DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMMUNITYBASED ECOTOURISM PLAN ON THE WETLANDS OF FUVAHMULAH AND HITHADHOO ISLANDS – REPUBLIC OF MALDIVES
Client: Ministry of Environment and Energy (Maldives)
Funding: World Bank
Dates: April 2013 – September 2014
SUMMARY:
Design and implementation of two management plans for two protected areas linked to the most important wetlands of the Maldives Islands, located on the islands of Hithadhoo (Addu Atoll ) and Fuvahmulah. The objective of the plans is, in the first place, to enable the protection and conservation of wetlands, as a tool to fight against climate change; and secondly, to favor its ecotourism development, with the purpose of creating new economic opportunities for the local community.
Ecotourism plans included the design of new tourism products and new infrastructures in order to promote tourism. The elaboration of ecotourism management and development plans has been carried out with a participative approach with the objective of involving local communities and facilitating their empowerment.