Planning for ecotourism and indigenous community development in Fiji

Abstract

This research investigates an indigenous Fijian community (Nukubolu) embarking on an 'ecotourism' venture as a means of enhancing their collective income-generating potential while protecting their natural and cultural heritage.

The people of Nukubolu, have agreed to engage in a commercial ecotourism venture developed by the SavuSavu-based, and New Zealand-owned, EcoDivers/Tours. The venture has been called the Nukubolu Ecotourism Project (NEP). The NEP is in the initial phases of implementation and is the first venture of this kind to be developed on the island of Vanua Levu in Fiji. The objective of the NEP is to eventually offer visitors the opportunity to live in the jungle and experience life 'The Fijian Way'. It will offer activities such as 1-4 day treks, local accommodation, hotpools, rafting, rock-climbing and authentic Fijian ceremonies, dancing and food. The aim of this research is to gather baseline information about the people of Nukubolu, elicit local expectations of the NEP, and gauge their awareness of the socio-cultural impacts of introducing tourism into a previously isolated area. The findings from the Nukubolu case study are analysed and discussed in relation to the wider ecotourism industry and current Fijian development policy. Implications for community-based natural resource planning for tourism ventures in Fiji are subsequently drawn from this analysis. An applied qualitative method of research, the Taylor/Bryan/Goodrich (1990) model of Social Impact Assessment (SIA), was used as the conceptual information-gathering framework. Data collection was guided by theoretical sampling. These preliminary investigations led to the inclusion of three additional variables into the Taylor et al., (1990) model. The variables are 'Gender', 'Carrying Capacity' and several of the techniques espoused by the 'Rapid Rural Appraisal' (RRA) method of social science research. The demographic and socio-cultural data collected was later analysed using a system of open, axial and core category coding. The results of the investigation suggested that for tourism ventures based on indigenous Fijian communities and their natural resources, to generate income, and continue to protect the people's natural and socio-cultural heritage in the long term, that indigenous communities require support at both the project and policy levels. The results also indicate that SIA can provide a suitable framework for collecting baseline information and presenting indigenous community development needs. This process, if applied at the project's inception, makes it possible to monitor and enhance the positive outcomes from tourism development and increased exposure to other cultures, while potentially mitigating some of the negative effects.

The two main implications of these results are firstly, that legislation is needed to ensure that the procedures of SIA and Environmental Impact Assessment are undertaken for tourism ventures involving indigenous communities and their lands. Secondly, training in financial management, tourism and ecotourism, conservation, community development, and gender awareness is necessary to meet indigenous Fijian communities ecotourism development needs.