Ecotourism, The Sleeping Giant [Archives:2000/28/Last Page]

David B. Stanton
Chairman
Yemen Ornithological Society
Tourism in Yemen has never achieved it’s potential for a variety of reasons; chief among these being questionable security. Recently, the number of tourists visiting Yemen each year has numbered only a few thousand. Prior to 1998, tens of thousands of foreign visitors annually toured Yemen, but under the right circumstances this number could easily climb to over 100,000. Such an influx of visitors would contribute millions of dollars in foreign revenue to the national coffers and provide employment for thousands of Yemenis.
Before tourism in Yemen can grow, several things must happen. First of all the government has to take decisive action to insure that potential tourists can feel safe in Yemen. Doing this involves addressing the grievances of the tribes that are most likely to take tourists as hostages, providing comprehensive security in sensitive areas, and dealing swiftly and justly with those who violate the law. Once security is established, aggressive marketing of Yemen as a tourist destination will have to take place. Finally, it will be necessary to develop new tourist niches in order to attract a larger cross-section of the tourist market.
One of the least exploited tourist niches in Yemen is ‘ecotourism.’ Ecotourism is tourism that is sustainable because it doesn’t degrade the resource. It is centered on the environment in a way that involves communities so that local people benefit from the activity. It also benefits wildlife directly and indirectly. The World Tourism Organization states that ecotourism is the fastest growing sector of the tourist industry and that it currently accounts for 10-15% of the world tourism market.
So far very little has been done to develop ecotourism in Yemen, but the potential is huge.  As a result of geographic isolation, a wide range of habitats, and Yemen’s unique position at the junction of three biological regions, Yemen hosts thousands of plant and animal species.
Many of these are endemic and live only in Yemen. Wildlife watchers from all over the world would each be willing to pay thousands of dollars for a chance to see Arabian Woodpeckers, Yemen Monitors, and other rare Yemen wildlife if only they knew that it was possible.
Because of ecotourism’s potential, the United Nations, the Environmental Protection Council, and the General Tourism Authority have joined hands to promote ecotourism in Yemen. Among other measures, they have established the ecotourism department within the General Tourism Authority. Non-governmental organizations are also getting involved. For example, Millennium Relief and Development Services, an environmentally oriented NGO from the United States, is producing a guide to ecotourism in Yemen with World Bank Support.
Much else needs to be done in this sector before ecotourism can achieve its potential in Yemen. This includes the development of infrastructure and the training of local wildlife guides. The process has started though, and the day is coming when ecotourism becomes a significant contributor to the national economy.
 


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