Community-Based Tourism as a Strategy for Regional Economic Development
October 2008
For several years, the William Davidson Institute (WDI) has been working in North Cyprus on a community-based tourism development initiative. An area of focus for WDI is the village of Buyukkonuk-Komi Kebir, which has been positioning itself as an “eco-village” with special interest, recreation and adventure activities.
Under the Buyukkonuk-Komi Kebir Destination Development Project, a component of the USAID-funded EDGE Project, the village has built notoriety as a tourism destination, using a combination of tourism investment, product development and promotion as ways to develop itself. Some of its most high profile events are its festivals, which highlight the village’s unique ecotourism characteristics. These events, beginning with “Eco Day” in October 2007, continuing with the “Once Upon A Time,” festival in June 2008 and “Eco Day II” in October 2008 provided promotional mechanisms with which to increase visibility, refine the tourism product and develop a brand-image in the region. This promotion would not have been successful, however, without the development of the village’s tourism product in the areas of heritage (a restored historic olive mill), culture (traditional cuisine, hospitality and dancing), investment (lodging and restaurants) and eco-friendly attractions (Buyukkonuk-Komi Kebir Nature Trail Network).
Buyukkonuk-Komi Kebir’s success can be attributed to the growth in the travel industry within the Turkish Cypriot community in general as well as to the interest in rural recreation, with special interest activities in particular. Further, the village’s unique location at the “gateway” to the Karpaz Peninsula gives it a geographic advantage in a region that has historically had very little tourism development.
A special interest tourism sector focus group conducted in 2007 by WDI / BearingPoint as part of the EDGE Project, identified no less than eight tour operators in the Turkish Cypriot Commuity (TCC) who are actively catering to both the special interest and adventure travel market. Each of these inbound operators are developing and marketing itineraries in partnership with outbound operators in Europe.
Indicative of growth in the adventure sector, the first mountain bike tourism company in the TCC, Cyprus Bicycle Tours, was established in 2007, catering principally to the local, weekend market.
Though Buyukkonuk-Komi Kebir is a small village, these trends are very much in evidence. For instance, the number of tour operators that are working with Delcraft (a local B&B and tourism enterprise) to create full-day and half-day activities has increased exponentially. In addition, the number of visitors “stopping by” to see the village, walk through the restored olive mill, and enjoy the hiking trails has risen due to the Destination Development Project. Buyukkonuk-Komi Kebir’s festivals, noted above, have highlighted the area’s rural traditions and created a growing brand, confirmed by increased attendance at each festival.
An important attraction in the region are vast, relatively untouched beaches that are critical sea turtle nesting sites for the whole of the Eastern Mediterranean. Attached are several photos of a sea turtle “release” organized by a mixed group of local and international conservation organizations. The popularity of the release is evidenced by the record number of attendees. A future focus for the Buyukkonuk-Komi Kebir Destination Development Project is to build strategic alliances with conservation initiatives in the region that are consistent with its own efforts to position itself as an “eco-village.”
The village is building the infrastructure to be able to lodge and feed visitors. To the extent that those visitors are also interested in learning first-hand about sea turtle conservation is an example of win-win-win: the visitor wins from an enhancement vacation or weekend escape experience; the conservation organization wins from greater attendance and awareness, a core component of its mission; and the village wins from the provision of tourism services to paying guests.
Buyyonuk-Komi Kebir’s development is evidence that WDI is building internal capacity and contributing strategic guidance to programs aimed at improving regional and community-level tourism development. The project has begun measures to replicate its success at a second location, the seaside town of Famagusta.