Ecotourism - Afifi Island

Ecotourism - Afifi Island

SMT1002 International Tourism - Individual Assignment

Word Count: 2,278

Module Leader: Nick Hubbard

Student Name: Estella (Meng Lei)

Student ID: U0974380

Executive Summary

The purpose of this report was, used Afifi Island as an example to describe and analysis the main trend of international tourism and suggested the target market of Afifi Island.

This report divided into three parts. First part is introduced the concept of international tourism and its trend. Second part is indicated the type of Afifi and figured out its target market. It covered economic, social and culture aspects to support their sustainable development management and strategy plan. In the final part, this report had help Afifi Island to find and set up its position.

Afifi is a nice place, which still keep the nature environment. Therefore, Afifi Island has potential can be a place related to ecotourism. According to the long term develop management plan, Afifi Island needs a sustainable management plan, and an effective operation group.

Table of Contents

Introduction 4

Afifi Island 5

Tourism Type Definition 5

Target Market 6

Strategy Management 7

Potential Impact 8

Economic Impact 8

Environmental Impact 9

Social and Culture Impact 10

Sustainable Management 10

Conclusions 11

References 12

Introduction

Tourism industry is developing quickly in recent years. Nowadays, tourists prefer to through travel during their vocation or holidays, most of them want to through travel to reduce their stress from work and countries. In 2011, international tourist increases over 4% than 2010. The total numbers reached to 982 million. (UNWTO, 2012) According to World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), international tourism will expected to reach 1 billion, in 2020. (UNWTO, 2013) Because of the rapid development of international tourism, the trend of international tourism from simple aim like escape form crowded countries or relaxation transform to feel the nature environment by some specific tourism, such as ecotourism.

Island tourism is becoming more and more popular place that tourists chose to travel and spend their holidays. The number of island tourists increased in recent five years. (Payne, 2012) For example, the Dominica island tourism developed quickly and they expand the market share. The rapid development of the Dominica island tourism industry has effectively promoted the development of other sectors, especially construction, transportation, commercial and financial sector. Beach is the main tourism area of Dominica island, it about 1/3 of the country's total area, almost 1,400 kilometers of coastline. (CASS, 2013)

Afifi Island

Afifi Island is a small independent state of the West coast of Africa. The total area is about 754 square kilometers, and there has almost 100,000 inhabitants live on Afifi Island now. (Afifi Island, 2013) It still conservation the nature environment, and it is a very beautiful island to travel, even worth to exploring more. Afifi Island is an origin volcanic place, and there have a number of sandy beaches around the Island. In addition, inside of Afifi Island, it covered in rainforest.

Tourism Type Definition

Firstly, decided the type of Afifi Island is necessary. It will become easy to make a long term planning in the future. People, who move in a short term to outside place, leave their normally life and work to spending time at another destinations means tourism. (Burkart & Medlik, 1974) In addition, tourism also has two main types that are domestic tourism and international tourism. (Juan, et al, 2011) Afifi Island as a beautiful island; most of areas are protected very well. Many people from another countries want to come to Afifi Island and feel the nature environment.

The airstrip in Afifi Island, which can accommodate about 50 passengers, and have one long haul flights, connected Banjul in The Gambia. (Afifi Island, 2013) Furthermore, Afifi Island have two coastal hotels can support tourism. These two hotels with approximately 100 bedrooms and beach guesthouses, which to support the tourism market on Afifi Island. The current Island situation claimed that all equipment and facilities prepared for people who come from another countries. Therefore, the type of tourism in Afifi Island is international tourism.

The types of environmental and related other types of tourism, it covered a range of activities - from long-term to short-term scientific missions relaxing holiday weekend. All this variety can be roughly classified according to various criteria, in particular, groups of travelers, visiting the main sites, types of tourism activity and length of stay. The main objects of ecotourism is, its own classically environmental, narrowly considered relatively undisturbed natural systems and their individual components.

At the same time, the floating population leads Afifi Island has more impacts, such as economic, pollution and inhabitants‘ life quality. According to the nature environment, tourism can be divided into adventure tourism, cultural tourism and ecotourism. (Farmaki, 2012) Depend on the current situation of Afifi Island, it most likely to put the Afifi as an ecotourism. It because of the natural and wildlife environment such as empower local people, environment awareness

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