MOnday 29 October 2007
MERANG: Malaysia will soon have an eco-tourism association.
Participants at Sunday's Asia-Pacific Ecotourism Conference have decided to apply for an association to be formed as soon as possible.
With eco-tourism becoming increasingly popular, tour operators feel there was a need for an association to ensure that the country benefits from the growth.
Malaysia is the only country in the region that does not have such an association despite being blessed with many natural wonders.
Discovery Mice Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Lee Choon Loong, a tour operator, said an association would be able to protect the resources which were being promoted by the country.
"We have lots of promotions on eco-sites but there is no non-governmental organisation (NGO) to oversee its sustainability.
"And this could lead to the destruction of our resources and gives a bad impression of the country,” he told the New Straits Times.
Lee said although the government had included eco-tourism in the Ninth Malaysian Plan, an association would ensure its effective implementation.
The two-day conference, which ended yesterday, saw the participation of government and academic bodies, industry players and NGOs.
In supporting the decision to have an eco-tourism association in Malaysia, the International Ecotourism Society (TIES) chairperson Kelly Bricker said such associations had made a positive impact around the world.
Citing Fiji as an example, she said the eco-tourism association worked well with the country’s tourism marketing arm and had successfully put Fiji on the eco-tourism map.
"It created awareness and brought conservationists, indursty players as well as the government together to discuss nature-based and community-based tourism.”
Launched in 1990, TIES is the largest and oldest ecotourism organisation in the world with members in more than 90 countries.
Apart from generating and disseminating information on eco-tourism, it also provides guildelines, training and research.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) deputy president Datuk Mohd Khalid Harun said the forming of a national association has MATTA's full support.
"It's a great idea. The eco-tourism association can act as a platform for eco-tourism players and enthusiasts to channel their ideas, voice out issues and share their experience and expertise in the field," he said.
Mohd Khalid said it can also be a venue for stake holders, especially the government, and NGOs to review existing laws and policies related to eco-tourism.
Source: New Straits Times
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
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