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This section is designed to be participatory in nature and to include a field exercise for the summertime. It should therefore be scheduled to overlap with the tourist season if at all possible. The section aims to help the student integrate ideas from geography and science and to develop participatory skills (forming a rational argument, debating with others and reaching a consensus). The impact of tourism on the coastal zone ties in closely with coastal zone management, and discussions on these issues will raise a number of similar topics.
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Notes
Introductory table
There are five main topics to be addressed on the subject of tourism and the coastal zone:
The table in the study sheet attempts to provide a rational matrix for examining some examples of positive and negative consequences of development. It is designed as a starting point for a class discussion rather than a prescriptive formulation.
Exercise: Your chance to have a say …
This role-play exercise allows students to investigate the impacts of tourism from a variety of viewpoints . The text provides the framework of the exercise but it is important to fill in the details with relevant local information. You may wish to avoid controversy by keeping to a hypothetical example of a development project but making it as realistic as possible. One way to carry out this exercise would be to start off with a "brain-storming" session to identify the different groups of people who should be represented in this debate. There should be representatives from the local residential and business communities who may be affected by the new development. An "identity" should be assigned to each group, which should then be given time to prepare a short presentation to the rest of the class. One student may be appointed "chairman" for the debate. Students should be encouraged to present well thought out ideas. For example, the group of students representing the developers of the hotel complex should outline exactly what is to be constructed, what facilities will be available for visitors, and how they intend to lessen their impact on the local environment.
Bringing some local people (from the local administration, NGOs etc.) helps to make the debate more authentic. Alternatively some parents or other teachers may be willing to play the role of some authoritative adults. It is important to impress on young people that a debate should not merely generate ‘winners' and ‘losers' – where possible the outcome should be broadly acceptable to everyone. In the real world it is better to try to reach a consensus than to put matters to a vote even if this results in compromises. Sometimes however, positions are so far apart that a vote is unavoidable but all the parties involved must previously agree to respect the outcome.
Practical exercise, alternative 1.
This is a very straightforward exercise that should not present major complications. Students should conduct the work in small groups, never alone. Results can be shown graphically and compared between groups. This activity could be used to spark a discussion about how different groups of people have different uses for the same area, much the same as the conflict investigated under the topic of Coastal Zone Management.
Practical exercise, alternative 2.
This is a somewhat more complex but more rewarding exercise. It requires careful planning and can best be achieved with the co-operation of parents. For safety reasons, students should not conduct questionnaire surveys alone – it is better to work in groups of three. The exercise is adapted from the Unesco south-eastern Mediterranean Project: worksheets for students, 19 96-7. When examining the results, the following discussion points may be useful:
What do tourists look for?
• Why is perception important when we are discussing tourism?
• How do we gain these perceptions?
• How might overseas tourists perceive the Black Sea destination?
• How can we improve the impression tourist will gain of a place?
Green tourism
This short section is designed to link the need for nature protection with the new opportunities provided by ‘environmental' tourism. This is not simply an academic connection – green tourism is one of the most rapidly expanding areas. It is hoped that this discussion will provide a positive conclusion to the session.
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