Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement

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Ecodevelopment Tourism

/ iko’development toor’izm /, n

1. moves communities from the margins to the mainstream; 2. builds local economy; 3. protects environment and habitat; 4. enhances cultural integrity; 5. respects diversity; 6. promotes cooperation and solidarity; 7.

builds infrastructure in harmony with landscape, nature, culture and people.

Perspectives and Strategies of Ecodevelopment Tourism:

Moving Communities from the Margins to the Mainstream

The nation’s tourism industry is largely the domain of big business and foreign investors who have the volume of capital to finance land acquisition and infrastructure development—two of the major elements that characterize the industry today.
Ecodevelopment tourism (ecodevtourism) is community-centered. The community plays a key role in the planning and decision-making of tourism activities in their area.
Ecodevtourism advocates community control and management of natural resources. It helps build community capacity to manage the development of its area.
It involves setting up of community organizations and enterprises, training leaders and community specialists, as well as developing the appropriate technology required to ensure sound management of area ecosystems.

Building the local economy

A system’s viability depends on its capacity to reproduce and sustain itself. Economic gains from tourism should be retained in the community to improve and sustain its economy and other development activities.
Ecodevtourism helps develop community-owned tourism enterprises and helps create development funds to support economic, social and environmental projects of community partners.

Protecting environment and habitat

The natural environment is the base of development of a community. It is also a vital base of tourism. Ecodevtourism is for ecological protection and biodiversity conservation. It recognizes the carrying capacity of each site and of the community. It is sensitive to visitor impact and to the limits of acceptable change of community habitats.

Enhancing cultural integrity, respecting diversity

Ecodevtourism promotes increased appreciation of cultural diversity. Village stays and immersion activities provide opportunities to deepen understanding of the host’s social and development milieu.
Ecodevtourism helps foster mutual interdependence and respect between visitor and host in the spirit of genuine human encounter and solidarity.
Ecodevtourism helps preserve the Filipino cultural heritage through support for restoration of historical sites and monuments, and education on the Filipino’s rich and diverse culture and history.

Promoting solidarity through learning and exchange

Ecodevtourism is a vehicle to engage solidarity with and support of a people’s defense of its community and habitat.
It also promotes greater awareness and understanding of the significant contribution that an alternative form of tourism can make to the environment, the people and their economy.
Education and linkage-building are key components of PRRM’s RR Tours.

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Community and Habitat No. 13: Community resilience needs a change in mindset

Community resilience needs a change in mindset
THIS ISSUE OF PRRM’S COMMUNITY & HABITAT JOURNAL IS focused on the intertwined issues of climate change, energy and food.