| |
Resources for Developing Ecotourism in Northern Saskatchewan
Ecotourism is...
"..respectful, environmentally responsible travel to relatively undisturbed and uncontaminated natural areas, with the objective of studying, admiring and enjoying the scenery, its wild plants and animals and cultural features. Ecotourism does not disrupt the wildlife or its habitat. It is nature-centered, non-consumptive, promotes conservation and economic benefits to local communities"
—Ecotourism Society of Saskatchewan
Ecotourism offers a path for community development in northern Saskatchewan that brings not only long-term
social and economic benefits but also results in the conservation of natural habitat.
For more information on the benefits of ecotourism and what it could mean for northern Saskatchewan,
see the SES fact sheet, The Ecotourism Incentive: Economic Development While Preserving the Environment. 
This page is intended to provide Saskatchewan entrepreneurs and communities who are interested in
developing ecotourism with information and resources. |
 |
Organizations promoting ecotourism/tourism
Information and resources for entrepreneurs & small businesses
Education and training programs
Publications
Ecotourism certification
Accredited ecotour operators in Saskatchewan
Upcoming events
Organizations promoting ecotourism/tourism |
Saskatchewan |
The Ecotourism Society of Saskatchewan (ESS)
"supports and promotes both the development of a Saskatchewan ecotourism industry and protection and perpetuation of host natural ecosystems and cultures." ESS accredits ecotourism attractions and businesses through their Horizons Accreditation Program.
Their website provides a list of ecotour operators accredited under the Horizons Accreditation Program. |
Saskatchewan Tourism |
Northern Saskatchewan Tourism |
National
|
Canadian Tourism Commission CTC
— a federal crown corporation promoting tourism in Canada |
Aboriginal Tourism Team Canada (ATTA)
— a national Aboriginal tourism association, a partnership of business and government, whose mission is to influence and develop tourism policies and programs to benefit Aboriginal people in Canada. The ATTC vision is "to represent Aboriginal people as world leaders in tourism in harmony with our culture."
ATTA's site includes a list of regional aboriginal tourism associations. |
International
|
The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)
provides information resources to ecotourism professionals.
Their mission is to "make ecotourism a responsible way to travel that contributes to the conservation of natural areas and the well-being of local people."
Although there is information on their website that is available to TIES members only,
they have a section of General Services and Information available to everyone.
Their Business Services and Information page
has a number of potentially useful documents:
- member business reports
- ecotourism guidelines
- Regional Ecotourism Associations List
- Green Hotel Resource Information
- Ecotourism Statistical Fact Sheet
|
Ecoclub.com —
an international cooperative network promoting a better tourism worldwide. |
Planeta.com —
a "a clearinghouse for practical ecotourism around the globe."
The site hosts on-line forums (eg., "Communities and Tourism", "Financing Sustainable Tourism") and conferences (eg., "Financing Sustainable Tourism, August/September 2002", "Re-Imagining North America Ecotourism Conference", May 2000) and has a wealth of documents on ecotourism. |
The Nature Conservancy's Ecotourism Program mission is "to work with partners to better harness the potential of ecotourism as a tool for long-term biodiversity protection and local economic benefit.
The Ecotourism Program uses guidelines, publications, training opportunities and technical assistance to help its partners and others develop ecotourism enterprises that are environmentally, culturally and economically viable." |
Watchable Wildlife, Inc. —
a non-profit organization that "advances wildlife viewing as a viable economic and conservation enterprise for communities throughout Canada, the United States and Mexico."
The organization hosts an annual Watchable Wildlife conference and has a number of publications
for sale. |
Information and resources for entrepreneurs & small businesses |
Government |
Industry and Resources, Regional Offices — contact information for regional offices |
Industry and Resources, Kinds of Business files (KOB's) — detailed information about starting and maintaining a specific type of business in Saskatchewan |
Canada-Saskatchewan Business Service Centre (CSBSC)
— an on-line service offered by the Saskatchewan and federal governments to provide
information and assistance with entrepreneurships or small business plans.
The site includes guides on a variety of business topics, interactive tools, and
a database of federal and provincial business-related programs, services and selected regulations. |
Aboriginal Business Service Network (ABSN)
— provides the Aboriginal business community with a wide range of information
on government services, programs and regulations. |
Northern Development Fund (NDF)
— a fund, managed by Saskatchewan Northern Affairs,
to "support economic and business development
in northern Saskatchewan."
The NDF provides loans to small and medium-sized businesses in the
Northern Administration District for
"purchasing equipment, land,
buildings and inventory, and for working
capital." |
Regional Development, Saskatchewan Northern Affairs
— provides "financial and business support services to northern entrepreneurs, businesses, co-operatives and other organizations." Contact information is available
on the page in the link above. |
Other
|
Aboriginal Tourism Team Canada, Business Resources —
links to sites with information and resources for starting up new businesses |
Education and training programs |
Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST), Woodlands Campus in Prince Albert offers a 26-week Ecotourism Certificate Program for ecotourism operators. |
Publications |
Newsletters |
Ecoclub.com International Ecotourism Monthly — includes a searchable archive, regular contributions from experts, ecotourism stories organized by continent, new publications on ecotourism. |
EcoTourism Management a quartery newsletter, available by subscription and published by Kalahari Management, Calgary, Alberta.
There is an on-line version and an email version as well. |
Tourism — a monthly magazine produced 10 times per year by the Canadian Tourism Commission. Subscription is free. |
Books and Reports
|
Ecotourism in Saskatchewan. Report I, State of resource.
Ecotourism in Saskatchewan. Report II, A working strategy.
— a two-volume report prepared for Saskatchewan Watchable Wildlife Association by Anderson/Fast Marketing Solutions, 1996.
From the Executive Summary of Report I: "State of Resource a comprehensive assessment of the province's natural resources as well as its present state of ecotourism. Starting with defined provinical ecozones, a broad and detailed assessment of nature sites, or ecosites, is presented....An inventory of 90 ecosites has been compiled. These sites were identified to represent provincial areas with a high degree of natural significance. This inventory is designed for use by interested developers to measure the natural uniqueness of their particular site or area."
Report II: In this report, the consultant team presents "six specific strategic intiatives that are critical to the development of ecotourism in the province". A section of this report also outlines 9 conceptual tours packages, which the consultants feel have the ability to cater to the demands of the international market.
The two volumes can be purchased for $23.00 from
the University Extension Press, University of Saskatchewan, phone (306)966-5565, fax (306)966-5567.
Information about ordering can be found here.
The Saskatoon Public Library has a non-circulating copy in its Local History Room. |
The International Ecotourism Society's bookstore offers a number of ecotourism titles, four of which are mentioned below:
- Hawkins, Epler Wood & Bittman, The Ecolodge Sourcebook for Planners & Developers — a "well-rounded document on all aspects of ecolodge development, including site selection, finance, planning, design, alternative energy applications, conservation education, guidelines, and an impressive set of resources, including a variety of architectural plans for ecolodges. Case studies from around the world provide excellent examples of ecolodge projects in progress."
- Sanders and Halpenny, The Business of Ecolodges — findings of a survey conducted to provide a "financial overview of ecolodges and nature tourism accommodations worldwide."
- The International Ecotourism Society, Ecolodge Resource Pack —
"This three-volume pack contains a wealth of resources for ecolodge owners, developers, architects and others. It includes the new long-awaited International Ecolodge Guidelines, research document The Business of Ecolodges, and best-seller The Ecolodge Sourcebook for Planners and Developers. "
- Eagles & Nilson (eds.), Ecotourism Annotated Bibliography for Planners and Managers, 5th Ed. — contains
nearly 300 citations of books, journal papers and conference proceedings.
Topics include ecotourism planning, visitor impact management, economic issues in ecotourism development, community development, local participation, facility design, economics, conservation education, and development and marketing of ecotourism products.
|
Williams, P.W. and K.B. Dossa (1999). Emerging Aboriginal Tourism Markets: Germany, Japan and Canada. Prepared for Aboriginal Tourism Association of British Columbia. Burnaby, B.C.: Simon Fraser University, Centre for Tourism Policy and Research.
Can be purchased from Centre for Tourism Policy and Research. |
Carol Patterson, The Business of Ecotourism Second Edition. — an outline of good business strategies.
Information on the book and how to order it is available at Explorer's Guide Publishing.
The table of contents can be viewed on-line at ebooks.com. |
Other
|
Ecoclub.com's on-line forums on ecotourism |
Ecoclub.com's free ecotourism consultancy — questions can be submitted to ecotourism experts on a variety of topics. |
Yahoo! Ecotourism Directory — links to information and resources |
Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC), Catalogue of Exemplary Practices in Adventure Travel and Ecotourism — by documenting the successful practices of adventure travel and ecotourism operators this document "is intended as a tool to enable operators to review the applicability of a wide range
of successful, practical, approaches to their own operations."
Sections of the Catalogue include:
- business management
- product and delivery
- customer service and relations
- training and human resources development
- resource protection and sustainability
- social and community contribution
- packaging
- marketing and promotion
- product development
- contact agencies and resource persons
- operators discussed in the catalogue
Also available on the CTC site is Risk management and insurance guide: for the adventure, ecotourism
and alpine skiing industries as well as
a Database of insurance service providers for adventure and ecotourism operators (2002) which is broken down by geographic area. |
Pam Wight & Associates, Edmonton, Alberta. Sustainability, Profitability and Ecotourism Markets: What Are They and How Do They Relate? — a paper presented by Pamela Wight at an international conference on "Ecotourism — Balancing Sustainability and Profitability" in Estonia, 1997. Although the paper was written in the context of developing ecotourism in Estonia and Eastern Europe, some of the content would still be useful to North American ecotourism operations. Among other things, the paper examines various aspects of the ecotourism market. The paper describes:
- the North American ecotourist
- the activities they prefer
- their accommodation preferences
|
To view these documents you will need a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
|
|
