mark vi presentation for fapa

Ecotourism, Cultural Tourism and Land Use Planning

Tracy Mullins, AICPJon Adams, BA

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The Problem

Aug 16, 2009: Florida Bay Ecosystem Feared on the

Brink of Collapse

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Ecotourism and Cultural Tourism

Depend on a sense of Place

The enemy of “Place” is sprawl

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Sustainable Development

Quadruple Economic Environmental Social Political

Sustainability is not an end but an ongoing process

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Urban planning differs from Tourism Planning

Urban Planning is for the whole community

Tourism planning is for targeted communities

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Tourism planning or Planning for Tourism

Coordination of Planning Integrated community of planning Grey Infrastructure Green Infrastructure Watershed Management Controlling Sprawl Regional Planning

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Tourism

Sustainable Tourism Development has been defined as meeting the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future

The Tourism Destination

A tourism destination can take 3 forms for Planners1. Virtual

Function of special interest i.e. canoeing

2. Geographici.e. a beach or mountain

3. Administrative domaini.e a municipality or cultural organization

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Tourism Planning Methodology:Four Steps

1. Inventory

2. Orientation

3. Design

4. Action

STEP 1

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Step 1 – Inventory

Natural Resources

Habitats

Current Conservation and Planning

Inventory: Initial GIS Analysis

Aerial

Topographic

Wetlands and

Floodplains

Soils

Location

Land Use

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Step 1 – InventoryPhysical Inventory of Elements

Florida State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP)

Greenways, Blueways Transportation Corridor Plans

County and Municipal Comprehensive plans

Special Overlay Districts

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Step 1 – InventoryConservation Data Sources

Florida Wildlife Conservation Guidehttp://www.myfwc.com/CONSERVATION/FWCG.htm  

Federal Regulations State Regulatory Compliance

Permitting: Birds, Gopher Tortoise Memorandum of Understanding FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Regional Planning Councils UF IFAS Extension Water Management Districts

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Step 1 – InventoryTourism Stakeholders

Nature-Based Recreation programs Public Involvement

Open Space programs Charettes Focus Groups Public Presentations

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Step 1 - InventoryAttractions

Natural Attractions

Cultural Attractions

Historic and Heritage Attractions

Recreational Activities

Inventory Evaluation Sheets

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Step 1 - InventoryInfrastructure and Services

Transportation

Accessibility

Public Services

Evaluation of Surroundings

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Step 1 - InventoryCurrent Market Demand Analysis

Chambers of Commerce, Visitor and Convention Bureau, Public and Private Agencies Visitor Questionnaires

In person On line

Visitor Survey License plates Values and lifestyles

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Step 1 – InventoryCompetition & Labor Requirements

Competition Who are the competition? Competitive Advantage Accommodation Facilities Survey

Labor Source Survey & Training needs Local capacity building plan

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Step 1 – Inventory THE RESULTS = DATA

Area-wide Map of Conservation and Development

Tourism Database

STEP 2

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Step 2 – Orientation

Create Stakeholder Committee Orientation to the community Orientation to the concept

GIS Map Analysis: Creating a Common Operating Picture

Opportunity Spectrum Tools Tools to Managing Visitor Use Financial Analysis Tools

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Step 2 – Orientation Create Stakeholder Committee

o Orient to the community o Community Mappingo Stakeholder Focus Groupo Residential Survey

Orient to the concept Educating the public

Orientation: GIS Analysis

Inventory Site

Set Buffers Identify Critical Areas

Identify Buildable

Land

Place Infrastructure

CREATE ZONING MAP

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Step 2 – Orientation Carrying Capacity

Environmental factors set limits on population that an area can sustain

Three main elements Biophysical – which relates to the natural

environment Socio-cultural – impact on host

population and its culture Facility – which relates to the visitor

experience

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Step 2 – Orientation Recreation Opportunity Spectrum & Limits of Acceptable Change

Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) is based on levels of development ranging from primitive to modern and levels of management required

Levels of Acceptable Change (LAC) builds on ROS, and recognizes both the social and environmental dimensions of recreational impacts

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Step 2 – Orientation Rural to Urban Transect

After A. Duany

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Recreation 0pportunity SpectrumActivity->Setting->Desired Experience

Step 2 – OrientationLimits of Acceptable Change (LAC)

Similar concept to Level Of Service (LOS) in Transportation

Exceeding the Limits of Acceptable Change results in ecological disaster

Requires Benchmarks, Indicators, and continuous Monitoring of Indicators

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Step 2 – Orientation

Tourism Optimization Management Model

Identify strategic imperatives

Identify community values, characteristics, trends and opportunities and alternative scenarios

Identify Limits of Acceptable Change and, monitoring techniques

Identify poor performance and develop management options to mitigate

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Step 2 – Orientation Visitor Impact Management

VIM involves legislative/policy review, scientific problem identification and analysis, and professional judgment.

Requires the assistance of Resource Management experts

Step 2 – Orientation Visitor Activity Management Process

VAMP develops activity profiles which connect activities with Social, demographic characteristics of

participants; Activity-setting requirements; Trends affecting the activity

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Step 2 – Orientation V.A.M.P.

Visitor Activity Groups Visiting friends and

relations Ecotourists Cultural Tourists

Profile visitors by Demographic Geographic Psychographic

The Experience

1. Awareness

2. On-route

3. Arrival

4. On-site

5. Departure

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Step 2 – Orientation Zoning

Example of Tourism Zoning Zone I-Special Preservation

Preservation Zone II-Wilderness

Perpetuation Zone III-Natural Environment

Controlled motorized access Zone IV-Outdoor Recreation

Direct access by motor vehicles Zone V-Park Services

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Step 2 – Orientation Tools to Managing Visitor Use

Use Limitation Design Education/Interpretation User fees and charges

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Step 2 – Orientation Use Limitation

Resource Maintenance Golf - group size, start times Hunting, fishing - game limits, seasons

Visitor safety/comfort Camping, spectator sports - number of

sites, number of seats, seasons

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Step 2 – Orientation Design elements: Policy and Institutional framework

Public institutions – FDOT, DOE, etc

Private institutions- Conservation groups

Tourism Legislation (Licensing, classification, inspection

Inventory of relevant policy reforms underway or being discussed

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Step 2 – Orientation Education/interpretation

"Interpretation is the process of

communicating messages and stories about our cultural and

natural heritage, providing the audience with inspiration and a

wider understanding of our environment. Or

quite simply, interpretation is about

telling stories."

Heritage Interpretation Association

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Step 2 – Orientation User fees and charges

User fees: Admission, trekking fees etc.

Concession: fee for permission to operate at a location from hotdog carts to canoe rentals

Sales and royalties: Branding the community

Taxation: tourism bed taxes Donations

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Step 2 – Orientation Cost Benefit Analysis

Economic Cost Benefit Analysis Estimating un-measureable costs and

benefits User fees and charges Cost benefit evaluation &

recommendations

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Step 2 – Orientation Result of Step 2 = Data + Analysis

Decision support documents based upon tools such as VAMP and ROS

Decision Support Documents based upon the result of stakeholder input and the Public Involvement Process.

Decision Support Documents based upon Economic Analysis

Decision Support Maps based on Geographic Analysis

STEP 3

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Step 3 – Design

Plan beyond the fenceEverything connects to everything else

Step back and evaluate how things are connected in a regional context

Each planning decision made will affect other land and water resources nearby – create a matrix that shows the relationships

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Step 3 - DesignCarrying capacity has four branches All related to the number of visitors to a site or area

Physical is the actual number of visitors a site can hold;

Biological is the point at which environmental degradation occurs to the extent that it is irreversible or unacceptable;

Psychological is the point at which the tourists feels the quality of their experience is damaged by the number of other tourists and/or their behaviors, and

Social is the level at which the local inhabitants of the site (possibly the tourist attraction themselves) feel disrupted, intruded upon etc.

Quality demands setting limits

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Step 3 - Design Design Sustainability

Policy Tools Policy Documents Codification

Management Tools Business Plans & Marketing Plans 10 P’s Implementation Plans

Design Tools – linking elements Multi-model Transportation Corridors linking

Conservation Subdivisions, Conservation areas, Parks and Open Space, grey field redevelopment

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Establishment of Monitoring – changes in levels and

conditions Indicators –of changes from benchmarks Control/Incentives – to correct problems

and achieve goals. Policies – integrated vertically and

sectorally implemented and enforced

Step 3 - Design Perpetuate sustainability by

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Step 3 - Design Tourism and Urban Design

Link Urban Design with sustainability Connect system of multi-use trails,

recreational areas, open spaces and environmental lands

Wildlife-friendly Lighting Wildlife-friendly Yards Wildlife Undercrossing Design Parks and Recreation Stakeholders

include visiting friends and relatives

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Step 3 - Design Business Plan

Ensure returns on investment Adopt a “User pays”stratigies Determine optimal levels and

limitations of investmentBased on individual destination

capabilities and community and land/resource carrying capacity

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Step 3 - Design Results of Step 3 = Tourism Plan (based on Step 1 + 2) + Mapping

Management Recommendation matrix

Defensible business cases/plans sustainable comprehensive tourism plans

Proposed Land Use Changes, Ordinances, Overlay Districts etc.

Map series

STEP 4

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Step 4 - Action

Money Muscle Magic Maintenance (so you don’t have to

mitigate)

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Step 4 - Action The 4 M’s of implementation

Money: Sufficient cash flow Muscle: Political will to pass policy and

regulation, volunteers to work on review committees, community involvement

Magic Creating a sense of place and marketing it

Maintenance Look to Disney for maintenance standards

QUESTIONS?

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floridaplanner@gmail.com

Thank you!

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