ECO TOURISM
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WHAT IS ECO TOURISM?
- ecotour, n. ... A tour of or visit to an area of
ecological interest, usually with an educational element; (in later use
also) a similar tour or visit designed to have as little detrimental
effect on the ecology as possible or undertaken with the specific aim of
helping conservation efforts.
- ecotourism, n. ... Tourism to areas of ecological
interest (typically exotic and often threatened natural environments),
esp. to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife; spec. access
to an endangered environment controlled so as to have the least possible
adverse effect.
Ecotourism is a form of tourism
involving visiting fragile, pristine, and relatively undisturbed
natural areas, intended as a low-impact and often small scale
alternative to standard commercial mass tourism. It means responsible travel to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people.Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide funds for ecological conservation, to directly benefit the economic development and political empowerment of local communities, or to foster respect for different cultures and for human rights.
Since the 1980s, ecotourism has been considered a critical endeavor by
environmentalists, so that future generations may experience
destinations relatively untouched by human intervention. Several university programs use this description as the working definition of ecotourism
Criteria
- Builds environmental awareness
- Provides direct financial benefits for conservation
- Provides financial benefits and empowerment for local people
- Respects local culture
- Supports human rights and democratic movements.such as:
- conservation of biological diversity and cultural diversity through ecosystem protection
- promotion of sustainable use of biodiversity, by providing jobs to local populations
- sharing of all socio-economic benefits with local communities and indigenous peoples by having their informed consent and participation in the management of ecotourism enterprises
- tourism to unspoiled natural resources, with minimal impact on the environment being a primary concern.
- minimization of tourism's own environmental impact
- affordability and lack of waste in the form of luxury
- local culture, flora, and fauna being the main attractions
- local people, who benefit from this form of tourism economically.
Principles
Ecotourism
in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems can benefit conservation,
provided the complexities of history, culture, and ecology in the
affected regions are successfully navigated.
Catherine Macdonald and colleagues identify the factors which determine
conservation outcome, namely whether: animals and their habits are
sufficiently protected; conflict between people and wildlife is avoided
or at least suitably mitigated; there is good outreach and education of
the local population into the benefits of ecotourism; there is effective
collaboration with stakeholders in the area; and there is proper use of
the money generated by ecotourism to conserve the local ecology.They conclude that ecotourism works best to conserve predators when the
tourism industry is supported both politically and by the public, and
when it is monitored and controlled at local, national, and
international levels.
