The actions of many players influence the impact of tourism on natural heritage and biodiversity and vice versa. In general natural heritage assets can be viewed as public goods with collective value. Many areas are owned and managed by public bodies, but some are in private ownership. Tourism enterprises benefit commercially from visitors’ enjoyment of intact landscapes and natural sites while also providing essential services for nature based tourism. Therefore it is essential that public and private stakeholders and local community and conservation interests work together on the management of heritage areas, sites and themes and on how they are developed and promoted as resources for sustainable tourism.
Governments
Governments have a legal responsibility for the conservation of heritage, as signatories to various international conventions, which are tobe implemented through national legislation and regulations. Government agencies at all levels are directly responsible for the management of many heritage assets, e.g. protected areas, while increasingly needing to collaborate and build synergies with other stakeholder interests to gain their support for conservation, financially and ideally.
NGOs, networks, partnerships
Many NGOs work in the field of natural heritage at an international, national and local level. Their intervention and participation in linking sustainable tourism to conservation and protected area management can greatly contribute to knowledge building in this field and support the credibility of the process.
Research, education, consultancy
Research and educational bodies are vital to enhancing our understanding of natural heritage and its relation to sustainable tourism as well as supporting conservation and management processes. Networks of professional guides and interpretation bodies play a very important role in creating quality visitor experiences linked to heritage.
Destinations
Good planning and management of tourism at a destination level is essential to ensure that tourism operations and development do not damage natural heritage, which as one factor can form the basis for local distinctiveness of destinations and greatly add to their brand appeal.
Businesses
Tourism businesses should be strong advocates for long-term natural heritage conservation, simply to sustain their core asset understanding that this will benefit their business. Therefore they should avoid any damages to natural assets in their construction and operations and support the maintenance of natural heritage through using local products (e.g. food, handicrafts etc.), assisting local conservation activities and projects, providing appropriate information to guests and to take an active role in lobbying for a sustainable tourism development in the destinations visited.
Travellers
Travellers should be encouraged and helped to understand and appreciate the natural heritage of the places they visit and to support its conservation through their spending and actions.
NATURAL HERITAGE & BIODIVERSITY
SPECIAL: Biodiversity
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