A situation paper on the caves in Mauritius

The first part of the project consists of the documentation of the cave resource, involving the location of recorded caves of Mauritius, the preparation of survey A to the public in general to test their knowledge on the caves, and the compilation of a database of pertinent information. Moreover, it includes the assessment of the various values of the caves and their importance. The second part of the project consists of a SWOT analysis of the significant chosen caves for tourist purpose. Indeed, information about the form and attributes of these caves has been gathered, along with observations on their use and potentials. This part includes the preparation of survey B to all the tour operators in Mauritius to see the implications of developing the significant caves as tourist attractions. The third part of the thesis covers an overview of the marketing aspect of such a project, including survey C to tourists in general to get an overview whether they would opt to visit caves, if they were given the alternative. In this respect, much emphasis has been laid on tourism which carries its load of peripheral activities along its path and this, in turn, creates multiplier effects.