Ecotourism

1. Ecotourism
Week 1 - The Nature of Ecotourism

2. Outline
• What is ecotourism? The limits of definition
• Ecotourism: its relationship to mainstream
tourism and ‘alternative tourisms’.
• The philosophical basis of ecotourism: ecology
and human ecology.
• Problems and potentials: feeling good or
genuinely doing good through tourism.

3. Learning Outcomes
• To understand what ecotourism is and how it
interacts with other with other sectors, including the
mainstream tourism industry.
• To examine and understand the problems associate
with ecotourism definitions and how this affects
estimates of is growth potential.

4. Ecotourism in Images:
‘Return to paradise’ syndrome.

5. Ecotourism in Images:

6. Ecotourism in Images:
Doing good
and/or
feeling good?
Mediating between modern
tourist requirements and the
natural world.

7. Exercise and Discussion
– What does ecotourism mean to you? What do
you think of when you hear the term ecotourism?
Is it different from the images and words we have
just examined?
– Do you have an image of the kind of person who
is an ecotourist? Are you an actual, or potential
ecotourist? What attracts/repels you in the idea?

8. What is Ecotourism?

9. environmentally responsible, enlightening travel
and visitation to relatively undisturbed natural areas in order to
enjoy and appreciate nature (and any accompanying cultural
features both past and present) that promotes conservation,
has low visitor impact, and provides for beneficially active socio-
economic involvement of local populations”
(Ceballos-Lascurain, 1987)
“Ecotourism
“Ecotourism is a sustainable form of natural resource-based
tourism that focuses primarily on experiencing and learning
about nature, and which is ethically managed to be low-impact,
non-consumptive, and locally oriented (control, benefits, and
scale). It typically occurs in natural areas, and should contribute
to the conservation or preservation of such areas”.
(Fennell, D., 1999 p.43)

10. ● Elements of definition:
– Responsible travel
(UNWTO code)
– Natural areas and nature
– Conservation oriented
– Local community
oriented
The International Ecotourism
Society Definition

11. http://www.ecotourism.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_y55iQSb2k
Video

12. From principles to
inculcating a mindset
in tourism

13. Components of Ecotourism
• The natural-based component
• Sustainability component
• Educational component

14. Exercise and Discussion
– How would you define ‘Ecotourism'? – write
down a short definition, make sure to include its
‘principles and components’.

15. Ecotourism and Mainstream Tourism
• Ecotourism is often seen as being in some kind of
‘opposition’ to mainstream tourism.
• It is not the only kind of tourism to be opposed to
mainstream tourism
• Several kind of tourism are seen as alternatives to
mainstream tourism
– Each has its own distinguishing feature, which
marks it out from the mainstream

16. Alternative Tourism
• How do each of these forms of tourism mark themselves
out as different from mainstream
• Are there any problems with this mass vs alternative view

17. Features of Alternative Tourism
• Preservation and enhancement of resource based of
tourism
• Fostering and promotion of development of
destination sympathetic to local area and community.
• Minimize impacts on the environment.
• Dual emphasis on environmental and cultural
sustainability.
• Ecotourism ‘inherits’ each of these properties and
adds its own ‘natural world’ orientation.

18. Ecotourism and Nature
● Not all 'nature-based tourism' is ecotourism
● Activities of ecotourism in a natural setting:
– Are dependent on nature (e.g. watching wildlife)
– Are enhanced by nature (e.g. walking, camping)
– Use nature as a setting (e.g. zip wire rides, swimming)
● Ecotourism adds a conservationist, low-impact,
community-oriented, etc. dimension to nature-
based tourism (see next slide).

19. Relationship o
ecotourism to o
forms of touris

20. Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism
● Environmentally
sustainable tourism:
– Tourism developed and
maintained in an area so
that it is viable over an
indefinite period and does
not degrade or alter the
environment in such a way
that it inhibits development
or the well-being of other
activities and processes.
– An essential aim of
ecotourism (it may not
always succeed); but may
be true of other forms of
tourism.

22. Ecotourism and Ecology
● The 'eco' in ecotourism relates to the science of
ecology:
– Recognition that the natural environment (living and
non-living) forms a complex system (or set of
systems), whose elements are interdependent.
– Human interventions may disrupt the balance and
functioning of these systems.

23. Make a distinction between popular
images of ecology and ecology as
a disciplined science. It is important
that ecotourism practices are
based on sound evidence, rather
than a 'green' image.

24. Ecotourism and Ecology
● Ecology also recognises that human society is part
of the 'natural system'.
– Societies, cultures and ways of life may also be
disrupted by outside interventions – with knock-on
effects on the ecosystems in which they are
embedded.
– Ecology also tries to understand traditional ways of
life and their contribution to the functioning of the
'natural system'.
● This aspect is reflected is reflected in
ecotourism's concern with local communities and
their traditional ways of life.

25. Ecotourism: local communities and
ways of life.

28. Ecotourism: Summing Up
● It involves travel to relatively undisturbed or
protected natural areas.
● It is nature-based, and concerned with the flora,
fauna, geology and ecosystems of an area (and
with local communities).
● It is conservation-led, and is based on
environmental and cultural awareness. This may
involve direct involvement in local projects.
● It is educative (scientifically or culturally),
ecotourists seek to add to their understanding of
the world.

29. Group Exercise
● As a group, we will explore a set of websites
offering ecotourism products.
● For each website and ecotourism product, we
will try to assess whether the product meets
the definitions of ecotourism we have
discussed.
● We have 4 products to examine, 2 in Africa, 1
in Nepal and 1 in India.

31. http://www.dolmatours.com/ http://www.dolmafund.org/

32. http://www.maasaiwilderness.org/our-programs/tourism-wildlife-pay

33. http://www.inntravel.co.uk/holidays/community-tourism/how-our-holidays-work
http://www.inntravel.co.uk/Destinations/India/Village-Ways