3.1. Feasibility Studies, Project Formulation, and EIAs
This strategy is essentially a precursor that could be used to incorporate several of the following strategies. It particularly overlaps with site-level planning, which is used in the present context to refer to planning and management after a decision has been made to implement a project, or when the site already exists, for instance on the World Heritage List. Historically, many, if not most, feasibility studies have been exactly that–evaluations of whether and how a site or region could be developed to attract visitors. Such evaluations remain critical, as the ecotourism experience suggests that failure to understand and evaluate the market (and what the destination can offer) can lead to wasted funding on infrastructure and unmet community expectations regarding tourism benefits. Nonetheless, studies have been changing over time, and there is increasing attention to the complementary aspect of desirability.