Transformation Planning for Resilient Wildlife Habitats in Ecotourism Systems

Abstract

An ecotourism system that is based on wildlife habitats in ecological systems is considered a social-ecological system that has a feedback relationship with social systems. Increases in socioeconomic activities and tourism infrastructure construction are not conducive to the resilience of wildlife habitats, thereby stressing the ecological system and threatening sustainable ecotourism. Managing resilient wildlife habitats by developing transformation plans that can be used to construct new systems through self-organization and the absorption of stress is paramount to perpetuating sustainable ecotourism systems. This study aims to establish transformation plans to enhance the resilience of systems thinking regarding wildlife habitats. Such thinking involves the sequential application of dynamic thinking, causal thinking, closed-loop thinking, and the discovery of strategies. This study examines the case study of Eulsukdo Island in South Korea, and the following transformation plans are derived: (1) high-quality eco-education programs to help tourists become hard ecotourists; (2) subsidies for foraging area restoration; (3) ecosystem services of wildlife habitats; and (4) governance organization led by multiple actors. The results of this study can provide guidelines for the effective use of natural resources at ecotourism destinations and for the ecotourism development of damaged wildlife habitats.

Transformation Planning of Ecotourism Systems to Invigorate Responsible Tourism

“…In this sense, ecotourism shares the same foundation as responsible tourism in that it conforms to sociocultural, economic and environmental sustainability [10,11]. It has been 20 years since ecotourism was implemented in South Korea but it is experiencing several problems, such as saturated tourism facilities development, noise pollution due to tourism activities and overuse; insufficient attention is devoted to addressing issues related to environmental capacity, profit-centered development, a lack of information, interpretation and programming and conflicts between residents and land owners within protected areas [3,12]. To overcome these issues, responsible tourism should be a prerequisite for proper management of ecotourism attractions [13], as it requires ethical and moral behavior in environmental and tourism-related activities from all tourism stakeholders.…”

“…The second is to strengthen resident-centered local restoration through respect for the local culture, resident solidarity, nurturing exchanges between residents and tourists, local economic revitalization and so forth [4,6]. The third is to instill a sense of responsibility for the environment, society and the economy among all stakeholders, including tourists, managers, operators and residents [3,[7][8][9]. In this sense, ecotourism shares the same foundation as responsible tourism in that it conforms to sociocultural, economic and environmental sustainability [10,11].…”

“…Based on this definition, the aims of ecotourism are as follows: The first aim is to induce managers and operators to voluntarily conserve the natural environment through education and interpretation instead of tourism infrastructure development [3][4][5]. The second is to strengthen resident-centered local restoration through respect for the local culture, resident solidarity, nurturing exchanges between residents and tourists, local economic revitalization and so forth [4,6].…”

“…The tourism system refers to a functional structure comprising supply and demand components that influence one another [17]. An ecotourism system is a type of tourism system that forms complex mutual relationships among the factors that affect wildlife habitat environments and the restoration of local areas within an ecotourism destination [3]. Important factors to consider in ecotourism systems are (1) the demand side, or the level of demand for tourism facilities determined by tourists' sense of responsibility toward nature and their intention to cope with inconveniences in nature [18]; and (2) the supply side, or the process of governance formation led by managers and operators [19].…”

“…To apply responsible tourism to the current ecotourism development conditions in South Korea, it should be understood in the context of a tourism system that considers the complex socio-economic interests of tourism stakeholders, government policies and the ecosystem [3]. The tourism system refers to a functional structure comprising supply and demand components that influence one another [17].…”