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534 QUTaCh and Practice
\J T Journal iM. Bulletin of Stavropol Region
UDK 338.48(474.5) Jurgita Daubariene
ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN LITHUANIA: STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
Ecotourism is among the most important trends of the tourism development. The paper aims at analyzing the development of ecotourism in Lithuania. Accordingly the paper discusses the peculiarities of the ecotourism. The carried out research on development of the ecotourism in Lithuania encompasses of analysis of the
strategic documents as well as expert assessment. As a result, are conducted SWOT analysis of Lithuanian ecotourism.
Key words: ecotourism, ecotourism development, SWOT analysis of ecotourism.
Jurgita Daubariene -
associate professor, doctor degree, Utena University of Applied Sciences, 18 Maironio str., Utena LT-28143, Lithuania Tel.: +370 61631836 E-mail: jurgita.daubariene@gmail.com
Introduction
The growing local and international tourism gives a good opportunity to develop the tourism market in Lithuania. However, the increasing nature tourism involves inevitable negative environmental impacts. The popularity of ecotourism in the world is constantly growing, suggesting the possibilities to extend this activity in Lithuania.
The paper aims at analyzing the development of ecotourism in Lithuania distinguishing the strengths and weaknesses.
Methods. The article is based on the scientific literature, the Republic of Lithuania Government Resolution Information (National Tourism Development Program for 2014-2020). General research methods were used - systematic, logical and comparative analysis of scientific literature, synthesis. In this literature search the main search criteria were ecotourism. SWOT analysis was used to analyze the problems and the opportunities for development of ecotourism in Lithuania. This analysis identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to development of ecotourism in Lithuania.
Ecotourism definition and opportunities
The term ecotourism was coined in 1983 by «Hc-tor Ceballos Lascurain» a Mexican environmentalist, and was initially used to describe naturebased travel to relatively undisturbed areas with an emphasis on education. Ecotourism guarantees the sustainable use of environmental resources, while generating economic opportunities for the local people.
The (International) Ecotourism Society in 1990: responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people in 1996 by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) which describes ecotourism as: environmentally responsible travel and visitation to natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature (and any ac-
companying cultural features, both past and present) that promote conservation, have a low visitor impact and provide for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local peoples (Joshi, 2011).
The ecotourism theory suggests that economic development and natural resources conservation are compatible goals. Accordingly, recent definitions of ecotourism have centered on conservation, education, ethics, sustainability, impacts and local benefits as the main variables.
Weaver (2008) underscored that ecotourism is a form of tourism that fosters learning experiences and appreciation of the natural environment, or some components thereof, within its associated cultural context.
Ecotourism is now defined as «responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education» (TIES, 2015)
Ecotourism has six characteristics (Kiper, 2013): a) ecotourism involves travel to relatively undisturbed natural areas and/or archeological sites, b) it focuses on learning and the quality of experience, c) it economically benefits the local communities, d) ec-otourists seek to view rare species, spectacular landscapes and/or the unusual and exotic, e) ecotourists do not deplete resources but even sustain the environment or help undo damage to the environment, and f) ecotourists appreciate and respect local culture, traditions, etc.
Natural and cultural landscape values form a basis for ecotourism. These values are geographical position, microclimatic conditions, existence of water, natural beauties, existence of natural vegetation, existence of wildlife, surface features, geomorpho-logic structure, local food, festivals and pageants, traditional agricultural structure, local handicrafts, regional dress culture, historical events and people, heritage appeals, architectural variety, traditional music and folk dance, artistic activities and so on. (Kiper, 2013).
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Ecotourism operates for one or more of the eco-friendly alternatives for the economic use of natural resources compared with mining, hunting, farming and so on (Li, 2006). Ecotourism promotes an enhanced appreciation of natural environments and environmental education by exposing visitors and locals to nature and conservation (Bob et al., 2008).
Figure 1 presents three main elements which influence ecodevelopment:
1. Respect for the ecotourism integrity. Stefanica and Vlavian-Gurmeza (2010) aims at empfasizing «the importance ofthe environment in supporting tourism, maintaining the level of development at a small scale under the control and under the local management».
Figure 1 - The elements involved in the ecotourism development
(Source: Barkauskiene, Snieska, 2013)
2. Local participation is also an important element in the ecotourism development which «aims at promoting the local participation as much as possible, creating opportunities for the host population, the transfer of property to the local community and its administration, creating opportunities for the group projects and local population as regards the control and administration of natural valuable resources, stipulating some alternative local measures» (Stefanica & Vlavian-Gurmeza, 2010).
3. Economic opportunities for the local population. This element deals with «the benefits of the local economy, creating jobs for the host population, guaranteeing and protecting the local population, including the communities' ideas in the political decisions, the equitable distribution of the economic benefits, recognizing the local efforts/services, using the local materials and working force to keep the money into the local economy» (Stefanica & Vlavian-Gurmeza, 2010). After going through these various aspects of ecotourism which were mentioned above, it is true to say that a development of ecotourism could be an effective way of building a sustainable community development and also could contribute to achieve sustainable development with better conservation of ecosystem and perfect community development.
Ecotourism development in Lithuania
In order to ensure the success of ecotourism development in Lithuania, it is necessary to create the appropriate political, legal, economic assumptions (Nature Heritage Fund, 2008): 1. ecotourism developed as a sustainable development tool, bringing the long-term social, environmental and economic benefits, and is given appropriate priority in the country's economic development; 2. validated the term «ecotourism» and regulated its use; 3. created an organizational unit to coordinate the development of ecotourism; 4. implemented system of ecotourism certification, control and monitoring; 5. created legal presumptions that promote a development of ecotourism; 6. created financial mechanisms to develop products of ecotourism; 7. organized trainings about ecotourism for representatives of municipalities, administrators of protected areas, tourism operators; 8. created the national marketing system of ecotourism, pointed the main interest in online marketing.
Lithuania's natural and cultural conditions, developed sector of services allow to produce ecotourism products, which can form attractive image of tourism in the country, to compete in international tourism markets, while satisfying expectations of tourists and business. To achieve these goals, it is important to adapt the cultural heritage and natural objects for tourism infrastructure, to maintain principles of environmental and ecological balance, to improve quality and diversity of recreation, entertainment and leisure services, build more active marketing of Lithuanian ecotourism. (National Tourism Development Program for 2014-2020).
Favorable and negative factors have to be considered to achieve development of ecotourism in Lithuania. Weaknesses force to find the methods to eliminate or reduce the negative effects, while strengths are required to provide perspectives of developing ecotourism. For this purpose, there was prepared SWOT analysis of Lithuanian ecotourism (Table 1).
Conclusions
Ecotourism is a growing tourism industry in Lithuania, which has many advantages and strengths, starting from favorable geographical position, rich and unique natural, cultural and historical heritage of potential resources and et cetera. However, despite all of the strong sides of ecotourism, SWOT analysis identifies a number of weaknesses that disturb an image of Lithuanian ecotourism, but also creates opportunities for ecotourism to develop in the future. One of the main tasks achieving development of ecotourism is the promotion of consumers' environmental education, applying ecotourism to rural tourism. Municipalities which develop tourism and accommodation providers should also take into account environmental considerations.
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Table 1 - SWOT analysis of Lithuanian ecotourism (adapted by the author with reference to National Tourism Development Program for 2014-2020 and Barkauskiene, Snieska, 2013).
Strengths Weaknesses
• The favorable geographical position • Great natural and cultural potential • The rich historical heritage • Few urban landscape • A variety of ecological products • A well-developed system of national parks • Cultural traditions, customs, celebrations • Wide selection of local food, drinks • Large variety of ecotourism products and strong authentication • Lithuania has the objects included in the UNESCO World Heritage List • Population's hospitality • The relatively low pollution of soil, water, air • Less pollution in most rural areas • The growing desire of city residents to rest in nature and a quiet place • Legal environment does not encourage the development of ecotourism • Insufficiently developed infrastructure in rural areas • Lack of ecotourism marketing • Lack of financial resources, unclear developing and supporting system of ecotourism business • Not implemented national information system of ecotourism • Underdeveloped infrastructure of tourism • Limited variety and diversification of leisure activities according to the tourists' income • Strong seasonal effect • Lack of skilled labor
Opportunities Threats
• Increasing demand of ecotourism services and flows of eco tourists • Strengthening international relations of Lithuania • Routes formation of new recreational and cultural tourism • The increase of the number of tourists who have ecotourism as motivation • The possibility to develop sales of ecological agricultural products • Improvement of investment environment (attractiveness) • Improvement of the ecological environment • Support of EU structural funds • Loss of Cultural-historical, natural heritage and recreational resources potential • Low population awareness about the environment, ecology • Lithuanian regional economical and social differences increase • Increasing international competition • The possibility of environmental worsening • Decline purchasing power of population • unimproved availability of country • High labor migration to EU countries • Not decreasing number of crimes • Potential loss of rural tourism
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