Maine Business School Amazon Eco-Tourism trip

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Amazon Eco-tourism Trip
June, 2009

Amazon Trip Review

South American Eco-Tourism: An MBA Investigation

Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel

Situation: South American countries have been some of the first to develop eco-tourism practices and adopt eco-tourism as a key tactic in the strategy to preserve their natural and cultural environments by providing jobs and resources for native peoples. Costa Rica, Brazil, Peru and other South American countries have seen the value in encouraging tourism to sensitive areas to create world-wide awareness of the stresses on these destination's eco-systems and help preserve them. In many cases, these countries face similar challenges to those faced by the state of Maine. Could eco-tourism offer benefits for Maine similar to those experienced by these innovative countries? If so, how do we build our own eco-tourism infrastructure and industry? How is the workforce to support eco-tourism developed? How is the industry financed? What policy has been employed to support eco-tourism development? How is the experiential product developed and promoted? What context best supports the development of eco-tourism? In short, what are the best management practices that can be extracted and returned for application in Maine?

Mission: Understand the richness and complexity of the context within which eco-tourism has been developed as a solution for preserving the cultural and ecological environments in the Brazilian rain forest. Understand the business model and identify best management practices with respect to Eco-Tourism which can be applied in Maine.

Probable Destinations:

Manaus, Brazil – 1.9 million in population, the base for the trip. Visit the Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel

Manaus Opera House

 

Mamiraua Reserve (a nature preserve with native owned and operated eco-tourism lodges and businesses) as a 4 day excursion. Visit the Uakari Floating Lodge (See separate description in Uakari Lodge.doc)

Mamiraua Flotel Piranha

Ariau Amazon Tower Rive

Trip Duration: 10 days

Trip Consultant and Guide: Rhan Flatin, an editor for Fodor’s who wrote the chapter on the Amazon for Fodor’s Brazil (2004). Rhan is a botanist who has lead numerous trips to the Amazon Rain Forest.

Goals:

  1. Identify the best political practices supporting the development of eco-tourism (financing, training/work force development, land use conflict management, promotion/advertising, selling and distribution)
  2. Identify the best eco-resort management practices
  3. Understand the value of well managed eco-tourism for sustaining the native culture
  4. Understand the value of well managed eco-tourism for preserving the natural environment, including unique plant and animal life, as well as the geological and built cultural/heritage environments.

Student Investigators: Because this represents one of the required international trips for the MBA program, for which they have already paid through their fees and tuition, MBA students will have the right of first refusal. Should the trip not achieve the needed 12-13 student investigators, graduate students in the Parks, Recreation and Tourism program in the Forestry School and graduate students in the School of Economics and graduate students studying cultural anthropology in the Anthropology department will be recruited. Beyond graduate students eco-tourism entrepreneurs may be recruited to join the trip, providing their unique perspective to the investigation.

Student Reading/Viewing Assignments:

  1. Bannerman, Matt & Luiz Claudio Marigo (2001), Mamiraua: A Guide to the Natural History of the Amazon Flooded Forest, Instituto de
    Desenvolvimento Sustentavel Mamiraua (IDSM),
    Tefe, Amazonas, Brazil.

  2. Czerwonka, Ann (2007), “Eco-tourism Potential
    in Maine’s North Woods: A Round Table
    Commentary, Maine Policy Review, Vol. 16,
    Number 2, Winter, 121-125.

  3. De Vincente, Jorge (2004), “Analysis of the North American commercialization chain (local,
    regional and international) of the target
    countries”, The International Ecotourism Society, September.

  4. Honey, Martha (1999), Ecotourism and
    Sustainable Development: Who Owns Paradise?
    Island Press, Washington.
  5. Milliken, Jr., Roger (2007), “Adding a New Leg
    to the Economic Stool in Maine’s North Woods”,
    Maine Policy Review    , Vol. 16, Number 2,
    Winter, 116-120.
  6. Nyaupane, Gyan P. and Brijesh Thapa (2004), “Evaluation of Ecotourism: A Comparative
    Assessment in the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, Nepal”, Journal of Ecotourism,
    Vol. 3, No. 1, 20-45.
  7. Osland, Gregory E., and Robert McKoy (2004), “Ecolodge Performance Goals and Evaluations”,
    Journal of Ecotourism    , Vol. 3, No. 2, 109-128.
  8. Pine II, B. Joseph & James H. Gilmore (1999), The Experience Economy, Work is Theatre &
    Every Business a Stage    , Harvard Business
    School Press, Boston.
  9. Springuel, Natalie (2000), “Eco-Tourism on the
    Maine Coast”, Maine Policy Review, Fall, 100-108.
  10. Vail, David (2007), “Tourism Strategy for the
    Maine Woods: A Big Push to World Class”,
    Maine Policy Review    , Vol. 16, Number 2,
    Winter, 104-120.
  11. Wallace, George N. and Susan M. Pierce (1996),
    “An Evaluation of Ecotourism in Amazonas, Brazil”, Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 23,
    No. 4, 843-873.
  12. Weaver, David (2001), Ecotourism, John Wiley &
    Sons, Inc.
  13. The International Eco-Tourism Society Web Site. http://www.ecotourism.org

  14. Maine’s Pine Tree Development Zones http://www.mainebiz.org/pine_tree_zones/
    default.asp

  15. Cousteau , Jean-Michel (2008), Return to the
    Amazon    , PBS Home Video.

Probable In-Country Assignments:

  1. Daily journal
  2. Interviews w/ government officials, property management, staff and indigenous people, as well as other visitors to each property
  3. Daily group briefings regarding findings

Probable Post Trip Assignments:

  1. Personal reflection paper
  2. Group report detailing the trip and insights gained, focusing on knowledge that could be beneficial to Maine’s tourism industry
  3. Group presentation to the Maine Tourism Commission and the Maine Office of Tourism

 

Uakari Lodge

Ariau Amazon Tower Room 3