and the rights and responsibilities of the inhabitants of the ANMI.
Both of the portal communities attract national and international visitors and have been
traditionally viewed as a recreational area by Santa Cruz residents, many of whom have invested
in second homes within the areas. Of special importance is the UNESCO World Cultural
Heritage site “El Fuerte de Samaipata” which serves as a major cultural attraction, and is
presently being upgraded.
Portal and other host communities have a strong awareness of the value of the park for their
economic development through ecotourism and consequently some community members
recognize the need for its conservation. Tour operators in Santa Cruz, Buena Vista and
Samaipata already feature the park prominently in their promotional materials.
Portal and other host communities nearby the park most often lack basic infrastructure such as
potable water, sewage treatment, waste treatment, adequate medical services and central markets.
Making communities attractive to visitors is key to creating successful and sustainable tourism.
The current lack of coordination and cooperation among the Vice Ministry of Tourism,
SERNAP, mancomunidades, municipalities, communities and tourism operators threatens the
goal of providing an equitable and sustained distribution of tourism benefits among stakeholders.
However, a strong collaboration between the public and private sectors on the north side of the
park, facilitated by the Sara Ichilo Foundation, is creating a potentially effective dynamic for
tourism development. This foundation is positioning itself as a key player in terms of ecotourism
development, but seems to lack adequate links with communities and the diversity of
stakeholders.
Sustainable tourism strategies, which include ecotourism elements, are developed or being
development by some of the communities and mancomunidades having jurisdiction in the area.
These are uncoordinated and no mechanism exists to facilitate adequate stakeholder participation
in planning and management, joint marketing, complementary ecotourism product development
and to involve all elements of the resident population in the sustainable tourism decision process.
However, the surrounding communities are not generally affected by coca-leaf cultivation and
therefore the socio-political tension that characterizes the situation in the adjacent Carrasco
National Park does not exist. Thus over all visitors, tour operators, and other tourism service
providers feel a greater sense of security and stability. In addition, adequate emergency health
care facilities exist.
Funding for ecotourism developments is difficult to obtain as is the technical assistance needed
to develop, test, and market new products and services.
Several community ecotourism development projects initiated by SERNAP and communities
have come on line in recent years. Most of these are close to existing SERNAP guard stations,
which had become informal lodging places for Park visitors. SERNAP, conscious of the need to
promote compatible economic development in neighboring communities, provided assistance in
developing basic accommodations and trail networks. This ecotourism infrastructure has not
41
been well integrated into the tourism system and many of the products are very similar across
communities, thus eliminating the likelihood that a traveler will visit more than one community.
3.11
Recommendations
Overall Tourism Potential
The Amboro region is viable for small-scale sustainable ecotourism that addresses community
needs and USAID objectives. The natural attractions surrounding the park are appealing and
accessible. Tourism infrastructure exists in both portal towns. Equally important, the human and
basic tourism infrastructures are in place, although needs improvement. SERNAP is actively
involved and invested in ecotourism. Local and international NGOs currently work in the area.
Finally, ecotourism products already exist and these community projects and private operations
can be leveraged and improved.
Amboro National Park offers a diverse natural environment with complementary cultural
attractions adjacent to it. The region transitions from mountains, through cloud forest, into
rainforest. The major domestic and international gateway of Santa Cruz provides relatively easy
access to both sides of the park. The portal communities of Samaipata and Buena Vista offer a
mix of tourism products and ecotourism resources.
Samaipata is a weekend home to many Santa Cruz residents. There is a strong tourist draw
already in El Fuerte. Also, SERNAP has a guard station in Samaipata, and FAN is working with
the community at La Yunga.
An important element for Amboro is that local awareness and apparent appreciation of the park
are high. Portal and other communities value the park for their economic development options
through its ability to attract tourists. Tour operators in Buena Vista and Samaipata already
feature the park prominently in their promotional materials, and this marketing effort needs to be
extended to Santa Cruz and integrated into tour package options for the region.
Tourism Constraints
Sustainable, integrated ecotourism in Amboro is threatened by land tenure and land use rights.
The park and ANMI boundary (red line) remains in dispute between the government and the
settlers. Pressure from illegal settlement of areas along the edge of the Park is a serious concern.
Tourists have also been asked to pay a fee at times by ANMI inhabitants. Access points and
illegal roads periodically appear, threatening park integrity. This leads to a de facto decrease in
the size of the protected area. In addition, the lack of human resources and training to adequately
monitor the changes taking place in the ANMI, and to enforce the requirement that all activities
taking place within it are sustainable, are leading to confusion in terms of the parks management
responsibility and the rights and responsibilities of the inhabitants of the ANMI.
Portal and other host communities nearby the park most often lack basic infrastructure such as
potable water, sewage treatment, waste treatment, adequate medical services and central markets.
Raising community infrastructure and service levels to acceptable international standards will be
critical in attracting more visitors and creating successful and sustainable tourism.
42
The current lack of coordination and cooperation among the Vice Ministry of Tourism,
SERNAP, mancomunidades, municipalities, communities and tourism operators threatens the
goal of providing an equitable and sustained distribution of tourism benefits among stakeholders.
However, collaboration between the public and private sectors on the north side of the park,
facilitated by the Sara Ichilo Foundation, is creating a potentially effective dynamic for tourism
development. This foundation is positioning itself as a key player in terms of ecotourism
development, but currently lacks adequate links with communities and the diversity of
stakeholders.
Sustainable tourism strategies, including some ecotourism, are developed or are under
development by some of the communities and mancomunidades having jurisdiction in the area.
These are uncoordinated and no mechanism exists to facilitate adequate stakeholder participation
in planning and management, joint marketing, complementary ecotourism product development
and to involve all elements of the resident population in the sustainable tourism decision process.
As in most of Bolivia, private sector funding for ecotourism development is difficult to obtain.
IN addition, most operators are small-scale enterprises and cannot afford the technical assistance
needed to develop, test, and market new products and services, even assuming that such
expertise is available.
Several community ecotourism development initiatives initiated by SERNAP and communities
have come on line in recent years. Most of these are close to existing SERNAP guard stations,
which had become informal lodging places for Park visitors. SERNAP, conscious of the need to
promote compatible economic development in neighboring communities, provided assistance in
developing basic accommodations and trail networks. This ecotourism infrastructure has not
been well integrated into the tourism system and many of the products are very similar across
communities, thus eliminating the likelihood that a traveler will visit more than one community.
Amboro National Park Region Assessment—Regional Level
Mechanisms (integrated planning processes, forums, interagency meetings, etc.) to support an
increase in inter-sectoral coordination for the planning and management of sustainable tourism,
including ecotourism are needed.
Strengthen SERNAP’s capacity to coordinate and integrate tourism efforts affecting the park,
and to plan appropriate levels of park use and access. Training programs in this area are needed
to better enable SERNAP to defend conservation strategies connected to sustainable tourism and
ecotourism in terms of their broad benefits to the area.
Marketing initiatives at the municipal, regional, national and international level should be
supported to increase tourism demand for the area. These could include a national ecotourism
web portal, brochures, airport displays or information centers and should include SERNAP,
prefectures, municipalities, communities, and tourism operators.
Continue to support SERNAP’s efforts to enhance their conservation management capacity in
land tenure, implementation and management of user fees (Sistema de Cobros—SISCO),
conservation planning, and environmental interpretation.
43
Training programs in marketing, hospitality management, tourism systems planning, and impact
assessment and monitoring are needed.
Amboro National Park—Site Level
Support all types of ecotourism operation partnerships (community owned and private operated,
community owned and operated, totally privately owned and operated, extended family
partnerships). La Yunga and La Chonta represent examples of two very different approaches. La
Yunga is more communal and La Chonta is more like a family partnership.
Potential Pilot Projects
The La Chonta community ecotourism project is recommended as a possible pilot project to
demonstrate best practices in the following areas:
•
Community grass-roots organization
•
Community project planning and management
•
Regional planning and management
•
Levels of acceptable change—social, environmental
•
Trail development, construction, maintenance, and interpretation
•
Ecolodge development
•
Tourism related micro enterprise development
•
Capacity building and training programs
•
Multiple Community/SERNAP interaction
•
Community/tour operator cooperation
•
Gender equity (guide services, business administration, planning)
•
Ecotourism as an alternative to logging, slash and burn farming and hunting
The following recommended interventions would enhance this ongoing effort:
•
Project Site and Community: basic services (latrines and potable water), ecolodge design and
construction, additional nature trail construction and signage, continued guide training,
hospitality training, and business education
•
Regional Projects: road construction and maintenance, ecotourism regional planning.
The La Yunga community owned ecotourism project incorporates and showcases the following
elements and could also be a potential pilot project:
44
•
Community grass-roots organization,
•
Community project planning and management and attraction development, including trail
construction and maintenance, potential tourism circuit development and lodging, among
others
•
Tourism related micro enterprise development
•
Capacity building and training programs
•
Community/NGO/park interaction
•
Community/tour operation cooperation
•
Gender opportunities
•
Ecotourism as an alternative source of income to logging and hunting
The following investments are recommended to enhance these projects:
•
Project Site and Community: basic services (latrines and potable water), trail construction
and signage, guide training, hospitality training, business education
•
NGO (FAN): ecotourism planning and management training, tourism infrastructure and
possible ecolodge/campground construction
Establish Ecotourism Investment Fund operated by micro credit or other financial institutions. Its
purpose is to allow existing ecotourism enterprises to redesign and upgrade the products and
services they are presently offering. Do this by using an existing micro credit institution, but
create a credit line for ecotourism developed within the Department of Santa Cruz and associated
with Amboro National Park. This requires the tourism operators to take charge, come forward
with business plans and think through their actions. This alternative would be more productive
than grants whereby awardees and enterprises take little or no financial risk. Also, such a
program could include a special sub-program (up to half of the total money) to provide loans for
the creation, testing and implementation of ecotourism services and products whose developers
represent joint ventures or collaborative efforts. These could be between local government and
the private sector, local extended family groups and the private sector, the private sector and an
NGO, a unit of the central government with a unit of local government and the private sector,
etc. In all cases, loans are based on business plans that demonstrate the projects ability to pay
back the loan.
Tap into USAID’s Democratic Initiatives Program. Use the knowledge gained from the
Democratic Development and Citizen Participation Project (DDPC) to develop a training
program for municipalities and mancomunidades on participatory tourism systems planning.
Since these entities have the key role to play in sustainable tourism, according to Bolivian Law,
it seems critical to train human resources within them to understand the tourism industry and
how to plan for it. The training program needs to be designed to promote dialogue across sectors,
as well as inter-governmental agency boundaries. As with other DDPC programs, it should
45
promote participation and the inclusion of key stakeholders in the training. It should involve the
actual conducting of a tourism planning process whereby the training itself results in a plan, an
ongoing forum, new communication channels, and a network of parties interested in sustainable
tourism, including ecotourism. This avenue is recommended instead of a local NGO or
international conservation organization because of the need to incorporate tourism planning into
the newly emerging decentralized local governments. It capitalizes on an existing program, but
may require the adding of, or targeting of, municipalities linked to Amboro.
Fund the completion of the Interpretative Center at SERNAP Headquarters in Samaipata and a
complementary ongoing guide-training program. The purpose is to firmly establish a center to
promote environmental education in the assessment area and to support and expand guiding as an
alternative occupation. The project capitalizes on previous investments in infrastructure. It also
provides an opportunity to link and coordinate Park Headquarters and its tourism operations with
those of the UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site. This connection could include joint marketing—
promotion, product differentiation, and pricing. The new operational Interpretative Center also
could serve a function to program local community project as well as guided trail opportunities
in the area.
The project accomplishes several goals:
•
Promotes environmental education about biodiversity and conservation for residents and
guests;
•
Creates a guide training center in the greater Amboro/Carrasco Region where trainees can
learn and practice their newly acquired job skills;
•
Completes a project that would enhance SERNAP’s ability to manage Amboro by enhancing
employees capacity in natural resource communication and environmental education;
•
Places Amboro Park Managers in a position to more effectively and directly cooperate more
with El Forte the UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site and local tourism operators;
•
Amboro National Park gains more awareness as an active partner in the sustainable tourism
system as a public sector information, education, and a product and service provider;
•
Amboro National Park gains the opportunity to lease out space for a gift shop in its center to
a local private business—handicrafts, products—thus distributing additional benefits to the
community; and
•
Provides an opportunity to link and coordinate Park Headquarters and its tourism operations
with those of the El Fuerte site, especially with joint marketing efforts.
46
4.
4.1
Chapare/Carrasco National Park Assessment Region
The region under consideration encompasses Carrasco National Park and the Chapare region.
The team also briefly visited Isiboro-Secure National Park to the north of the Chapare (Figure
4.1). The Carrasco National Park is located east of the City of Cochabamba and occupies
622,660 hectares. The park rests abuts and incorporates the Chapare on the north, the Andes on
the south and Amboro National Park is its eastern border. At present there is limited trail access
into northern Carrasco National Park.
Villa Tunari currently is the main tourism portal for the northern park and the Chapare and the
center for ecotourism activities.24 Driving time to Villa Tunari from Cochabamba is 3–4 hours,
5–6 hours from Santa Cruz. There is not currently civilian air access but the military airstrip at
Chimore is scheduled to be opened for commercial flights.
Isiboro-Secure National Park has rich environmental and cultural resources. The neighboring
Yuracare and the Yuqui TCOs also offer unique cultural traditions. All of these areas are within
two hours driving time of Villa Tunari. The Chapare region offers a diversity of bird life ranging
from condors to toucans, trout and river fishing, river rafting, canoeing opportunities, and
wildlife viewing. The southern side of the park moves travelers into the valleys and foothills of
the Andes. Here the key portal community is Pocona and a key cultural attraction is Incallajta.
Besides the archeological ruins this site also features some nearby natural attractions. This site
can be reached from Cochabamba in approximately two and a half hours.
The Chapare has been one of the country’s principal coca leaf and cocaine producing regions.
The area has frequent protests and road blocks which create at times a dangerous situation for
visitors. Once this issues is resolved, the opportunities for expanding ecotourism activities in the
region are promising. For the purposes of this analysis we have assumed that this issue will be
solved within the next one to three years.
As the region attempts to shift away from coca production, tourism, along with other economic
development alternatives, will be crucial in creating other income-generating options for
communities. Alternative development activities have been and will continue to be supported by
international groups such as the UN, the Spanish government, USAID, the Vice Ministry of
Alternative Development, and the Vice Ministry of Tourism. Recently there has been a growing
interest in examining tourism as one of the strategic economic activities that could consolidate
gains achieved so far in the fight against drugs. However, ecotourism has not been seen as an
alternative to date. According to Bolivian Vice Minister of Alternative Development Waldo
Telleria, “Tourism is one of the most important activities for speeding up regional economic
growth. A clear example of this is its potential for generating a large number of related services,
24
Ecotourism sites in the area include Machia Ecotourism Park, Orchid Gardens, some of the lodging
establishments and the nearby wildlife sanctuary, Cavernas del Repechon.
47
whether they are in the production, consumption or service sectors. This immediately brings with
it the creation of new jobs and income for families” (Nuevo Gran Angular 2001).
4.2
Tourist access to the Chapare is via the main highway linking Cochabamba and Santa Cruz. Air
access is scheduled in a year or two in Chimore by adding a civilian airstrip to an existing
government base. Road access from Santa Cruz is excellent along a well-paved and maintained
highway. From Cochabamba, three-quarters of the road is paved, with efforts underway to
complete the remaining dirt and gravel sections.
Figure 4.1
Carrasco and Amboro National Parks
48
In recent years, the roadblocks and protests have disrupted tourism. The Villa Tunari Camara
Hotelera estimates that visitor levels are 50–60% of those prior to the protests. Almost all current
visitors to the Chapare are weekend Bolivian vacationers. International visitors are mostly
backpackers or foreign residents in Bolivia.
Southern Carrasco receives less tourism. Access into the park is via the old Cochabamba–Santa
Cruz highway, which dead-ends 100km into the park. The highway traverses the high Andes,
with passes up to 4,700m. There is no infrastructure or settlements within this side of the park.
4.3
Socio-Economic Indicators for the Chapare Region
Chapare Area Northern Side of Park
(CONCADE)
Southern Side of Park
Demography
150,000
100,000—150,000
Tourist Flow (1999)
60,000
Approximately 11,000 travelers visit
Incallajta per year and more than half are
domestic travelers
Education
All levels of schools in major communities
Unknown
Health/Clinics
Local hospital and natural medicine
Unknown
Natural Gas
Yes
Unknown
Electricity
Yes (some areas)
Yes (some areas)
Sewage Treatment
No
No
Potable Water
Yes (some areas)
Yes (some areas)
Garbage Treatment
No
No
Communications
Phone, mobile phone, fax, limited Internet
Unknown
4.4
In the Chapare it is difficult to avoid ethnic issues given the number of different indigenous
groups involved. Furthermore, Quechua migrants from the high Andean region have in large part
lost traditional cultural expressions. It also is clear that the poor were cultivated to work in the
cocaine industry and it will be a challenge to provide workforce training to provide real
opportunities for these individuals and families who were often unskilled. If we expect them to
turn their back on the drug industry and its high levels of payment then constructive alternatives
must be provided.
4.5
The major threats to biodiversity in the park originate from resident communities. The
agricultural frontier is continuously being pushed against the park as new colonists and current
residents search for new sites to hunt, fish, raise cattle, extract wood, establish new settlements,
and quarry sand and stone from the river.
There is continued migration by Quechua Indian farmers from the highlands and displaced cocaleaf cultivators which are major threats to biodiversity and the park concept itself. SERNAP does
49
not have the capacity to control access to the park and it is difficult to evict illegal settlers. Due
to the lack of adequate impact monitoring the level and rate of these impacts are unknown.
4.6
One of the most significant single investments in tourism for Villa Tunari is the Chapare
Tropical Resort (CTR) project. This would be the largest hotel in the area, with 118 rooms and
over 400 beds if and when the first phase of the project is completed. It is designed as a luxury
hotel complex with a golf course, while existing hotels in the area some 15 are small to moderate
operations (18–65 beds) with rooms and/or cabanas. Not unlike the new complex most of the
existing hotel operators feature a restaurant and approximately half have swimming pools and
meeting facilities. The proposed pricing of the new project suggests it has the potential to be in
direct competition with the existing operators who presently are only operating at occupancy
levels of 10% (low season) to 20% (high season). Without a tremendous marketing effort to
target a completely different market or expand the number of visitors this project could
negatively impact the lodging sector of Villa Tunari (see complete analysis in Annex J).
The Chapare.
This proposed project along with the terrible social and political reputation of the Chapare,
illegal coca trade, militant politics by some leaders, roadblocks, and ultimately security concerns
suggest that enhancing the tourism economy of this assessment area will be difficult in the shortterm (3–5 years). To change this situation major changes in the drug or political scene,
substantial investment in basic infrastructure, and building a tourism workforce must take place.
The change and timing issues are critical for the tourism industry. For example, if the hotel
sector of the tourism economy were functioning at 70–80% occupancy (as it could be), then the
introduction of a project like the Chapare Tropical Resort would be no problem economically for
the hotel sector, especially if a proposed project expanded the target markets already attracted to
the area, such as golfers. This is not the present situation, and there are other social and
50
environmental issues that also need to be addressed to insure that this proposed scale of hotel
development can be absorbed locally, and not create unacceptable environmental impacts nor
strain the limited budget of the local community in terms of waste disposal costs and other
impacts to local government.
The most salient tourism issue reported to the team was the inability to obtain funding for
tourism projects due to the risk associated with the present unrest and the “negative atmosphere”
that surrounds coca eradication. This means that capital for new or reinvented sustainable
tourism projects including ecotourism ones is not available from standard financial institutions.
The second regularly mentioned issue was the lack of a trained workforce.
Tourism operators also reported that their tourist flows had been substantially impacted. So,
besides the few loyal domestic customers that still come, breaking into new markets and
capitalizing previous investments based on expected growth in tourists generally has not
occurred. Tourist flows are only 20–50% of what they were a few years ago and nearly all
operators reported negative financial impacts.
Although the present economic situation is depressed the team was struck by how upbeat about
the future many tourism operators were and that they really believe the area is about come out of
the “coca era.” This was further verified by the fact that some operators are thinking about how
to re-invent their businesses, expand, and attract new markets, etc. This is a perfect time for
introducing “green” and “eco” into existing and new tourism operations. The ecotourism market
has yet to really discover Bolivia, so these businesses can position themselves in the ecomarketplace by making adjustments and improvements now. Addressing the three criteria for
ecotourism articulated in this report is a real possibility for many of these operators. For
example, if the Chapare Tropical Resort wants to be seen as a green sustainable tourism
operation there are a series of actions it could take. First, it might develop and maintain its golf
course using practices that reduce irrigation needs and the use of chemicals. Second, it might
develop a sewage disposal system that far exceeds the minimum required by law and
complement it with water recycle technologies. Third, it might take on the Machia, the
community reserve” as its special community project and reinvest in infrastructure and improve
the quality of the environmental education program for locals as well as its guests. In return for
its regular yearly contribution, it gets an agreed to number of free passes for its guests. It can use
these passes to provide free entrance for its guests and it can talk about its many activities to be
“green.” Fourth, the hotel might work on hiring the vast majority of workers locally, providing
them with hospitality training and ultimately working to make the hotel a real economic engine
of the community. Fifth, the hotel might buy locally grown products, and sell locally made
handicrafts returning all revenues to the local maker as another way to help distribute more
benefits locally. The hotel takes on a new responsibility toward the environment and at the same
time positions itself to operate in a more sustainable way.
Many of the operators did not recognize that ecotourism (nature and/or culture based) although
popular, is one of tourism’s most competitive market niches. Competition is fierce and product
design, testing, and marketing are critical to success. In general, the level of awareness of this
fact and the need for well-developed business skills were not found in the Chapare or the other
assessment areas visited. In fact, a “dependent business community” has emerged in the Chapare
that thinks international organizations should and will give them money to build their economy.
51
Although there is room for grants, these must be handled carefully in order that the market
system can re-establish itself in the Chapare. The last thing we want to recommend is to replace
the drug economy with an internationally supported economy of dependence.
Finally, no matter what quality of a tourism product we develop the associated wages will not be
competitive with the coca scene. Ecotourism cannot be a replacement for coca production, but it
can serve to be one element of a vital new economy.
There has been significant international investment, especially US, in the anti-coca efforts and
subsequent rebuilding in the area. USAID especially is funding road work and other
infrastructure projects to improve the Chapare’s ability to compete economically.
A significant investment, and the single biggest in tourism for Villa Tunari, is the Chapare
Tropical Resort (CTR) project. This would be the largest hotel in the area, with 118 rooms and
over 400 beds if and when the first phase of the project is completed. It is designed as a luxury
hotel complex with a golf course, while the existing 15 or so hotels in the area are much more
moderate operations (18–65 beds) with rooms and/or cabanas. Not unlike the new complex, most
of the existing hotel operators feature a restaurant and approximately half have swimming pools
and meeting facilities. The proposed pricing structure for the hotel indicates that it will directly
compete with existing operators. Current occupancy levels in Villa Tunari are only at 10% (low
season) to 20% (high season).25 Without a tremendous increase in demand for the area or the
wholesale creation of a large totally new market, this project is very likely to negatively impact
the lodging sector of Villa Tunari which is already suffering. The team’s initial observations and
analysis of this project generated a high level of interest. As such this analysis was expanded
upon and the CTR is dealt with in its own sub-section below.
This proposed project along with the social and political reputation of the Chapare, illegal coca
trade, militant politics by some leaders, roadblocks, and ultimately security concerns suggest that
enhancing the tourism economy of this assessment area will be difficult in the short-term (3–5
years). The primary difficulty is creating sufficient demand. For example, if the hotel sector of
the tourism economy were functioning at even 50% occupancy levels then the introduction of a
project like the Chapare Tropical Resort would be economically feasible, especially if the
proposed project created significant new markets to the area, such as golf. However, even at very
optimistic demand growth estimates this is not likely. Furthermore, there are social and
environmental issues that must also be addressed to insure that this scale of hotel development
can be absorbed in the area, and not create unacceptable environmental impacts, strain the
limited budget of the community in terms of waste disposal costs, nor create social impacts
within the region.
More generally, a critical tourism issue for the private sector was the inability to obtain funding
for tourism projects due to the risk associated with the present unrest and the “negative
atmosphere” that surrounds coca eradication. This means that capital for new or reinvented
25
The global standard for break-even occupancy rates within the hotel industry is 55%. (Corporate Finance and
Strategy brief, Choice Hotels, January 2002)
52
sustainable tourism projects including ecotourism, is not available from standard financial
institutions.
The other most frequently cited problem was the lack of a trained and qualified workforce for the
tourism and hospitality industries.
Despite the present economic situation, the team was struck by how upbeat about the future
many tourism operators were. They really believe the area is about to come out of the “coca era.”
This was reinforced by the fact that some operators are thinking about how to reinvent their
businesses, expand, and attract new markets, etc. This is a perfect time for introducing “green”
and “eco” into existing and new tourism operations. The ecotourism market has yet to really
discover Bolivia, so these businesses can position themselves in the eco-marketplace by making
adjustments and improvements now. Addressing the three criteria for ecotourism articulated in
this report is a real possibility for many of these operators.
For example, if the Chapare Tropical Resort wants to be seen as a green sustainable tourism
operation there are a series of actions it could take. First, it might develop and maintain its golf
course using practices that reduce irrigation needs and the use of chemicals. Second, it might
develop a sewage disposal system that far exceeds the minimum required by law and
complement it with water recycle technologies. Third, it might take on the Machia community
reserve as its special community project and invest in infrastructure and improvements in the
quality of the environmental education programs. In return for its yearly contribution, it could get
a certain number of passes for its guests.
Additionally, the hotel might work on hiring the majority of its workers locally, providing
training and ultimately working to make the hotel a real economic engine of the community. The
hotel might buy locally grown products, and sell locally made handicrafts thus returning
revenues and benefits to the community. The CTR takes on a new responsibility toward the
environment and at the same time positions itself to operate in a more sustainable way.
Many of the operators did not understand that ecotourism (nature and/or culture based), although
popular, is one of tourism’s most competitive market niches. Competition is fierce and product
design, testing, and marketing are critical to success. Furthermore, since ecotourism is a largely
international phenomenon, it demands service levels and solid business management skills that
were generally not found in the Chapare or the other assessment areas visited. In fact, a
“dependent business community” has emerged in the Chapare that seems to think international
organizations should and will give them money to build their economy. Although there is room
for grants, these must be handled carefully to allow the market system tore-establish itself in the
Chapare.
Finally, it is important to note that even a 5-star tourism product, and its associated wages for
community workers, will not be competitive with the coca scene. Ecotourism is not a direct
replacement to coca, but it can be a viable income-generating alternative.
53
4.7
The following section provides the highlights of the communities and tourism sites for the
Chapare/Carrasco region. Detailed descriptions of each, including recommendations for specific
site improvements, can be found in Annex H.
Northern Carrasco
Villa Tunari—Key Northern Community Portal
Villa Tunari is the dominate portal entry on the north side of the park and has a population of
approximately 50,000. It consists of restaurants and shops, as well as a range of lodging,
including large higher end and small-scale resorts, and hotels with swimming pools and other
amenities. The community sees itself as a center for “ethno-ecotourism.”
Ecotourism Park Machia
Park Machia is an ecotourism option in Villa Tunari. This site is a small municipal park that
houses a project to rehabilitate native animals. Park Machia is run by the NGO, Comunidad Inti
Wara Yassii under a contract with the Municipality. The park is supported by anywhere from 10
to 30 volunteers (mostly international backpackers). The 36-hectare park has 3.2 km of good
trails. Volunteers take rescued, injured or caged wildlife and rehabilitate them, when possible, so
that they can be returned to their original habitat. There are around 200 monkeys, as well as
pumas, ocelots, turtles, a harpy eagle, toucans, and macaws. The administrators charge a small
entrance fee to visit the park and an additional fee for taking photographs. An estimated 200–500
tourists a month, largely Bolivian, visit the park. Marketing brochures do exist, and there are onsite concessions.
Cavernas Del Repechon (Guacheros)
Guacheros centers around the cave home to a flock of the rare and unique Guacharos, or oil
birds, known for their nocturnal patterns, and scarcity. This is a key ecotourism attraction in the
area, located 15 minutes by car from Villa Tunari on a new stone-paved road. It is situated on the
northwestern edge of Carrasco National Park. From the entrance to the site, visitors ride in a
manually operated suspended cable car that ferries tourists and park officials across the San
Mateo River. Visitors reach the caves after an easy 30-minute walk from the river. These caves
are home to the rare and unique Guacharos, or oil birds, which only come out at night to feed on
area fruits and nuts. During the day they remain in a 30-meter high and 70-meter deep cave that
is their breeding ground. Conservation International is working with SERNAP to leverage this
site as a regional attraction.
La Jungla
This site was built by a Bolivian entrepreneur and is located off the main road from Villa Tunari,
and is accessed via a new stone-paved road. It offers rustic climbing towers, swings, cable slides,
basic camping facilities, and a river lookout. The facilities although interesting were in need of
maintenance.
Orchid Garden/Reserve
This orchid reserve is attractive for ecotourists. Run by three German biologists, this park,
covering 3.5 hectares, presents more than 100 species of rare and endangered orchids, a trail, and
54
a river lookout. The owners also have built what is probably the best restaurant in town, as well
as a small ethno-eco museum that displays a few examples of native customs, handicrafts, tools
and area insects. It costs 5 Bs to visit the site.
Incachaca
Roughly 90 minutes from Cochabamba on the way to Villa Tunari, dry valleys give way to the
rich tropics of the Chapare. The road breaks off to the east and heads to Incachaca, a preColombian site about a half-hour walk from the road. Incachaca is located in Carrasco National
Park, and while the exact nature of the site is not clear, the setting is beautiful. A few minutes off
the main road, as visitors break off to Incachaca, is the Conquistador trout farm and restaurant.
The farms rents fishing reels to children, who are charged 10 Bs and then 22 Bs per kilo of the
fish they catch. The road continues to what is left of an old hydroelectric plant and, farther along,
a lagoon and pine forest. A new hydro plant is also under construction just beyond. The area is
typified by rolling hills covered in heather, deciduous forest with the sweet smell of pine and, of
course, low clouds and drizzle. Incachaca and the related sites are visited largely by dozens of
Bolivian tourists on weekends and vacations.
Land ownership needs to be determined to coordinate additional area services and establish a
concession if necessary to provide additional and improved services to visitors. Formal picnic
areas, camping facilities and eco-lodges could be established to provide additional services for
visitors. These developments would also require the establishment of controls and educational
mechanisms. An entrance fee would be charged to provide income for local communities and
maintain area resources.
Isiboro-Secure National Park
This park is located north of the Chapare and occupies 1.2 million hectares in the departments of
Beni and Cochabamba. It takes in mountains, rain forest and savanna and its remote area is home
to diverse and profuse wildlife. It is home to 714 species of wildlife, including 600 different
birds and a huge diversity of flora (3,000 species of larger plants) with an extraordinary
abundance of flowers. The park is crossed and bordered by several rivers that are part of the
Amazon River Basin. The park is also the northern frontier of Bolivian and US government
efforts to eradicate coca cultivation. Over the last decade thousands of highland Quechua farmers
have migrated to the park area to cultivate coca. Some have begun leaving the area or are
planting alternative crops. The presence of the colonizers has created conflicts with the
traditional indigenous residents of the park who have eschewed coca leaf cultivation. The team
visited the isolated Moxeno Indian community of Espiritu Santos. The Yuracare and T’simane
indigenous communities also inhabit the park.
The Moxenos are culturally and politically linked to the Beni and the area around its capital,
Trinidad, that can be reached after a weeklong river trip to the north. The Moxenos were part of
the Jesuit missions that administered the areas between the 17th and 18th centuries. The missions
established religious, handicraft and musical centers that continue to this day. Community
members produce handicrafts, wooden masks, feather headdresses and colorful outfits. Village
leaders were very interested in establishing a community-based ecotourism site in the area. The
community could also be part of a river excursion program. Fremen Tours has offered visits to
nearby communities and riverboat services in the past and is interested in strengthening
ecotourism projects in the area.
55
Traditional indigenous dance performed by the community at Santisima Trinidad in Isiboro-Secure.
The community and SERNAP need to seriously explore the potential for establishing a
community-based ecotourism project. Ecotourism could generate much-needed revenue and
provide a market for local handicrafts. Potential exists to develop ecotourism products and
services on site, but what is wanted and what is appropriate must be carefully determined.
Puerto Villarroel and Puerto San Francisco (Isiboro-Secure National Park)
Puerto Villarroel and Puerto San Francisco are tourism portals of sorts on the south side of
Isiboro-Secure National Park. These two towns are located on the rivers that originate in the
Carrasco National Park and feed into the Amazon. Puerto Villaroell is located on the shores of
the Ichilo River and can be reached in an hour and a half from Villa Tunari on a good road. Both
river ports provide access to the Mamore River, which leads to the Beni—City of Trinidad,
northern Bolivia and eventually Brazil. These ports have in the past been used for entrance points
for ecotourists who visit the river corridor and then go on to Trinidad. The ports also provide
direct access to indigenous communities where residents live in their traditional lifestyles, and
they access Isiboro-Secure National park along the Chipiriri and Isiboro Rivers. The ports
currently handle barge traffic that connects with Trinidad, carrying cattle, wood and agricultural
products to Cochabamba and La Paz. The team flew over the ports but did not visit them.
Southern Carrasco
Pocona—Key Southern Community Portal
There is a Center for Tourism Assistance (CAT) located nearby at Incallajta and an archaeology
museum is in Pocona. The community features colonial architecture. This town still features its
culture through festivals, religious ceremonies and traditional arts and handicrafts. Limited
transportation exits via trucks and buses, especially on market days, but it does not function on a
regular schedule. The dirt road access is in poor condition (Pereira-Salamanca-Mostajo 1999). A
Peace Corps volunteer is also placed in Pocona, working primarily with Incallajta.
56
Southern Carrasco National Park.
Sehuencas
This site currently appears to be the primary tourism destination on the south side of the park. It
sits midway along the edge of the southern border of the park. It is about 12km from
Montepunco. Sehuencas is in the transition zone at around 2,000m, with lush foliage, rivers and
waterfalls (the team was not able to visit this site). In informal conversations SERNAP estimated
that Sehuencas receives roughly 5,000 visitors a year, split between Bolivian weekend/holiday
visitors and foreigners. There is currently no cost to stay at Sehuencas; visitors just drive in with
their gear.
Incallajta
While the team did not visit this site, the fortress of Incallajta is the most important architectural
expression of the Tawantinsuyu expansion to the Cochabamba valleys and an important entry
point to the southern part of Carrasco National Park. The area was designated a monument in
1929. The Incallajta fort is composed of a series of buildings built on approximately 12 hectares,
bordered on the east and west by deep torrential streams. The Machajmarca River to the south
and the precipitous hills to the north provided the fort strategic importance and difficult access.
The fort is built into terraced levels and walls, using stone held together by mud found in the
area. There is a Center for Tourism Assistance (CAT) located at the site, and an archaeology
museum in the adjacent community of Pocona. Due to time constraints the IRG team did not
visit this site.
Alturas de Tiraque
Alturas de Tiraque is located in the southern highland region of the Carrasco National Park, close
to the city of Cochabamba. This high Andean region (3,500–4,700m on the roads) undergoes a
transition from high mountain passes to the lowland Chapare below. This region is very isolated
and receives only scattered tourists, mostly backpackers. The attraction to the area is the almost
complete isolation and the high Andean landscape. SERNAP has one park guard, based in
Cochabamba, who is responsible for park management only and provides no official tourism57
related services or coordination. No tour operators seem to be working on the south side of the
park. There are only two communities located just outside the park area along the old road
linking Cochabamba and the Chapare. These communities do have some access and rights to
natural resource extraction within the park, for non-commercial, personal use granted by land
tenure rules. There is no infrastructure within this part of the park.
The only real potential identified by the team for this area was some bird watching, and some
potential trail development so visitors could hike down from the pass to Guacheros (4–5 day
trip). Hiking and camping could be developed at an highland ranch, near a lake where there are
frequently llamas and condors. A trail is also possible linking the highlands with Inca Chaca.
4.8
Strengths and Weaknesses—Chapare/Carrasco National Park Assessment Region
Chapare/North Carrasco National Park
Strengths
• Wide variety of complementary ecotourism products already in existence around Villa
Tunari, complemented by other products of interest to tourists (handicrafts, local fruit, local
processed food products)
•
Guacheros is an important ecotourism site, highly accessible, with already approved funding
to strengthen the ecotourism opportunity and support the site.
•
Driving access is relatively easy from two major Bolivian cities, Cochabamba and Santa
Cruz. Air access is being developed at Chimore
•
Hospitality infrastructure in Villa Tunari is established and offers range of options
•
Apparent high level of interest from private and public (Prefectura) sector to support and
improve tourism
•
Wide range of potential new products for development (river tours, rafting, clay lick,
agrotourism)
•
International NGOs are present, TNC and CI an have money to work with SERNAP
•
Large levels of international and Bolivian funding already targeted for the area for alternative
development and coca eradication
•
Knowledgeable local tour operator (FREMEN Tours) with strong interest in the park and
ecotourism
•
Major funding source, USAID Alternative Development, has recently come together with
national park service in a collaborative process for the first time.
•
Barcelo, the proposed manger of the CTR has a strong record of developing sustainable
medium to large scale resorts that operate respecting many of the principles of ecotourism
defined herein (e.g., Barcelo Playa Tambor in Costa Rica)
58
Weaknesses
• Security issue will keep away high-end international ecotourism market for foreseeable
future (which is target market of hotel and stated target market of Camara Hotelera)
•
No consciousness of the protected area among local residents let alone an understanding of
tourism products currently in the area (except Guacharos)
•
There is overcapacity in the hotel sector and this complicates the issue of adding new bed as
is the case with the proposed Chapare Tropical Resort
•
Lack of training and human capacity in the area of tourism
•
Little or no coordination across or even within tourism providers (public, private & nongovernmental)
•
Land tenure conflicts and colonization pressure on the park
•
Tourists remain unsure as to just how soon the coca situation will be resolved and if it will be
resolved to an acceptable level
•
Domestic Bolivian markets are less worried, but have still dropped
•
Lack of bank financing for development in the region
•
Basic infrastructure does not exist for residents or development that will house tourists (e.g.,
garbage, sewage)
•
Highway is rough and unpaved for 30 km between Villa Tunari and Cochabamba, which
accounts for close to half of driving time. Some indication that US funds are scheduled for
these road improvements.
South Carrasco National Park
Strengths
• Offers an alternative environment to the humid tropics on the northern side and can be
experienced in a short period of time from Cochabamba
•
Road was dead-end and crosses different ecological zones, making it more attractive for
ecotourism market niches
•
Potential ecotourism sites exist (Sehuencas, El Rancho)
•
Cultural sites like Incachaca complement natural features—the highlands
•
There is the potential to offer multiple-day hiking and camping experiences (e.g., hike from
high side to Guacheros crossing the park in low impact way)
•
Local university is working to bring stakeholders together to engage in more integrated
planning
59
Weaknesses
• Poor road conditions, especially in bad weather
•
More remote ecotourism sites seem to offer fewer community benefits
•
No existing complementary products at existing sites (e.g., Alturas de Tiraque)
•
Uncertain competitiveness to other worldwide ecotourism sites more easily accessible
•
No investment capital to develop ecotourism
4.9
Conclusions
Overall Tourism Potential
The Chapare/Carrasco region has a wide range of natural landscapes, biodiversity, cultural
richness and existing attractions. The landscape ranges from Andean ecosystems to the Amazon
basin and encompasses some of the richest biodiversity in the world. This region has significant
potential as an ecotourism destination because of its proximity to the Carrasco National Park,
Isiboro-Secure National Park and the Amazon Basin. Three indigenous groups live in this region
and there are Incan and pre-Colombian sites. There are already established ecotourism sites, as
well as a wide-range of potential ecotourism products. In addition, the region offers many
complementary tourism products.
Villa Tunari is the established portal into the Chapare/Carrasco northern region, and has an
existing tourism infrastructure. Cochabamba (3 hours) and Santa Cruz (5 hours) provide
relatively easy access to the area for domestic and international visitors via the country’s main
cross-country highway. The soon to be opened airstrip at Chimore will provide regional air
service to the heart of the Chapare.
The Center for Tourism Assistance (CAT) located nearby at Incallajta and an archaeology
museum is in Pocona make up the community portal on the southern side of the Park. Driving
time to Cochabamba is only about two and a half hours.
The competitive advantages of the Chapare/Carrasco region include relatively easy access to
tourism sites and portal communities, high funding levels already allocated to the region for
economic and alternative development, ecological and cultural diversity, established tourism
infrastructure and a range of existing and potential ecotourism products. These factors all
contribute to the attractiveness of the area as an ecotourism destination. Recreational tourism
already draws Bolivian tourists, and strengthens Villa Tunari’s market position.
Ecotourism potential exists on the northern side of the park in improvements to Guacheros,
Parque Machia, the Orquideria, and river-related tourism, in addition to some opportunities in
Isiboro-Secure for community-based ecotourism that integrates culture and nature. On the
southern side of the park ecotourism probably needs to be linked with culture at a site like
Incallajta, near Pocona, or to a camping-based site like Sehuencas. In general, the southern side
of Carrasco National Park offers natural attractions that are less accessible and more isolated
from communities.
60
Overall Tourism Constraints
Tourism development is constrained by the current absence of traditional financial mechanisms,
due to the coca related socio-political conflicts and the lack of bankable guarantees for investors.
This means that development funds will have to play a larger role in supporting ecotourism, and
sustainable tourism more generally.
The security situation has tremendously impacted tourism. However, the team has developed the
following conclusions and recommendations based on the assumption that security concerns in
the area will be resolved during a 1–3 year time frame, based on conversations with USAID,
local residents and politicians.
The major constraint on the south side of the park is access. There is basically no tourism in the
park and Sehuences is the only established tourist site in the area. This early stage in the tourism
development cycle means that any tourism development can be carefully planned to minimize
impact and maximize potential.
Promotion and Marketing
Promotion and marketing for the Chapare and Carrasco does exist and is coordinated to some
extent as is demonstrated by the “Villa Tunari, Santuario de Vida Silvestre” brochure. However,
while the existence of the brochure is a positive, the extent of its distribution was unclear. There
was much less awareness of the Carrasco National Park, by even the tourism operators let alone
the general public. In general, this region used to be a tourism destination, especially for
domestic travelers and was planned to be for international travelers (Secretaria Nacional de
Turismo’s Ruta: Aventura del Valle al Amazonas Destino Villa Tunari 1995) however, since the
coca related problems of blockades and security have emerged the Villa Tunari area has dropped
off of most tourists’ destination lists.
Quality tourism products and services exist in the Chapare and promotion of these along with
Villa Tunari as a destination from Santa Cruz or Cochabamba are realistic goals. However, the
environmental and conservation message from this area is weak or nonexistent. Promotional
efforts for the park, ecotourism and other sustainable tourism attractions in the region need to
explicitly make this link and actively contribute to and promote the conservation of remaining
natural systems and Carrasco National Park.
The Prefectura de Cochabamba is promoting Incallajta as a premier tourist attraction through
brochures, posters and information guides for tourist agencies. The promotion pieces are high
quality and the distribution strategy is reasonable.
Four markets exist for tourism in the Chapare and Carrasco Assessment Area: low-income
Bolivians, middle to upper class Bolivians, international backpackers, and high-end international
travelers. A significant issue is that it appeared that few of the service providers in the area have
clearly defined their target markets, and few have thought about what it takes to reach that
market. The Camara Hotelera in Villa Tunari acknowledged that the Bolivian family weekend
tourists have been a significant market for them, however, there stated ideal was to reach the mid
to high-end international traveler. As a result, there exists some mismatch between existing
offerings and the types of products that appeal to their target markets. Presently, the hotels have
61
an upscale market that consists of business travelers associated with all of the international and
bilateral projects in the area, and some weekend Bolivia visitors.
Summary
The team feels that it makes the most sense to begin by improving the existing products,
especially in terms of infrastructure, service, and promotion in order to strengthen the area’s
tourism reputation overall. The one area of exception is the south side of the park that could
support some totally new products. However, potential demand for South Carrasco appears much
more limited and scarce resources are probably best spent elsewhere.
The immediate target market for Chapre ecotourism needs to focus on Bolivians and
international travelers interested in adventure, culture and nature. The backpackers are already
there and a substantial effort will need to be made to expand it to a more upscale ecotourism
market niche. This higher end international market will demand security and therefore attracting
it is a mid-term objective (5–7 years).
4.10
Recommendations
Carrasco National Park Region Assessment Region Level
•
Greatly increase marketing and promotion of ecotourism products in the area. Currently the
Park is not viewed as a tourism asset in the region (as Amboro National Park is viewed in
Santa Cruz, Buena Vista and Samaipata). In fact, some people were not even aware of the
park’s existence. Efforts need to be made to raise awareness of the Park and what it has to
offer.
•
Establish a forum for integrated ecotourism planning and management. The association
should include community members, tour operators, hotel and restaurant owners, government
representatives (municipality, Prefectura, SERNAP), and NGOs. The association could serve
some or all of the following functions: forum for the exchange of ideas; important lobby
group; to develop and influence government policy; to provide capacity building to members
and others; to establish and oversee tourism certification; to implement ecotourism-based
projects, etc. Some potential models include the Asociación Alianza Verde in Petén,
Guatemala and the Ecuadorian Ecotourism Association.
•
Training and capacity building for existing and new products. Every person and organization
involved identified a need for increased capacity across all levels of tourism activities in the
area. Training is essential in order to improve ecotourism, as well as general tourism
potential. The following subject areas should be included: guide training, hospitality,
marketing, business planning, tourism site planning, conservation of biodiversity, protected
areas and environmental legislation, quality control and standards, certification of sustainable
tourism, and food service. Because of the other South Americans traveling and the European
influence the need for English language training varies and is not as important as the other
areas listed.
62
•
Establish micro-credit opportunities to allow existing ecotourism enterprises to redesign and
upgrade the products and services they are presently offering. Do this by using an existing
micro credit institution, but create a credit line for ecotourism.
•
Identify and promote mechanisms that lead to the sharing of the benefits from ecotourism.
•
Development of public use plan for Carrasco National Park in which areas for ecotourism
development are identified and zoned.
•
Assemble the existing inventories of potential ecotourism attractions and products that have
been done over the last decade. This could be done for the entire area around the park but
also in the region of Isiboro-Secure. We heard about many interesting options (e.g., riverbased tourism from Puerto Villarroel and Puerto San Francisco, bird-watching opportunities
at clay lick) in terms of ethno-ecotourism.
Gateways
Villa Tunari
• Enhance the center of the town around the plaza
•
Encourage the establishment of more tourism businesses (restaurants, cafes, internet cafes,
souvenir shops) in the downtown area.
•
Develop a visitor center and restroom facilities
Chimore
• Complete and open the airport terminal for civilian traffic.
•
Implement existing plans to build a visitor center for the region
Incallajta
• Integrate the area into Carrasco NP
•
Encourage links with the north side of the park (e.g., Chapare)
•
Explore possibility of expanding trail infrastructure starting from Incallajta.
63
5.
5.1
The Yungas Assessment Region
The Yungas consists of three provinces: Caranavi, Nor Yungas and Sud Yungas. It is an area of
approximately 11,000 square kilometers and is home to nearly 150,000 people. The Yungas is
approximately 2,500 meters below La Paz, has a temperate climate and its undulating
topography is primarily covered with semi-tropical vegetation. The Sud Yungas province is a
part of the Department of La Paz. The southernmost end of the Sud Yungus was the only area the
IRG Team studied. Previous studies by other consultants26 cover other sectors of the Yungas.
The team’s assessment region consisted of a circuit that started outside of La Paz and included
the Yanacachi, Chulumani, Irupana, Pasto Grande, and Palca areas (Circuito Pasto Grande,
Figure 5.1). Colapata National Park is adjacent to the circuit end near La Paz.
Figure 5.1 The Sud Yungus Assessment Curcuit
26
These reports include Robinson, 1998; Phillips, J., Oroza, I., Bustillos, J., Yapu, F., and J. R. Alcoba, 2001.
64
This road circuit is approximately 320km and the La Paz-Palca-Chunavi-Lambate-PariguayaPasto Grande section is 120km and takes approximately 4 hours to drive. The road circuit is
bisected in several places by Pre-Columbian trails, the Takesi and the Yunga Cruz. This part of
the Sud Yungas is dominated by agriculture and the major crop is coca. The Sud Yungas is
behind the Nor in terms of tourism development. Besides the natural environment, the Sud
Yungas has the potential to develop archeological tourism based upon its pre-Columbian trails
and archeological sites like Pasto Grande. This type of tourism is one of the fastest growing
market niches in South American (Phillips, Oroza, Bustillos, Yapu, and Alcoba 2001) and is very
complementary to ecotourism. The markets for these two types of tourism are essentially shared.
5.2
La Paz is the tourism gateway for this region. The La Paz Airport is the major entrance to the
country for international travelers. With a resident population of over 2 million, La Paz also is a
potential domestic market. The major portal communities in the assessment area are Chulumani
and Palca. These serve as entrance points and presently offer tourists basic services. The difficult
road access is a deterrent, and many visitors to the region opt to travel to the Nor Yungas where
access is better developed. Whether a resident or visitor, one of the most commonly mentioned
problems was quality of the roads.
5.3
The region studied is dominated by agriculture and the key products are coca leaf, coffee and a
variety of fruits. Tourism was often mentioned as the third or fourth major employer in the
communities visited. Overall there is a lack of jobs in the assessment area and approximately
25% of the people living in the area are illiterate. Services outside of the major municipalities are
basic at best and infrastructure investments are needed.
Table 5.2 Socio-economic indicators for the South Yungas Assessment Region (Chulumani,
Irupana, Pasto Grande, Palca Circuit)
Chulumani
Irupana
Demography
17,000 (2001 Census)
19,000 (2001 Census)
Tourist Flow
Unknown
Unknown
Education
Health/Clinics
General hospital
Three health centers
Natural Gas
Unknown
Unknown
Electricity
Yes (some areas)
Yes (100% of population)
Sewage Treatment
Collection in downtown area only, but no
treatment and disposal into local river
Collection system, and some treatment
with final effluent into creeks and rivers
Potable Water
Yes (all areas)
Yes (some areas)
Garbage Treatment
No
No
Communications
Public telephone & some private in home
service
Public telephone & some private in home
service
65
5.4
The Yungas area includes a small population of Afro-Bolivians who are concentrated in several
communities, especially Chicaloma. Some of the Afro-Bolivians feel their communities are
discriminated against and receive less money from the Municipalities. However, the municipal
officials interviewed felt there was no discrimination and that they were allocating resources in a
fair and consistent manner.
5.5
The major threats to biodiversity in the area originate from community sources. The agricultural
frontier is being extended, as well as new coca terraces, hunting, fishing, indiscriminate logging,
extension of roads, and development of new settlements/communities.
There was concern expressed by several of the municipalities that water availability is becoming
a problem. They felt this was in part due to the deforestation occurring and that the remaining
community owned watersheds need to be protected. Groups and individuals interviewed also felt
continued migration by displaced coca-leaf cultivators from the Chapare are becoming a major
threat to biodiversity in their area. Due to the lack of adequate impact monitoring the level and
rate of these changes are unknown.
5.6
Presently in the area visited, major expansion of coca production was evident. Community
leaders interviewed stated that agriculture is still perceived as the dominant local economic
development strategy. Certainly, tourism is seen as an alternative but there is a feeling that
substantial investment is needed in attractions if this is to occur at a level that will really
stimulate the economy.
5.7
Chulumani
Chulumani is the capital of the Sud Yungas Province and the municipal area covers 900 km2.
The town provides a range of lodging options. There are seven hotels with a total 216 beds. The
hotels range from one to four stars. Hostels and residences are another option for lodging with
105 total beds. Lastly, shelters add 90 beds to the existing offer. The town includes around seven
different locations for meals.
The Apa Apa Ecological Forest
The forest is considered perhaps the best option for a one day trip in the Chulumani area. The
rain and cloud forest is approximately 6 kilometers from Chulumani. This 500 hectare private
reserved is owned by Ramiro Portugal and is part of the last remnant of primary forest in the
area. The area offers a variety of trails for the visitor and is home to a rich biodiversity. In
addition, camping and lodging facilities are also available. The owners are interested in
expanding their business but want to retain their ecotourism orientation.
66
La Paz/Palca
The other major entrance to the circuit begins in La Paz with its entire tourism infrastructure.
People can access the circuit as a day or multiple day trip. Palca the final major community along
the road serves as a major stopping point for ecotourists.
Pasto Grande
The Pasto Grande archeological site contains preColombian agricultural terraces, irrigation canals,
approximately ten citadels and numerous ruins of
housing areas. These sites are overgrown with
vegetation, yet in many cases walls and foundations
are in tact. The area is of potential interest to tourists
because of its large scale and the potential to
interpret pre-Colombian agricultural living. Seven
families and approximately 35 individuals live in the
Pasto Grande area proper. However, some 700
families and 3,500–5,000 people live in the greater
area (PROINTEC S.A. 2000). Most of the families
in this area live from subsistence agriculture.
Presently, the nearest lodging and food services are
in the town of Irupana located 18 km away. Here
there are three hotels and one residence.
Takesi Trail
Various indigenous groups that lived in the area used
this 40 km trail. It lies within parts of the Palca and
Yanacachi municipios. In Takesi there is a basic
Pasto Grande terraces.
shelter to stay overnight and eat. In Yanacachi there
are 2 basic lodges and a hotel that is currently closed. In addition, there are 3 places to eat. Tours
to the trail can be organized through Fundación Pueblo with offices in Yanacachi and a
representative in La Paz.
Yunga Cruz Trail
Includes parts of the municipios Irupana, Yanacachi and Chulumani. This is a less traveled route
due to its limitations in access, services and trail conditions. The only lodging available along the
trail is in Chuñavi and consists of rooms rented by the local people. There are no food services
available after Chuñavi.
5.8
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
•
High quality, diverse natural and cultural landscapes—Pre-Columbian trail system, Pasto
Grande.
67
•
Local communities expressed an interest in becoming more involved in tourism.
•
Large undisturbed, biodiversity rich areas such as the Uchumachi en Loroico and the Apa
Apa en Chulumani remain.
•
Proximity to the city of La Paz.
•
Excellent weather (temperate) for most of the year.
•
Multiple access roads to the region such as: Charazani-Apolo, Coroico-Laranavi, PalcaLambate-Irupana, Sorata-Consata-Mapiri, Chulumani-Irupana, Quime-Inquisivi-Irupana
•
Projects proposed to pave and improve the roads in the entire region.
Weaknesses
•
Increases in coca plantations, which often replace forests.
•
Lack of a safe and well-maintained road system.
•
Lack of means of communication (telephones, mobile phone, Internet, TV).
•
Lack of basic services: health, water, electricity, and sewage treatment.
Forest areas cut to establish coca fields in the Sud Yungas.
68
•
Lack of knowledge about hospitality among the local people, which often leads to poor
treatment of tourists.
•
Lack of basic health plans to eliminate vectors of malaria, yellow fever, leishmaniasis,
tuberculosis, and Chagas disease.
•
Lack of interest, knowledge and coordination of national and departmental authorities
regarding promotion and marketing of ecotourism.
•
Lack of national and international publicity.
•
Continuous blockades of the roads.
5.9
Table 5.3
Potential short-term tourism products for the South Yungas Assessment Region
Tourism Attributes
Pre-Columbian trails
Pasto Grande
Brief Description
Represented by a small network of trails built by
the original groups that lived in the area in PreColumbian periods. The two trails identified are:
Takesi and Yunga Cruz.
Although the trails presently receive visitation
(hiking) they have not been properly developed
for public access. There is an evident lack of
interpretative signage, programming, and
environmental education material.
There are issues of security and vandalism.
Located 89 km from La Paz at 3,700 meters
above sea level, consists of a large series of
pre-Columbian terraces and water canals used
for agriculture. In addition, ruins of small
settlements and roads can be found dispersed
along the area.
Lodging
Existing basic lodging and camping areas along
trails are small or nonexistent. There are
opportunities to improve the existing ones.
In Kacapi and Takesi there are shelters to
overnight. These shelters have solar energy.
In the case of the town of Takesi, there are small
areas to camp under a roof or outdoors.
For Yunga Cruz, lodging in local people’s
homes can be found in Chañavi. Rest of the trail
lacks any services.
Lodging services available in the town of
Irupana located about 20 km from the site.
Lodging services on site can be developed by
communities located in the site (perhaps
simulating the living quarters in Pasto Grande?)
Food Service
Food services are provided only in the Takesi
trail. In Kacapi and Takesi there are basic food
services. Along this trail there are places to buy
coffee and drinks.
Available in the town of Irupana
Needs to be developed in communities nearby.
Other Services
Provided
Can capitalize on existing tourism product and
support services in the Takesi Trail.
Visitor Center featuring visitor services and
environmental interpretation. Guided trail
walks
Other Basic
Infrastructure
Along the Yakesi trail, in the Chojilla mine there
is a first aid service and small local stores.
None
69
Tourism Attributes
Pre-Columbian trails
Pasto Grande
Likely Impacts to
Biodiversity
Human waste and solid waste is likely to
accumulate unless practices are implemented to
deal with their disposal.
Significant disturbance to artifacts may be
caused by construction of the road, facilities.
Also, land is steep in some of the site; care will
need to be taken to control soil erosion.
Increasing coca cultivation in the area could
reach Pasto Grande?
Community-based
Benefits
Communities need to increase involvement in
operations of the trails.
A fee or donation could be collected to use the
trails and used to partially offset operation costs.
Mandatory hiring of local guides could be
established. IN the case of Yakesi trail, these
policies can be enforced by Fundación Pueblo.
Generation of new information about the trails
could contribute to building historical records.
By including it in a circuit, travelers might be
willing to stay in the area longer and thus
benefit not only Pasto Grande but portal
communities or take-off points.
Community participation in the provision of
tourism services and recuperation of the site
must be encouraged.
Community-based
Impacts
Community needs to pay for operations and
maintenance. Potential increased demand of
public services in Yanacachi.
In Yunga Cruz, communities can develop basic
lodging and food services as well as local guide
services.
Community will need to develop a mechanism
to share benefits a need that does not presently
exist.
Community needs to pay for operations and
maintenance of services to be developed over
time.
Potential Partners
Fundación Pueblo, municipalities, prefecturas,
communities, NGOs, Peace Corps, tourists,
travel agencies, etc.
Universidad Católica Boliviana, communities,
Instituto de Arqueología, Prefectura,
Mancomunidad, tourists, travel agencies, etc.
Potential Markets
Youth, students (both Bolivian and foreign);
foreign and Bolivian hikers
Existing travelers to the area; hikers,
archeology professors and students,
Market Distribution
Approaches
Via tourism establishments located in
Chulumani and Palca, National and International
Travel Guides, Internet portal.
Via tourism establishments located in Irupana,
Chulumani and Palca, National and
International Travel Guides, Internet portal
Training Needs
History, archaeology and tour guides training for
local guides. Food management and hospitality
for providers of lodging and food services.
Train local people as nature guides and
assistants in archaeology restoration and
recuperation projects.
Provide a basic hospitality training program on
servicing customers, packaging products, and
marketing.
Addressing USAID
SOs
Provides an opportunity to educate both locals
and guests about the flora, fauna, history and
archaeology of the area.
Creation of new jobs related to tourism.
Provides an opportunity to educate both locals
and guests.
Potential to create new jobs in all nearby
communities.
Improves the likelihood of maintaining existing
jobs via product enhancement.
Funding Potential
International NGOs or foundations interested in
history and archaeology, USAID.
International NGOs or foundations interested in
history and archaeology, USAID.
5.10
Conclusions
Several ecotourism assessments have been recently conducted for the Yungas area and they are
far more comprehensive than this rapid appraisal, which strictly focused on a single circuit
70
within the Sud Yungas.27 Our focus was to explore the Pasto Grande Area, associated
communities and road circuit described earlier (see Figure 5.1). It is clear that the Nor Yungas
presently has a better road network and more ecotourism type facilities on-line than the Sud
Yungas. However, the Sud Yungas which relies more on coca production than the Nor does have
significant ecotourism potential.
The team concluded that the proximity to LaPaz (access to domestic and international markets),
the quality of forest areas such as Apa Apa and the pre-Colombian trails in the area all have
significant ecotourism potential. The area is presently being used for trekking, mountain biking
and white water rafting. Additionally, people interested in archeology also visit the area.
In fact, the team felt that the Pasto Grande Archeological site has the potential to be a worldclass attraction. To accomplish this would require a significant investment. It was felt that such
an investment, which has support from surrounding communities, could really place the Sud
Yungas on the ecotourism map. The site could serve as a focal point of the circuit and other
compatible ecotourism activities could be developed especially once the key anchor attraction
was on-line.
5.11
Recommendations
The IRG Team recommends that investments are needed for the Apa Apa Forest, Pasto Grande,
and the Pre-Columbian Trail Systems. Also sustainable tourism could be developed around the
traditional practice of coca growing.
5.11.1 Potential Pilot Project
It is clear that the pilot project of importance to this area is Pasto Grande. A recently completed
study by the Ministry of Tourism Pasto Grande was identified as a potential area for developing
ecotourism. The team concurs that excavation and protection of the ruins are needed. We believe
that the US$400,000 estimate for developing an ongoing archeology program is low and that
closer to US$1 million per year is needed for multiple years. In addition, the Team believes that
much more effort needs to be targeted at developing the ecotourism potential of the site. This
would include substantial investment in environmental interpretation facilities, a guide training
program, a marketing program and the enhancement of the road access. To date the ideas
suggested by consultants are pretty basic and will not result in a world-class attraction. So one
challenge is to get the local interested people to think more clearly about their desired future.
Finally, the team felt that potential partners include US and European universities.
This site has a lot of appeal because if provides an opportunity to stimulate the Sud Yungas. This
is especially true if a large-scale investment is made. Such an investment is needed if USAID
wants to demonstrate that ecotourism can be an alternative to growing coca.
27
See Phillips, Oroza, Bustillos, Yapu, and Alcoba 2001; Phillips and IEST 2001.
71
6.
Strategic Ecotourism Recommendations for USAID
Bolivian ecotourism is currently underdeveloped and USAID Bolivia should play an active role
in ensuring that it is well planned and provides benefits for local communities, nature
conservation and the regional economy. Successful tourism results from having quality services
and products to place in both the domestic and global marketplace, having a professional trained
workforce in tourism and protected area management, having a comprehensive marketing
program (product development, testing, evaluation, targeted advertising, promotion), having
community level ownership and support of this alternative development strategy, and having
well-thought out public policy that links the various levels of government and other
nongovernmental actors involved. Obviously, to get all of this to function in a mutually
supportive, efficient, and effective way takes organization and communication at all of the
linkage points.
We believe that USAID’s role should focus on building capacity within the Bolivian
governmental system, specifically local government in the area of tourism systems planning.
Second, it should feature integrating the resulting sustainable tourism strategies into sound
alternative development projects to complement the already established projects in sustainable
agriculture and forestry.
To say this is simple, but to do it is much more difficult. Although USAID worldwide has a
strong tradition and expertise in agriculture and forestry, its efforts and abilities in promoting the
development of sustainable tourism via community-based participatory approaches is nearly nonexistent. It is true that USAID has projects in ecotourism, but most of these are dominated by the
ideas of USAID, consultants, or international conservation NGOs. What we are suggesting is that
USAID engage in a much more democratization oriented approach, and one that particularly
respects the central and local governments of Bolivia and the rights of her indigenous peoples.
By law these units are charged with bringing together actors involved in or interested in
sustainable tourism and therefore USAID should support them in bring those groups together.
Finally, Bolivia’s free trade and recent tourism laws and decrees already protect the rights of the
private sector and therefore USAID should always be pushing for their inclusion in any
sustainable tourism development project.
In this type of an effort, the dominant role we see for USAID is one of training and empowering
democracy, sharing of natural resource management and business development expertise, and
facilitating a continuing dialogue among the diverse actors involved in the tourism and
conservation arenas. We believe the short-term project-by-project approach often used in cases
like this will only further slow down the processes of local empowerment and creating
responsible local governments.
Our recommended pilot projects reflect this thinking. As to whether or not sustainable tourism,
including ecotourism should be a stand-alone strategic objective, we think it fits better as a crosscutting program that is integrated into at least the environmental, democratic initiatives, and
alternative development strategic objectives. To effectively accomplish this integration we
believe new professional tourism positions in each of these three strategic areas mentioned are
72
required. This would provide enough of a sub-unit of specialized expertise to begin to give
sustainable tourism standing within USAID Bolivia. This sub-unit should have two lines of
funding, one via projects within strategic objectives and the other an amount directly available to
the sub-unit to stimulate integration of sustainable tourism in appropriate USAID, other bilateral,
or Bolivian government projects. Finally, whenever possible we would encourage USAID to
further develop tourism expertise in Bolivia by engaging in joint endeavors with the Bolivian
Universities involved in training tourism professionals.
6.1
Summary of Key Findings
Across all four regions it is clear that common needs include investment in basic infrastructure –
potable water, electricity, roads, communications, health services and community amenities
including plazas, parks, and urban design. These physical infrastructure investments need to be
complemented with investments in human capacity in the area of hospitality including guide
training, small business operations, marketing, and attraction management. Investments in any of
these areas provide dual benefits to local citizens and travelers alike. In addition, to these general
investments needed across the assessment regions the IRG Team proposes five demonstration
projects.
1.
Promote The Amboro/Carrasco/Isiboro Sustainable Tourism Complex—A CommunityNational Park Alliance for Success
If we were to remove the problem of illegal coca-leaf cultivation in the Chapare, the Amboro and
Carrasco National Parks and their surrounding environs including Isiboro-Secure National Park
could be seen as one unit in terms of supplying ecotourism opportunities. This unit could
function as a circuit having a ring road around Amboro and Carrasco parks, which facilitates
access to a series of portal communities and ecotourism attractions (natural and cultural).
Tourists could either fly into, or out of, either Cochabamba or Santa Cruz, and then travel the
northern or southern route nearby the park and then fly out of the same or the other international
airport. This spatial arrangement of ecotourism opportunities is unique in Bolivia and
surrounding countries and both international and domestic markets are accessible.
This project’s regional scale serves as a demonstration of how to use sustainable tourism,
including ecotourism to stimulate a regional economy. This project has the potential to stimulate
job creation, provide a sustainable alternative development strategy and simultaneously promote
and enhance the conservation of biodiversity. Furthermore, it is likely to result in a large enough
critical mass of sustainable tourism destinations and products to be economically sustainable
(e.g., collect enough park entrance fees to have an impact on conservation, have enough of a
tourist flow to support associated businesses). Simultaneous investment in the portal
communities around the parks (Buena Vista, Villa Tunari, Samaipata, Pocona) would be
necessary and would further increase the likelihood of revitalizing the entire region. This
infusion could speed up the Chapare’s transition from its dependency on coca to a diversified
economy that would include ecotourism along with other alternative forms of development under
way.
This proposal would complement the national tourism development strategy for the area set forth
in Bolivia’s Strategic Tourism Development Plan (Ministerio de Comercio Exterior E Inversion,
Viceministerio de Turismo 2001) and would capitalize on efforts underway by the
73
Mancomundidad de Municipios Del Cono Sur (Universidad Mayor de San Simon,
Mancomunidad de Municipios del Cono Sur y Prefectura del Departmento Servico de
Fortalecimiento Municipal 2001) and the Mancomunidad Sara Ichilo (Fundacion Turismo y
Desarrollo de la Mancomunidad Sara Ichilo 2001). Encouraging and promoting coordination
across these efforts should be a part of this strategy.
Establishing the project’s product uniqueness through spatial planning and packaging of products
within the complex is essential to its success because Peru and Ecuador have ecotourism
destinations with similar products, but not as functional a spatial arrangement. If the indigenous
peoples are interested, as our preliminary work suggests, then Isiboro-Secure National Park’s
inclusion would further enhance the project. Therefore, as USAID refines and repositions its
programs preference should be given to activities and projects that facilitate the implementation
of this concept.
This idea is not without some difficulties of which perhaps the largest is that each park is in a
different Department. Secondly, the Amboro Assessment Regions’ tourism operators may be
very concerned about their tourism image being tarnished by the Chapare coca image. Although
issues we feel the efforts underway by mancomunidades suggest a regional venture is feasible.
2.
Establish an Ecotourism Investment Fund
We recommend that an Ecotourism Investment Fund be established that would provide a
mechanism for funding investments in ecotourism projects in the four assessment regions. This
pilot effort should be tested and evaluated in the four assessment areas prior to expanding it to
cover other areas of the country. The fund would make available US$10 million per year for a 7year period. Funds from multiple sources are envisioned. Loans would be awarded to legal
entities (business, NGO, local government) on a competitive basis and the projects supported
would be required to fit into the development plans of municipios or mancomunidades.
This proposal addresses one of the key concerns of tourism operators the lack of financing
mechanisms for ecotourism projects in Bolivia. The banking system in Bolivia is not funding
tourism projects because of the risks involved and because most are located in rural areas. This
lack of funding is a major limiting factor in developing and expanding the ecotourism sector.
The investment fund would be managed by existing micro credit or financing institutions, such
as PRODEM, Pan-American Securities, PRODEM, BancoSol, and FIE, as a result of a
competitive bidding process. USAID has invested resources in the past in several of these
financing institutions and this would be a continued effort to build their capacity. Another part of
the idea is to limit the bureaucracy of such a fund and depend largely on subcontracting services
to reduce costs and increase efficiency. The goal is to get the money to the ground and have it be
invested in projects.
A key element of the operations of the fund should include a success fee mechanism for the
management institution. Recommendations based on financial and legal due diligence
procedures and clearly established terms of reference made by the financing institutions would
be reviewed and approved by a board involving donors, business leaders/entrepreneurs and
ecotourism experts. Performance criteria for qualifying for a loan would include environmental
impact, social impact, economic sustainability criteria and other pertinent issues. All awards
74
would require a business plan thus stimulating an enhanced level of business planning presently
absent in the private sector.
Investments could be in the form of preferred or ordinary shares, Sociedades Accidentales, joint
ventures and partnerships. These funds could help leverage investments by local and
international tourism operators together with municipalities. Building up a portfolio of
ecotourism projects would also provide synergies and maximize efforts in promotion, training,
purchasing services, etc.
Examples of projects identified throughout the assessments that should qualify:
Amboro: Provide funds to consolidate the community-based ecotourism lodge at the edge of the
Amboro National Park. The funds would be channeled to a corporation involving community
members and an NGO working in the area.
Chapare: Funds could be invested to expand the Orquidario project, restaurant facilities and
interpretation center. Partners would be the current owners of the Orquidario.
Sud Yungas: Funds could be invested in the Complejo Turistico Apa Apa to build five cabins and
expand camping facilities. Funds could be invested in preferred shares with a specified buy back
period and dividend payment mechanism.
Sud Yungas: Funds could be invested in the building lodges along the Chorro and Taquesi Trails.
Community-based companies would be set up with area residents as partners. Fundacion Pueblo
could also participate as a partner and provide management and operations support to assure the
empowerment of community stakeholders. Finally, funds could be invested in the Castillo site in
Sud Yungas to remodel the hotel, invest in trails, etc.
This pilot effort in the four assessment areas should include an ongoing evaluation procedure and
a regular determination of its economic viability. The intent is to build a self-sustaining funding
institution for sustainable tourism development projects. Strategically, projects funded would
promote alternative development, create employment opportunities, encourage the enhancement
of business development skills and ensure that environmental elements are actively considered
since these are envisioned as part of the requirement for a project to be funded.
3.
Develop an Ecotourism Vision for Bolivia
This project proposes to bring together SERNAP and the Vice Ministry of Tourism to jointly
sponsor a national forum to develop an ecotourism vision for Bolivia. This vision would be
developed over a 12–18 months and the cost is estimated to be approximately $200,000–
250,000. Hopefully, it could be started in 2002, the “Year of Ecotourism.” This estimate includes
the design of the forum, training of SERNAP, Vice Ministry of Tourism and Prefecture tourism
professionals as workshop facilitation teams, conducting the regional forms, processing the
outcomes and sponsoring three community based events (La Paz, Santa Cruz, Coachabamba) to
share the results with the general public, local governmental officials, private sector operators,
and interested NGOs.
The approach is to use the trained facilitation teams to simultaneously conduct forums
throughout the country that focus on educating participants about ecotourism, its benefits and
75
impacts, defining the kinds of ecotourism local people are interested in promoting in their area,
and determining what participants perceive as barriers to developing this ecotourism based
economy.
Each forum would be associated with a protected area actively involved in ecotourism identified
by the Director of SERNAP or another regional group with a demonstrated interest in ecotourism
identified by the Vice Ministry of Tourism. The underlying goal would be to cover all of the
geographic areas of Bolivia interested in pursuing ecotourism as an alternative development
strategy. By using regional geographic areas it would be possible to include representatives from
sectors currently involved in the provision of ecotourism and related sustainable tourism. The
envisioned outputs of the forums would be definitions of ecotourism for a geographic space, the
identification of interested parties, a list of existing ecotourism opportunities and the barriers
participants see as keeping them from achieving their desired ecotourism vision for their
geographic area.
This information in a common format for each region would then be transmitted to a national
level committee that would include members as the Director of SERNAP, the Vice Ministry of
Tourism, representatives from appropriate ministries, representatives from tourism groups such
as La Camara Bolivians de Hoteleria, La Camera Boliviana de Agencias de Veiajes y Tourismo,
and La Camara Nacional de Operadores de Tourismo as well as representatives from the private
and the university sectors that are presently engaged in offering tourism services or training
tourism professionals.
The National Policy Committee would need to be professionally facilitated to develop a national
ecotourism vision statement. It would be based on the ideas collected in the regional forums and
would serve as the policy instrument around which to coordinate efforts in ecotourism.
Additional policy documents could be prepared to reflect the outcomes of the forums. These
might range from amended regulations for SERNAP to policy directives to promote ecotourism
within the marketing program of the Vice Ministry of Tourism.
Outputs of this effort would be an agreed upon national vision for ecotourism and the allocation
of roles and responsibilities to the various actors involved. Hopefully, this would unify Bolivia’s
efforts and clarify roles and responsibilities of all sectors and organizations involved.
Additionally, we believe that the participants who attend the regional forums can serve as a
group from which municipalities can draw committees to work locally on ecotourism
development.
4.
Initiate a Decentralized Approach to Infusing Ecotourism Planning and Project
Implementation into Ongoing Municipality and Mancomunidad Governing Processes
Redirect funding to USAID’s Democratic Initiatives Program to use the knowledge it has
acquired in the Democratic Development and Citizen Participation Project (DDPC) to develop a
training program for municipalities and mancomunidades on participatory tourism systems
planning. This sectorial based activity could build upon program successes in areas of
community budgeting, health, etc. Since these entities have the key role to play in sustainable
tourism, according to Bolivian Law, it seems critical to train human resources within them to
understand the tourism industry and how to plan for it.
76
This type of a program is proposed because it accomplishes the following:
•
Facilitates the empowerment of the stakeholders and citizens in the local area.
•
Addresses the concern of the local leaders that local government needs to be directly
involved since tourism impacts them in terms of additional costs for services and provides
them with a source of tax revenue.
•
Promotes strategic judgments about ecotourism instead of incremental decisions about single
projects.
•
Provides an opportunity to assemble and analyze the many studies that have been done by
various tourism and conservation interests, and provides a forum for the community to
dialogue about what was found and the kind of sustainable tourism future they desire.
•
Provides the opportunity for local governments to practice democratization.
•
Results in an ongoing association of individuals interested in tourism who will be encouraged
to form a new association.
•
Enhances the capacity of local community-based organizations in the area of financial
accountability, grant writing and project implementation.
Using this type of program allows USAID to demonstrate its willingness to empower local
governments and institutions in the area of sustainable tourism. The training program needs to be
designed to promote dialogue across sectors involved in tourism, as well as inter-governmental
agency boundaries. Like the other DDPC efforts in areas such as community budgeting it should
promote participation and the inclusion of key stakeholders in the training. It should involve the
actual conducting of a tourism planning process whereby the training itself results in a plan, an
ongoing tourism forum, new communication channels, and a network of parties interested in
sustainable tourism, including ecotourism at the local level.
This avenue is recommended instead of a local NGO or international conservation organization
because of the need to incorporate tourism planning into the newly emerging decentralized local
governments. It capitalizes on an existing USAID program and communication networks already
developed. Preliminary estimates to develop materials and carry out at least one round of
sustainable tourism planning locally are approximately $350,000. Material development is
approximately a 6-month effort and the implementation and facilitation of the training is at least
another 18 months. Estimated costs include consultancies to develop materials and placement of
tourism expertise at the assessment region level for at least an 18-month period.
Accomplishments of this effort will not only include an enhanced sustainable ecotourism system
but a continuance of USAID’s efforts to democratize local government and alleviate poverty.
5.
Promote the Chaco Ecotourism Dialogue
As part of the effort to decentralize and empower local units of government and indigenous
groups of the Chaco Region, a pilot project is proposed to educate and promote open dialogue
concerning the likely impacts from protected area-based and off-site ecotourism development.
Impacts to culture, social structures, sacred sites, the existing economic situation, and the fragile
77
ecosystems of the park and surrounding environments would be addressed. The target audience
should include: (1) settlement/community level indigenous leaders within the greater area, (2)
civic leaders and local government officials in the potential tourism gateway and portal
municipalities (Santa Cruz, San Jose de Chiquitos) and communities (Camiri, Natividad)
This environmental education program needs to be designed and implemented to directly address
the issue of sustainable ecotourism in and around protected areas where indigenous cultures
dominate. Travel by some local leaders and residents to other sites in Bolivia and surrounding
countries where ecotourism is already occurring within a similar situation (within an indigenous
settlement and nearby a protected area) should be a part of such an educational program. The
program should also bring together a diverse group of storytellers—indigenous leader, tourism
operators, non-indigenous, women—from an already ecotourism impacted or ecotourism
changed indigenous area to the Chaco to create the opportunity for a realistic appraisal of the
tradeoffs associated with this economic alternative. The cost associated with this program is
estimated to be $150,000–175,000.
The outputs of this project would be a local capacity to make judgments about whether or not to
pursue ecotourism. Providing indigenous communities with the capacity to engage in the
ecotourism debate is essential and demonstrates the active inclusion of cultures in democratic
decision-making processes. We believe that Bolivia is the place for this demonstration and that
the effort now, will lead to better conservation practices in the future.
78
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the Tourism Activity in Bolivia. Special edition number 0024. 23 February 2001 Supreme
Decree No. 26085. La Paz, Bolivia.
Edwards, S., C. Holtz, and O. Hillel. 2000. Integrating Biodiversity Considerations into the
Tourism Sector through Public Policy. Discussion paper submitted to UNDP by
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———. 2000b. Tarifas por Grupo y Duracion de las Excursiones a: Parque Nacional Amboro,
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———. 2001b. Area Protegida Amboro, Plan y Estrategia de Proteccion 2001–02. Santa Cruz.
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Annex A. USAID Strategic Objectives and Intermediate Results
The Environmental Strategic Objective is the reduced degradation of forest and water resources
and biodiversity conserved through three intermediate results (IRs): 1) Sustainable management
of natural forests in the Bolivian lowlands, 2) Adequate management of protected areas, and 3)
Improved environmental management of urban and industrial pollution.
1. Sustainable Management of Natural Forests: This IR is implemented through the Bolivia
Sustainable Forestry Program (BOLFOR). BOLFOR strengthens private and public sector
capacity to manage natural forests sustainably focusing on four areas: 1) Forestry
Policy/Institutional Strengthening, 2) Forestry Management, 3) Applied Research, and 4)
Product Development and Marketing. By working closely with government, the private
sector, universities, and civil society, BOLFOR has catalyzed dramatic changes in the forest
sector since 1994. In 1999, the area of forests internationally certified as “well managed”
grew by 86% to 834,300 hectares. BOLFOR is now focusing on developing and
strengthening local capacity to manage forestry concessions sustainably.
The same type of programmatic approach could be initiated for sustainable, nature-based
tourism development that includes ecotourism products. Certainly sustainable tourism
policy/institutional strengthening, tourism management, applied research and product
development and marketing will be critical to the success of ecotourism in Bolivia.
2. Adequate Management of Protected Areas: This IR has three major thrusts—the Kaa-Iya
del Gran Chaco National Park, Conserving the Forest and Biodiversity of the Tropical
Andes, and Protected Area Management in Southern Bolivia.
a) The Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park: Bolivia’s largest national park covers 3.4
million hectares and conserves the largest expanse of protected tropical dry forest in the
world. It is also the only protected area in the Americas established as a result of the
initiative of local indigenous group, and the only one co-managed by them. The park is
managed by the Capitania del Alto y Bajo Izozog (CABI), with support provided by the
Wildlife Conservation Society’s (WCS) Indigenous Resource Management Program.
This CABI, WCS, USAID partnership included the negotiation of a landmark agreement
between indigenous organizations and the sponsors of the Bolivia-Brazil Gas Pipeline
that crosses the park. It provided for unprecedented participatory consultation with local
people and made available significant resources for land titling, impact mitigation,
conservation, and sustainable development. The Kaa-Iya Program supports CABI’s
efforts through institutional strengthening, development and implementation of a
management plan for the protected area, applied community-based research focusing on
the sustainable uses of natural resources, and environmental education.
b) Conserving the Forests and Biodiversity of the Eastern Slopes of the Andes: The eastern
slopes of Bolivia are some of the most diverse forests in the world. Conservation
International identified Bolivia’s tropical Andes as part of the world’s most important
hotspots, “the epicenter of global biodiversity,” with roughly 1,360 bird species and
A-1
17,000 vascular plants. USAID is supporting three programs to conserve a string of
protected areas—and the natural areas between them—running from Amboro and
Carrasco National Park in Bolivia to Manu National Park in Peru. This bi-national
program is known as the Vilcabamba-Amboro Corridor. The Bolivian part is known
locally as the Corredor Amboro-Madidi or CAM. USAID CAM partners are
Conservation International (CI), Wildlife Conservation Society, World Wildlife Fund
(WWF) in coordination with the Fundación Amigos de la Naturaleza (FAN), and the
Bolivian Park Service (SERNAP).
c) Protected Area Management in Southern Bolivia: USAID supports The Nature
Conservancy (TNC) and their work with the Bolivian NGO Trópico in the management
of the Eduardo Avaroa Faunal Reserve and PROMETA (Protection of the Environment
in Tarija) in the management of the Tariquía Flora and Fauna Reserve. PROMETA also
played a major role in the creation of the Serranía del Aguarague National Park and
Natural Integrated Management Area.
3. Ecoregional Planning: The Environment Results Framework Intermediate Result 2.1 is
“Ecoregional planning integrates forest and protected area management.” Systematic
sustainable tourism planning and program implementation including environmental
education for guests, ecotourism providers (protected area managers, private business
owners, communities, cooperatives, nongovernmental organizations) and the local population
have a great deal of potential to contribute significantly to achieving this IR.
4. Industrial and Environmental Pollution: The goal of this IR is improved environmental
management of urban and industrial pollution through increased institutional capacity to
sustain cleaner production and increased financial capacity for investments in cleaner
production. This IR was initiated in 1995 as the Pollution Prevention Program (EP3) and
implemented as an environmental technical unit of the National Chamber of Industries in La
Paz. EP3 provided individualized technical assistance, training, and support to priority highly
contaminated industries. The program has recently been redesigned and named the Center for
the Production of Sustainable Technologies (CPTS). It seeks to identify and respond to
technical and financial factors that limit the wider adoption of cleaner production
technologies. CPTS also proposes to expand their work into medium and small enterprises
and other sectors, such as agriculture and health, which have a relationship with industrial
pollution.
CPTS activities include: (1) promote industry adoption of cleaner production; (2) train a
cadre of private consultants to carry out environmental audits, (3) improve university’s
capabilities to train technical specialists; (4) increase public awareness; and (5) in
cooperation with commercial bank, create a mechanism to finance the adoption of cleaner
production technologies. These activities are co-financed by USAID, the World Bank, and
the governments of Denmark and Sweden; the Inter-American Development Bank may
provide other complementary funding in the future.
The achievement of this Strategic Objective and Intermediate Results will require that a wide
range of Bolivians—government, private sector, non-governmental organizations, municipalities,
local groups, and enterprises—are aware of, advocate for, and take actions to support sustainable
tourism, the management of protected areas to enhance ecotourism opportunities through a
A-2
tourism production system that minimizes and mitigates environmental impacts. For ecotourism
this means that development related activities (trails, lodges, hotels, restaurants, craft production,
etc.) would not increase erosion, pollute rivers and streams, reduce the habitat of key species,
open areas to major human disturbance that would endanger ongoing ecosystem processes. Other
examples include that tourist patterns should not disturb critical wildlife migration patterns, nor
should tourist food consumption patterns lead to loss of a fish species, nor should the desire of
tourists to get to a vista point by car instead of walking automatically result in road construction.
The Economic Opportunities and Alternative Development Teams objectives are to use
sustainable tourism and ecotourism as a potential mechanism for stimulating alternative
economic development to illicit coca growing and other related non-sustainable land uses. In
addition, a sustainable nature-based tourism development strategy provides an indirect incentive
to not introduce land uses into protected areas that compromise the functioning ecosystem thus
reducing the plants, wildlife, birds and other species that today’s ecotourist desires and expects to
see.
A-3
Annex B. Interview Forms
B-1
English Version
FIELD QUESTIONS—Group 1: Context
Municipality/Community:
Place and Protected Area:
Interviewee:
Date:
Position:
Question
What activities in your
community/municipality
generate the most jobs, the
second and the third most?
Answer
First
Second
Third
What are the major problems
in your
community/municipality?
What ethnic groups are
represented in your
Where do people from your
community/municipality go
for medical treatment?
What kind of basic public
service do you have in your
(Power, sewer, potable water,
etc.)
Does your
community/municipality have
a plan?
Who is involved and how are
decisions made in your
community?
What of kind of
transportation do people use
to come to your community
or transport products?
Can these forms of
transportation be used year
B-2
Question
Answer
round?
Are there any projects to
improve transportation to
your community/municipality
planned in the near future?
Does your
community/municipality
regularly have any cultural
festivals or events? When?
B-3
FIELD QUESTIONS—Group 2: The Evolution of Tourism and Accompanying Impacts
Community:
Interviewee:
Date:
Position:
Question
Answer
How long have visitors been
coming to your community?
(approx. number of years)
Why do they come? (Town
location, natural setting,
culture, recommended by
somebody or a guidebook)
What do they do? (Activities,
visiting sites, buying
handicrafts, etc.)
Who started tourism in your
community? (Founding
business and name of the
person)
What kinds of tourism, if any,
do you want in your
community? (Eating, staying
overnight, buying handicrafts,
buying supplies, pass through
and not stop, etc.)
What things would you like
to see changed in your
community as a result of
developing tourism?
(Improved roads, more jobs,
electricity, families having
more money, etc.)
What things do you want to
stay the same and not change
as more tourists come?
(Traditions, friendly
atmosphere in the
community, habits of youth)
B-4
Question
Answer
Are there any aspects about
tourism that you are worried
about? (A few people will
make all the money, people
from outside will take over
our community, etc.)
What do you see as the
benefits from tourism for
your community, individual
businesses and families?
Community
Businesses
Families
B-5
FIELD QUESTIONS—Group 3: Existing tourism activities and services
Communities:
Interviewee:
Date:
Position:
Question
Answer
Who are the key tourism
service providers in your
What type of new tourism
activities/business are being
talked about or proposed for
this area?
What are the barriers to this
projects being implemented?
What types of visitors does
the area want to attract with
these projects?
What are the primary
activities these tourists will
do?
Where do you want these
new tourists to spend money
in your community?
How are decisions about
tourism made in your
community and who makes
them?
Are there any tourism
projects for your area
included in this year’s
municipal budget?
B-6
FIELD QUESTIONS—Group 4: Business Description (Lodging, Meals, hands and Crafts,
rental, retail, transportation, guides)
Community:
Interviewee:
Date:
Position:
Business Name:
Owner Name:
Address:
Phone:
Owner type—Individual, Community, NGO, Co-op, Other:________
Brief description:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Estimated Investment
Amount (US$)
Property
Buildings/Structures
Equipment
Major Tourism Services and Products
Rates/Costs (US$)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Employees
Kind/Position Title
Number
Pay/hour
B-7
Number of tourists/clients serviced (average number per week):
High season: from (month) through (month)
(average per week)
Low season: from (month) through (month)
(average per week)
Average length of stay:
Quality of Employees/Training Needs
Are there enough qualified people in the area to fill your positions?
Yes __________
No ____________
If “NO”, what kinds of training are needed to provide you with qualified workers?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Business Expansion / New Products
Do you plan to expand your business?
a. Yes_______; How?_________________________________________________
When?________________________________________________
b. No_______
How much money do you think you will invest over the next 3 years?
___________________________________________________________
Who will you go to for financing?
___________________________________________________________
B-8
Customers
Who are your customers?
Locals__________
Other Bolivians___________
Foreigners:____________ Primary countries:____________________________________
Marketing
How do you market your business?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
B-9
Spanish Version
PREGUNTAS DE CAMPO—Grupo 1: Contexto
Comunidad:
Lugar y Área Protegida:
Entrevistado:
Fecha:
Cargo:
Pregunta
¿Qué actividad de su
comunidad/municipalidad es
la primera en generar la
mayoría de los trabajos, la
segunda y la tercera?
Respuesta
Primera
Segunda
Tercera
¿Cuáles son los principales
problemas de su
comunidad/municipalidad?
¿Cuáles grupos étnicos están
representados en su
¿En dónde recibe atención
médica la gente de su
¿Cuáles servicios públicos
básicos tiene usted
disponibles en su
(Electricidad, manejo de
desechos, agua potable, etc.)
¿En su
comunidad/municipalidad
tienen un plan de desarrollo?
¿Quién está involucrado y
cómo se toman las decisiones
en su comunidad?
¿Qué tipos de medios de
transporte usa la gente para
venir a su comunidad o para
transportar productos?
B-10
Pregunta
Respuesta
¿Se pueden usar esos medios
de comunicación todo el año?
¿Hay algún proyecto
planeado para el futuro para
mejorar el transporte a su
¿Tiene su
comunidad/municipalidad
regularmente algún festival o
evento cultural? ¿Cuándo?
B-11
PREGUNTAS DE CAMPO—Grupo 2: La Evolución del Turismo y los Impactos
Asociados
Comunidad:
Entrevistado:
Fecha:
Cargo:
Pregunta
Respuesta
¿Por cuánto tiempo han
estado viniendo turistas a su
comunidad? (Número
aproximado de años)
¿Por que vienen estos
turistas? (Ubicación del
pueblo, ambiente natural,
cultura, recomendación de
alguien o de una guía
turística, etc.)
¿Qué hacen cuando vienen?
(Actividades, visitan sitios,
compran artesanías, etc.)
¿Quién empezó el turismo en
su comunidad? (Empresa
fundadora y nombre de
persona)
¿Qué tipos de turismo, si es
que hay alguno, usted quiere
tener en su comunidad?
(Comidas, hospedaje, compra
de artesanías, compra de
provisiones, ir de pasada sin
detenerse, etc.)
¿Qué cosas le gustaría que
cambiaran en su comunidad
debido al desarrollo del
turismo? (Mejores caminos,
más trabajos, electricidad,
familias con más ingresos,
etc.)
B-12
Pregunta
Respuesta
¿Qué cosas quiere usted que
se mantengan y que no sean
cambiadas por la llegada de
más turistas? (Tradiciones,
atmósfera amigable en la
comunidad, hábitos de
nuestra juventud, etc.)
¿Le preocupan algunos
aspectos del turismo? (Solo
cierta gente tendrá mas
dinero, gente de afuera se
apoderará de la comunidad,
etc.)
¿Cuáles son los beneficios del
turismo que usted ve para su
comunidad, negocio
individual y familias?
Comunidad
Negocios
Familias
B-13
PREGUNTAS DE CAMPO—Grupo 3: Actividades y Servicios Turísticos Existentes
Comunidad:
Entrevistado:
Fecha:
Cargo:
Preguntas
Respuestas
¿Quiénes son los proveedores
de servicios turísticos claves
en su comunidad o
municipalidad?
¿Cuáles nuevas
actividades/negocios
turísticos se mencionan o
proponen para esta área?
¿Cuáles son las barreras para
la ejecución de estos
proyectos?
¿Qué tipos de visitantes
quiere atraer el área con estos
proyectos?
¿Cuáles son las principales
actividades que desarrollarán
estos visitantes?
¿Dónde en su comunidad
desea usted que estos
visitantes gasten su dinero?
¿Cómo se toman las
decisiones relacionadas con
turismo en su comunidad y
quien las toma?
¿Se han incluido proyectos de
turismo para su área en el
presupuesto municipal del
próximo año?
B-14
PREGUNTAS DE CAMPO—Grupo 4: Descripción del Negocio (Alojamiento, Comidas,
Artesanías, alquiler de equipo, transporte, guías)
Comunidad:
Entrevistado:
Fecha:
Nombre del Negocio:
Nombre del Propietario:
Dirección:
Teléfono:
Tipo de Propietario: Individual, Comunidad, ONG, Cooperativo, Otro:________
Descripción breve:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Inversión Estimada
Cantidad (US$)
Propiedad
Edificios/Estructuras
Equipo
Principales Servicios y Productos Turísticos
Tarifas/Costos (US$)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Empleados
Tipos de Puestos
Números
Pago/hora
B-15
Numero de turistas/clientes atendidos (número promedio por semana):
Temporada alta: de(mes) hasta(mes)
(promedio por semana)
Temporada baja: de(mes) hasta(mes)
(promedio por semana)
Duración promedio de estadía:
Calidad de los Empleados/Necesidades de Capacitación
¿Hay suficiente gente calificada en la zona para ocupar sus puestos?
Sí __________
No ____________
Si la respuesta es “NO”, ¿Qué tipos de capacitación se necesitan para proveerlo con empleados
calificados?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Expansión del Negocio/ Productos Nuevos
¿Planea usted expandir su negocio?
a. Sí_______; ¿Cómo?________________________________________________
b. No_______¿Cómo?________________________________________________
¿Cuánto dinero piensa usted invertir en los próximos 3 años?
___________________________________________________________
¿A quién le pediría financiamiento?
___________________________________________________________
B-16
Clientes
¿Quiénes son sus clientes?
Vecino locales__________
Otros Bolivianos___________
Extranjeros:____________ Principales países:__________________________________
Mercadeo
¿Cómo mercadea usted su negocio?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
B-17
Annex C. Business Plan Guide for Ecotourism Projects in Bolivia
C-1
English Version
I.
Executive Summary
II.
Context: Context of a project (regional and national economy, national and regional
tourism sector)
III.
Description of the entities participating in the Project (name of each participant and
the following information)
A. Listing and description of the participating entities: (a) Tourism companies: hotels,
restaurants, tourism operators; (b) community: individuals and community
associations; (c) municipal governments; (d) promoting organizations: nongovernmental organizations, non-for-profit partnerships; and (e) other (commercial
companies, industrial or service companies, investment partnerships)
B. Legal structure and year company was formed, (Individual, Sociedad Anónima,
Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada)
C. Address, telephone, fax and e-mail, contact person
D. Affiliated or related companies.
E. Name, nationality, percentage of ownership of each owner
F. Experience in the sector, industry, experience related to the project, administrative
and management experience
G. Relations with the community and local authorities, including environmental
H. Banking and commercial references
I. Curriculum of the principal supporters
IV.
Company
A. Brief history of the company. Names and curriculum of the management.
B. Products and services
C. Financial Information (financials audited for the last three years (unless it is a new
company), current company debt (including outstanding guarantee)
D. The Market (offerings, demand, prices, market strategy, competition), main clients
and distribution channels.
E. Comparative and competitive advantages of the company
F. Name of auditors and legal advisors
C-2
G. Evidence of complying with norms regarding environmental, labor and job security.
V.
Description of the Sustainable Tourism Project 1
A. Detailed description of the project (location, infrastructure, access roads, ecological
areas)
B. Detailed description of the steps that need to be taken to incorporate the private
sector, the community and the municipality in the Project (preservation of native
cultures, roll of each of the participants in the Project, importance of the Project for
the community)
C. Detailed description of the geographic surroundings where the project is located and
the environmental policies in the projects area of influence (national, municipal and
local protected areas, plan to develop awareness of ecotourism in Bolivia, importance
of the project for the environment.)
D. Feasibility studies related to the project: technical, market, environmental, financial,
institutional and economic. Definition of the market (analysis of the sector, including
past tendencies, local and international operators, detail of the number of tourists by
origin, number of nights and prices, market segment of the Project, opportunities,
seasonal variations)2
E. Comparative and competitive advantages of the Project. Evaluation of the tourism
potential, closeness to other tourism sites, types and transportation costs, uniqueness
and quality of the tourism attraction, availability of packaged tours and other services
(restaurants, handicrafts, museums), etc.
F. Competition. Description of the competition (products/services, types of organization,
prices, location, promotion, administration, financial aspects)
G. Alliances with similar projects
H. Environmental arrangements for the project: water, sanitary services, solid and liquid
wastes, preservation of ecological areas. These environmental arrangements will be
part of the Plan of Environmental Managements that should be annexed to this
business plan. The Plan will detail the environmental control procedures during the
planning, construction, operation and supervision of the project. The Plan will include
1
The Project is understood as the total number of participants and the necessary actions needed to offer a complete
chain of tourism services in the geographical region of the Project. For example, the “project” could include a hotel
and restaurant in a population close to the tourism attraction, a municipal museum, handicraft stores, eco-lodges and
lookouts.
2
To undertake the economic evaluation, the investment, operational, maintenance costs of the hotel infrastructure
(including restaurants, etc) should be broken down in: expenses in foreign and local currency with materials,
equipment and other supplies other than labor; untrained labor and other labor categories. Also, the estimated
income should be estimated in foreign currency (expenses made by foreign tourists) and in local currency (local
tourists).
C-3
mainly the following: (i) a environmental management plan in the Project area agreed
upon by the participating parties that clearly identifies the provisions in the utilization
of area resources, handling of liquids and solids and responsibilities for the control
and implementation mechanisms; (ii) an initial evaluation of the capacity of each site
vis-à-vis the observed tourism flow and the follow up and observation plan; (iii) the
measures to prevent, control and mitigate the basic and hotel infrastructure works;
(iv) the projected agreements for the follow up and control of the application of these
measures with the local and/or national environmental agency..
I. Local Impact: Current and projected employment, preservation of indigenous
cultures, impact on municipal and community income.
J. Generation of foreign currency
K. Other benefits of the Project, environmental protection, value added for the
communities or for the protection of the environment.
VI.
Investment Costs
A. Costs of the project by category
B. Suppositions on which the costs are based
VII.
Financial Projections
A. Demand: Historical statistical demand (five years), demand projection (10 years),
suppositions on the demand.
B. Price structure for hotels, lodges, restaurants, tourism guides and other. Suppositions
on the income structure (per year, by season, by package, prices, number of guests)
C. Projection of income based on the suppositions utilized. Cash flow: beginning with
initial investments and VIDA UTIL (time horizon) by comparable categories with the
budget, depreciation of assets, infrastructure, machinery and equipment (total costs,
useful life, depreciation factor, residual value), fixed and variable costs (by type of
package). Evaluation of the Project: Cash Flow Projection and Analysis of Financial
Profitability: Investment cash flow, Operational Cash Flow, total costs, Total benefits,
NPV, IRR, suppositions for the projections (inflation, growth of tourism, taxes,
sensibility analysis.
VIII. Execution
A. Monthly execution time frame
B. Project administration and the roll of each participant. Type of organization (sociedad
anónima, sociedad de responsabilidad limitada, “joint venture”, etc.)
C-4
C. Roll of the strategic alliance. Strategic alliances with communities, municipalities,
providers of services related to the project, NGOs, etc.
D. Legal aspects of the Project (including division of shares, agreements, investment
commitments. Aspects related to land tenure, including land title and communityowned lands.
E. Operation and maintenance of the infrastructure
F. Implementation risks (in construction, technological, environmental), Project risks
(business, supplies, competition, sector growth, market, profit margin, suppliers,
clients, personal and area management including economic, legal and environmental
aspects.).
IX.
Financial Plan
Summary of source of funding per category (see Annex D)
X.
Financing Operations and Working Capital
How will the investments and operations of the Project be financed before sales begin (lines of
credit, donations, in kina financing, own resources)?
C-5
Spanish Version
Guia para Plan de Negocios—Bolivia: Proyectos de Eco Turismo
I.
Resumen Ejecutivo
II.
Entorno: Marco de Referencia del Proyecto (economía nacional y regional, sector
turismo nacional y regional)
III.
Descripción de las Entidades Participantes del Proyecto (nombre de cada participante
y la siguiente información)
A. Listado y descripción de entidades participantes: (a) empresas turísticas: hoteles,
restaurantes, operadores de turismo; (b) comunidad: individuos y asociaciones
comunitarias; (c) gobiernos municipales; (d) organizaciones promotoras:
organizaciones no gubernamentales, sociedades sin fines de lucro; y (e) otras
(empresas comerciales, industriales o de servicios, sociedades de inversión,)
B. Estructura jurídica y año de constitución, (Individual, Sociedad Anónima, Sociedad
de Responsabilidad Limitada)
C. Dirección, teléfonos, fax y e-mail, nombre del contacto
D. Empresas vinculados o afiliadas
E. Nombre, nacionalidad, porcentaje de acciones de cada dueño
F. Experiencia en el sector, industria, experiencia relacionada con el proyecto,
experiencia administrativa y gerencial
G. Relación con la comunidad y con autoridades locales, incluyendo autoridades
ambientales
H. Referencias comerciales y bancarias
I. Curriculum de los principales patrocinadores
IV.
Empresa
A. Breve historia de la empresa. Nombres y curriculum de la gerencia
B. Productos o servicios
C. Información financiera (estados financieros auditados de los últimos tres años (a
menos que sea una nueva empresa), endeudamiento actual de la empresa (incluyendo
garantías otorgadas)
D. El mercado (oferta, demanda, precios, estrategia de mercadeo, competencia),
principales clientes y canales de distribución
C-6
E. Ventajas comparativas y competitivas de la empresa
F. Nombre de auditores y asesores legales
G. Pruebas de cumplimiento con normas de protección del medio ambiente, laborales y
de seguridad en el trabajo
V.
Descripción del Proyecto de Turismo Sostenible 3
A. Descripción detallada del proyecto (ubicación, infraestructura, vías de acceso, áreas
ecológicas)
B. Descripción detallada de la aproximación que van a adoptar para incorporar el sector
privado, la comunidad y el Municipio en el proyecto (preservación de culturas
nativas, rol de cada uno de los participantes en el proyecto, importancia del proyecto
para la comunidad)
C. Descripción detallada del entorno geográfico donde se encuentra el proyecto y de la
política ambiental en la zona de influencia del proyecto (áreas protegidas a nivel
nacional, local y municipal, plan para desarrollar conciencia del turismo ecológico en
Bolivia, importancia del proyecto para el medio ambiente)
D. Estudios de factibilidad del proyecto: técnico, del mercado, ambiental, financiero,
institucional y económico. Definición del mercado (análisis del sector, incluyendo
tendencias pasadas, operadores locales e internacionales, detalle de número de turistas
por procedencia, número de noches y precios, segmento de mercado del proyecto,
oportunidades, variaciones estacionales)4
E. Ventajas comparativas y competitivas del proyecto. Evaluación del potencial
turístico, cercanía de otros sitios turísticos, tipos y costos de transporte, carácter único
y calidad de la atracción turística, disponibilidad de paquetes de tours y otros
servicios (restaurantes, artesanías, museos), etc.
F. Competencia. Descripción de la competencia (productos/servicios, tipo de
organización, precios, localización, promoción, administración, aspectos financieros)
G. Alianzas con proyectos similares
3
Se entiende por “proyecto” al conjunto de participantes y acciones necesarias para proporcionar una cadena
completa de servicios turísticos en la zona geográfica del proyecto. Por ejemplo, el “proyecto” podría incluir un
hotel y restaurantes en una población cercana al atractivo turístico, un museo municipal, tiendas de artesanías, ecoalbergues y miradores.
4
Para realizar la evaluación económica , los costos de inversión y de operación y mantenimiento de la
infraestructura hotelera (incluyendo restaurantes, etc.) deberán ser desglosados en: gastos en divisas y en moneda
local con materiales, equipos y otros insumos que no mano de obra; mano de obra no calificada; y otras categorías
de mano de obra. También, los ingresos estimados deberán ser estimados en divisas (gastos realizados por turistas
extranjeros) y en moneda local (turistas locales).
C-7
H. Arreglos ambientales del proyecto: agua, saneamiento, desechos líquidos y sólidos,
topografía, preservación de áreas ecológicas. Estos arreglos ambientales serán parte
del Plan de Manejo Ambiental que se deberá anexar a este Plan de Negocios. El PMA
detallará los procedimientos de control ambiental de la zona del proyecto durante la
etapa de planificación, construcción, operación y supervisión del mismo. El PMA
contendrá principalmente: (i) un plan de manejo de la zona del proyecto acordado
entre las partes proponentes, que identifique claramente las previsiones en materia de
utilización de los recursos de la zona, manejo de efluentes y desechos, y
responsabilidades por las operaciones de control y su seguimiento; (ii) la evaluación
inicial de la capacidad de carga de cada sitio frente al flujo turístico observado, y el
plan de observación y seguimiento; (iii) las medidas de prevención, control y
mitigación de impactos de las obras de infraestructura básica y hotelera; (iv) los
acuerdos previstos para el seguimiento y control de la aplicación de estas medidas
con la agencia ambiental local y/o nacional.
I. Impacto Local: Empleo actual y proyectado, formalización del sector informal,
preservación de cultura indígena, impacto sobre ingresos municipales y de la
comunidad
J. Generación de divisas
K. Otros beneficios del proyecto, protección del ambiente, valor agregado para la
comunidades o para la protección del medio ambiente.
VI.
Costos de Inversión
A. Costos del Proyecto por categoría
B. Supuestos en los cuales se basan los costos
VII.
Proyecciones Financieras
A. Demanda: Estadísticas históricas de demanda (5 anos), proyección de la demanda (10
anos), supuestos sobre la demanda
B. Estructura de precios para hoteles, albergues, restaurantes, guías de turismo y otros.
Supuestos sobre la estructura de los ingresos (por ano, por estación, por paquete,
precios, numero de huéspedes)
C. Proyección de ingresos con base en los supuestos utilizadas para las proyecciones.
Flujo de caja: comenzando con inversiones iniciales y vida útil (horizonte de tiempo)
por categorías comparables al presupuesto, depreciación de activos: infraestructura,
maquinaria y equipos (costo total, vida útil, factor de depreciación, valor residual),
costos fijos y costos variables (por tipo de paquete). Evaluación del Proyecto:
Proyección de Flujo de Caja y Análisis de Rentabilidad Financiera: Flujo de Caja de
Inversión, Flujo de Caja de Operación, Costos Totales, Beneficios Totales, VAN,
TIR, C/B, supuestos de proyecciones (inflación, crecimiento del volumen de turistas,
impuesto a la renta. Análisis de Sensibilidad.
C-8
VIII. Ejecución
A. Cronograma mensual de ejecución
B. Administración del proyecto y rol de cada participante. Tipo de organización
(sociedad anónima, sociedad de responsabilidad limitada, “joint venture”, etc.)
C. Rol de alianzas estratégicas Alianzas estratégicas con comunidades, municipios,
proveedores de servicios relacionados con el proyecto, organizaciones no
gubernamentales, etc.
D. Aspectos legales del proyecto (incluyendo participación accionaría, acuerdos,
compromisos de inversión. Aspectos relacionados con tenencia de la tierra,
incluyendo modalidad de propiedad--terreno adquirido o terreno en concesión; y
servidumbres)
E. Operación y mantenimiento de la infraestructura
F. Riesgos de implementación (de construcción, tecnológicos, ambientales), Riesgos del
proyecto (negocios, insumos, competencia y crecimiento del sector, mercado, margen
de utilidades, proveedores, clientes, personal y gerencia y del entorno, incluyendo
aspectos económicos, legales y ambientales).
IX.
Plan Financiero
Resumen de Fuente de recursos por categoría (ver anexo D)
X.
Financiamiento de Operaciones y del Capital de Trabajo
Como se van a financiar las inversiones y operaciones del proyecto antes del inicio de ventas
(Líneas de crédito, capital propio, donaciones, financiamiento en especie)
C-9
Annex D. Investment Budget and Source of Funds
D-1
English Version
Budget Categories
A. Consulting and expert expenses
Pre-feasibility studies
Environmental studies (handling
capacity of environmental sites)
Scientific studies (flora and fauna)
Geologists, biologists, etc.
B. Project administration personnel
Coordinator
Administrator
Accountant
Marketing manager
Administrative assistants
C. Training
Tour guides
Business
Training materials
Institutional strengthening
Handicrafts
School environmental education
D. Operation and administrative costs
Rent
Materials
Transportation
Visual
Partners
Company
Community
Municipality
Total
D-2
Budget Categories
E. Infrastructure
Solar or other alternative energies
Potable and sanitation
Garbage treatment
Constructions
Ecological areas
Signage
F. Equipment and Machinery
Vehicles
Hotel and restaurant equipment
Look-out stations
Computers
Furniture
Scientific equipment
Rescue equipment
Generators
Solar equipment
Bed supplies
First Aid equipment
Communication equipment
G. Promotion
Web page
Posters, flyers and brochures
TV programs and spots
Tourism Fairs
Partners
Company
Community
Municipality
Total
D-3
Spanish Version—Presupuesto de Inversiones y Fuentes de Fondos
Categorías Presupuestarias
A. Gastos de Consultoría y Expertos
Estudio de pre-factibilidad
Estudios ambientales (capacidad de
carga de veredas ecológicas)
Estudios científicos (flora y fauna)
Geólogos, biólogos, etc.
B. Personal de Administración del
Proyecto
Coordinador
Administrador
Contador
Gerente de Mercadeo
Asistentes administrativos
C. Capacitación
Guías de turismo
Negocios
Materiales de enseñanza
Fortalecimiento institucional
Artesanía
Educación ambiental escolar
D. Gastos operativos y administrativos
alquileres
Materiales
Fletes
Información visual
Socios
Empresa
Comunidad
Municipio
Total
D-4
Categorías Presupuestarias
E. Infraestructura
Energía solar
Saneamiento y agua potable
Tratamiento de basura
Construcciones
Veredas ecológicas
Señalización
F. Equipos y maquinaria
Vehículos
Equipos de hotelería y gastronomía
Miradores
Computadoras
Muebles y enseres
Equipo científico
Equipo de rescate
Generadores
Energía solar
Ropa de cama
Equipos de primer auxilio
Equipos de comunicación
(transceivers)
G. Promoción
Pagina web
Afiches
Programas televisión
Ferias y brochures
Socios
Empresa
Comunidad
Municipio
Total
D-5
Annex E. Bolivian Government Reform of Travel and Tourism:
The Institutional Scene
Recently the Government of Bolivia, particularly the Ministerio de Comercio Exterior E
Inversion, Viceministerio de Turismo (hereafter in the text Vice Ministry of Tourism) completed
a strategy for the development of sustainable tourism in Bolivia 2001–05. The development of
this strategy includes a detailed inventory of sustainable tourism potential based upon the natural
and cultural characteristics of Bolivia. The analysis process used a regional perspective and took
an integrated holistic look at landscape characteristics, natural and cultural attractions, and the
spatial organization of potential services and products from the tourists’ perspective. The
resulting assessment and development proposal are pragmatic and include well-thought out
recommendations and programs for enhancing sustainable tourism (Ministerio de Comercio
Exterior e Inversion, Viceministerio de Tourismo, 2000).
This strategic planning effort coupled with the recent decentralization of responsibility and
funding to municipalities and the creation of mancomunidades (i.e. La mancomunidad de
Municipios de las provincias Sara e Ichilo, Mancomunidad del Cono Sur de Cochabamba) who
have a legal responsibility to become more actively involved in directing their futures including
economic development and conservation (Castillo, 2000), sets the stage for a more locally
controlled and directed approach to sustainable tourism development in Bolivia. Also, some of
the local governmental units associated with this project are a part of USAID Bolivia’s
Desarrollo Democratico y Participacion Ciudadana Project (DDPC).
The strength of this local government policy reform is somewhat offset by the lack of
institutional capacity that presently exists at the mancomunidad (an formal legally recognized
association of multiple municipalities/communities), municipal and community levels. It also has
resulted in less clear roles for the central and departmental governmental units in the
development of sustainable tourism projects, including ecotourism ones. Although there is
communication within the central government between Servicio Nacional de Areas Protegidas
(hereafter The National Park Service or SERNAP) and the Vice Ministry of Tourism, our
interviews with officials from both agencies suggest that their roles are unclear in regards to the
development and promotion of protected area based ecotourism (ecotourism services and
products associated with protected area core and integrated management zones). For example,
SERNAP in the Amboro National Park region was engaged in actively developing ecotourism
products and services associated with its management operations, a function that it felt might
better fit with a sustainable development or tourism agency. In the absence of either at the local
level, SERNAP stepped forward and filled the void. Certainly, the required participatory
municipal plan (PPM), the annual operations plan (POA) and the municipal development plan
(PDM) required as a part of this reform provides new processes and procedures for the
development, approval and support for coordinated sustainable tourism (including ecotourism)
efforts.
Finally, Law Number 2074 and its promulgated regulations, adopted in 2000 and entitled, “The
Promotion and Development of Tourism Activities in Bolivia” deals directly with sustainable
tourism This law clearly defines the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment as the
E-1
government authority over tourism matters and delegates to it the role and responsibility to
regulate (Bolivian Official Gazette, 2001):
“a. Protection, creation, planning and exploitation of tourism attractions and
resources;
b. Encouragement, systematization and promotion of tourism activities and
services;
c. Training of related human resources;
d. Bolivia’s image at national and international levels;
e. Promotion and protection of activities dealing with the tourism industry;
f. Tourist or visitor protection all over the country” (p.3).
Title One, Chapter One, Article two of the law describes the state’s interest in promoting
sustainable tourism and not compromising the natural and cultural patrimony of the nation which
it goes on to define as ecosystems, scenery and landscape beauties, ecological floors, biological
and cultural diversity zones, protected natural areas, archeological, anthropological and
paleontologic sites; geological formations, historical facts, monuments, and cultural events; and
folkloric events and the nation’s tangible and intangible cultural patrimony (Bolivian Official
Gazette, 2001).
Article three further defines tourism products as tourism patrimony, a concept that includes:
“… a set of tangible and intangible goods, along with attractions, resources and
expressions of cultural, historic, ecological and natural features, which are able to
generate tourist activities” (p.4).
This article goes on to define tourism service providers as:
“ …those properly authorized, civil or legal individuals who, at a habitual,
permanent or transitory level, provide or make arrangements for services, or
develop activities that are directly or indirectly linked to tourism, either in an
onerous or free of charge mode, with or without profit, for tourists and visitors”
(p.4).
This definition makes it clear that government entities, private sector businesses (domestic or
international) or non-governmental organizations can offer tourism products or services and that
in doing so they have a responsibility to respect and care for the “Bolivian Tourism Identity” and
follow the policies put forth in the law. As per the law the “BOLIVIAN TOURISM IDENTITY
is constituted by those manifestations of historic, cultural and costumbrist expressions, that are of
unique characteristics to the country, and that emerge from authentic values of the population,
ethnic groups, and meaning and contents each site or area might have, as a tangible or intangible,
distinctive feature of each national tourism product.”
Other key policies covered in the decree of particular importance to this project are presented in
Title IV. In this part, the Vice Ministry is given the responsibility to formulate and regularly
update a National Plan for Tourism Development as well as a national strategy. Secondly, in the
case of tourism and protected areas, the Vice Ministry of Tourism and the National Service for
Protected Areas are given oversight authority and tourism providers are required to follow
E-2
General Regulations on Protected Areas and Sectorial Regulations on Tourism. Thirdly, the Vice
Ministry of Tourism has the responsibility to develop national priorities and facilitate integrated
actions between the public and private sectors to implement these. In doing this, it is clear that
the ministry is required to use a participatory approach that includes all levels of government and
private entities involved.
The law requires priority zones in a Municipal Ordinance, issued by the corresponding
municipality or mancomunidad be used to declare tourism development zones. Descriptions of
these zones are to address the following items as quoted from the regulation (Bolivian Official
Gazette, 2001):
“a. Background and natural, archeological, anthropological, paleontologic,
historic, artistic, cultural or social features that define the tourism activity of
the zone.
b. The zone’s boundaries based on available national cartography.
c. The statements objectives.
d. The guidelines to plan the tourism development programs as well as
incentives and taxation applicable to the zone.
e. Mechanisms for coordination and agreement between the national
government, department, municipal, and community administrations, and the
private sector, in order to attain the statement’s goals” (p.18).
This provides a realistic tool for these governments to use to aid in planning for the location and
purpose of sustainable tourism. This provides them with the ability to promote and/or discourage
ecotourism.
Key Summary Points
In summary, the government of Bolivia has developed a reasonably well thought out sustainable
tourism policy and strategy based on tourism statistics and studies. Bolivia desires to position
itself to better capitalize on projected increases in global foreign travel and its tourism potential,
particularly as related to culture and nature. It is clear that much of this effort is new and its
formal implementation in a decentralized manner is just now being. As in any new policy
program, processes and procedures are being refined and methods of implementing it are being
experimented with. In any case, the tourism policy process the Bolivian Government has been
engaged in, and its outcomes, are directly relevant to ecotourism and should be considered in any
proposed USAID alternative development activities that directly include sustainable ecotourism,
or indirectly have the potential to affect existing sustainable tourism.
Although, policy development and strategic thinking was identified in the area of sustainable
tourism, policy for “ecotourism” was not identified. In the laws alternative words often were
used. It seems that “ethno-ecotourism” was a more common view of the alternative tourism. We
also heard government officials and tourism operators refer to adventure tourism, communitybased tourism, cultural tourism, educational tourism, nature-based tourism, backpacker tourism,
tourism in forests, and various others alternative forms of tourism as ecotourism. Because of this
confusion, we believe it is critical for USAID to define and consistently use the term
E-3
“ecotourism.” The three ecotourism criteria presented herein are offered as one way for USAID
to make judgments concerning ecotourism.
The three cities of La Paz, Santa Cruz and Cochabamba are key gateways (dominate
transportation carrier entry points especially for foreign travelers) and have large domestic
markets. As a result they serve as take-off points for destinations in other regions of the country
for both domestic and international tourists. These cities are therefore a key component of any
sustainable tourism system that includes ecotourism services and products.
Municipalities and mancomunidades, as part of the ongoing decentralization process in Bolivia,
have legal responsibility and a significant role to play in sustainable tourism. Therefore, every
effort should be made to include them, as required by Bolivian Law, in the planning for, and
management of sustainable ecotourism. Likewise, it is clear that there are defined and emerging
roles for the Vice Minister of Tourism, The National Park Service, and tourism providers
(private, nonprofit, public, and joint enterprises) and these too, should be respected in all actions
taken by USAID.
Finally, Bolivia’s existing tourism industry and government agencies are committed to
highlighting the country’s diverse indigenous culture and peoples as a way to distinguish itself
from its nearby competitors in an attempt to favorably position itself in international markets.
The “Bolivian Tourism Identity” defined in law also includes this cultural element. As such it is
essential to directly include indigenous peoples at the local level and the responsible ministry at
the national level. Ultimately, the success of Bolivia’s sustainable tourism depends on the active
inclusion of native communities and the integration of local need and preferences into the
planning process when considering tourism development projects.
E-4
Annex F. Chaco Region Detailed Information
Charagua
San Jose
Robore
Demography
From 1992-97 population
grew 30.4%, as of 1997
21,000 residents, 68%
Guaranies, 32% migrants
including Mennonites,
Quechuas, Aimaras, &
Criollos
As of 1992 the population
was 15,000, 68% are below
25 years of age, 60% live in
the urban area, 87% were
born outside San Jose
(includes Mennonites)
As of 1992 the population
was 16,000, 65% are below
24 years of age, 68% live in
the urban area
Education
76% of children of school
age attend school, 11 schools
with only 3 having all
primary and secondary
grades
Illiteracy rate is 12.4%, 91%
of the youth between 6-15
attend school, 27 schools (16
rural & 11 urban)
87% of the children between
the ages of 5–14 attend
school, 6 primary and 5
secondary schools in urban
areas, 3 primary and 1
secondary school in the rural
areas, and another 18 basic
primary schools exist in rural
areas
Health
3 hospitals, 12 basic health
centers, 40 midwives and
few medicine men
1 micro-hospital, 5 basic
health centers in community
and a train-based hospital
3 hospitals in urban areas, 1
hospital and 4 health centers
in the rural areas
Basic Services
3 potable water systems, and
2 human waste disposal
systems, (Mennonites
generally have at least
latrines & water)
84% of the rural do not have
a potable water system,
collection and treatment of
garbage and the disposal of
human waste is the
responsibility of each family
No sewer system exists and
pollution problems occur
during the rainy season, no
garbage collection,
Transportation
Inside the municipality a
network of dirt roads and
ways exist which often
impassable during the rainy
season.
Railroad connections to
Santa Cruz and Puerto
Suarez exist, a dirt road
parallels the railroad track
but is impassable during the
rainy season
Main access is the railroad, a
dirt road parallels the railroad
track but is impassable
during the rainy season, the
ways are in extremely poor
condition
Telephone and short wave
radio services, a local radio
and TV station, 3 air strips
1 TV and 2 radio stations,
some diesel generated power
is available but expensive
Communication
Cerro Colorado Site
This site is located within the TCO adjacent to the park, and is a former ranch. The ecosystem
present there has been affected by the cattle practices of the previous owner. The shell of the
ranch house remains. It lacks windows, doors and the roof and walls are in need of work. The
property is currently being used by WCS and CABI as a research camp. Proposed visitor,
heritage or cultural centers in Santa Cruz and San Jose de Chiquitos have potential to be off-site
portals to introduce tourists to the protected area and associated cultures. Projects presently under
discussion have information, environmental and cultural education components that could fulfill
this off-site portal role.
F-1
Basic services
In the house there is running water. However, no disposal method for human waste was present.
There was no electricity but a solar panel was used to generate electricity for a communications
radio. In general the condition of the structure was poor and would require a great deal of
investment if it were to serve as a facility for tourists.
Lodging
The abandoned house is the only lodging alternative at the site. Within it, were pitched the tents
of the researchers. A significant investment is needed to make the house inhabitable. Due to the
extreme weather conditions at the site, it is not advisable to have an outdoor camping area.
Attractions
Natural
The site presents opportunities for bird watching, hiking and some mountain climbing. Sporadic
sightings of some game animals
Cultural
It is impossible to separate nature from the culture of the Izuceño people. This particular site has
some importance as a special cultural place. Because of this thinking about using this environ
as a tourist site makes little or no sense.
Human-built
None
Transportation (to and within area)
Access is by small plane to La Brecha and from there one can go by foot or truck, if available.
The trip requires a river crossing and driving dirt roads for about 2 hours only to arrive at a site
that at present has very little to offer a tourist.
Marketing
None
Tourism product sales (on-site, off-site)
At present nothing is sold on-site. In La Brecha crafts can be purchased from ArteCampo and a
small store offers drinks, cookies and other basic supplies.
Linkages to protected areas
The park provides the scenery tourists would observe in a distance. In general, the strategy is not
to create physical links to the park.
F-2
Annex G. Buena Vista and Samaipata Detailed Information
Buena Vista
Samaipata
Demography
10,800 people
13,000 municipal population
Education
Kindergarten, grade and high schools
Kindergarten, grade and high schools
Health
Hospital, Plan International is currently
constructing a new hospital, health
district office
Hospital and 3 health posts
Yes
Yes-25%
Yes-25%
No (Sanitation 43%)
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Phone, mobile phone, fax, limited
Internet
Phone, mobile phone, fax, limited
Internet
Basic Services
Natural Gas
Electricity
Water
Sewage Treatment
Solid Waste/Garbage
Communication
Samaipata
Basic services
Tourism started in the 1980s and really changed in the 1990s when road improvements were
completed and investments were made to improve services at the El Fuerte, UNESCO World
Cultural Heritage Site. Samaipata has basic tourist services, but lacks potable water, and
adequate sewage and solid waste management. Samaipata received approximately 13,000
visitors in 2000 (40% foreigners).
Lodging
Samaipata received approximately 13,000 visitors in 2000 (40% foreigners). The local Chamber
of Hotels has 13 members with a total of 507 beds and size of establishments range from Campo
Sol with 6 beds to Achira Resort with 134 beds. Samaipata has a high number of second homes
of wealthy residents of Santa Cruz. Many of these are unoccupied for long periods of the year.
Attractions
Natural
Pleasant climate
Landscape
Amboro National Park
Numerous waterfalls
Visits to La Yunga
Cultural
El Fuerte Archaeological Site (UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site), which attracts 10,000
visitors per year
G-1
Archeological Museum in Samaipata (entrance fee 5Bs)
Visitor Center at el Fuerte Site (under construction)
Traditional market Saturday and Sunday
The Che Guevara circuit is nearby
Human-built
Pleasant small community with Spanish colonial architecture
Handicraft store
Swimming pool (entrance fee 10Bs)
There are good roads, buses, and taxi service to Samaipata. There are generally poor roads to all
surrounding communities off the main road.
Marketing
Materials
Chamber of Hotels has a flyer with map and lists of accommodations and restaurants.
Michael Blendinger Tours promotional flyers and signage are of notable quality.
Organizations involved
The Chamber of Hotels supports ecotourism and sustainable tourism development in the area.
Asociacion para el desarrollo Sustentable (ADESO)
FAN
Local tour operators operate in the Park and the ANMI
Local communities in ANMI provide services to Samaipata based operators.
Los Volcanes Lodge is situated in spectacular location on Park border.
Buena Vista
Basic services
It is located 100km northeast of Santa Cruz. Local government has a vision for their role in
promoting tourism development in collaboration with the private sector.
Lodging
The town has approximately 725 beds and its lodging establishments range from 15 to 200 beds
at the Amboro Eco Resort. These include hotels, resorts and condominiums that range in quality
from no stars to 4 and 5 star designations (Pineiro, 2000). The high season is normally from JulySeptember and on the four national holidays.
Attractions
Natural
Curichi Cuajo Municipal Reserve a wetland with observation tower.
G-2
Amboro National Park nature trails managed by local communities (Mataracu, Saguayo,
Macunucu, and La Chonta)
Puerto El Cairo, wildlife and the Surutu River
Lake Madrejon
Cultural
The museum at the Iglesia de Los Santos
Human-built
Colonial architecture
Handicraft Store
Coffee Plantation and processing plant
Agriculture production in area
There is paved road access, and bus and taxi service available to access Buena Vista, but poor
roads to all surrounding communities from the main road.
Marketing
Materials
Video developed by the Sara Ichilo Foundation
Brochures developed by individual tourism providers
Organizations involved
The Chamber of Hotels supports ecotourism and sustainable tourism development in the area.
FAN
Local tour operators operate in the park’s core and the ANMI.
G-3
Annex H. Chapare and Carrasco Detailed Information
Northern Side of Park
Villa Tunari—Key Northern Community Portal
The dominate portal entry on the north side of the park and has a population of approximately
50,000. It consists of a string of restaurants and shops, as well as a range of lodging, including
large higher end and small-scale resorts, and hotels with swimming pools and other amenities.
The journey to Villa Tunari from Cochabamba is along a partially paved highway and takes
more than 3 hours. Recent efforts to pave the remaining sections of the road should shorten the
trip from Cochabamba by at least a half an hour. The community sees itself as a center for “ecoethnotourism.”
Ecotourism Park Machia
Park Machia is an ecotourism option in Villa Tunari. This site is a small municipal park that is
the site for a project to rehabilitate native animals. Park Machia is run by the Comunidad Inti
Wara Yassii under a contract with the Municipality. The park is supported by anywhere from 10
to 30 volunteers (mostly international backpackers) from Australia, Israel, Europe, etc. Machia
was officially declared a park by the Municipality of Villa Tunari in 1994 and has been
administered by Inti Wara Yassi since 1996. The municipality of Villa Tunari officially gave
Juan Carlos Antezana, head of the organization “Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi” the administration
of the park in August of this year, for one year.
The park has 3.2 km of improved trails in the 36 hectare park. Volunteers take rescued, injured
or caged wildlife and rehabilitate them, when possible, so that they can be returned to their
original habitat. There are around 200 monkeys, as well as pumas, ocelots, turtles, a harpy eagle,
toucans, macaws, etc. The administrators charge a small entrance fee to visit the park and an
additional fee for taking photographs. An estimated 200–500 tourists a month, largely Bolivian,
visit the park. Roadblocks in the last two years have seriously affected the flow of visitors to
Machia.
Basic services
The Park has basic bathroom facilities, and lodging for volunteers.
Lodging
Camping, and hotel facilities are offered in Villa Tunari.
Attractions
Forest, monkeys, birds, trails, pumas, etc. associated with the rehabilitation effort.
Transportation
Good access road, taxi service
H-1
Marketing
Description of the park available in brochures, as well as a small newsprint publication produced
by the Community and a color brochure produced by Vice Ministry of Tourism in conjunction
with PDAR, Corep, DAI, USAID.
Tourism products sales
Tee shirts
Some animals come from protected areas, and some animals are released in protected areas. The
park is very close to Carrasco NP.
Stakeholders and key players
Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi-manages site. Municipality-owns park, local tourism attraction.
Recommendations
• Trails should be improved.
•
Formal relationships should be established/strengthened with veterinarian and wildlife
organizations in order to improve animal care.
•
Guidelines on recovering and treating animals should be established.
•
Guidelines for tourist behavior should be established and strictly enforced
•
The Interpretation center and signage should be expanded.
Cavernas Del Repechon (Guacheros)
This is a key ecotourism attraction in the area, located 15 minutes by car from Villa Tunari via a
new stone-paved road. It is situated on the northwestern edge of Carrasco National Park. To
reach the caves, a manually operated suspended cable car system ferries tourists and park
officials across the San Mateo River. This is in itself a tourism attraction. The caves are reached
after 30-minute easy walk from the river. The caves are home to the rare and unique Guacharos,
or oil birds, known for their nocturnal patterns. These birds only come out at night to feed on
area fruits and nuts. They remain during the day in a 30-meter high and 70-meter deep cave that
is their breeding ground.
Basic services
The SERNAP offices and entrance to the park offers no basic services.
Lodging
Camping, hotel facilities are offered in Villa Tunari
Attractions
Guachero oil bird caves, suspended cable car system, well-maintained trails.
H-2
Transportation
Easy access to the site, taxi service
Marketing
Brief descriptions available in brochures, featured in Villa Tunari Santuario de vida silvestre
color brochure
None
The Cavernas are an important access point to the Carrasco National Park.
SERNAP-manages access, provides guides, concerned about protection of valuable park
resource. CI-in partnership with SERNAP and others will be implementing project to strengthen
and support site. USAID-funding CI project, funding for infrastructure improvements like the
access road. There is a lack of strong involvement by local communities and no organized
mechanism for bringing in tour operators.
Recommendations
• Access to the cave has to be improved and the site hardened.
•
An interpretation center should be built at the entrance to the area describing the birds, their
habitat, conservation efforts, etc.
•
Measures to control traffic flow should be implemented and monitored.
•
Relationships between the SERNAP and the community should be improved.
•
A community guide program should be established.
•
Impact monitoring system should be established and managed by SERNAP.
La Junga
This site was built by a Bolivian entrepreneur and is located off the main road from Villa Tunari,
near a new stone-paved road. It offers rustic climbing towers, swings, cable slides, basic camping
facilities, and a river lookout.
Basic services
None
Lodging
Camping on site. Lodging available in Villa Tunari.
Attractions
Climbing structures and games.
H-3
Transportation
Dirt road access, via stone-paved road, 15 minutes off the main highway.
Marketing
Brochure developed with financing from DAI & Prefectura which is available on site, in some
Cochabamba hotels and hostels, some available in hotels in Villa Tunari. Owner developed small
flyer, distribution unknown.
Selling limited low-quality handicrafts.
None
Local entrepreneur family owns and manages site. Villa Tunari hotels—significant local tourist
attraction.
Recommendations
The site should be cleaned up.
Safety measures should be implemented.
Bathrooms need to be built
A gift shop including area handicrafts should be built
Training on attending tourists, handicraft design should be given.
• Separate housing from the site area.
Orchid Garden/Reserve
This very interesting orchid reserve is an important attraction for any ecotourism circuit. Run by
three German biologists, this park covering 3.5 hectares presents over 100 species rare and
endangered orchids, a nice trail, and a river lookout. The owners have also built was is probably
the best restaurant in town as well as a small ethno-eco museum that displays a few examples of
native customs, handicrafts, tools and area insects. It costs 5 Bs to visit the site.
Basic services
Bathroom facilities, good restaurant.
Lodging
Available in Villa Tunari
Attractions
Orchids, small museum
Transportation
It is located on the main Cochabamba–Santa Cruz highway.
H-4
Marketing
Color brochure distributed across some local hotels and Cochabamba tour agencies. Web site.
Calendars and postcards.
The store sells postcards and calendars.
The biologist owners extract orchids from Carrasco National Park, however there is no link to
the park made at the site.
Three German biologists own and manage site. SERNAP—resources being extracted from park
without acknowledgement or corollary efforts to educate and raise awareness of park
conservation. No community participation.
Recommendation
Expand and improve the interpretation center and facilities, including developing exhibit on
resources of Carrasco National Park and its conservation.
Incachaca
Roughly 90 minutes from Cochabamba, between Cochabamba and Villa Tunari, along the main
highway to Santa Cruz, the dry valleys give way to the rich tropics of the Chapare. The road
breaks off to the East and heads to Incachaca, a pre-Colombian site you come to after a half hour
walk from the road. Incachaca itself is located in Carrasco National Park, and while the exact
nature of the site is not clear, it is a beautiful place, where the river descends down through
interesting rock formations. A few minutes off the main road, as you break off to Incachaca, is
the Conquistador trout farm and restaurant. The farms rents fishing reels to children who are
charged 10 Bs and then 22 Bs per kilo of the fish they catch. The road continues to what is left of
an old hydroelectric plant and father along a lagoon and pine forest. A new hydro plant is also
under construction just beyond. The area is typified by rolling hills covered in heather, deciduous
forest with the sweet smell of pine and, of course, low clouds and drizzle. Incachaca and the
related sites are visited largely on weekends and vacations by dozens of primarily Bolivian
tourists.
Basic services
Electricity and water. No sanitary services. Restaurant.
Lodging
Camping areas available.
Attractions
Hanging bridge, Inca site, beautiful scenery. Trout farm and restaurant with sanitary services.
Transportation
Cars, trucks and buses can reach the area, located off main Cochabamba-Santa Cruz highway.
H-5
Marketing
Mention in international guide books; new color brochure
Roadside stand
Located within Carrasco National Park at the northern edge, but there is no SERNAP oversight
or monitoring of impact.
ELFEC (owned by Pennsylvania Power and Light) owns site. Some community members benefit
from the visits of largely Bolivian tourists.
Recommendations
Determine land ownership in order to coordinate additional area services and establish a
concession if necessary to provide additional and improved services to visitors.
Establish formal camping facilities and eco-lodges to provide additional services for visitors.
Establish formal picnic areas
Clean up the area in order to make the area more attractive and environmentally sound.
Establish controls and educational mechanisms.
Establish an entrance fee in order to provide income for local communities and maintain area
resources.
• Identify new trails and improve existing in order to provide additional and better options for
visitors
Isiboro-Secure National Park
This park is located north of the Chapare and occupies 1.2 million hectares in the departments of
Beni and Cochabamba. It takes in mountains, rain forest and savanna and its remote area is home
to diverse and profuse wildlife. It is home to 714 species of wildlife, including 600 different
birds, a huge diversity of flora (3,000 species of larger plants) with an extraordinary abundance
of flowers. The park is crossed and bordered by several rivers that are part of the Amazon River
Basin. The park is also the northern frontier of Bolivian and US government efforts to eradicate
coca cultivation. Over the last decade thousands of highland Quechua farmers have migrated to
the park area to cultivate coca. Some have begun leaving the area or are planting alternative
crops. The presence of the colonizers has created conflicts with the traditional indigenous
residents of the park who have eschewed coca leaf cultivation. The team visited the isolated
Moxeno Indian community of Espiritu Santos. The Yuracare and T’simane indigenous
communities also inhabit the park.
The Moxenos are culturally and politically linked to the Beni and the area around its capital,
Trinidad, that can be reached after a weeklong river trip to the north. The Moxenos were part of
the Jesuit Missions that administered the areas between the 17th and 18th centuries. The
Missions established religious, handicraft and musical centers that continue to the present.
Community members produce handicrafts, wooden masks, feather headdresses and colorful
outfits. Village leaders were very interested in establishing a community-based ecotourism site in
H-6
the area. The community could also be part of a river excursion program. Fremen Tours has
offered visits to nearby communities and riverboat services in the past and is interested in
strengthening ecotourism projects in the area.
Basic services
None offered in the community.
Lodging
No public lodging is offered.
Attractions
Rich cultural expressions including dances and rituals, handicrafts, traditional agricultural
methods.
Transport
The area and town can be reached by river or road.
Marketing
Indirect through tour operators
Tourism products
Local handicrafts
The indigenous community is part of the Isiboro-Secure National Park and must be directly
involved in all decisions.
Indigenous people; SERNAP
Puerto Villarroel and Puerto San Francisco (Isiboro-Secure National Park)
Puerto Villarroel and Puerto San Francisco are tourism portals of sorts on the south side of
Isiboro-Secure National Park. These two towns are located on the rivers that originate in the
Carrasco National Park and feed into the Amazon. Puerto Villaroell is located on the shores of
the Ichilo River and can be reached in an hour and a half from Villa Tunari on a good road. Both
river ports provide access to the Mamore River, which leads to the Beni—City of Trinidad,
northern Bolivia and eventually Brazil. These ports have in the past been used for entrance points
for ecotourists who visit the river corridor and then go on to Trinidad. The ports also provide
direct access to indigenous communities where residents live in their traditional lifestyles, and
they access Isiboro-Secure National park along the Chipiriri and Isiboro Rivers. The ports
currently handle barge traffic that connects with Trinidad. Barges carry cattle, wood and
agricultural products to Cochabamba and La Paz markets. The team flew over the ports but did
not visit them.
H-7
Southern Side of Park
Pocona—Key Southern Community Portal
There is a Center for Tourism Assistance (CAT) located nearby at Incallajta and an archaeology
museum is in Pocona. The community features colonial architecture. This town still features its
culture through festivals, religious ceremonies and traditional arts and handicrafts. Limited
transportation exits via trucks and buses, especially on market days, but it does not function on a
regular schedule. The dirt road access is in poor condition (Pereira-Salamanca-Mostajo, 1999). A
Peace Corps volunteer is also placed in Pocona, working primarily with Incallajta.
Sehuencas
The site is currently the primary tourism destination on the south side of the park, which sits
midway along the edge of the southern border of the park. It is about 12 km from Montepunco.
Sehuencas is in the transition zone at around 2,000m, with lush foliage, rivers and waterfalls (the
team was not able to visit this site). In informal conversations SERNAP estimated that this site
receives roughly 5,000 visitors a year, split between Bolivian weekend/holiday visitors and
foreigners. There is currently no cost to stay at Sehuencas, you just drive in with your gear.
Basic services
Campsite, hiking trails.
Lodging
Sehuencas has an established camping site along a river, with trails and fishing at this location.
Attractions
Offers a “paradise,” according to one park service staff member of a beautiful river-side setting,
with waterfalls, lakes, and forest trails near at hand, as well as trout fishing. All of this at 2,000m,
which provides a comfortable climate and minimal altitude issues. Easy weekend trip.
Transportation
Two and a half hour drive from Cochabamba.
Marketing
Sehuencas was not visited, it is unknown what kinds of materials exist for this site.
Tourism Products
Unknown.
Linkages to protected area
It is located within Carrasco National Park.
Unknown
Recommendation
Add interpretation and education.
H-8
Incallajta
While the team did not visit this site, the fortress of Incallajta is the most important architectural
expression of the Tawantinsuyu expansion to the Cochabamba valleys and an important entry
point to the southern part of Carrasco National Park. The area was designated a monument in
1929. The Incallajta fort is composed of a series of buildings built on approximately 12 hectares,
bordered on the east and west by deep torrential streams. The Machajmarca River to the south
and the precipitous hills to the north provided the fort strategic importance and difficult access.
The fort is built into terraced levels and walls, using stone held together by mud found in the
area. There is a Center for Tourism Assistance (CAT) located at the site, and an archaeology
museum in the adjacent community of Pocona. The IRG team due to time constraints did not
visit this site.
Basic services
CAT that includes bathroom facilities, cafeteria, and gift shop.
Lodging
Basic lodging available in Pocona.
Attractions
The fortress of Incallajta and the Colonial town of Pocona, nearby natural features
Transportation
The road from Cochabamba was recently paved with stones, reducing the time it takes to reach
Incallajta from 6 to 2 and ½ hours. There is public transportation to the town of Pocona.
Marketing
The Prefectura de Cochabamba is promoting Incallajta as a premier tourist attraction through
brochures, posters and information guides for tourist agencies. Also listed in international
tourism guides.
Tourism products
Gift shop selling local handicrafts and medicinal herbs.
The fortress is located on the southern edge of Carrasco and has paths leading into the park from
Incallajta.
The community of Incallajta, the Prefecture of Cochabamba, the Vice Ministry of Tourism,
SERNAP, the IDB which has financed CAT through the Vice Ministry of Tourism.
Recommendations
None, since site was not visited.
H-9
Alturas De Tiraque
Located in the Southern highlands region of the Carrasco National Park, close to the city of
Cochabamba. This high Andean region (3,500–4,700m on the roads) undergoes a transition from
high mountain passes to the lowland Chapare below. This region receives only scattered tourists,
mostly backpackers, coming through for the isolated wilderness experience. SERNAP has one
park guard and provides no official tourism-related services or coordination. No tour operators
seem to be working on the south side of the park. There are only two communities located just
outside the park area along the old road linking Cochabamba and the Chapare. These
communities do have some access and rights to natural resource extraction within the park, for
non-commercial, personal use granted by land tenure rules.
Basic services
This portion of the park is very remote and isolated. There is no water, telephone, and sanitation
or electricity service, with the exception of electricity access to the ENTEL satellite monitoring
station. There was mobile telephone coverage due to the ENTEL antennas located on one of the
peaks.
Lodging
None. SERNAP identified 3 possible sites for camping along the Camino Antigua, but these
were sites where it was preferable to set up a tent and not any formal camping site.
Attractions
Andean highlands landscape with almost complete isolation and the opportunity to pass from
4700 m at the summit down into the tropical Carrasco. Species include osas, condors, llamas,
soros, etc. Bird watching and hiking. Dead end road that enforces isolation on the area, as well as
protects the park from colonization pressures.
Transportation
Access is via the Camino Antiguo, which is the old highway linking Cochabamba and
Palmar/Villa Tunari (and by extension Santa Cruz). This road is no longer maintained and deadends about 110 km in from where you leave the main highway. To cross the pass driving you
spend 2-3 hours between 3700-4100 m with the highest point at 4700m. It takes 4 hours to reach
the roads accessible end (created by landslides). Within the park the only transportation is by
foot, auto, or horseback. Some llamas exist and could be used as pack animals for potential
tourism products.
Marketing
None. SERNAP information on Carrasco focuses on the tropical side of the park.
Tourism Products
None developed at this time
Linkages to protected area
Within the park boundary
H-10
SERNAP is key stakeholder at the moment. The Prefectura has an interest in re-opening the
road, which would be very dangerous for the park, opening up the transition zone to resource
extraction and colonization.
Recommendations
Bird watching potential—there are condors in the highlands and then species common in the
transition area, especially appealing because road has no/little traffic.
• Trail development so visitors could hike down from the pass through to Guacheros (4-5 day
trip). Provide for hiking and camping at Azul Qocha (laguna azul)/El Rancho. Old rancho
exists near a lake where there are frequently llamas and condors. About 3 hour hike in from
the Camino Antiguo. Good spot for camping, llamas could carry in gear to make altitude
hiking more manageable. Problem is that site still around 4000m, which could be difficult
sleeping for some. Promote mountain biking (one day to multi-day trips possible). Develop
trails linking highlands with Inca Chaca.
H-11
Annex I. Chapare Tropical Resort Detailed Information
One of the most significant single investments in tourism for Villa Tunari is the Chapare
Tropical Resort (CTR) project. This will be the largest hotel in the area, with 118 rooms and over
400 beds when the first phase of the project is completed. It is designed as a luxury hotel
complex with a golf course, while existing hotels in the area (around 15) are small to moderate
operations (18–65 beds) with rooms or cabanas. Most of these operations feature a restaurant and
about half have swimming pools and meeting facilities.
The assessment team examined the CTR because of the size of the investment planned and its
potentially significant role in tourism for Villa Tunari and the surrounding area. A major
investment and project like the CTR has a wide range of potential impacts on the area. The
tourism and hotel industries in Villa Tunari are suffering, primarily because blockades and
security concerns have disrupted travel through the area and deterred tourists. Three major issues
were considered of most importance in our analysis of the CTR: financial impact and viability,
social and community impact, and environmental impact and potential conservation benefit.
Financial Impact and Viability
The financial viability of the project seems questionable. The success of any business venture
hinges on demand for the product, which generates revenue. The team’s primary concern is with
the existing and potential demand for lodging in the area, and more specifically for the high-end
luxury lodging offered by the CTR. Demand in Villa Tunari has two facets that are most
relevant:
•
Is there significant current and projected demand for the existing capacity?
•
Do the CTR’s offerings target the market in Villa Tunari? (i.e., does their target market
currently visit or is likely to visit Villa Tunari?) The hotel will apparently be offering a timeshare program and an all-inclusive package for visitors on a daily rate of around US$50. The
project is based on an initial occupancy rate of 40%, with increases up to 60% over the next
few years.
Demand
The team does not see sufficient demand for the current capacity, let alone additional lodging.
Current capacity in Villa Tunari is roughly 600 beds.5 Current occupancy numbers that the team
was given varied from 10–20% occupancy in the low and high seasons, to 3,000–4,000 visitors a
month in the high season. Using these assumptions, current visitor flow estimates ranged from
36,000–65,600 visitors a year (table I.1). This means that average annual occupancy is 8–15%.
The current low visitor numbers are in part a product of the security situation. According to the
Camara Hotelera of Villa Tunari, occupancy is 50–60% lower than pre-roadblock levels. The
5
According to interviews with the Camara Hotelera of Villa Tunari
I-1
team also analyzed demand assuming an immediate return to these estimated pre-roadblock
visitor levels. Annual occupancy rates rose to range from 15–27%. In addition, the high end of
these estimates (20% average daily occupancy in a six-month high season) projects annual
visitor flow at 119,345. This number seemed unrealistically high based on all of the field data
and interviews conducted by the team in the area
The financial impacts of additional hotels diluting an already struggling market that has
significant demand issues could be quite large. Building from the analysis above, the CTR
project would increase capacity to 1,000 beds in Villa Tunari. Even assuming previous visitor
levels, average annual occupancy in Villa Tunari is estimated only to be between 9%-16%
although this is much higher during vacation periods and holidays. Extended periods of
tranquility in the area have also increased occupancy rates considerably The nearly doubled hotel
capacity in the area could easily drive existing operations out of business, even assuming an
increase in overall visitor flow. This would spread the financial impact to related businesses,
such as the small suppliers that provision many of the Villa Tunari hotels. Another consideration
is that smaller hotel and business operations offer greater capacity building for its employees,
and much higher future income potential. As an additional level of analysis, for each scenario
presented, the team projected a 10% annual increase in visitors to Villa Tunari over the next 5
years.6 Ten percent is a high growth rate, but it was chosen to illustrate how even under the most
optimistic estimates, occupancy is still low and jeopardizes business survival.
6
A 10% annual growth rate for any business is usually considered a generous estimate, and difficult to achieve.
I-2
Tables I.1–I.2
Scenario A: Current Occupancy—20% in HIGH SEASON (6 mo.), 10% in LOW SEASON (6 mo.)
Scenario B: Current Occupancy—20% in HIGH SEASON (4 mo.), 10% in LOW SEASON (8 mo.)
Scenario C: Current Visitors—4,000 a month in HIGH SEASON (4 mo.), 2,500 a month in LOW SEASON (8 mo.)
I.1
Projected Occupancy Levels
Occupancy Levels
Scenario
A
B
C
Existing
Capacity
With
CTR
Existing
Capacity
With
CTR
Existing
Capacity
With
CTR
Monthly—High Season
20%
12%
20%
12%
11%
7%
Monthly—Low Season
10%
6%
10%
6%
7%
4%
Annual Average
15.0%
9.0%
13.3%
8.0%
8.3%
5.0%
Annual Average by 2006 (10% increase
in tourism a year)
24.2%
14.5%
21.5%
12.9%
13.3%
8.0%
36%
22%
36%
22%
20%
12%
18%
11%
18%
11%
13%
8%
Annual Average
27.3%
16.4%
24.2%
14.5%
15.2%
9.1%
Annual Average by 2006 (10% increase
in tourism a year)
43.9%
26.4%
39.0%
23.4%
24.1%
14.5%
Current Levels
Projected Pre-Roadblock Levels
I.2
Visitor Flow Projections
Visitor Flow in Villa Tunari
Scenario
A
B
C
7,280
7,200
4,000
3,660
3,675
2,500
Annual Average
65,640
58,200
36,000
Annual Average by 2006 (10% increase in tourism a year)
105,714
93,732
57,978
13,236
13,091
7,273
6,655
6,682
4,545
Annual Average
119,345
105,818
65,455
Annual Average by 2006 (10% increase in tourism a year)
192,207
170,421
105,415
Current Levels
Projected Pre-Roadblock Levels
It is likely that the estimates presented here are generous. The calculations assume that
occupancy levels are the same every day of the week, when weekend levels are in fact
significantly higher than during the week. There are also fluctuations across the high and low
seasons, but these numbers assume a constant flow throughout the seasons. As a result the
I-3
estimates based on percentages are most likely to be inflated. However, since no registries are
maintained in Villa Tunari, the hotel owners were only able to make educated estimates.
Market
The representative of the CTR in Villa Tunari felt that they could attract 40% international
visitors and 60% Bolivians to the resort. The current market split of international-Bolivian
visitors is roughly 10–90%. The international market is traditionally the most skittish about
returning to a previously insecure area. The daily rates for the all-inclusive plan will be around
US$50, a rate that is competitive in this market segment. This is complicated by the fact that
Bolivia is still relatively unknown to international tourists, and faces well-established
competition around the region. On the other hand, this can be positive for the area since there
could be little awareness of any previous problems.
This analysis was done with the understanding that these numbers cannot be exact, as there is no
official tourist or visitor flow information maintained. Furthermore, the team has not had the
opportunity to examine detailed financial projections for the CTR project and their marketing
plan and demand figures. However, based on the evidence gathered in the field, and on the
collective experience of the team in business management, financial analysis, and tourism
enterprises, the demand simply does not exist in Villa Tunari at levels sufficient to support this
kind of project. In addition, even with significant demand creation over the next five years, this
market is not able to support the CTR. However, the team would welcome the opportunity to
further review detailed financial and market projections for the project, which were not made
available.
Social and Community Impact
Financial impacts are only part of the equation. Greater team concern exists for the social and
environmental impacts of the project, even though these impacts are more difficult to predict and
analyze. Controversy has already been created among current hotel operators. There is expressed
concern that such a large investment is targeted at just one enterprise and not a project or
initiative with broader and more obvious benefit to Villa Tunari or the area as a whole.
Past experience around the world suggests that when the resort opens it will draw what few
international travelers there are, for its first few years of operation at least. This is likely to freeze
out the rest of the hotels in this high profit segment. This could force many of the smaller
operators out of business, who provide a valuable moderate to medium-range lodging option, in a
more personal setting.
In support of the hotel, however, some hotel owners felt that the opening of the hotel could draw
more tourists overall to the area and create spill over into the smaller and less-expensive sites. In
addition, there is always the potential that some portion of the visitors at the hotel will be
potential ecotourism clients. The CTR will also create jobs. The stated plan of the CTR operator
is to employ 87 people directly. They estimate that 400–1,000 indirect jobs would result from the
project. Furthermore, an enterprise of this size, if managed properly, can set standards for the rest
of the industry that raise the overall level of service in the area, thus attracting more tourism.
I-4
The other side of the above arguments for the CTR is that although the project could generate
some positive benefits for Villa Tunari and the Chapare, these potential benefits are
unpredictable and unsubstantiated, while the negative impacts seem much more apparent and
likely. Even if the CTR were able to increase overall tourism levels, as the demand charts show,
even with significant increases in visitor flow, the market would be heavily underutilized. While
jobs would be created, research has shown that the kinds of jobs generated by operations such as
the CTR are more likely to be menial in nature and not provide the kind of social mobility
opportunities inherent in smaller operations. The indirect jobs amount predicted lacked
substantiation or explanation. Finally, it is very difficult to ensure any kind of accountability to
better management and reduced environmental impact operating (see below for more detail). So
the possibility of raising standards is subjective.
The town of Villa Tunari promotes itself as an Ethno ecotourism paradise and with USAID
support, could build on the opportunity to start fulfilling that promise. However, the CTR as
presently planned does not contribute to consolidating that image.
The social impacts of the project are likely to be significant in the town of Villa Tunari and
insignificant in the surrounding rural areas close to Carrasco National Park. Though there is an
unquantified risk that impoverished campesinos and coca producers would react negatively to
such a large scale, highly visible USAID-supported project supporting a single business owned
by wealthy urban Bolivians and diverting resources that might otherwise be available to them.
However, if one disaggregates and evaluates the social impact of USAID investment in relation
to the hotel, then the social impact would include the opportunity cost of forgone sustainable
development activities in the area’s rural communities. We should compare the contribution to
sustainable, non-coca producing development activity USAID investment would have if the
money was destined to develop projects in rural areas with what contribution to sustainable, noncoca producing development activity is generated by the hotel project.
a) Employment. Most if not all supervisory and management jobs would likely go to experienced
tourism workers who would be imported from other areas of Bolivia, including Cochabamba,
Santa Cruz and La Paz, as well as from existing hotel operations in Villa Tunari, unless the hotel
makes a conscious effort to not take this approach. This would likely result in significant leakage
out of the region and a reduced income multiplier coefficient. Unskilled jobs would likely be
filled by residents of Villa Tunari and nearby towns and not by residents of rural communities
currently producing coca or living near the Park.
b) Goods and Supplies. Contracts would be likely to go to suppliers in Villa Tunari, Santa Cruz
and Cochabamba.
c) Health. Possible negative downstream health impacts in communities depending on river for
drinking water, fishing and bathing.
d) Local Tourism Industry Structure. The introduction of such a large tourism business in the
community at this point in time will inevitably have consequences on the diverse, if underoccupied, existing operations. The smaller operations will likely lose good staff to better salaries
I-5
at the CTR, at least some of the existing market for the small hotels will be lost to the CTR,
further squeezing the small operations.
The conditions do not exist and are unlikely to exist for at least several years, which would
permit the dynamic whereby a successful CTR will create more demand for the town and region,
especially in the international market.
e) Opportunity Cost. A similar investment in smaller scale urban and especially rural
development initiatives in the region is likely to produce much greater benefits to more people
who are currently involved in coca production or whose activities represent a threat to the Park.
Such investments might include a sewage system for Villa Tunari to improve its attractiveness to
all visitors and to reduce health problems downstream. Investment in development of a small
number of community based ecotourism enterprises and training at key sites around the region
which would appeal to the more adventurous and overland traveler who is less likely to keep
away because of the security situation, and who is increasingly visiting nearby Amboro,
marketing of these and existing ecotourism and tourism products in the region, loans for
upgrading facilities and conforming to sustainable guidelines.
Social impacts at the community level have the potential to be quite damaging, particularly
because current levels of social conflict are already high. The backlash against an investment of
this magnitude in a single enterprise, especially for communities outside of Villa Tunari, where
there is minimal potential benefit to them, could undermine the goodwill established by the many
previous and existing USAID efforts. At the same time, in support of the hotel, one argument is
that a well-conceived operation of this size can provide a stable market for local goods and
services around the region, such as food products, handicrafts, materials, and human resources.
However, the economies of scale of enterprises of this size usually require large-scale
purchasing, and strict quality control efforts that are too costly with a multitude of small
suppliers. A different argument is that these same benefits would accrue from several smaller
operations, which are more likely to utilize small-scale producers. In addition, at a regional scale,
smaller operations have been proven to provide more management-level employment
opportunities.
Environmental Impact and Conservation Benefit
The environmental impacts of this project are of concern. Current sewage treatment and waste
removal in Villa Tunari means dumping into the river. A basic sewage treatment system is
planned for the hotel itself. A careful study of this must be made to assure that the treatment
plant is efficient and environmentally sound. There is no waste treatment beyond garbage
collection by the municipality. Conversation with the partner demonstrated a lack of awareness
of environmental best practices. Even if funding is conditional on appropriate treatment of
sewage and waste, compliance is often difficult and costly to ensure. The proposed golf course is
problematic due to pesticide and fertilizer runoff that will pollute the river.
Internationally recognized definitions of ecotourism (IUCN, TIES) agree that ecotourism is
characterized as a minimum-impact activity. CTR certainly doesn’t fit that image, at least as
planned.
I-6
The size and design of the hotel, its layout and construction materials, are all such that it
precludes contact with nature, rather it seeks to maintain a barrier between client and natural
environment.
The clearing of habitat for the site and the golf course has reduced the diversity of flora and
fauna in the area, Fertilizer run off and pesticides from the golf course will reinforce the negative
impact of the site design and extend its reach into the waterways and aquatic species. The team is
unclear as to the efficacy of the sewage treatment system installed, but if it is in keeping with the
general concept, it may well also contribute to negative impacts in the river.
Conservation benefits may be generated, in theory, by guests donating to local initiatives or
visiting nearby ecotourism programs, but, this is unlikely to happen unless the hotel property
actively works at carrying out a strategy to be “green” and support local ecotourism enterprises
by providing access the their guests.
Conclusions
The team concludes the following:
•
The Chapare Tropical Resort project is controversial with significant potential social and
environmental impacts, as well questions about financial viability and impact.
•
This project as planned and if implemented at this point in time is very likely to create
potential social conflicts in Villa Tunari and the surrounding communities.
•
The $2.5 million contribution could have far greater impact in the area if used to promote
sustainable tourism opportunities and projects regionally, focusing on ecotourism that
stimulate entrepreneurial activity and have a direct link to the communities through some
kind of loan program.
I-7
Table I.3 Villa Tunari Visitor Flow & Occupancy Projections
2002
Visitor Flow
Occupancy
Rate
Flow
2003
Occup.
Rate
Flow
2004
2005
2006
Occup.
Occup.
Occup.
Occup.
Rate Flow Rate Flow Rate Flow Rate
Assumption: Current Occupancy at 10% in LOW Season and 20% in HIGH Season with 6-month seasons
Projected at 10% growth in visitor flows per year
Current Capacity (beds)—600
Monthly—high season
7,280
20%
8,008
22%
8,809
24%
9,690
27%
10,659
29%
11,725
32%
Monthly—low season
3,660
10%
4,026
11%
4,429
12%
4,871
13%
5,359
15%
5,894
16%
Annually
65,640
15.0%
72,204
16.5% 79,424 18.2% 87,367 20.0% 96,104 22.0% 105,714 24.2%
Current Occupancy Levels with Addition of the Chapare Tropical Resort
Current Capacity (beds)—1,000
12%
13%
15%
16%
18%
19%
6%
7%
7%
8%
9%
10%
9.0%
9.9%
10.9%
12.0%
13.2%
14.5%
Annually
Projected Pre-Roadblock Occupancy (current levels above estimated to be 50–60% from pre-roadblock)
13,236
36%
14,560
40%
16,016
44%
17,618
48%
19,379
53%
21,317
59%
6,655
18%
7,320
20%
8,052
22%
8,857
24%
9,743
27%
10,717
29%
119,345
27.3%
Annually
131,280 30.0% 144,408 33.0% 158,849 36.3% 174,734 39.9% 192,207 43.9%
Projected Pre-Roadblock Occupancy Levels with addition of the Chapare Tropical Resort
Capacity (beds)—1000
22%
24%
26%
29%
32%
35%
11%
12%
13%
15%
16%
18%
16.4%
18.0%
19.8%
21.8%
24.0%
26.4%
Annually
I-8
2002
Visitor Flow
Occupancy
Rate
Flow
2003
Occup.
Rate
Flow
2004
2005
2006
Occup.
Occup.
Occup.
Occup.
Assumption: Current Occupancy at 10% in LOW Season and 20% in HIGH Season with 4-Month High & 8-Month Low Season
Projected at 10% Growth in Visitor flows per year
7,200
20%
7,920
22%
8,712
24%
9,583
27%
10,542
29%
11,596
32%
3,675
10%
4,043
11%
4,447
12%
4,891
13%
5,381
15%
5,919
16%
Annually
58,200
13.3%
64,020
14.7% 70,422 16.1% 77,464 17.7% 85,211 19.5% 93,732 21.5%
Current Occupancy Levels with addition of the Chapare Tropical Resort
12%
13%
15%
16%
18%
19%
6%
7%
7%
8%
9%
10%
8.0%
8.8%
9.7%
10.6%
11.7%
12.9%
Annually
Projected Pre-Roadblock Occupancy (current levels above estimated to be 50–60% from pre-roadblock)
13,091
36%
14,400
40%
15,840
44%
17,424
48%
19,166
53%
21,083
59%
6,682
18%
7,350
20%
8,085
22%
8,894
24%
9,783
27%
10,761
29%
105,818
24.2%
Annually
116,400 26.7% 128,040 29.3% 140,844 32.3% 154,928 35.5% 170,421 39.0%
22%
24%
26%
29%
32%
35%
11%
12%
13%
15%
16%
18%
14.5%
16.0%
17.6%
19.4%
21.3%
23.4%
Annually
I-9
2002
Visitor Flow
Occupancy
Rate
Flow
2003
Occup.
Rate
Flow
2004
2005
2006
Occup.
Occup.
Occup.
Occup.
Assumption: Current Monthly Visitor Flow Averaging 4,000 in HIGH SEASON (4 mo.) and 2,500 in LOW SEASON (8 mo.)
Projected at 10% Growth in Visitor Flows per Year
4,000
11%
4,400
12%
4,840
13%
5,324
15%
5,856
16%
6,442
18%
2,500
7%
2,750
7%
3,025
8%
3,328
9%
3,660
10%
4,026
11%
Annually
36,000
8.3%
39,600
9.1%
43,560 10.0% 47,916 11.0% 52,708 12.1% 57,978 13.3%
Current Occupancy Levels with addition of the Chapare Tropical Resort
7%
7%
8%
9%
10%
11%
4%
4%
5%
5%
6%
7%
5.0%
5.4%
6.0%
6.6%
7.2%
8.0%
Annually
Projected Pre-Roadblock Occupancy (current levels above estimated to be 50-60% from pre-roadblock)
7,273
20%
8,000
22%
8,800
24%
9,680
27%
10,648
30%
11,713
33%
4,545
13%
5,000
14%
5,500
15%
6,050
16%
6,655
18%
7,321
20%
Annually
65,455
15.2%
72,000
16.5% 79,200 18.1% 87,120 19.9% 95,832 21.9% 105,415 24.1%
12%
13%
15%
16%
18%
20%
8%
8%
9%
10%
11%
12%
9.1%
9.9%
10.9%
12.0%
13.2%
14.5%
Annually
I-10
Annex J. Site Visit Contact List
La Paz
USAID/Bolivia
Wayne Nilsestuen, Acting Director (Deputy Director)
Calle 9, Nª 104, Obrajes,
Tel: (591-02) 278-5548
Alternative Development/Counter Narcotics Office
Ken Wiegand, Director
Fabian Aguirre, Subdirector
Sergio Rivas
Economic Opportunities Office
David Delgado, Director
[email protected]
Jorge Calvo Carmona, Chief of IR-2
Project Manager, MAPA Project
Tel: (591-02) 278-6456 / 278-6358
[email protected]
Denis Castrillo de Fernandez
Tel: (591-02) 278-6544 / 278-5720
[email protected]
Environment
Barbara Belding, Director
Tel: (591-02) 278-5548
Fax: (591-02) 278-6654
[email protected]
Douglas J. Mason, PhD
Asesor, Biodiversidad y Manejo Forestal
Tel: (591-02) 278-5548
Fax: (591-02) 278-6654
[email protected]
Victor Bullen, Asesor Regional de Medio Ambiente
Tel: (591-02) 278-5548
Fax: (591-02) 278-6654
[email protected]
J-1
Government of Bolivia
Viciministerio de Turismo
Lic. Benjamim Saucedo Montoya, Director General de Turismo
Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Inversion
Edif. Pacio de Communicaciones Piso 16
Tel: (591-02) 236-1138 / 235-8213
Fax: 237-4630
[email protected]
Lic. Jose Hidalgo Quezada, Jefe Unidad Planificacion
Tel
(591-02) 235-8213 / 236-7463
Fax: 237-4630
[email protected]
Gabriel Zaconeta, Area de Planificación
Luciel Ríos, Area de Planificación
Ministerio de Comercio Exterior
Humberto Landivar, Asesor del Ministro de Comercio Exterior (Mansilla)
Ed. Palacio de Comunicaciones, Piso 17
Cell: 716-21-032 / 706-21-032
Tel: 237-7222
Fax: 237-4630
Ministerio de Desarrollo Sostenible y Planificacion Servicio Nacional de Areas Protegidas
(SERNAP)
Luis Pabon Zamora, Director
Ave. 20 de Octubre No. 2659
Tel: 243-4472 / 243-4420 / 243-0881 / 243-4489
Fax: 243-4540
[email protected]
Sergio Aguino, Director, Unidad de Planificación
Juan Rene Alcoba, Encargado de Turismo
Non-governmental Organizations
Conservacion Internacional
Juan Pablo Arce S., Director Ejecutivo
Programa Bolivia
Calle M. Panilla #291, Esq. Av. 6 de Agosto
Casilla 13593
Tel/Fax: (591-02) 243-4058 / 243-5225 / 211-4229 / 211-4228
[email protected]
[email protected]
J-2
Candido Pastor, Coordinador Proyecto de Recursos Naturales
Corredor Vilcabamba-Amboro
Conservacion Internacional
Tel: (591-03) 892-2495 / (591-02) 243-4058
[email protected]
[email protected]
Private Sector
Isabel Oroza, Gerente General
IEST—Investigaciones, Estudios y Servicios en Turismo
Av. Hernando Siles, Nª 5225
Entre Calles 6 y 7, Obrajes
Tel: 278-6784
Alan Robinson, Independent Ecotourism Consultant
33700 Mt. Harvard Circle
Buena Vista, CO 81211
[email protected]
Other
Cecilia Pérez
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
Calle 9, Nª 104, Obrajes, Piso 3
Tel: 235-6979
Jorge Cortez, who works on the environment with the Dutch Embassy, may have useful
suggestions about where to go in the Chapare. (The team did not meet him.)
Cochabamba and Carrasco/Chapare Region
USAID
Richard Fisher
USAID/Counter Narcotics Regional Coordinator
Edificio Los Tiempos, 9th Floor
Plaza Quintania
Tel: (04) 425-0155 (direct line) / (04) 423-3992 (office)
[email protected]
J-3
USAID–supported Programs
Steve Huffstutlar, Director, Proyecto CONCADE (Alternative Development)
Development Alternatives Incorporated
Casilla 1327
Cochabamba
Tel: (04) 425-1655 / 425-2096 / 425-7827 / 453-0149 / 453-0278
Fax: (591-04) 423-2773
[email protected]
Greg Minnick, Asesor Técnico Principal
UNDCP Financed Forest Resource Project (C-23)
Av. América E-155—Casilla 256
Tel: (04) 428-0801 / 424-8124 / 411-4306 (Chimore)
Fax: (04) 424-7987
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Bruce Brower
Proyecto MAPA
Chemonics International
Av. Salamanca entre Lanza y Antezana
Tel: (04) 255-5160 / 255-5159 / 255-5158
Servicio Nacional de Areas Protegidas (SERNAP)
Ing. Ivan Davalos, Director
Parque Nacional Carrasco
Julian Maria Lopez No. 1194
Cochabamba
Tel: (04) 442-1056 / 442-1057
[email protected]
Tec. Agr. Raul Urquieta Paz, Jefe de Proteccion—Tipnis
Urbanizacion El Profesional
Calle Emiliano Lujan No. 2882 esq. Joaquin Rodrigo
Cochabamba
Tel/Fax: (04) 442-1056 / 442-1057
[email protected]
J-4
Prefectura del Departamento de Cochabamba
Verónica Costas Ledesma, Jefe, Unidad de Turismo
Calle Colombia No. E-0340 (25 de Mayo y España)
Casilla 6104
Cochabamba
Tel/Fax: (04) 422-1793
[email protected]
Centro Integrado para la Defensa Ecológica y el Desarrollo Rural (CIDEDER)
Miguel Cardozo Uribe
Coordinación de Areas Protegidas
CIDEDER
Cochabamba
[email protected]
Wilson Canstañeda, Director, Unidad FIMA
Proyecto CONCADE
Ed. Los Tiempos, Piso 10
Tel: 453-0278 / 453-0354
[email protected]
Ignacio Molina, Encargado de Promoción de Inversiones
CONCADE
Javier Sánchez, Coordinador del Proyecto Agro-forestal
C-23, FAO/UNDCP, Chimoré
Private Sector
Fremen Leaders in the Bolivian Amazon
Lic. Jorge Rivera R., Presidente
Calle Pedro Salazar No. 537 (Plaza Abaroa)
Cochabamba
Tel: 241-6336 / 241-7062
Fax: 241-7327
Universidad Mayor de San Simón
Arq. Brownie Mostajo Medinaceli, Jefe Departamento de Cultura
Calle Jordán esq. Oquendo
Ed. Multiacadémico, Planta Baja
Dirección de Interacción Social Universitaria (DISU)
Tel: (04) 425-1878
Fax: (04) 422-8552
[email protected]
J-5
Universidad Mayor de San Simón
Prof. Dr. Luis Quiroga Moreno, Director
Casilla No. 992
Cochabamba
Tel: (04) 425-1878
Fax: (04) 422-8552
[email protected]
Asociacion de Hoteles y Ecoturismo
Maria Antonieta Villaroel, Presidenta
Tropico Cochabambino—Villa Tunari
Tel/Fax: (04) 452-2681
(Participated in CONCADE project, and request more Alt. Development assistance)
Cámara Hotelera—Villa Tunari
Arturo Murillo, Gerente General del Hotel Victoria
Avenida America Este #435
Edificio Jaque Piso 4, oficina 10
Cochabamba
Tel: (591) 429-0886 / 014-98170
Fax: (591) 445-1239
[email protected]
www.victoria-resort.com
Ing. Carlos Hinojosa, Director Chapare Tropical Resort
Calle Juan Capriles No. 179 (Cala-Cala)
Cochabamba
Tel: (591-4) 292-609, 292-623
Fax: (591-4) 292-609
[email protected]
Grupo de mujeres artesanas Chimoré AMACH
Santa Cruz
SERNAP
Osvaldo Aramayo, Director Parque Nacional y ANMI Amboro
Calle Los Limos No. 300
Barrio Fleig
Tel: (03) 345-3040
Fax: (03) 345-2865
[email protected]
Jose Luis Isnardes, Responsible de Turismo
J-6
O. Edwin Camacho, Jefe de Proyecto
FAN BOLIVIA
Km. 7 1/2 Carrera Antigua a Cbba.
Casilla No. 2241
Tel: (03) 355-6800
Fax: (03) 354-7383
[email protected]
Roger Landivar, Director
Fondo Mundial para la Naturaleza—WWF/Bolivia
Av. Beni, Calle Los Pitones No. 2070
Tel: 0911-5041 / 0911-5042 / (03) 343-0641 / 342-9714 / 343-0406 / 343-0609
Off: (591-03) 336-5326
Fax: (591-03) 332-5416
[email protected]
Henry Campero, Coordinador Suroeste Amazon
WWF/Bolivia
[email protected]
Michael Painter, PhD, Coordinador Regional para Perú, Bolivia y Paraguay
World Conservation Society (WCS)
Avenida Las Americas #428
Tel/Fax: (591-3) 336-5337 / 337-0508
Direct: (03) 311-4189
Cell: 721-00-612
[email protected]
Ing. Moreno, Director Ejecutivo
FAN
Saira Duque, Coordinadora de Programas
FAN
Sra. Ada de Vaca, Directora
Arte Campo
Private Sector
Aldo Sacre, Presidente
Cámara Hotelera Mancomunidad Sara e Ichilo
Santa Cruz y Buena Vista
Tel/Fax: (03) 336-0202 / 336-5051
J-7
Ing. Albert Schwiening, Asesor
Federacion de Ganaderos de Santa Cruz
Av. Ejercito esq. Soliz de Olguin
Tel: (03) 335-1144 / 335-1145 / 335-1146
Fax: (03) 335-2117
(owner of Los Volcanes lodge)
Claudia Durán P., Operation Manager
Rosario Baldomar J., General Manager
Neblina Forest Birding and Natural History Tours
Casilla #5598
Tel: 1 (800) 488-9401
Fax: (591-3) 333-2813
[email protected]
[email protected]
www.neblinaforest.com
Hermes Justiniano, Fotógrafo
Fundador del Proyectop de FAN
Calle Tacna # 71
Tel: 352-1922
Capitan Willy Nunez Klinsky, Pilot (to Chaco)
Aeropuerto el Trompillo
Hangar No. 19
Tel: (591) 523-090 / 353-8616
Ing. Saira S. Duque M., Coordinadora, Programa de Uso Publico
Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado
Km 7 ½ Carretera Ant a Cbba
Casilla 2241
Tel: (591) 355-6800
Fax: (591) 354-7383
South Amboro Area
Government
Dr. Franz Herrera Bassta
Honorable Alcalde Municipial
Samaipata
Tel: 0944-6067 / 0104-6119 / 0944-6147
Private Sector
Gustavo Dayer
Cámara Hotelera Samaipata
J-8
North Amboro Area
Government
Grober Adan Justiniano, Alcalde
Gobierno Municipal de Buena Vista
Santa Cruz
Tel/Fax: (03) 0932-2002
Gerardo Paniagua Vidal, Alcalde Municipal
Gobierno Municipal “El Torno”
El Torno, Santa Cruz
Tel: (03) 82-2132, 82-2164
Fax: 82-2061
Prof. Juan Ramírez Z., H. Alcalde Municipal
Mancomunidad de Muncipios Provs. Sara-Ichilo
Portachuelo, Santa Cruz
Tel: (03) 924-2124 / 924-2055
Cell: (0) 716-41173
Private Sector
Robin Clarke
Flora y Fauna Lodge
Buena Vista
Cell: (0) 710-43706
Ari Martinez
Peace Corps
Area Protegida Amboro
David Stembach, Alcalde Municipal de Buena Vista
Dr. Luis Bloch, Presidente
Amboro Eco-Resort
Km 103, Buena Vista
Casilla 705, Santa Cruz
Tel/Fax: (591) 0932-2048
Tel:
(591-03) 422-372
J-9
Assessment Team
William McLaughlin
Team Leader
University of Idaho Department of Resource Recreation and Tourism
College of Natural Resources
Natural Resource Building, Sixth and Line Streets
Moscow, Idaho 83844-1139
Tel: (208) 885-6659 (office), (208) 882-7895 (home)
[email protected]
[email protected]
Andy Drumm, Ecotourism Director
The Nature Conservancy
Latin America and Caribbean Region
4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100
Arlington, VA 22203-1606
Tel: (703) 841-8177
Fax: (703) 841-4880
[email protected]
www.nature.org/ecotourism
Stephen (Steve) Edwards, Manager, Ecotourism Development Program
Tel: (202) 912-1207
Fax: (202) 912-1044
[email protected]
Jose Courrau
Human Capacity Building Specialist
50 Metros Sur de Auto Villalobos
San Miguel, Santa Domingo
Heredia, Costa Rica
Tel: 506-220-2552 (office), 506-380-2765 (cell)
[email protected]
Peter McFarren
Business Management Specialist
Calle Jauregui 2248
La Paz, Bolivia
Tel: 591-2-444-331
[email protected]
[email protected]
J-10
Barbara Rossmiller, Senior Associate
Business Management Specialist
1211 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 289-0100
Fax: (202) 289-7601
[email protected]
Ryan Taylor, Associate Director
Peace Corps/Bolivia
Calle 5, No 458
Obrajes—Casilla #1655
La Paz
Tel: (591-02) 278-2666
Fax: (591-02) 278 6731
[email protected]
Patricia Venegas, Logistics Coordinator
Avenida 6 de Agosto 2150, Dept. 1302
Edificio Indiana
Casilla 1844
La Paz
Tel: (591-02) 244-4022
[email protected]
J-11

Bolivia Ecotourism Assessement - Natural Resource Management

Transcription

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