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 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS "SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. THE PARTICIPATION OF CIVIL SOCIETY" 1. Presentation CONCLUSIONS Sant Feliu de Guíxols, October 22, 23 and 24, 1998 The International Congress, "Sustainable Tourism in the Mediterranean: The Participation of Civil Society", is the concluding act of the "MED Project ULIXES 21. For Sustainable Tourism in the Mediterranean" that has been directed by EcoMediterrània (Barcelona) with the participation of CLAPE-LR (Montpellier), APE de la Wilaya de Tétouan (Tetouan) and ASMAPE (Rabat), all of them members of the MED Forum NGO Network. This project has received the decisive support of the European Union through the DG XI, of the Languedoc-Rousillon Region, and the autonomous regions of Catalonia, the Balearic islands, and Andalucia, as well as of other entities and municipalities, especially the Sant Feliu de Guíxols Town Council (Catalonia), which has been the headquarters of this International Congress. The main objective of ULIXES 21 is to inform and make every agent involved in tourist development aware of the importance of staking their bet on sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean. During the nearly two years that this project has lasted, and especially during the last three days of workshops and exchange of experiences, the participants have thought in depth about the need to promote Mediterranean civil society’s greater involvement in all of the process concerning tourism, and especially in everything that is related to planning and management of tourist areas. In spite of the fact that the Mediterranean has lost its leading role as a tourist destination due to the growing power of new emerging areas such as the Caribbean and the Pacific coast, for example, this sea basin continues being the first tourist destination in the world, and future predictions foresee an increase of the incoming international tourist flow. For some time now, tourism has been perceived in a negative light because it is regarded as an activity with a detrimental impact on society and its cultural and natural heritage. This is undeniably the case of mass tourism, to a great extent responsible for environmental problems that affect the Mediterranean nowadays, and particularly of those derived from intensive land occupation. Nevertheless, these problems are not worse than those derived from other economic activities that are carried out in the Mediterranean coast, such as industry, for example. Despite the negative assessment made of tourism’s negative impact on the environment, this activity is still the best bet for development in the Mediterranean thanks to its ability to generate economical resources and to manage and preserve natural and cultural resources which could otherwise eventually be degraded or even disappear. The Mediterranean, understood both as the sea and as the set of surrounding territories, is an area bountiful in landscapes and cultures, which is the result of the anthropic activity realized by mankind during all these centuries. The Mediterranean has been the cradle of many civilizations, and its waters have propitiated exchanges that have affected the social and economic order of the coastal communities. However, we cannot forget that, unfortunately, the Mediterranean has too often been the scenery of fighting and discord. With this historical background in mind, and considering the fragility which characterizes its geographical setting, it is necessary to keep working so that Mediterranean may continue to be a region of cooperation and development in which its cultural, environmental and economical diversity is protected. As the main economic activity of the Mediterranean coastal areas, tourism has much to say on the subject. If we wish to head in the right direction, it is fundamental that this activity be submitted to profound structural changes so that it is more aware of the features of each one of the tourist areas. In this change of direction, tourism must incorporate into its workings the considerations that came up in the Earth Summit that was held in Rio in 1992. Thus, controversial but crucial concepts such as "sustainability" must head the list of necessary changes in all tourist activity. The priority actions that synthesize the ensemble of ideas laid out in this three-day Congress and that must be carried out in order to achieve a more sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean, are the following: 1. Many countries of the Mediterranean basin, in particular those from the southern shoreline and from the islands, are entirely dependent on tourism as an economic activity and as a way to develop. Because of this, it is necessary to reinforce the policies and projects whose objective is the improvement of tourism and whose principles are those of sustainable development. For a project to be considered sustainable, it must be ecologically acceptable, economically feasible, institutionally aided, and socially just. Each of these factors is necessary, but none on its own is enough. In order to foster the implementation of sustainable tourism in all the Mediterranean, public administrations, international organizations, companies, experts, scholars, NGOs, and civil society in general must contribute to speeding up the process. To facilitate the necessary exchange of information and experiences on this subject matter, we propose the creation of a Mediterranean Forum for Sustainable Tourism. This Forum could form part of the international petitions that grew out of the Euro-Mediterranean Process, such as the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) that was developed as a result of the Barcelona Convention. Moreover, the Forum would ensure that all the sectors involved in tourism (especially civil society and local administrations) had equal-status representation. 2. In the Mediterranean there are marked contrasts in the spatial distribution of tourist flow. Thus, there has been heavy concentration in the north-western part of the basin, while on the other hand there have been large empty areas in the south and east. The same differences have shown up at an intra-regional level. Linear and nuclear concentration is due to the prevalence of a "sun and beach" tourism model. That is why one of the major challenges of the restructuring of tourist areas along the Mediterranean coast is determined by the integrated articulation of the natural and cultural heritage of the countries that live on the edge of the tourist process or that are inland, since so far they have been relegated to playing a subordinate role. 3. Linear and nuclear concentrations along the coast are phenomena that are directly linked with intensive housing development, indiscriminate land occupation, and the posseession of large reserves of land which it is possible to build on. This attitude has been defined by the term "coastalization" and reflects an undesirable tendency if we look at it from the environmental sustainability point of view. For this reason, it will be necessary to avoid overcrowding, reduce housing development and tourist concentration. With this purpose in mind we have to establish parameters of the carrying capacity of the territory by means of flow controls, soft measures (such as ecotaxes) tax incentives to companies that are respectful with the environment, or quality plans. In order to achieve this, tourism must be structured on the basis of sustainability criteria. 4. The coastal strip has very contrasting landscapes and a large diversity of animal and plant species thanks to the singular environmental conditions found in these places. It is very necessary to develop special policies of protection to this coastal strip, as this small and fragile zone suffers the most negative impacts from tourism. The coastalization or the mass occupation of the coast is breaking up the original continuity that existed among the different coastal environments (dune areas, marshlands or wetlands, cliffs, seabed, etc.) reducing their dimension until they are mere islets of what they used to be. This implies an increasing loss of biodiversity, a concept that cannot be disassociated from that of sustainability. We need to adopt effective protective measures in two ways: on the one hand, to decisively promote the creation of Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI) proposed in the Barcelona Convention, and on the other hand, to declare, in accordance with the various national, regional and local authorities, protected spaces with different degrees of protection and within a framework of land use planning, both of unbuilt spaces and built-up areas. This will be a good instrument to reduce all housing development that is responsible for the barrier effect, and to value as priceless all areas that have singular natural characteristics or that have great ecological value. Coastal strip protection also implies the compatibilization of these spaces with other functions related to leisure, information, and environmental education. That is why it is so fundamental to prevent the privatisation or occupation of land on the strip for private/ personal interests. 5. The homogenization and the degradation of certain areas constitute one of the main structural problems that mass tourism generates where it settles, and that is why it is so important to diversify and differentiate the tourist destinations by rejecting standardization, promoting the individual features of each tourist destination, and by renovating the current "sunshine and beach" formula, which is and will continue to be a key element in the Mediterranean tourist offer. The new tourist offer must promote linking culture, nature, leisure and tourism so that the territory become the essential protagonist of the tourist offer. In the future, one of the best formulas to promote the distinctive flavor or trademark of a tourist area will be the conservation of its lifestyle and traditions. In order to make this change, local communities must play an important role. Without them, it is very difficult for any planning that is working towards sustainability to be successful. We believe that the development of local Agendas 21 is the best way to ensure the participation of all of civil society in land use planning and management. For this reason, national and regional administrations should establish programs of technical and financial assistance so that the local administrations can develop their own Agenda 21 through the effective participation of all the sectors involved, especially of the organized civil society. 6. The conventional tourist offer in the Mediterranean shows a flabbergasting dual simplicity based on the idea that "accommodation= tourist destination". We should avoid this reductionist association by offering integrated tourist products of cultural and landscape interest that reveal more about the region and its society, by incorporating inland areas and avoiding (especially on the coast) the repetition of economic activities related to tourism that have had a negative impact on the seafront, and prohibiting the creation of closed tourist complexes. Moreover, tourist accommodations should be reclassified so that it promotes models of tourist accommodation that are not very crowded, distinctive, consume fewer resource, and are more integrated in the local area and culture. 7. Sustainability is a concept that grows in popularity, but not in accuracy concerning its definition. Using the same term, one can justify a policy or refute it, depending on the circumstances. This means that it is a word that can easily be manipulated by private interests of the shady kind. At any rate, the important point is to remember that the philosophy which inspired the coining of the word was based on guaranteeing the rational exploitation of natural resources by present generations without putting at risk their exploitation by future ones. Insofar as tourism is concerned, we must shy away from erroneous policies that, under the pretext of improving the demand "quality", promote projects that imply even greater degradation of the landscape, using resources without considering that they might become exhausted (water, for example) and that therefore lead to pollution of the coastline and a clash of interests with other economic sectors (agriculture and fishing, for example), which has already happened in tourist examples of marinas and golf tourism. "Quality", in terms of sustainability, does not mean the tourist who will spend the most money, but the tourist that actively shows he has greater caring and respect for the environment that surrounds him. Simply labelling projects as "sustainable" is to fall into the trap of applying cosmetics to a crude reality. It is also necessary to avoid all policies that favor keeping a high employment rate at a low salary rate, which are often associated to promotion campaigns that attract the poorest segments of the mass population. Price competition is one of the main problems that sustainable tourism has to face. In both cases, tourism has a negative impact on society and its patrimony. 8. The lack of foresight with respect to tourist development and integration of the offer also causes social and environmental impact, and it can even lead to the irreversible destruction of the patrimony or heritage, especially if the tourist offer is centred on the principal resource of the patrimony as the main tourist attraction. Faced with this problem, the States, local authorities and private individuals should try to come up with formulas whereby the tourist economic activity contributes to the protection of the environment, the restoration of degraded landscapes, and the greater value given to the natural and cultural heritage, thus favoring a better adaptation and relationship among tourists, host population, and patrimony. The local administration must play a "mediator" role between tourist requirements and the rights of the local people. Tourism connects, within the same space, very distinct groups that differ from each other not only in typology, but also in their origins. Sociodiversity is a keystone as fundamental as biodiversity is, and we must take advantage of this feature of tourism, using it to generate channels for exchange and cooperation among peoples. The important point, therefore, is to identify and foster whatever element is responsible for the tourist integration from the perspective of a sustainable development. 9. In the Mediterranean, apart from the existence of markedly uneven land management in the localization of the tourist offer, there are also striking contrasts of tourist flows through time, due to the fact that seasonality is very marked in this region. All these factors give way to the development of seasonal jobs, which evidently causes social precariousness and instability. It is because of this that one of the fundamental actions that planning and management intend to carry out is the changing of the seasonal structure of travelling, making sure that tourist facilities and products are adequate at all times as an incentive for reducing seasonality, and at the same time disseminating information on the advantages of travelling to the Mediterranean in the months of lesser tourist affluence. The urban, artistic, natural and archaeological heritage and the mild climate in winter are all positive factors that make it feasible to restructure the tourist offer. Along this line of action, the incentives for new types of tourism (cultural, rural, walking, trekking, natural parks..) and the exhibitions, shows, festivals, fairs, displays bases on monuments, turning certain establishments into museums, and the opening of new live museums, are all formulas that contribute to the staggering of frequent holiday visits, as long as measures are taken to ensure sustainability and to avoid making the cultural base that we wish to reinforce into something banal or that could be degraded. 10. Tourism in the Mediterranean is led by organized trips. There are countries where more than 75% of international tourist arrivals are under the control of tour operators. Given the importance of this agent in the tourist process, it is necessary to obtain his/her good will and collaboration for there to be a change of direction, both in the demand and in the offer. We must also try to get them involved in publishing environmental education articles in their magazines or publications, and urging them to promote long stays instead of short ones with their offers, and to select those accommodations that do try to apply sustainability measures. The publicity image of the tourist destination given by the travel agents may have to change in many cases and the potential tourist may have to be more active in the demands he makes to intermediate agents. The more often a tourist asks for change, the sooner he will modify the offer patterns, and the more influence he will have in dynamics change. It is important to carry out tourist awareness-raising campaigns such as the one headed by ULIXES 21 so that the tourist learns to be demanding and rigorous in his/her demand for a sustainable tourism capable of changing the dominant behavior of the travel agents who condition the offer. 11. The local population is often excluded from the development of the tourism process in their territories, and that is why it is necessary to stimulate a greater degree of economic and associative involvement on the part of local communities. The local population can play, either directly or indirectly, a significant role in the economic sector by the investment of endogenous capital and by achieving a higher level in professional training and promotion, and they can play a significant role in the social and political sectors by deciding on the future of the setting and committing themselves to preventing the development of tourist projects that go against the preservation of their patrimony. The intervention of civil society on a local level has to be accompanied by a change of attitude and by the discarding of practices that have very little to do with the sustainability criteria that are being posed. Sustainability is not a possible option of the tourist activity; it is the only option possible. We must try to make tourist development compatible with other economic activities, especially with those that are traditional or artisan (agriculture and fishing, for example); moreover, we must try to make these activities profitable by turning them into tourist products. In conclusion, we must view economic diversification as a positive value, especially if we take into account the fact that economic monofunctionality constitutes one of the main problems linked with tourism growth. Sustainable tourism does not mean that tourism growth is zero; it means that tourism must not only be economically viable, but also socially just with respect to the redistribution of the wealth it generates so that it does not provoke a loss of social structure where it settles. 12. For tourism to be sustainable, it is necessary to develop adequate planning for it so it does not over-exploit or exhaust the natural resources of its immediate setting (land, water and energy). it must also be able to share these resources with other activities that had previously been functioning in the zone, as could be the case of agriculture. Tourism as an economic activity must stop altering the energy cycle and the cycles of other resources. In this process, the preventive measures (such as reduction of waste and other pollutants) must go hand in hand with other more decisive measures (such as water purification, integrated waste treatment, recycling, etc.) In relation to these measures, it is important to promote policies that favor public transport, and other policies that have to do with the improvement of the highway and road network that already exists, and not with its expansion, which is susceptible of continuing the process of territorial fragmentation. 13. Tourism is a phenomenon that has an impact on all of us. That is why it is so important to demand that there be absolute transparency in all decisions concerning this issue, given the magnitude and scope of the repercussions that this activity has within the Mediterranean area. It is fundamental that the information related to tourism be made public, and that the NGOs, acting as representatives of civil society organizations, be able to participate in all decision-making that has to do with this sector. They must also be treated as equals in the discussion forums on tourism in the Mediterranean so that tourist planning and management is really a participatory process in which all society is involved. A "civic conspiracy" is necessary. 14. The NGOs, tourist experts and public agents working on the local, national and international levels, must promote initiatives and information and awareness-raising programs along the line of "MED Project ULIXES 21. For Sustainable Tourism in the Mediterranean", so that they have an impact on the environmental education of tourists, residents, productive sectors and the administration. These programs should receive funding from institutions and from all other agents who participate in the development of tourism. To sum it up, what we are trying to do is to disseminate and broadcast sustainability values. It would be convenient to foster and to give continuity to projects like ULIXES 21 so that they could broaden their activities to encompass all of the Mediterranean basin, and so that they could serve to agglutinate other local and national initiatives concerning citizen awareness and social participation in the implementation of a model of sustainable tourism in this region. 15. The dissemination of examples and "good practice" principles of sustainable tourism is one of the objectives that must be pursued by the elaboration of projects such as the one that has led to the realization of this Congress. Its continuity would help to establish a program for all of the mediterranean basin that would broadcast examples of sustainable tourism. The existence of the MED Forum Network, of which are members the NGOs that carried out Project ULIXES 21, guarantees the development of this proposal, thanks to the fact that it is present in almost all the Mediterranean countries, and to the fact that it has international links with the NGOs from tourist-originating countries, especially those of the European Union. This Program would have to depend on getting all the publicity and dissemination it needs for its campaigns, and this would be accomplished through different means of communication (such as the MED Forum home page on the web). 16.- The fields of education, professional training and mass
media have to become more conscious of the environmental problems derived from tourist
activities. Insofar as education and professional training are concerned, the study
programs of the different centers must evidence this preoccupation by integrating the
tourism issue into their study plan as one more subject within the training process of
future generations in general, and as a key subject in the training of those who will have
direct working contact with tourism. All politicians should also receive this information
as part of their training, because it is essential that they renew their speeches and
tracts, and that they incorporate new concepts such as the ones we are debating, so that,
within their possibilities, they can put them into practice at a local level. 17. Tourism cannot be understood simply as an economic activity that functions separately from the rest of activities and in an independent fashion. Quite on the contrary; tourism depends on other economic activities which provide it with the goods and services it requires to function (nutrition, transport, insurance policies, energy, technology, construction, furniture, design,...). Therefore, all the actions that are taken to promote the sustainability of the sector may have a multiplied effect on the other sectors that are its subsidiaries. at any rate, it is important to reach an understanding with all the different economic sectors of the tourist area so that all the activities are heading in the same direction of sustainabilty. Isolated initiatives very rarely achieve their expected results. 18. Faced with the overall situation that the Mediterranean is going through, the best posture to assume is not a catastrophic one, but a realistic one so as to confront the problems that affect the area and the negative consequences derived from tourism. The Mediterranean is affected by many aggressions that cause it to be gravely ill, but it is by no means dead. That is why it is so important that those who have something to say on the matter, that is to say, ALL OF US, make a firm commitment to achieve a sustainable tourism. Each one of us is both a negotiator for ecology and a tourist in potential. That means that the personal contribution of each individual can help to change the overall result of tourist impact on the environment and to aid the Mediterranean to a swift recovery of the chronic illness that has been affecting it during decades. Sant Feliu de Guíxols, 24 October 1998 |
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