Ecotourism

Ecotourism 1.0 Introduction 1.1 What is the Definition of ecotourism' Ecotourism is the environmental and socioeconomic responsible travel to untouched natural parts of the world. The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) created an official definition of Ecotourism in 1990 "Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people." The culture of the people, the plants, animals are all the focus when traveling. It is the relating to the specific aspects of being "Green", or environmentally conscious. It describes the tourist activity as having a small footprint and putting minimal stress on the environment. The typical "ecotourist" yearns for knowledge of the area as it is the polar alternative to the urban setting. The direct meaning of ecotourism includes a whole array of benefits to the local communities that this activity is attracted to. However, all these statements can be up for debate. 1.2 What type of activity is promoted in ecotourism' Ecotourism is a rugged experience. In the purest sense activities include living like the locals without infringing upon any cultural boundries. Most common activities are found from or involving the environment. Living off the land, being absorbed into the environment is the pure essence of ecotourism. Experiencing how fragile nature is and creating the awareness of how the natural earth works. By definition activities while ecotouring would not consist of staying in a big fancy hotel that harms the environment and could most likely detract from the development of the local communities. 2.0 Discussion 2.1 What are the positive and negative consequences of ecotourism' Ecotourism supports the local and national communities of certain areas of the world. However it is important to note that as long as the influence comes from the locals themselves rather than profit-seekers from foreign interests then the results will be positive. The entire country can be based almost completely on ecotourism, referring to the majority of the economic activity and GDP of a country. A few countries do rely almost solely on this activity alone like Nepal, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Kenya, and Madagascar. The negative consequences are relative to the way ecotourism is carried out by travelers. The controversy over ecotourism is based on the way companies who operate in these exotic natural areas. "Greenwashing" is a term used to describe the marketing technique that targets people who want to experience the far reached wilderness. They leave out all the guidelines of ecotourism which is being environmentally friendly and respecting the local culture. Even though there are guidelines on how ecotourism works to protect and even benefit the community, there is still not enough scientific research, collaboration and regulation of the activity for it to be considered beneficial. 2.2 Do you think ecotourism should be encouraged in South America and Sub-Saharan Africa' Ecotourism in South America and Africa are vital to the economies in these parts of the world. The tourism industry makes up a large portion of theses countries GDP's. South America and Sub-Saharan Africa are the two most popular places for most people to ecotour. There are mixed feelings about ecotourism when looking at these two areas. The tension between conventional tourism and ecotourism is rampant. Operators in these countries are starting to take advantage of society's want for anything eco-friendly. People are failing to realize is that these operations are not environmentally friendly. In South America the industry is fairly undeveloped. There is minimal collaborative efforts between governments and operators on a unified standard for the industry. There is no organization that will represent the travelers very well. I think that there is room for potential in this part of the world. Sub-Saharan Africa is a perfect example of a region of the world which could benefit from ecotourism. These areas are some of the poorest in the world. There are literally hundreds of industry's that could be worse but to bring profit to these areas the proper steps would need to be taken to ensure its success and sustainability. Participation from the governments of theses countries need to be willing to submit to the rules and regulations of an organization dedicated to ecotourism. The local communities have seen devastating affects such as displacement of whole tribes. These are things that could be easily avoided with a regulatory comity. Ecotourism in Africa will continue to be a popular destination for travelers today. 2.3 How about East Asia' East Asia has a rich and vast area that includes many unique cultures and peoples. This is an area of the world where people are being forced out of the land they and generations before them have lived. They are using the notion that humans cant live in the forest therefore we should remove them and make it a national forest to promote tourism. This is a bad example of tourism. It breaks all the rules of ecotourism and should be stopped. Globalization is shaking up this part of the world because western ideals are so different from the way that indigenous people in this region think. I don't believe that a large scale effort to organize the industry in the region. 2.4 Do you think it should be encouraged in any region' Ecotourism in the correct form should be encouraged in any part of the world. It should be a part of anyone's life who can afford to take a trip to a remote part of the world. Ecotourism promotes spiritual and mindful enrichment of the person experiencing these awe inspiring places. 2.5 What regions would benefit from ecotourism' Regions that would benefit from ecotourism are places where the people can be in control of the situation. The local people are developed enough to have a system and have control of their environment so that they can protect the land, the animals, and themselves. South and Central America are two great places because they are advanced in their technology enough to benefit greatly from the ecotourism that is so popular in this part of the world. 2.6 What regions would be harmed by ecotourism' 3.0 Summary 3.1 Summarize what you have learned about ecotourism. Ecotourism as a whole needs complete reform and organization. This is because in the inherent nature of it being tourism defeats all beneficial aspects of the "eco" part. In order to truly experience the wonders of natural remote areas the traveler must be extremely well informed on the who, why, when, where and how of the destination. Travelers must be aware of their surroundings and be able to navigate and communicate with local people. To be respectful to the environment means to be respectful to the land and the people living there. There is much controversy surrounding this topic. However I think with proper regulation it can become a rewarding experience for everyone involved. 3.2 Which regions promote ecotourism the most and why' Region's that are very natural and feel remote to the urbanized traveler. Central and South America, Africa, and Asia are all hot spots for ecotourism. These places are considered exotic and are accessible fairly easily at the help of guides and operators. These regions also promote this industry because some regions have people who are using it as an excuse to take control of natural indigenous lands. Whenever profits are involved, it will be unusual for it to meet all the guidelines of proper Ecotourism. 4.0 Results 4.1 Would you choose to participate in ecotourism' I would personally participate in ecotourism. I would not contribute to the companies that are making this fast growing industry a controversial one. I would take the time to plan my own trip free from commercialized fantasy lands. Ecotourism would be about absorbing as much knowledge as I could from the environments that I would visit. Thats the only way that I would participate in ecotourism. 4.2 Which regions would you like to go to and what would you like to accomplish with your ecotourism experience' I would visit every major region in Africa. Africa has some amazing places that I think are simply awe inspiring. Such large scale natural settings are so powerful that I would want to spend months roaming the continent. To experience these places which have only been in pictures would be my ultimate goal in life. I would want to accomplish the core goals of ecotourism. I would want to visit indigenous tribes and meet with more developed people who could really teach me about things. I would make sure that anything I did would have minimal impact to the environment. 5.0 Works Cited http://www.ecotourism.org/site/c.orLQKXPCLmF/b.4832143/k.CF7C/The_International_Ecotourism_Society__Uniting_Conservation_C ommunities_and_Sustainable_Travel.htm http://www.untamedpath.com/Ecotourism/what_is_ecotourism.html http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/vol13no1/tourism.htm http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/tour/latam.html http://www.etcth.org/ http://www1.american.edu/TED/costa-rica-tourism.htm http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:Ecotourism Jeffrey B. Zeiger "Ecotourism: wave of the future". Parks & Recreation. FindArticles.com. 13 Apr, 2010. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1145/is_n9_v32/ai_19855026/