An alternative approach to community-based ecotourism: a bottom-up locally initiated non-monetised project in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Community-based ecotourism (CBET) is presented as a tool for conservation and sustainable development by conservation practitioners and development agencies, but is reported to have achieved little. Several scholars argue that many problems stem from inadequate power relationships between external actors and local communities, leading to low community participation. This study opens a debate on governance and social enterprise in CBET by examining a bottom-up approach to community-based ecotourism based on a small-scale CBET initiative in an amenity-poor remote indigenous community in Papua New Guinea. This initiative is unique in the following aspects: it was initiated by a community member; external assistance was advisory only; no external financial assistance was given; and it has taken place in a non-monetised economy. Participant observation and in-depth interviews with local key informants were used to identify community-defined positive/negative impacts and community participation processes. Overall, there was substantial support for the project; it contributed to community welfare, generated economic benefit, had positive conservation outcomes and from the viewpoint of the community had no adverse cultural impacts. One of the keys for success was the development of a strong community agency that led to high community participation and individual rather than the community ownership.

以巴布亚新几内亚的自底向上的本土项目为例针对社区为基准的生态旅游的另一种方法

社区为基准的生态旅游被保护实践家和发展机构当作是保护和可持续性发展的工具，但是这方面的实践却很少有成功的。一些学者争论许多问题是源于外在的利益相关者和当地社区之间的力量不足的关系，导致低社区参与度。该研究基于在巴布亚新几内亚里的一个市容贫困的偏远土著社区里一个小型CBET行动为例，通过对社区为基准的生态旅游检验一个从底至上的方法，来展开了一个关于CBET里的政策治理和社会企业的辩论。该行动在以下几个方面是独特的；它是由社区成员主导的；外在的帮助只是作为咨询；没有收到外在的财务资助；它是在非货币化经济下发生的。与当地的主要信息者进行参与性观察和深度采访来用于确认社区定义的正面/负面影响和确认社区参与过程。总体来说，对该项目有着很重大的支持，项目对社区福利有贡献，产生经济收益，有正面的保护性成果，和从社区的出发点来说没有负面文化影响。成功的关键之一是强大的社区机构的发展，能导致高社区参与度和个人化，而不是社区所有权。

Keywords:

• social enterprise
• Papua New Guinea
• community-based ecotourism
• non-monetised economy
• community agency
• indigenous tourism

关键词:

• 社会企业
• 巴布亚新几内亚
• 非货币经济
• 土著旅游
• 社区机构
• 社区为基准的生态旅游

Notes

1. Calculated as of the exchange rate on 2 November 2012.

2. Calculated as of the exchange rate on 2 November 2012.

3. One village family owns a generator-powered television and a DVD player and operates a weekly cinema for K2 per adults showing PNG comedy programs and western movies.

4. The Kula trade is a traditional trading transaction using shell objects between specific trade partners and also between different islands and island groups (for more details refer to Kuehling, 2005).

5. Many community members have discerned rapid deforestation due to an expansion of gardens with the population growth.

6. They are considered luxury items to buy, and even more so to give away.