John I Borja

jborja@guampdn.com

Guam’s nature is the foundation of its tourism and it’s important to adopt ecologically sound practices to preserve that nature, according to a panel of business and tourism professionals.

Industry leaders talked to attendees at the University of Guam’s Island Sustainability Conference Wednesday at the Hyatt Regency Guam about the island’s progress toward ecotourism.

The panel included Nate Denight, CEO of the Guam Visitors Bureau; Steve Kasperbauer, Alupang Beach Club president; Jeff Schindler, general manager of UnderWater World; Fred Schumann, associate professor at University of Guam’s School of Business and Public Administration; and David Tydingco, managing director of Valley of the Latte Adventure Park.

Schumann defined ecotourism as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of local people and evolves interpretation and education.”

The concept is especially important for small islands like Guam, where tourism is viable for economic growth, he said. To maintain the revenue, Schumann said, it’s important to monitor the sustainability of the environment and the businesses.

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Authenticity

Kasperbauer, who has spent 31 years in the tourism business, said ecology and economy can definitely work together to bolster the industry and protect the environment.

He cited the eastern part of Agana Bay, which he said was heavily polluted in the 1970s. Because of the interest of creating tourism in that area, the bay was cleaned up. There are more tourists in that area now, Kasperbauer said.

Tydingco said the Valley of the Latte Adventure Park, after its rebranding, has drawn locals and tourists to learn about Guam culture.

People want authentic experiences when they travel, Denight said. The surrounding waters are filled with marine life that tourists enjoy seeing, but there has to be that balance of making sure the ecosystem is protected, he said.

“It’s important to set forth guidelines and procedures,” Denight said. “If you don’t do that, you could destroy the thing that people are coming to see.”

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Education efforts

Joni Kerr, a marine biology professor at Guam Community College, asked the panel if there was any education plan in place to inform tourists about Guam’s ecology. She said a lack of information could result in harming the ecosystem, like crushing coral when at the beach.

While there are guides for the tourists, Denight said more public outreach could be done. One reason why the information may not reach tourists is because Guam is seeing more independent travelers and they’re not as easy to keep track of as travel groups, he said.

Schindler said industry leaders must interact with business stakeholders and the public to come up with a plan to educate tourists on sustainable practices. One solution would be to work with hotels on having in-room informational videos for the visitors, like reef-walking or disposing trash at the beach, he said.

“We need to put a plan together and stick to it consistently. The most important thing is we’re consistent in what we’re doing,” he said.

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