Ecotourism

Ecotourism In order to truly understand ecotourism and all of it's attendant pros and cons it is necessary to do some background research. Ecotourism is responsible travel to fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas that strives to be low impact and small scaled. It purports to educate the traveler; provide funds for conservation; directly benefit the economic development and political empowerment of local communities; and foster respect for different cultures and for human rights. Ecotourism generally focuses on volunteering, personal growth and environmental responsibility. Ecotourism typically involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. One of the goals of ecotourism is to offer tourists insight into the impact of human beings on the environment, and to foster a greater appreciation of our natural habitats. However there are many reasons as to why ecotourism is actually doing the opposite of what it originally set out to do. If a tour is badly managed it can actually cause things like pollution of the habitat, unlimited numbers of tourists, traffic congestion, erosion where cars park illegally, footpath erosion, and soil loss. Ecotourism operations occasionally fail to live up to conservation ideals. It is sometimes overlooked that ecotourism is a highly consumer-centered activity, and that environmental conservation is a means to further economic growth. Although it is intended for small groups, even a modest increase in population, however temporary, puts extra pressure on the local environment and necessitates the development of additional infrastructure and amenities. The construction of water treatment plants, sanitation facilities, and lodges come with the exploitation of non-renewable energy sources and the utilization of already limited local resources.