GUIDED adventures, trekking trails, outdoor diners and huts for overnight stays could be set up at Bahrain’s wildlife sanctuary to offer visitors an ‘amazing weekend stay in the wild’.
Five MPs, led by services committee chairman Ahmed Al Ansari, are calling on Al Areen Wildlife Park and Reserve to be opened for campers and trekkers.
The MPs believe that the current wildlife attractions need refreshing if the sanctuary, established in 1976, is to continue being a successful tourist destination, as well as a destination able to cash in of the growing number of eco-holidaymakers.
“The proposal to have camping and trekking at Al Areen is as serious as they come,” said Mr Al Ansari, who is also Al Asala (Salfi) Bloc president.
“I can submit excellent examples of countries that have smaller wildlife sanctuaries and have introduced such services, and they include Singapore and Taiwan. There are other countries that are thinking outside the box by developing similar natural habitats.”
He is confident the concept would not prove too expensive and would probably attract investors as there are few, if any, natural ‘wild and wonderful’ tourism locations matching Al Areen elsewhere in the Gulf.
“It’s a simple case of providing comfortable wooden huts and proper lighting in the park for people to stay the night there, go camping and enjoy trekking,” said Mr Al Ansari. “It is a simple concept and they are normally the best ones.”
The Supreme Council for Environment (SCE), which Al Areen comes under, says the sanctuary covers an area of 5.4 square kilometres. It was the first project of its kind in the region to preserve endangered rare Arab animal species.
The park and reserve is divided into two sections: the first includes protected animals like the Arabian Oryx, the Bahraini sand gazelle and natural desert plants and flora. The second section is devoted to preserving and multiplying Arabian animals and birds in particular.
Al Areen is home to 82 species of feathered friends, 25 plant species and 45 mammal species.
Southern Municipal Council chairman Bader Al Tamimi, who is backing the parliamentary proposal, believes people perhaps only check out Al Areen once, without considering a return visit.
“We want visitors to be frequent guests who are continuously interested in what is being offered at Al Areen,” he said. “The current attractions have been the same for ages with bus tours taking visitors around until they fall asleep. We think it’s worth waking up the park’s potential.”
He added security issues would need to be addressed to ensure visitors are safe from wild animals located in the park and, likewise, to protect some of the endangered species.
“Surveillance cameras could be installed and security personnel present to ensure it continues to operate in the safest environment possible in a sustainable way,” he said.
Sustainable tourism is defined by the UN Environment Programme and UN World Tourism Organisation as ‘tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities’.
Council legislative, administrative and financial committee chairman and area councillor Talal Al Basheer said the expected revenue from ‘a weekend in the wild’ project could be used to cover the cost of increased animal care and facilitate breeding programmes with the backing of universities and international zoos.
“Options have to be explored for the place to reach the same high status of other attractions in the area whether the Bahrain International Circuit, new Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Centre, Al Dana Amphitheatre, Gravity Indoor Skydiving, amongst others currently under construction and others on the way,” he added.
“As a family man interested to take my family on weekend trips, Al Areen is not yet on the list.”
The eco-tourism industry, which is growing rapidly, has emerged as one of the most important sectors of the international tourism industry, making up seven per cent of the world tourism market. In one region alone, eco-tour operators report growth rates of 10pc to 25pc a year.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
&uuid=(email))