Bolivia to invest millions of dollars in developing indigenous community tourism
The Bolivian Government has presented its National Tourism Plan which will entail an investment of 200 million dollars over five years.
The main objective of the Plan is to create jobs and generate revenue, in order to eradicate the poverty that exists among the country's indigenous communities, which currently account for 70% of Bolivia's population. The plan was revealed to the international tourist industry Fitur.
The National Tourism Plan, which will be applied over a period of five years (2006-2011), will focus on the promotion of indigenous community tourism both within the country and abroad, according to the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Ricardo Cox. The economic and social benefits will be distributed among the various rural and indigenous communities throughout the country, "that will also receive expert assistance so that they can become one of Bolivia's main tourist attractions".
Under the slogan "Authenticity Still Exists", the Plan will promote sustainable tourism, preserving the natural, historical and cultural resources of the country`s different regions. In fact, Bolivia has 17 eco-regions in which 36 peoples of distinct ethnic origin coexist.
Furthermore, the Plan will seek to develop a competitive form of tourism that incorporates strategic planning and organisation of the members of the productive chain, both public and private.
The campaign created by the Bolivian Government identifies 12 "star" destinations that combine both natural appeal and culture, located throughout the Andean, Amazonian and Pampa regions and the valleys that constitute the country`s geographical make-up. Among the most outstanding attractions we might highlight the Jesuit missions, the salt marshes, the coloured lagoons, Lake Titicaca, Oruro, Potosi-Sucre and the Che Route.
With the implementation of its National Tourism Plan, Bolivia aims to double the number of visitors over a period of five years, a trend that was initiated in the year 2006. In fact, during the first half of last year, tourism grew by 21.4% compared to the same period the previous year, producing some record figures in terms of visitor numbers.
Source: traveldailynews.com