The document discusses the use of SocMon to involve island communities in developing community-based tourism while addressing socio-economic challenges faced by these communities, such as poverty and limited employment. It highlights the need for equitable tourism practices that consider local needs and promote sustainable development, while also addressing issues related to environmental impacts from tourism. Key learnings emphasize the importance of community engagement and capacity building in tourism management to protect natural and cultural heritage.

1. Using SOCMON as a Tool to Involve Islanders in Develop-
ing Community Based Tourism and provide need
based training to foster product Enhancement
• Vineeta Hoon
• Centre for Action Research on
Environment Science & Society

2. SOCMON SASOCMON SA
SMI
Sundarbans
Gulf of Mannar
Gulf of Kutch
Chilika
Andaman Islands
Lakshadweep
Islands

3. India
Maldives Sri Lanka Bangladesh
SOCMON STUDIES in South Asia

4. • Live in Biodiversity Hotspots - Coral reefs, Seagrass Mangroves
ecosystems.
• Anthropogenic pressures: High level of dependence on coastal and
Marine resources.
• Poverty and Limited employment opportunities
• Low social resilience
• The divide between local peoples knowledge of marine resources and
ecology and formal management
• issues related to climate change, ocean acidification and global warming
• Issues related to garbage disposal and bad fishing practices in some
areas
Key Learnings
Island Communities

5. • Once a potential for tourism is speculated well established
Hotel international chains move in develop the product and
take over the market
• Local community who do not have the wherewithal of
developing and marketing a product or capital to invest are left
behind and treated as nuisances that have to be dealt with.
• The only jobs they can get are the ones lowest in the resort
hierarchy.
• Land speculation and land grabbing which leads to the
islanders losing their only valuable resource for the next
generations.
• They have to deal with the disposal of tons of plastic garbage
that tourism inevitably brings.
The issue

6. The issue
• The resort owners hoteliers usually from outside do not understand or care
about the needs of the local community.
• For tourism to flourish equitably and sustainably an interface is needed to
provide a level playing field where both parties that are needed to develop
tourism can complement and work with each other

7. • SocMon is a set of guidelines for establishing a socioeconomic monitoring
programme at a coastal management site Level.
• The guidelines provide a prioritized list of socioeconomic variables useful to coastal
managers and other developers
• They are not rigid and can be tailored to each sites needs and purposes.
SOCMON as the interface

8. How SOCMON is used to Involve
community

9. Discovery Phase:
Understanding how the Community uses
Coastal and Marine Resources for Livelihood
Subsistence/Commerce, Recreation

10. Discovery- learning about marine
resources and fishing practices

11. Dreaming: Visioning Better futures

12. • listing whats needed to reach
the goal
• listing whats needed to change
to achieve the goal and
articulating what needs to be
done to bring that change
• Listing training needs
The Way Forward
Doing: Once a livelihood is chosen
Goal: Tourism to protect Natural and Cultural Heritage
• Strengths & Opportunities:
man power, own land,
marine area knowledge,
cultural practices
• Threats & Weakness:
Pollution, Marketing ,
Financial capital,
Conservation, Education, Enterprise, Livelihood
Suggested Solutions
• Govt Enabling Agency improve
transportation services, agree to co-
management of marine areas, support
LLMAs, protect land ownership/sales
• Outside expert: Marketing, Management
Training by doing, licences, certification
• Islanders Build capacity as owners, hosts,
guides and managers over time
Together deciding on the eco-solutions for
architecture, building materials for resort

13. www.socmon.org
Thank you