Eco-tourism Experiences Around The World – Ecotourism is a form of tourism marketed as “responsible” travel (using what proponents say is sustainable transport) to natural areas, preserving the environment and improving the well-being of local people.
The stated purpose may be to educate the traveller, to raise funds for ecological conservation, to directly suit the local communities’ economic development and political power, or to promote respect for different cultures and human rights.
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Since the 1980s, ecotourism has been considered an important passion by environmentalists, who have said they want future generations to experience destinations relatively untouched by human interference.
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Ecotourism can focus on educating travelers about local vironmt and natural surroundings with an eye towards ecological conservation. Some
Include in the definition of ecotourism the effort to produce economic opportunities that make conservation of natural resources economically possible.
Ecotourism focuses on what advocates define as socially responsible travel, personal growth and vironmtal sustainability. Ecotourism usually involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna and cultural heritage are the main attractions. Ecotourism is intended to give tourists an insight into the human impact on the environment and to promote a greater understanding of our natural habitats. Ecotourism aims to have minimal vironmtal impact on the visited areas. In addition to promoting respect for the natural environment, ecotourism strives to create socio-economic benefits for the area’s local communities.
Responsible ecotourism programs include those that minimize the negative aspects of conventional tourism in the area and enhance the cultural integrity of the local population. Therefore, in addition to evaluating environmental and cultural factors, an integral part of ecotourism is promoting recycling, energy efficiency, water conservation and creating economic opportunities for local communities.
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Many consider the term “ecotourism”, like “sustainable tourism” (which is a related but broader concept), to be an oxymoron. Like most long-distance travel, ecotourism often relies on air transport, which contributes to climate change. In addition, “the overall effect of sustainable tourism is negative where philanthropic aspirations like ecotourism mask hardline immediate self-interest.”
Ecotourism is a sub-component of the field of sustainable tourism. Ecotourism must serve to maximize ecological benefits, while contributing to the economic, social and cultural well-being of communities living near ecotourism.
Although ecotourism is often considered a responsible form of tourism, it still has several risks. Potential ecological, economic and socio-cultural benefits associated with ecotourism are described below.
Ecotourism activities, or the mere presence of travelers in a particular region or location, can have a negative impact on the ecological integrity of protected areas.
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Local communities can be negatively affected by ecotourism. For example, as is the case with other forms of tourism, ecotourism can result in friction between tourists and local community members, potentially increasing tourism costs, prices and property values, thereby marginalizing community members.
Ecotourism poses known health risks to tourists and local community members, along with wildlife and ecosystems. Travelers can bring pathogens to ecologically sensitive areas, endangering both wildlife and local communities; Ecotourism activities can also put travelers at risk of health problems or injuries.
For some decision makers, economic factors are more compelling than ecological factors in deciding how to use natural resources. Potential economic benefits of ecotourism are listed below:
A holistic approach to ecotourism must promote socio-cultural as well as economic and ecological practices. The direct and indirect socio-cultural benefits are outlined as follows:
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When considering the potential positive effects of ecotourism, it is necessary to mention that ecotourism can also have unintended negative effects. Negative influences can be mitigated through regulations and ethical guidelines that effectively and convincingly convey messages about appropriate visitor behaviour.
Ecotourism is a neologism from the end of the 20th century made up of eco- and tourism. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, ecotourism was first recorded in 1973 and ecotourism, “probably after ecotourism”, in 1982.
Some sources suggest that the terms were used nearly a decade earlier. Claus-Dieter (Nick) Hetzer, an academic and adventurer from Forum International in Berkeley, CA, coined ecotourism in 1965, according to the Contra Costa Times,
The definition of ecotourism adopted by Ecotourism Australia is: “Ecotourism is ecologically sustainable tourism with a primary focus on experiencing natural areas that promote biodiversity and cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation.”
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The Global Ecotourism Network (G) defines ecotourism as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of local people, and creates knowledge and understanding through interpretation and education of all involved (visitors, staff and visited)”.
Ecotourism is often misinterpreted as any form of tourism involving nature (see jungle tourism). Self-proclaimed practitioners and hosts of ecotourism experiences assume that it is achieved by simply creating destinations in natural areas. According to critics of this common and assumed practice, true ecotourism must above all bring people’s attention to the beauty and fragility of nature. These critics condemn some operators for greenwashing their operations: using the labels “gre” and “eco-friendly”, while behaving in vironally irresponsible ways.
Although academics disagree about who can be classified as an ecotourist and there is little statistical data, some estimate that more than five million ecotourists—the majority of the ecotourist population—come from the United States, with many others from Western Europe, Canada, and Australia.
Currently, there are various moves to create national and international certification programs for ecotourism. National certification programs for ecotourism have been put in place in countries such as Costa Rica,
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A canopy walkway at Kakum National Park in Ghana, which ensures that tourists have the least direct impact on the surrounding ecology. The visitor park received the Global Tourism for Tomorrow Award in 1998.
Sustainable tourism is a concept that covers the entire tourism experience, including concern for economic, social and environmental issues as well as attention to improving tourist experiences and meeting the needs of host communities.
Sustainable tourism should include concerns for vironmtal protection, social justice and quality of life, cultural diversity and a dynamic, viable economy that provides jobs and prosperity for all.
It has its roots in sustainable development, and there can be some confusion about what “sustainable tourism” means.
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In fact, all forms of tourism have the potential to be sustainable if properly planned, developed and managed.
Tourism development organizations promote sustainable tourism practices to mitigate negative effects caused by tourism’s increasing impacts, such as its vironmental impacts.
The UN World Tourism Organization emphasized this practice by promoting sustainable tourism as part of the Sustainable Development Goals, through programs such as the International Year for Sustainable Tourism for Development in 2017.
Tourism for SDGs focuses on how SDG 8 (“dect work and economic growth”), SDG 12 (“responsible consumption and production”) and SDG 14 (“life under water”) implicate tourism in creating a sustainable economy.
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According to World Travel & Tourism Travel, tourism accounted for “10.3 percent of global gross domestic product, with international tourist arrivals reaching 1.5 billion marks (a growth of 3.5 percent) in 2019” and achieved $1.7 trillion in export earnings, but improvements are expected. to be drawn from appropriate management aspects and include sustainable tourism as part of a wider strategy for sustainable development.
Ecotourism in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems can be suited to conservation, provided the complexities of history, culture and ecology of the affected regions are successfully navigated.
Catherine Macdonald and colleagues identify the factors that determine conservation outcomes, namely whether: animals and their habits are adequately protected; human-wildlife conflict is avoided or at least appropriately mitigated; there is good outreach and education of the local population for ecotourism; there is effective collaboration with stakeholders in the area; and it is the proper use of the money generated by ecotourism to preserve the local ecology.
They conclude that ecotourism works best to conserve predators where the tourism industry is supported both politically and by the public, and where it is monitored and controlled at local, national and international levels.
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Because ecotourism regulations can be poorly implemented, ecologically destructive growwashed operations such as underwater hotels and helicopter tours can be categorized as ecotourism along with canoeing, camping, photography and wildlife watching. The failure to recognize responsible, low-impact ecotourism places legitimate ecotourism businesses at a competitive disadvantage.
Management strategies to reduce destructive operations include, but are not limited to, establishing a carrying capacity, site hardening, sustainable design, visitor quotas, fees, access restrictions, and visitor education.
Many vironmtalists have argued for a global standard that can be used for certification, differentiating ecotourism businesses based on their level of vironmtal commitment, creating a standard to follow. A national or international regulatory board will force accreditation procedures, with repression from various groups, including governments, hotels, tour operators, travel agencies, guides, airlines, local authorities, conservation organizations and non-governmental organizations.
The board’s decisions will be sanctioned by the authorities so that companies that do not comply with the requirements will be legally required to distance themselves from the use of the ecotourism label.
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In 1998, Crinion proposed a Gre Stars system, based on criteria including a management plan, appropriate for the local community, interaction with small groups, educational value and staff training.
Ecotourists considering their choices will be assured of a Guinean ecotourism experience when they see the highest star rating.
The criteria, administered by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, created a global standard for sustainable travel and tourism and include criteria and performance indicators for destinations, tour operators and hotels.
Vironmtal influence
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