Where is ecotourism working — and where could things be improved? In part one of our deep dive into Egypt’s ecotourism industry last week, we took a look at theregulatory challenges facing the industry. This week, we look at the current practices of travelers and industry leaders, and how to protect delicate ecosystems and unique cultural heritage sites from overcrowding, environmental damage, and harmful behavior.

Our national parks hold a wealth of biodiversity and cultural heritage: Our 30 protectedareas (PAs) cover some 15% of the country’s total land mass and 9% of coastal and near-shore areas, including “pockets of incredibly diverse and fragile ecosystems,” according to a 2012 Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) report (pdf). PAs are home to nearly 150 species of threatened or endangered animals as well as two UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Saint Catherine and Wadi El Rayan.)

That’s a huge draw for tourism: The EEAA says that while the value PAs bring to the economy has not been systematically calculated, it is “immense” — noting that the coral reefs at Ras Mohamed alone were worth some USD 141-190 mn in annual tourist revenue in 2012. Each USD invested in Wadi el Gemal national park would return USD 50 to the economy, it added.

But with development comes risks to delicate ecosystems: The economic potential of PAs as “premium tourism destinations” is balanced by the threat that development brings to key ecotourism spots. “There is tremendous human development pressure on those areas that are most important for biodiversity,” the EEAA writes, “resulting in high degrees of habitat destruction, conversion, and degradation.” Other threats include hunting, pollution, invasive alien species, and climate change.

Case in point: St Catherine,which is undergoing a major redevelopment project that has seen a new asphalt road paved through the protectorate’s namesake town. The area is home to some 7k Bedouin people, many of whom live in scattered remote settlements that are largely inaccessible to service providers. “The asphalt road in Saint Catherine is environmentally disastrous, but the residents like it because it makes things easier for them,” says Aamen Abuellil, founder and CEO of adventure travel operator Ghamer. “When they need to reach the hospital it takes half an hour and not one full hour.”

Better roads bring more tourists — with mixed results. Locals in Fayoum’s Tunis village were excited by the possibility of more visitors being able to reach the ecotourism hotspot by bus after the opening of a new asphalt road. But some craftspeople soon became disappointed by the behavior of the new arrivals. Those who arrive by bus “often cruise my shop, take lots of selfies, break my goods, and walk away without buying anything,” says pottery maker Sabah Ahmed. “This Eid, I didn’t even open my shop because I was afraid of tourists breaking my pottery,” Ahmed adds.

Ecotourism requires sensitivity from visitors: Some ecotourist hotspots have spiked in popularity thanks to the sharing of sustainable tourism content on social media — but visitors need to think about more than just framing the perfect shot, Ghamer’s Abuellil says. “Some people like to go and take pictures, but they act like outsiders and they don’t preserve the environment,” he says. “People need to educate themselves on the history, nature, and background of the place. [They need] layers of deep understanding.”

And the growing ecotourism industry also brings cultural shifts: “When a place gets popular, it attracts workers from outside the community, who take the jobs of locals, and that makes the experience incomplete,” Abuellil says. “You go to a local place to enjoy the local culture, food, history, nature and way of life.”

Ecotourism spots are working to embody sustainable values: “In our village, we used refurbished antique doors throughout the whole building as well as natural fabrics for the furnishings and lighting fixtures made of recycled iron” says Mervat Abdel Nasser, founder of New Hermopolis Eco Village in Minya. “Even the mattresses are made of cotton in the old Egyptian style, which also prevents this skill and trade from dying,” Abdel Nasser adds.

And some are also preserving cultural heritage in the areas where they operate:“Culture and heritage education are important to any ecological community,” Abdel Nasser says. “Our art and culture program encourages and fosters local talent and allows this creativity to be showcased in several cultural events throughout the year, particularly in our Thoth’s Festival that began in 2011” and revives an ancient Egyptian celebration, adds Abdel Nasser.

Not all change is bad: “If you go to Saint Catherine now, you will find the Bedouins wearing hiking shoes and carrying light backpacks. They picked this up from travelers,” says Abuellil. “This is an example of how travelers could have a positive impact on locals.”

But these areas require careful management: Eco-lodges were in March formalized for the first time by the Tourism Ministry, allowing them to exist as official legal entities — and potentially opening the door to support that some say is much needed. “The protectorate needs to provide local camps with legal protection — there is no ecotourism without local people,” one Ras Mohamed camp owner who asked to remain anonymous told Enterprise. “I am afraid that tomorrow an investor could come and throw money to turn this into a hotel or something and bring people from outside Sinai. Then you lose the true Bedouin experience and essence of the place.”

One success story: The Samadai project south of Marsa Alam. Also known as the Dolphin House, the Samadai site protects marine life at a reef frequented by dolphins off the Red Sea coast. Run by the Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association (HEPCA), the EEAA, and Red Sea governorate and protectorate authorities, the site includes separate areas for diving, swimming, and snorkeling, as well as no-entry areas to provide a safe space for dolphins to rest. Rules limit the size and number of boats in the area and the hours in which they can visit. The effective enforcement of these clear guidelines has protected the welfare of hundreds of dolphins and the wider reef and ecosystem from an influx of tourists from all over the world.

We need more of the same: “If this model is replicated and adapted to different areas it could reduce the stressors on marine life before it’s too late,” says environmentalist Ahmed El Droubi of Climate Action Network. “I appreciate that the government needs to bring in tourists for the much-needed hard currency, but this needs to be done in a manner that suits capacities in addition to increasing awareness and reducing the adverse impacts of visitors,” he adds. “Coastal development need not entail construction along the entire coast.”

Your top green economy stories for the week:

  • Kom Ombo solar plant receives USD 123 mn in financing: Saudi renewable energy developer ACWA Power yesterday inked a USD 123 mn financing package to develop the 200 MW Kom Ombo solar power plant.
  • Egyptian-German JV to build two solar plants in Al Wadi El Gedid: A joint venture between Egypt-based Smart Engineering Solutions (SES) and German solar company Frenell will build two solar plants utilizing concentrated solar technology.
  • Could Germany’s Wintershall store carbon in Egypt? Wintershall Dea is studying potential offshore carbon storage sites in Egypt and Argentina.
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