Hospitality & Tourism Subject Guide: Ecotourism

1. Valuable biological information

   Ecotourism provides the opportunity for not only environmentalists, but also tourists to learn more about the ecosystems, biology, and geology of a specific location. Knowing the components of an ecosystem can lead to a better understanding of how to conserve different species and natural formations. Ecotourism provides an impactful firsthand experience about sustainable living and eco-friendly practices.

2. Local economic improvement

   In some cases, ecotourism provides sustainable economic growth for countries. Places like Ecuador, Nepal, Madagascar, and Costa Rica rely on tourists to build their economies. Regular travel and tourism usually returns only about 20% of revenue back to local communities while ecotourism can return as much as 99%.

3. Increased enviromental awareness

   Most ecotourism programs include educational components about environment preservation. The tourists can help spread environmental awareness by taking the information they’ve learned and apply it to their daily lives.

4. Financial benefits toward conservation

   When people spend money on ecotourism, some of it goes toward conservation efforts like reforestation and endangered species repopulation projects. Essentially, the more money spent on ecotourism, the easier it will be to finance conservation projects. 

5. Natural resource management

    In a global economy where many businesses exploit natural resources for personal gain, ecotourism introduces the idea of natural resource management. Rather than depleting resources to meet a high demand, ecotourism suggests adapting a conscientious mindset to extract natural resources in the most efficient and sustainable way possible.

Some people consider the terms 'ecotourism' and 'sustainable tourism' to be an oxymoron- you can't travel in a away that helps the environment. First of all, you have to get from one place to another which almost always means a plane, which burns fossil fuels. Secondly, no matter how much you try your impact will still be negative. But I think that's taking away from the point. If you've decided to travel, you can still do a lot to reduce your impact and at least in some aspects, even make a positive difference. As long as these objectives are fulfilled I'd dare say that ecotourism is successful: 

• Build environmental and cultural awareness. 
• Minimize impact.
• Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts.
• Provide direct financial benefits and empowerment for local people.
• Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental and social climate.

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1. Madagascar's example

   Opportunities for ecotourism exist in many different locations worldwide and its activities can vary as widely. Madagascar for instance is famous for its ecotourist activity as it is a biodiversity hotspot but also has a high priority for environmental conservation and is committed to reducing poverty. Conservation International says that 80% of the country's animals and 90% of its plants are endemic only to the island. Madagascar's lemurs are just one of many species that people visit the island to see. Because the island's government is committed to conservation, ecotourism is allowed in small numbers because education and funds from the travel will make it easier in the future. In addition, this tourist revenue also aids in reducing the country's poverty.

2. Komodo National Park (Indonesia)

   Another place where ecotourism is popular is in Indonesia at Komodo National Park. The park is made up of 233 square miles of land that is spread out over several islands and 469 square miles of water. The area was established as a national park in 1980 and is popular for ecotourism because of its unique and endangered biodiversity. Activities at Kombo National Park vary from whale watching to hiking and accommodations strive to have a low impact on the natural environment.

3. Central and South America

   Finally ecotourism is also popular in Central and South America. Destinations include Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guatemala and Panama. In Guatemala for instance ecotourists can visit the Eco-Escuela de Espanol. The main objective of the Eco-Escuala is to educate tourists about the historic cultural traditions of the Mayan Itza, conservation and the community living there today while protecting the lands in the Maya Biosphere Reserve and providing income to the area's people. These destinations are just a few where ecotourism exist in hundreds of more places worldwide.