What is Value Sensitive Educational Tourism?

VALUE-SENSITIVE TOURISM: AN EXPLORATION IN EDUCATION
VANNETTA R. PERRY, ED.D.
January 2005

Worldwide, tourism is an important industry to the global economy. It contributes millions of dollars to world economy, and continues to grow. With the growth of tourism emerges concern for negative impact on the host country or region’s environment, culture, and social structure. Local and regional governments, non-profit organizations, and other agencies and institutions are affecting action and policy toward sustainable activities that address these concerns. These efforts are important and necessary for systemic sustainable actions within a region or country.
It is important to recognize and embrace the significant role of governmental and agency involvement in worldwide efforts for a sustainable approach to environmental, social, cultural and economic preservation of developing countries. That critical element is necessary for global systemic change. The concept presented in this paper, however, emphasizes issues from the community perspective; how a community develops its tourism efforts to reflect its environmental, culture and social structure, while enhancing the economic base; teaching the visitor culturally and socially appropriate behavior; and guiding the development of value-sensitive tourism in the area to keep activities within a boundary of acceptance by the community.

This approach to tourism, – really, educational tourism – focuses on a community’s culture, economy, environment and social structure. I have termed this “Value-sensitive Educational Tourism”. You may hear it called sustainable tourism, which is true in the sense that these tourism activities help support and sustain the economic, social, environmental and cultural structure of the community. I prefer to call it “Value-sensitive Educational Tourism” because the approach, design, and implementation of the tourism activity involve the stakeholders of the community in the educational experience of the visitor. Stakeholders drive development of activities. This ensures a thorough consideration of what is of value to the unique community while addressing economic, social, environmental, and cultural components of the community and stresses the importance of protecting, even enhancing, those components, with the tourism activities. It is not a “canned” recipe, but individualized, depending upon the values of the community.

The Process of Value-sensitive Tourism Development

The process of value-sensitive development is data driven. It involves answering a series of questions, then taking appropriate action based on the information obtained. Only through involvement of community members will this be a viable approach to value-sensitive development within the community. The questions are:

1. Who are the stakeholders in development? Who will benefit from this development? Requesting information from anyone who might remotely be a stakeholder is invaluable. Regardless of age, gender, community status, socio-economic level, occupation, education level, everyone involved has something of value to offer. Tourists, of course, are part of the equation, or the idea would not be suggested as a tourism idea. Certain community members will benefit – the property and/or guest house owners, restaurants, shops within the area, taxi drivers, support services (laundry, cooks, and water carriers), tour guides, interpreters, and many others. Tourism development in a rural area of a developing country has an enormous, trickle-down effect that can be quite complex and not evident without a thorough investigation. Community leaders must be involved in very early planning efforts. Approval from tribal leaders or government officials must be one of the first steps taken in the information gathering stages. Utilizing the educational system in this process is helpful as most local teachers will be interested in involving their students in data gathering as well as service-learning projects with tourists who visit the community.

2. What is important to each stakeholder? Each stakeholder has her/his own idea of what is important with the tourism effort. Community leaders may see increased movement of capital within the local economy. Individuals see more money to provide the basic needs for their families. Teachers in the communities may see opportunities for global learning by their students that involves tourists from all over the world. What do tourists want out of a value-sensitive educational tourism experience? What is of value culturally, socially, environmentally, educationally, and economically? Truly, what is important to each stakeholder?

3. What are the resources in a community? In every community, there are distinct human, cultural and natural resources that must be protected, sustained, and if possible, enhanced by the tourism activity. Identification of these resources is crucial for holistic development to occur. Human resources, particularly male, are usually high in rural communities of developing countries. Tapping this talented base of manpower is something to be considered in development. Cultural resources, if protected and enhanced, will contribute to a rich tourism experience. Dancing, singing, drumming, native arts and crafts, cooking, and lessons for tourists in any of these activities are great ways to educationally share with the visitor what is important culturally within the community. Natural resources provide an intriguing draw to the visitor. Indigenous animals, beautiful scenery, native flora, unique geological formations are just a few examples of natural resources that can be included in value-sensitive educational tourism.

4. What are three ideas of development from each stakeholder? One of the most important aspects to achieve with value-sensitive tourism is complete buy-in or stakeholder ownership of the idea of sustaining; even enhancing what is of value within the community. Creating ownership comes from stakeholders’ involvement early on in the planning process. A great way to create ownership is to let the stakeholders introduce ideas for development! Most likely, individuals in the community have already done some brainstorming about how they could develop their little part of the local area. Encourage them to share the idea and go through this planning process, and move the idea forward toward reality.

5. Do any of the stakeholders’ ideas overlap? If any of the tourism ideas duplicate resources, take a look at them quite seriously. Any way to conserve energy, waste, water, or other natural and human resources with multiple tourism ideas usually protects the environment of the area while contributing to the economic base.

6. What are the positive aspects of each idea? What is good about the tourism idea? Does it benefit a wide demographic range of the community? Which natural and cultural resources does it conserve, sustain and/or enhance? Discussions focusing on these questions educate stakeholders in the importance of preseration and conservation and how these influence the future of the community. These questions also encourage consideration of diverse viewpoints.

7. What are the adverse impacts of each idea? What is bad about the idea? Is there anyway to avoid adverse impact? Maybe the cost of cultural or natural resources is just too high to consider the idea.

8. What are the responsibilities of the stakeholders to each idea? Are each able to commit to the responsibilities? What is a necessary contribution for the idea to be a success? Is this a reasonable contribution, or does the contribution itself inhibit viability of the tourism prospect? For an individual or entity to be a true stakeholder, she/he must have a responsibility to the idea. That is part of ownership and buy-in. For the idea to succeed, stakeholders must contribute.

9. What are the needed areas of capital, capacity building and training to succeed with each idea of development? Without doubt, any development idea will require capital. What is the cost of the project? Will the return be viable for success? Capacity building and training strengthens the human resource contribution to the development effort as well as ensures the understanding of the sustainability concept. Community members will operate the business so must be trained in the necessary areas to be efficient and effective personnel.

10. How can the idea be designed and implemented to not only sustain, but enhance environmental, economic, social, and cultural aspects of the community? With some brainstorming, almost any suggested idea, with creativity, can sustain – and most will enhance – the environmental, economic, social, and cultural aspects of a community while providing economic support in the community. This takes some creative and free thinking outside of the proverbial box and openness to new ways of thinking and doing things. That approach may or not may not be compatible with the community. An important part of the “tool kit” of the facilitator working with the community in development is a “goody bag” of examples that have worked in similar areas, to help stimulate the value-sensitive way of thought.

11. Is it possible to develop a “Code of Ethics” for the development planning, design, and implementation to protect the ecological, economic, social, and cultural aspects of the community? If not, what are the trade-offs of the idea? Is it really a viable option, or is the “cost” too high? A Code of Ethics is specific to the community and addresses how to protect, conserve, and enhance environmental, social, and cultural aspects of the area and the agreement between all stakeholders to uphold the Code of Ethics.

In Summary
As we advance the idea of “value-sensitive educational tourism”, it is important to remember the dynamics within the United States that drive us to this point in tourism development. The advancing age of the baby boomer generation (population born in 1950’s and 1960’s) and the increased income level of Gen Xer’s (population born in late 1960’s and 1970’s), both population groups within the United States with money to spend and an interest in tourism beyond the traditional ocean cruise, European explorations, and five-star hotel experience, the time is ideal for offering unique educational experiences that can be termed educational. There is an ever increasing sense of social responsibility among these population groups and value-sensitive educational tourism can fill this need for a tourism experience that is not socially irresponsible. It makes tourists feel good about what they are doing on their “vacation.” With the development of the tourism experience driven by area stakeholders, we can ensure economic, environmental, social and cultural sustainability within the community.