1.1. Prologue: Ecotourism Demand and Potentials

In recent years, a new type of nature-based tourism has been gaining momentum. More tourists are seeking a new kind of tourism that provides them with the opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of the modern world and enjoy the beauty and serenity of pristine nature, with its rich landscape, wildlife and flora, and with its accompanying local peoples and cultures, both past and present. Mountain trekking; bird watching and wildlife viewing; hiking and camping trips; exploring reefs, rainforests, rivers, mountains and valleys; canoeing, boating tours and fishing trips; expeditions into desert regions; photo safaris; visiting archeological digs; historical tours and interaction with indigenous cultures are all new types of holiday activities and itineraries that attract travelers to remote and unspoiled areas in the four corners of the earth. This type of travel and tourism is called "nature-based travel" or "ecotourism."

The concept of "ecotourism" emerged a few years ago as an option for conserving both the natural and the cultural heritage of the world, and for contributing to sustainable development. The World Commission on Environment and Development describes sustainability as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." An old African saying supports this definition with its simple prose: " We did not receive this land from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children". Ecotourism has been defined in recent literature as “environmentally responsible travel and visitation to relatively undisturbed natural areas, in order to enjoy, study, and appreciate nature and accompanying “cultural” features” . (IUCN – The World Conservation Union).

According to the World Tourism Organization (WTO 1996), the demand for ecotourism and nature-oriented tours is on such a rapid rise that ecotourism has become the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry. World The Travel and Tourism Council indicated that Nature-based tourism, which includes ecotourism, has been estimated to account for between 10% to 15% of all international travel expenditures (WTTC, 1992). It is quite clear from the above trend that unless this growth receives careful and professional guidance, serious negative and detrimental consequences could occur.

In Egypt ,tourism has been traditionally "cultural" and “historical” in focus, given the rich cultural heritage and ancient Egyptian antiquities predominantly concentrated in the Nile Valley. Over the last decade or so, however, new regions have been undergoing strong tourism growth. The Red Sea coast, the Sinai Peninsula, the Mediterranean shores, and the Western Desert with its numerous oases offer diverse and spectacular natural attractions.

To accommodate this growth in tourist numbers, the Government of Egypt has adopted an aggressive tourism development plan for Sinai and the Red Sea. Without adequate concern for environmental safeguards, however, this ambitious plan could pose numerous ecological threats. Preliminary results of environmental audits to a number of hotels and resorts in the Red Sea region reveal that the ecological sustainability of the Red Sea is being damaged by some hotel operations. Dive and desert safaris also contribute to the tremendous pressures on the sensitive environment of the region. There is a real need, therefore, for a new type of tourism development that is environmentally sensitive and is managed in a manner that promotes the conservation and protection of natural and cultural resources that bring the tourists to Sinai and the Red Sea coast.

Ecotourism can bring numerous socio-economic benefits to Egypt. It generates foreign exchange, creates local employment, stimulates national and local economies, and increases environmental awareness and education, while preserving the very resources tourists come to experience and enjoy. In this respect, appropriate management structures as well as adequate design and building guidelines for tourism facilities are required to ensure that tourism enhances and respects the natural environment. Accordingly, well-planned and ecologically sensitive facilities -- or “Ecolodges” -- in key potential ecotourism areas are now a necessity.