Ecotourism, or ecological tourism, is when one travels to exotic, protected, or fragile ecosystems. Ecotourism educates travelers, benefits the economic development of a country, and provides funding for the protection of wildlife. Ecotourism attracts socially and ecologically conscious travelers. Ecotourism normally involves traveling to places where cultural heritage, flora, and fauna are the main attractions. Unlike conventional tourism, ecotourism preserves nature, enhances cultural integrity, promotes recycling, and promotes water conservation and energy saving. Moreover, it provides job opportunities for local people who have a complete understanding of the value of the environment and enables them to encourage others to place a high value on responsible ecological practices.
What is Eco-Tourism?: A simple guide that clearly explains the meaning of ecotourism with views, statements and objectives.
Principles of Ecotourism: A great resource to understand principles of ecotourism, facts and statistics.
Environmental Benefits of Ecotourism: A simple guide that clearly explains the ecotourism and its environmental benefits.
Criteria of Ecotourism
As ecotourism involves traveling to unpolluted, natural areas, the focus of eco-travel should be making a positive contribution to the environment while experiencing the beautiful attractions of the world. By establishing the concept of ecotourism, it is possible for people to make that positive impact without making them feel that they are going out of their way to help the cause without receiving any benefits, it's a bit of hook that can satisfy both the average tourist, the environment, and the local economy. Ecotourism should meet the following criteria to offer a well rounded and effective experience:
Conserving cultural and biological diversity through the principles of ecotourism
Should provide job opportunities to the local people
Minimal impact on the unspoiled environment should be the primary interest.
Should minimize the traditional tourism environmental impact
Flora, fauna, and the cultural heritage should be the main attractions
Should share the economic as well as social benefits with the local populations
Criteria for Ecotourism: A complete guide to understand criteria of ecotourism, ecotourism activities, and ecotourism and other types.
Regulating Ecotourism: Market Guidelines: Clear information on market guidelines and legal frameworks to regulate ecotourism is given.
Criticisms
Ecotourism is a rapidly growing division in the travel industry, which has its own sets of standards that should be strictly followed. As reported by some critics of the ecotourism industry, many of the projects within the industry have the potential to create negative effects in the same places they are trying to benefit, such as forcing local people to leave their homes, violating basic rights, and creating environmental hazards. Ecotourism may cause conflicts over land rights or inadvertently effect the environment in a negative way while in pursuit of a solution to ecological problems..
Due to the necessities of additional amenities and infrastructure, ecotourism exploits non-renewable resources, and may even utilize the limited local resources they are trying to save in order to further their efforts. This creates a direct impact on nature, as well as the local communities. Converting natural land into a place of high traffic and tourism can increase deforestation and habitual deterioration of plant and animal life. In addition, increased population in these areas increases pollution and garbage, inevitably harming the very environment they had hoped to salvage. Activities such as deforestation, the disturbance of natural life, and various forms of pollution, gradually lead to environmental degradation. An increasing number of vehicles and roads create a serious impact on animal and plant species and creates damages that would otherwise not exist.
Most ecotourism projects are owned by big corporations or foreign investors, who provide very low benefit to the local population. Profits from ecotourism endeavors are enjoyed exclusively by the investors. Also, local people have started damaging the natural environment as a way of sustaining their way of life. Ecotourism has effected the resources used by local inhabitants and have forced them to resort to extreme measures to ensure their survival and maintain their quality of life that has been negatively effected by ecotourism. Most ecotourism projects claim that they protect the cultural heritage of the local people, but most evidence clearly shows that the local communities have lost their homes without any compensation. Moreover, local population even struggle for cultural expression and cultural survival with their drastically changing economy and the molestation of their culture.
Governments lack capability and the commitment that is needed to control and manage ecotourism sites effectively. The private ecotourism companies have less self-interest in maintaining the natural sites, focusing instead on commercial and marketing aspects of the industry. The companies gain more profit by increasing the number of tourists and pay only less than the environmental cost, which results in mismanagement.
Effects of Ecotourism: Here, effects of ecotourism are clearly given. Also, there are more links to learn more on the effects of ecotourism on environment and local people.
Ecotourism: Suicide or Development: Clear and elaborate information on negative impact of ecotourism is given.
Environmental Impact: A table of negative impact and its source is given for better understanding.
Improving Sustainability
An international, or national, regulatory board regulates procedures and protocol for receiving accreditation as an ecotourism operation by getting inputs from various sources, such as governments, tour operators, hotels, guides, travel agents, local authorities, airlines, and conservation organizations. The decision to approve an ecotourism project is finalized by the government and the touring companies are required to follow the necessary procedures. Some people hold the opinion that an initiative should be presented to tourists in order to increase the awareness of environmental issues among the larger population. Certified guides can be used as a medium to communicate awareness to tourist groups and emphasize the importance of ecological responsibility that will help sustain the environment. Also, the development of infrastructure and facilities can be made simple and less expensive as it provides more opportunities for the local market and economy growth.
Guidelines for Ecotourism Development: Detailed guidelines for the development of ecotourism are given in an understandable format.
Ecotourism: A complete guide to understand principles, policies, and practices for sustainability of ecotourism.
Natural Resource Management
Natural resource management is a special tool that can effectively regulate and streamline the development of ecotourism. All ecotourism projects should have proper plans and management to protect the natural resources, and while each area has a specific set of needs, there are other needs that are universal. Today, many scientists, organizations, and NGOs are working on this field to preserve the natural environment.
Natural Resource Management: A simple guide to understand the meaning of natural resource management.
Importance of Protecting Natural Resource: This page clearly explains the biological importance of preserving the natural resources.
Conclusion
Some of the more popular ecotourism spots are Australia’s Blue Mountain, Galapagos Islands, The Fjords of Norway, Botswana, Alaska, Costa Rica, Kenya, Belize, and Dominica. Ecotourism that follows the standard guidelines is the best choice for travelers, as it educates them, seeks to provide stability and maintain local culture and heritage, offers funding for natural conservation efforts, and empowers the local population to take an active part in making their community more sustainable and economically evolved..
Best Ecotourism Destinations: A quick guide on the top ecotourism spots.
Take an Eco-Vacation: Here, benefits of ecotourism and tips for travelers are given clearly.
Ecotourism Impact on Forest Conservation: A simple guide that highlights the impact of ecotourism on natural system.