Tourism strategies to fight against poverty in Burkina Faso, Ecuador and Tanzania.

The project is being implemented in three countries where ACRA has been working for several years. The main strategy of the Action consists in creating new job opportunities related to the touristic sector, in order to reduce poverty among the populations of Zanzibar, Burkina Faso and Ecuador. Professional trainings and Environmental Education activities are carried out by the project to this purpose.

Despite massive foreign investments in the touristic sector, people in Zanzibar do not have access to the consequent benefits.

In Burkina Faso tourism still represents a marginal sector, with a niche target.

In Ecuador tourism is characterized by a slow growth rate; it is controlled by the Government and tourists are mainly coming from inside the country.

These differences, together with some common aspects related to poverty, constitute the basis for some considerations about the economical, cultural and environmental impact of tourism. Essential is the involvement of civil society and the mutual learning between Local Authorities and Non-State Actors through an exchange of experiences.

Different approaches of non-traditional tourism will be explored (eco-tourism, sustainable tourism, community tourism), starting from the specific analysis of needs and potentialities of institutional and non-institutional actors in each country.

Participation to national and international debates about tourism will be addressed towards local practical experienced aimed at poverty reduction. The recent expansion of the touristic sector requires specific actions addressing the management of natural resources, often threatened by this pressure

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