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Ecotourism
no longer "Fringe Travel Market"
is consensus of Africa Travel Association's
6th Symposium in Morocco
By Jerry W. Bird
FES, MOROCCO,
HOSTS AFRICA TRAVEL ASSOCIATION'S SIXTH CULTURAL
AND ECOTOURISM SYMPOSIUM, DECEMBER 2002, AT THE
SHERATON FES HOTEL
FROM LEFT: Abdelhamid Boumediene, Morocco National
Tourist Office, Director for Americas; Mira Berman,
ATA Exec. Dir.; Abdelali Benjelloun, General
Inspector, Morocco Ministry of Tourism; Dr.
Gaynelle S. Henderson Bailey, ATA First Vice
President; James MacGregor, Chemonics International
and Keynote Speaker.
FES, MOROCCO: The Africa
Travel Association (ATA) capped off the UN
sponsored International Year of Ecotourism with its
Sixth Cultural & Ecotourism Symposium, Dec.
8-13, 2002, at the Sheraton Fes Hotel, Morocco. It
was ATA's biggest- ever in attendance from North
America, due in large part to Royal Air Maroc
providing excellent promotional fares. The popular
Symposium series began in Saly/Dakar, Senegal,
1992. Now an annual forum, the fall-winter event
attracts representation from all parts of Africa,
with many Tourism Ministers in attendance, plus
National Parks executives and educators. Travel
agents and tour group organizers from the North
American market who sell Africa made up the largest
contingent. Mr.
Abdelali Benjelloun,
General Inspector, Morocco Ministry of Tourism,
opened the event on behalf of H.E. Adil Douiri,
Minister of Tourism. Representing ATA President
Zakia Hamdani Meghji, Tanzania's Minister for
Natural Resources and Tourism, was Mary Mmari of
the Ministry for Natural Resources & Tourism,
Tanzania. Dr. Gaynelle S. Henderson, ATA's First
Vice President presided over the symposium together
with Mira Berman, ATA Executive Director.
Abdelhamid Boumediene, Morocco National Tourist
Office, Director for the Americas, was host on
behalf of Morocco.
Keynote Speakers Set the
Tone
Led by James MacGregor and Dave Gibson,
Chemonics International, leaders in this vital area
of the tourism industry, working sessions attracted
rapt attention. MacGregor, a Green Globe
Achievement Award winner, has been credited with
developing the world's first Ecotourism Training
Program and the first train-the-trainer program. He
recently completed the Sustainable Tourism Action
Plan and e-Marketing Strategy for Southern Morocco
(for USAID). Gibson is Practice Area Director for
Environment and Natural Resources, Chemonics
International.
Ecotourism No Longer On
The Fringe
Both MacGregor and Gibson, said that
"Ecotourism is no longer a fringe market; it has
become mainstream, meeting the demands of the new
professionals &endash; savvy travel agents whose
clients are expecting and desiring that
destinations and tour operators practice
responsible tourism. According to Gibson, 87% of
travelers would pay 8-10% more for an eco-sensitive
travel product. Travelers seek the cultural
experience that Ecotourism offers. Coupled with
this is the mind-expanding experience of learning
new languages and cultures, plus facets such as
adventure travel, community based tourism,
archeological digs, rural lifestyles, walking
tours, native cooking lessons and countless other
avenues of activity. This new trend is that tourism
be of greater financial benefit to the local
communities and far less damaging to the
environment.
For African countries, which
almost by "definition" are ecotourist destinations,
this message is particularly important. In a speech
delivered by Mary Mmari, on behalf of Tanzania
Minister Mme. Meghj, the Minister noted that
"Tanzania's tourism is mainly nature based, which
makes it an ecotourism destination." She further
noted that Tanzania has recognized the need to
focus on sustainable conservation and community
involvement in order to preserve and conserve the
natural and cultural heritage and alleviate
poverty. Toward this end the Ministry has supported
a Cultural Tourism pilot project which established
18 modules run and managed by the local communities
in Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions in Northern
Tanzania.
The Hon. Marina M. Nsingo,
MP, Zambian Minister of Tourism Environment and
Natural Resources, concurred with these themes,
stating that "the importance of this event is
reflected by the fact that for most countries in
Africa, such as Zambia, cultural and ecotours are
the biggest drawing cards." She then went on to
state that "the development of cultural and
ecotours will broaden the product base and also
give African nations their comparative advantages.
Among other benefits, cultural tourism provides for
the creation of jobs and small enterprises such as
handicrafts, cultural performances and village tour
guiding. " Zambia, host country for the next ATA
International Congress, May 11-16, 2003, hosted the
Gala closing dinner.
Discovering the Country's
Diverse Cultural and Historical Attractions
The Morocco National Tourist Office and the
local G.R.I.T.'s (private sector groups) sponsored
a full day tour for delegates of Fes, Meknes, an
Imperial City famous for its Bab Mansour gate,
Moulay Idriss, with its green-tiled minaret and
Volubilis, Morocco's most important Roman ruins,
now a "World Heritage Site." Pre and Post Tours to
other parts of Morocco were organized by Benachir
Akli, President, Olive Branch Tours.
Other Highlights
Most of the events were organized at the
Sheraton Fes Hotel, under the excellent direction
of General Manager, Mohamed Zizi, and his team,
including the opening dinner hosted by the Tanzania
Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.
Receptions for delegates were also hosted by Farid
Lahlou, General Manager of the Jnan Palace as well
as Aziz Lebbar, President of the new Zalagh Parc
Palace Hotel.
Bermuda Ministry of Tourism
hosted a lunch featuring the African Diaspora
Heritage trail, presented by Deanna Wade, of
Bermuda Tourism and Heather Whalen, representing
the Bermuda Department of cultural Affairs. ATA
took the opportunity to present a Posthumous Award
to Bermuda's Late Minister of Tourism, Hon. David
Allen, the visionary and creator of the African
Diaspora Heritage Trail.
In the airline sector, SN
Brussels Airlines also played a key role, with
African Area Director Mr. Patrick Dewilde, Senior
Vice President Commercial Africa, presiding at a
luncheon sponsored by the new carrier, which has
expanded its route system from Brussels to Africa,
with US connections. South African Airways was
presented the annual ATA Award for "Outstanding
Service to the Africa Travel Association."
Accepting the Award on behalf of the Airline was
Simon Newton-Smith, VP Sales for North America,
accompanied by Paula Newton, Special Markets, who
also serves on the ATA Board of
Directors.
North
American Chapter Presidents at ATA 6th Ecotourism
Symposium in Fes.
From left - Marlene Melton- New York, Jerry Bird -
Canada, Council Irwin- Detroit, James Brock-
Atlanta, Wendy Johnson - Mid Atlantic,
Washington.
About ATA
The Africa Travel Association is an
international, nonprofit, nonpolitical,
professional travel industry association, whose
objective is to promote tourism to Africa. Its
membership is comprised of National Government
Tourist Offices, hotels, airlines, ground and tour
operators, and travel agents, group tour leaders,
marketing and media executives. ATA has chapters
throughout Africa and North America; is a member of
ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents of Travel
Agents), WTO (World Tourism Organization), an
industry partner with ARTA (Association of Retail
Travel Agents), a founding member of IIPT's
Coalition of Partners for Peace Through Tourism;
and a "Green Globe" member. ATA organizes an annual
international marketing conference in Africa; an
annual symposium on environmental and cultural
preservation and publishes the Africa Travel
Magazine and web site, www.africa-ata.org.
Headquarters: 347 Fifth Ave., Suite 610, New York
,New York 10016; tel 212-447-1926; email:
africatravelasso@aol.com.
More
details of Cultural and Ecotourism Symposium:
Mr. James MacGregor, Keynote
Speaker
A renowned
Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Planner, based
in Canada, James MacGregor has been credited with
developing the world's first Ecotourism Training
Program (for the Banff Center for Management) and
the first train-the-trainer program (for ECO
Brazil). The 13-week Ecotourism Workshop Series he
developed and delivered to the Commonwealth of
Caribbean Nations was given the prestigious Green
Globe Achievement Award, from the world Travel
& Tourism Council (WTTC). Mr. MacGregor has
prepared more than 100 Ecotourism projects in 12
countries including such initiatives as the Royal
Bengal Tiger Ecotourism Protection Plan
(Bangladesh, the Madagascar National Park
Ecotourism Strategy, and the Saskatchewan
Ecotourism Development Plan.He has worked with
First Nations through out Canada, from the Inuit in
Northern Labrador, to the Cree of James Bay to the
Haida of Haida Gwai.
Mr.
MacGregor is also a tour operator and owner of
ECOadventures Expeditions and the Lac Matagami
Ecolodge. He recently completed the Sustainable
Tourism Action Plan and e-Marketing Strategy for
Southern Morocco (for USAID).
 Mr.
Abelhamid Boumediene, Director, Moroccan National
Tourist Office for the Americas was Chairman of the
recent event
Mr. Boumediene,
prior to his appointment in March, 2002, to the
post of Director, Moroccan National Tourist Office
(MNTO) for The Americas, based in New York, served
as Secretary General of MNTO.
Africa Travel
Association
212 447 1926, fax 212-725, 8253
Africatravelasso@aol.co
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Photo
Credits: Royal Air Maroc, Boeing Company
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