Based on the above summary, participants were divided into country groups and asked to discuss issues according to:_Urgency; Feasibility; Importance; and, Working in partnership Each issue was then analysed and action/ recommendations were made. The summary of each country represented at the conference is given below.

Bhutan Recommendation

• Innumerable definitions for ecotourism exist, however the fundamental essence of the term remains the same. 

• Ecotourism in Bhutan is therefore a label for tourism that is sensitive to the need to preserve and protect our natural environment so necessary for basic living and well being of the people. 

• Bhutan's approach to tourism development has many of the characteristics of ecotourism, particularly in respect to the strong concern to conserve natural and cultural heritage at the same time amalgamating the economic prospects of growth.

• Therefore, almost all of our tourism activities can be said to be subsets of ecotourism.

Strategy

• Recognising the fact that tourism in Bhutan today is basically a form of ecotourism, we have therefore chosen to precede all other tourism plans with the preparation of an ecotourism strategy.

• The preparation of a long-term national tourism development master plan are proposed to be taken up in the coming ninth five year plan period starting from July 2002.

• The National Ecotourism Strategy has been prepared by the Department of Tourism (DoT) with support from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Bhutan Programme and technical inputs of the Tourism Resource Consultants, New Zealand final stages of publication.

Purpose

• The National Ecotourism Strategy would function as a framework of policy to guide the orderly development of responsible tourism in Bhutan. 

• An important objective is also to foster constructive deliberation on ecotourism in Bhutan leading to the preparation of Bhutan's future plans and to achieve a common understanding of tourism policy and tourism development strategies.

• The document on the National Ecotourism Strategy outlines the broad definitions and context of ecotourism.

Conclusion/ The Challenges Ahead

• Policy makers are recognising the fact that tourism in Bhutan has considerable future potential as a tool for development and a contributor to the national exchequer.

• As a result tourism is being recognised as a major sector of the economy during the Ninth Plan. While this comes as a compliment to the Tourism industry in Bhutan, the numerous challenges still lie ahead.

• While the Comprehensive Tourism Development Master Plan proposed for the Ninth Plan period would address a wide range of issues, a major challenge is to aim for conservation of nature and culture in the midst of further development and economic gains.

• Constraints posed by the extreme seasonality and tour patterns and products, access to the country, travel time within the country and the infrastructure are just some of the hurdles that need to be overcome.

• The need to diversify and develop new products is of vital importance for the growth of tourism industry. Ecotourism could therefore be catalytic in harnessing this potential.

• Some of the tourism products that the DoT are contemplating of improving and also developing upon are enumerated as follows:

  • Identifying more festivals and enhance cultural tour

  • Enhance treks for long duration visits

  • Black Necked Crane and Phobjikha Valley visits

  • Bird Watching and other Special interest products

  • Health centres, traditional medicine and hot springs

  • River running, rock climbing and other adventure activities

  • Fostering community participation through community visitor centres and family lodges, nature clubs

  • Visits to National Parks

  • Handicrafts and painting 

Sri Lanka Recommendations

Planning and Policies( issues selected on the basic of urgency)

Protected Areas

• Low recognition value given to ecotourism 

Step 1. Creating awareness through print and electronic media. By Sri Lanka Tourism Board, Ecotourism and Environment NGOs 

Step 2. Creating awareness through activities and inclusion in the environmental curricular in the school system other institutes of higher education. By The Department of Education, University Authorities 

Step 3. Creating awareness through seminars, workshops, poster competitions etc. 

By Sri Lanka Tourism Board, Ecotourism and Environmental NGO. 

Local Communities and Businesses

•  Need for site specific planning and interaction of the small-scale ecotourism operation and the community, with the support and assistance of the ecotourism NGOs and/or Sri Lanka Tourism Board

• Policies that do not support community or business - Request the Ministries of Tourism, Forestry and Environment to emphasise the importance of Ecotourism as a conservation tool and the benefits to the community in their master plans. This could be done by ecotourism NGOs and the Sri Lanka Tourism Board

• Lack of awareness of green business planning in banks - Request the Ministry of Tourism to recommend the granting of "Green Loan" to SMES for Ecotourism Business Promotion (Facility + Activities) to the lending agencies.This could done by ecotourism NGOs. "
  

National, Sub-Regional and International

•  Need for a vision for ecotourism planning and developing policies Originate dialogue between Ministries of Tourism, Forestry and Environment, Ecotourism NGOs and Environmental Organisations. This could done by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board and the ecotourism NGOs.
  

Regulations

Protected and Natural Areas

• Developing regulatory mechanism to recycle tourism revenues into conservation - Lobby with the Government of Sri Lanka to convince and emphasise the importance of ploughing back in the internet of conservation and improving the quality of the park, which will enable the government to increase the fees. This has been proved a success in many countries e.g. Kenya. This could done by Sri Lanka Tourism Board and the ecotourism NGOs.

National, Sub-Regional and International

• How to facilitate intra-regional movement of visitor (domestic and international) - Relaxation in visa procedures, creating a currency and foreign exchange regulations and reduction of airline fare to promote ecotourism. This could done by the Government of India.

Product Development

Protected and Natural Areas

• Lack of Interpretation - Lobby the Ministry of Tourism to urgently introduce ecotourism interpretation programs in universities, hotel and schools. This could done by Sri Lanka Tourism Board and the Ecotourism NGOs.

Monitoring

National Sub regional and International - International Funding, spending, research centre. Seek international funding from SAAS and International donor agencies

Step 1: Such as UNEP, WTO (World Tourism Organization) UNESCO and other donors to establish regional research centre for research and education on ecotourism

Step 2: To establish a regional data base on Ecotourism By A regional committee represented by Ecotourism NGOs and NTO of the South Asian Region, supported by TIES and UNEP "

NEPAL - RECOMMENDATIONS

Regulation

• Improve and enforce ecotourism related regulations

• Build intra-country confidence for promoting ecotourism by reviewing and simplifying the existing regulatory mechanism (including international tourists)

• Research accredition scheme and develop pilot models

Product Development

• Develop ecotourism strategy for Nepal (National Planning Commission/Nepal Tourism Board)

• Promote private enterprise participation in ecotourism project development at all stages

• Support private and public institutions for developing ecotourism related techniques and skills

Protected Areas

• Support Government in reviewing and conflicting polices vis a vis Local Government Act

• Support intra-ministerial and departmental collaboration for promoting ecotourism

• Assist to incorporate the successful lesson learned from the national policy

• Develop guidelines for site specific planning

• Incorporate the existing and successful ecotourism base knowledge in other countries and in the region

• Facilitate strengthening NTB in policy planning of ecotourism at local, national and sub regional level

• Encourage funding for innovative ecotourism practices carried in countries and in specific local areas be supported by international organisation

• Promote use of friendly bureaucracy

• Address pressing need to update payment plan and produce supporting ecotourism plans

Monitoring

• Develop effective M & E systems in ecotourism strategies, plans and programs !"

INDIA - RECOMMENDATIONS

• Pursue ecotourism agenda in the national tourism policy process and state tourism / ecotourism policies under preparation

• Inter-ministerial coordination through coordination committees at centre and state level under chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary/Chief Secretary respectively

• Database, research and monitoring through institutes that have a national mandate - ENVIS Centre in Sikkim; CEE (West India); WII (W. West); IITTM (Central India); EQUATIONS (South India); and, IIFM (Central India).

• Training and awareness for communities, government, PA manager, industry, institutions through development of modules and materials - WII; IITTM; Hotel Management Institute; CEE; Universities (60)l; and, Industry Associations.

• Development of a National Ecotourism Strategy by 2003 and State plans

• Formation of an Apex body at National level on Ecotourism for promotion of ecotourism and awareness programs