A Brief Bibliographic Analysis on Balancing Equitable Tourism Development, Valuing Endemic Species, and Reducing Poverty in Local Communities

Manangement, Biodiversity

Madagascar, an island with unique biodiversity and an endemism rate exceeding 80%, faces a paradox between its biodiversity wealth and the poverty of its population. How can the country’s complex challenges be explored to foster sustainable and inclusive development through tourism and the rational valorization of endemic species? In response to this problematic, the overall objective is to model more equitable and sustainable tourism development strategies that reconcile socio-economic goals with biodiversity conservation. This article addresses two research questions: What are the characteristics of poverty in community-based organizations (COBA) that induce biodiversity destruction and hinder tourism development? And what strategies can develop tourism through the rational valorization of endemic species by the local population? The hypotheses suggest that COBA poverty leads to irrational exploitation of endemic species, negatively impacting tourism development, and that equitable tourism development helps reduce COBA poverty by valuing endemic species. The methodological approach is based on an in-depth literature analysis focusing on the sustainable development triptych linking COBA poverty, pressures on biodiversity and endemic species, and economic growth induced by equitable tourism management. It also examines the governance of common resources, the economic valuation of biodiversity, and push and pull factors in international tourism. The results reveal that tourism development cannot be achieved without a supply adapted to visitor expectations and the international market, nor without an adequate strategy balancing nature conservation, tourism potential, tourist expectations, and the improvement of the local population’s quality of life.

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