Ecotourism and other Services Derived from Forests in the Asia- Pacific Region: Outlook to 2010. (FAO - Forestry, 1997): 4. OUTLOOK: ISSUES, TRENDS, IMPLICATIONS, AND OPTIONS: 4.2 Need for Increased Research and Utilization of Results

Ecotourism and other Services Derived from Forests in the Asia- Pacific Region: Outlook to 2010. (FAO - Forestry, 1997)

4. OUTLOOK: ISSUES, TRENDS, IMPLICATIONS, AND OPTIONS

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		4.1 Preserving Services Derived from the Forest: Protected Area and Social Forestry Approaches
		4.2 Need for Increased Research and Utilization of Results
		4.3 Importance of Social Issues in Management
		4.4 Continued Funding Difficulties in Natural Areas
		4.5 Ecotourism Management: Low Level of Funding and Reliance on Simplistic Strategies Like Carrying Capacity
		4.6 Growth in International and Domestic Visitation
		4.7 Change in the Visitor Market
		4.8 Continued or Increased Competition, Particularly for International Visitors
		4.9 Importance of Interpretation
		4.10 Importance of Partnerships Among Ecotourism Actors
		4.11 Greater Private Sector Roles in Management of Natural Areas
		4.12 Pressure to Use Natural Areas for Activities that are Not Nature-Dependent
		4.13 Professionalization of Operators and Desire to Exclude Those Not Meeting Professional Criteria
		4.14 Tendency for Dominance by Larger Operators and Those Located in Regional or National Centres
		4.15 Summary of Issues, Trends, Implications, and Options

4.2 Need for Increased Research and Utilization of Results

Issue/trend: Ecotourism occurs within a competitive and complex environment, and this competition and complexity probably will increase in the future. As a result, the collection and utilization of information increasingly will be critical if effective policies and programmes are to be developed and implemented.

Options: Enhanced implementation of ecotourism-related research and utilization of research results. The research focus will depend on local information needs. However, a general recommendation is that topic areas be expanded beyond the common focus on identification and management of environmental impacts to include identification and management of social, economic, and experiential aspects, with the latter two categories including market research.

Insofar as research provides valuable information in decision-making processes, the conduct of research and use of results will enhance a site’s ability to benefit from ecotourism while reducing its negative impacts.