Ecotourism Policies in Korea
- Pursuing nature conservation & Making
Communities more vibrant
For Special Session on Challenges and Opportunities
for Sustainable Development of Tourism
In Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
18 April 2014, Busan
By Inkyu Shin
Deputy Director of Nature Policy Division
Ministry of Environment , Republic of Korea
Contents
Ecotourism Policies in Korean Ⅰ.
Case 1: Myeongpum Maeul in Gwanmaedo Island II .
Case 2: Sunheul 1-ri in Jeju Island III .
Contents
Ecotourism Policies in Korea Ⅰ.
Case 1: Myeongpum Maeul in Gwanmaedo Island II .
Case 2: Sunheul 1-ri in Jeju Island III .
Background and Progress – Ecotourism in Korea 1.
Ecotourism Policies in Korea I.
•
•
•
Legislation on Ecotourism 2.
Ecotourism under Natural Environment Conservation Act
- Destination of ecotourism: Nature-friendly tourism in an area with excellent
ecosystems or beautiful landscape where tourists learn and experience the
importance of environment through conservation and wise use of natural assets
- Building facilities for conservation and use of natural environment
- Designation of ecotourism destination and provision of support for designated
destination
- Training programme for natural environment interpreter
- Approval on creation of Ecotourism Korea (December 2013)
Ecotourism Policies in Korea I.
Policy Framework 3.
Support for representative ecotourism
destinations
- Designation Scheme for Ecotourism
Destination (Article 41 of the Natural
Environment Conservation Act)
- Myeongpum Maeul in National Parks
-
Infrastructure
-Eco-village, Eco tour
and experience facilities,
Eco-trekking trails
Natural Environment Interpreter Training
Programme (Article 59 of NEC Act)
Natural Environment Interpretation Service
Programme in National Parks and nature
reserves
Promotion and Sharing Programmes
- Ecotourism story-telling contest
- Korean Green-passport
- Eco-sharing Programme
Ecotourism Policies in Korea I.
•Ecotourism Destination:
Ecotourism Destination is a tourist destination that is of high conservation
value and provide positive experiences of and education for the importance
of ecological protection in order to foster ecotourism in Korea
• The Minister of Environment is responsible for designation of ecotourism
destination, after discussion with Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism
•Ecotourism promotes conservation of natural resources and invigorates
local economy
Designation Scheme for Ecotourism Destination
Ecotourism Policies in Korea I.
Support for Ecotourism Destinations
• Local ecotourism council or discussion panel, networking, expert consulting,
support for promotion of destination home and abroad
• 3-year supporting plan and designation of up to 30 ecotourism designations by
2017 (additional designation every year)
Designation Scheme for Ecotourism Destination
Ecotourism Policies in Korea I.
12 ecotourism destinations (designated in 2013)
Demilitarized
Zone, Yanggu
Wangpicheon
Valley, Uljin
The high moor
Yongneup, Inje Cheonsuman Bay,
Seosan
Estuary of the Geumgang
River and Yubudo Island,
Seocheon
Baekryung Cave
Pyeongchang
Ecotourism Policies in Korea I.
Estuary of the Nakdong
River, Busan
Dongbaekdongsan
(Camellia Hill) Wetland,
Jeju
Suncheon Bay, Suncheon
Anggang Bay,
Namhae
The Taehwa River,
Ulsan
Upo Wetland, Changnyeong
12 ecotourism destinations (designated in 2013)
Ecotourism Policies in Korea I.
Current status and future plan 3.
•
•
•
Ecotourism Policies in Korea I.
Contents
Ecotourism Policies in Korea Ⅰ.
Case 1: Myeongpum Maeul in Gwanmaedo Island II .
Case 2: Sunheul 1-ri in Jeju Island III .
Gwanmaedo
- the 1st “Myeongpum Maeul (village)”
(http://English.knps.or.kr)
21 National Parks of Korea
Gwanmaedo II.
Myeongpum Maeul (Village of Excellence)
명품마을
名 品 村
Gwanmaedo II.
In 2010, villages in national parks needed special
supporting policies because of national park boundary
adjustments
- (before) 58,392 residents in 676 natural villages
- (after) 5,846 residents in 129 natural villages
There have been many conflicts of interest between residents
and KNPS since the designation of National Parks.
Gwanmaedo II.
Locals expressed that they wanted the Gwanmae island to
continue to be included in the area of the
Dadohaehaesang National Marine Park, when the 2010
national park zoning adjustment was carried out
KNPS implemented the first Myeongpum Maeul
Project(1 million USD) in Gwanmae island
Gwanmae Island was…
Typical fishing village (126 households, 212 residents)
Fishing and fishery farming (main source of village’s income)
5,000 of annual visitors
80% of local people are over 60 years old
Gwanmaedo II.
Local food
Ch
an
ge
of In
du
stry
(Prim
ary
→ S
en
ary
)
increase in income
Attractons
Revitalization of local economy
Jo
b c
rea
tion
at c
om
mu
nity
leve
l
Lodging
Experiences
Myeongpum Maeul Project
Gwanmaedo II.
Prior Preparations
Gwanmaedo II.
Basic infrastructures built in 2010
Modern community
lodgings
On-site management
Centre
Eco Landmark
Rest stop
Map of Myeongpum Maeul in Gwanmae
Island (under construction)
Mashigil (footpaths)
in paddy areas
GravelMashigil
Mashigil for wetland
observation
Gwanmaedo II.
Mashigil through pine
forest
Apricot
flowerMashigil
Rest stop
Sweetbrier
Mashigil
Wildflower Mashigil
Four-season
Experience Field
Traditional community
lodgings
Rest stop
Balsam
flowerMashigil
Bicycle Rental
Store
Apricot
flower field
Rest stop
Guest House Guest House
Organizing Committee consisting of
Gwanmae Island residents
Chairman
Vice Chairman
Implementation Member
Village
Environment
Improvement
Sector
Resident
Income
Improvement
Sector
Neighborhood
Life and
Education
Sector
Composition of Village
Management Consulting Group
Marketers, Cooks and etc
(5 people or less)
Village Organizational Structure
Gwanmaedo II.
Developing local dishes
using ingredients from local source
Gwanmaedo II.
Converting abandoned buildings
into lodging house
Gwanmaedo II.
Offering new ecotourism attractions
Gwanmaedo II.
Developing new hands-on experience programs
Gwanmaedo II.
Providing education programmes for locals
Gwanmaedo II.
Community-led projects related to ecotourism
Gwanmaedo II.
Participation of and support from local government
Gwanmaedo II.
Local government’s support
Roofscaping
Waste incineration
plant
markets for local
products
Gwanmaedo II.
Marketing activities and branding opportunities
Gwanmaedo II.
On average, the number of visitors increased by10 times and the
overall income of the village increased by more than 10 times,
compared to 2010. The number of visitors increased by 155% during off-peak travel seasons(3,500 visitors per month)
0
20000
40000
60000
2010 2011 2012
51,956
4,553
41,439
-
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
봄 여름 가을 겨울
2010년
2011년
2012년
<Visitors>
the number of annual visitors the number of seasonal visitors
More visitors have come
Gwanmaedo II.
As the result…. 0
500000
1000000
1500000
2000000
2500000
2010 2011 2012
village income
local economy
19 migrants to cities returned back to the village.
Villagers demand re-inclusion of their villages back into the area of
National Park nearby (villages excluded from NP in 2010)
The local government pledged to provide sustained support (1.1 million USD)
Increase in profits from ecotourism encourages locals to voluntarily
engage in conservation efforts.
Rises in Income & revitalization of local economy
Gwanmaedo II.
Contents Total By‘12 ‘13 ‘14 ‘15 ‘16 ‘17
No. of
Myeongpum Maeul 18 9 1 2 2 2 2
Plan of making KNPS Myeongpum Maeul
Forecasted economic value
-
4,000
8,000
12,000
16,000
20,000New tourism income
per household($)
-
3,000,000
6,000,000
9,000,000
12,000,000Village income($)
local economy($)
The future of the Myeongpum Maeul Project
Gwanmaedo II.
BIs of 10 Myeongpum Villages
Contents
Ecotourism Policies in Korea Ⅰ.
Case 1: Myeongpum Maeul in Gwanmaedo Island II .
Case 2: Sunheul 1-ri in Jeju Island III .
Sunheul 1-ri (Dongbangdonsan wetland), Jeju
- Community-based ecotourism
Sunheul 1-ri III.
http://english.jeju.go.kr/index.php/contents/Tour
About Jeju Island
Sunheul 1-ri III.
Sunheul 1-ri Comprises of 3 villages on the side of Mt. Dongbaekdongsan (the total area of1968.8ha).
660 villagers in 302 households are mostly involved in agriculture and livestock farming .
The town was designated as an ecotourism destination in 2013(after the pilot project in 2012)
and a pilot project for Ramsar City Accreditation is being run in the town.
It has many tourism resources (natural, historical, and cultural).
Dongbaekdongsan Wetland
(National Wetland Protected Areas and Ramsar Site)
Bangdwigul Cave
(National Monument and
World Heritage)
Maeulpo Altar
Sunheul 1-ri III.
Ecotourism in Sunheul 1-ri is mainly led by
Sunheul 1-ri Ecotourism Council Jeju Ecotourism Inc.
(a social enterprise)
Sunheul 1-ri III.
At a meeting of natural environment interpreters in 2003,
a consensus was reached on the need to introduce a new form of tourism
that can replace the traditional, unsustainable one
The travel agency was certified as a social enterprise in 2010.
It has provided consulting services for the communities and collaborated with
them since 2011.
Jeju Ecotourism Inc.
In the early 2000s, young people in Jeju recognized that
‘tourism development wrecks havoc on the environment, and that the profits from the development do not go to locals and the quality of life is getting worse’.
Jeju chose to introduce ecotourism for conservation and wise use of nature, local economic development, and to boost happiness and well-being.
Sunheul 1-ri III.
Social
Objective
- Social benefits and public interest
- Public engagement in plan-making
and education
- Job creation
-Minimizing
natural resource
degradation
- Supply-oriented
management
- Raising
awareness on
conservation
- Making profit
- Economic benefit
at local level
Sustainable
Ecotourism
Integration
between
environment and economy
Objectives of Ecotourism in Jeju
Environmental
Objective Economic
Objective
Sunheul 1-ri III.
Eco-friendly lodging that goes
well with local environment
and is run by locals
Principle of Jeju Ecotourism
Local cuisine using ingredients from local
source (Where do they come from? How
are they cooked? How many of them are
there?) Tourists enjoy the unique history, culture, and ecosystem of Jeju island with guide from eco-culture interpreters
Sunheul 1-ri III.
Sunheul 1-ri Ecotourism Council
Awareness on
natural environment
resources
(such as Gotzawal)
Local Ecotourism Council
Conservation and wise
use of nature led by
locals
Framework for collaboration Promotion of ecotourism
Local residents
Local government,
local environment
offices, etc.
experts/expert groups
(Ecosystem, local food,
story-telling, etc)
Travel agency
(Jeju Ecotourism Inc.)
Local-base NGOs
Sunheul 1-ri III.
• Support for eco-experience programme on wetland protected area (2011-2012)
• Support for pilot projects for Ramsar City Accreditation
and Designation Scheme for Ecotourism Destination
Government Support for organizing and operating local ecotourism council
Education for locals, town meetings, education on wetland ecosystem, local food menu, local eco-festival, local council(consisting of locals, experts, government officers, environmental groups, ecotourism experts), monitoring of Mt. Dongbaekdongsan, branding opportunities, logos, monuments, and ecosystem calander for Mt. Dongbaekdongsan
Experts consulting and inputs (from MoE, Jeju Ecotourism
Association, etc.
Sunheul 1-ri III.
The road to harmony
between
humans and nature
Activity1. Town meeting and local ecotourism council meeting
Sunheul 1-ri III.
Locals’ field trip to ecotourism
destinations
Activity 2. Education for Local people
Training programme for ecotourism
experts and interpreters
Sunheul 1-ri III.
Activity 3. Pilot Project for Ecotourism Programme
Phase 1: Jaenghagohaedeul-got (‘the sun is shining on Gotzawal and Ecotourism is the silver lining’)
[Ecotourism with focus on history]
Phase 2: Baramdara-sunyeuldara (‘music flows as wind blows’)
[Ecotourism in Dongbaekdonsan wetland(Ramsar site) and forests in Geomun Oreum Lave
Tube System(World Heritage), together with music concerts]
Phase 3: Jejuwaeainyeon-grigo-maeul (‘tourists have a special bond with Jeju and its villiages’)
Sunheul 1-ri III.
Activity 4. Promotion
Tapping on social medias:
Facebook, Cacao-story(mobile social
networking service), Twitter
Naver Cafe(online community):
‘Sunheul 1-ri Ramsar Village’
webpage: www.ramsar.co.kr
Sunheul 1-ri III.
Activity 5. Village Community
- Community-based festivals with locals taking the lead
- Local housewives and food experts jointly develop Sunheul’s local dishes
using ingredients from local sources.
Sunheul 1-ri III.
Activity 6. Support Network
The Nationwide Network of Ecotourism Enterprises and Sunheul 1-ri signed an
agreement that it provides support to Sunheul 1-ri to foster ecotourism on 6 May, 2013
(with participation of 37 representatives from 17 organizations based in 16 cities)
Sunheul 1-ri III.
Ecotourism makes locals happier and environment sustainable
Governance Network
Building
Education and
Meetings
Programme
Development
- Government provides
sustained support for
natural environment
conservation, ecotourism
infrastructure, and
experts inputs and
consulting.
- A collaborative
network aims to ensure
that ecotourism
contribute to improving
well-being of locals.
Encourage locals
- to take pride in their
engagement in
ecotourism and nature
conservation
- to have a strong will to
make their neighborhood
more eco-friendly
- to build capacity to
create ecotourism
programmes by
themselves
- Dongbaekdongsan
ecotourism programme
with engagement from
locals
- Local natural
environment-based
approach to generate
economic benefits (local
products and local dishes)
It is about facilitating wise use and
conservation of nature, not about just
making profit!
What makes ecotourism in Sunheul 1-ri so successful?
Sunheul 1-ri III.
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
