ANNOUNCEMENTS
This project study focuses on eco-tourism, which promotes environmentally responsible travel and visitation to natural areas while emphasizing conservation, minimizing negative visitor impacts, and involving local populations in a beneficial manner. The evolution of eco-tourism is examined through the influence of various initiatives and policies such as Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry (1996), the Commission on Sustainable Development (1992), the International Year of Ecotourism (2002), and the Convention on Biological Diversity (1992).
Using discourse analysis, the study analyzes key policies including the National Tourism Policy (2002), National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism (2022), National Strategy for Eco-tourism (2022), and National Strategy for Promotion of Rural Homestays (2022). The analysis identifies gaps in these policies and provides insights for improvement.
The study highlights the active involvement of local communities in eco-tourism regions through initiatives like establishing homestays and serving as local guides. Environmental management systems are employed to govern these activities, and the eco-tourism certification process recognizes homestays that meet specific requirements. The Green Key Criteria, a type of eco-certification used by the Foundation for Environmental Education, is utilized to assess the credibility of homestays. The criteria are categorized into six aspects: accommodation facilities, food and beverages, agriculture, waste management, energy, and governance and administration.
By reorganizing the criteria into these categories, a streamlined assessment framework is created. The evaluation of homestays using this framework reveals their sustainable practices and identifies areas for improvement. The study provides suggestions for bridging the identified gaps and enhancing the sustainability of homestays in eco-tourism destinations.
Overall, this deconstructs eco-tourism policies, the involvement of local communities, and the assessment of homestays, with the aim of promoting sustainable and responsible tourism practices.
