The Scope of Ecotourism

Eco-tourism is a sector of the international tourism industry, which showed the fastest growth rate since the mid-1990s. The value of this sector in the economy of a developing country like Ecuador is great, but it is difficult to measure with any degree of accuracy. According to the Travel Industry Association of America, 83 per cent of tourists from the United States willing to spend more environmentally responsible companies with (Szuchman, 2001). Tour operators in South America are just too ready to add the eco-label for their products to attract tourists concerned about environmental issues, but in reality few of the hotels meet recognized environmental certification standards. There is no generally accepted definition of eco-tourism, but it is more than just travel naturebased, and most places are still far from being uninhabited wilderness.
Wherever there are local communities, indigenous people should gain economic benefits in the long run from this tourism rather than excluded, as was often the case in national parks and protected areas in Africa, for example. You must accept the eco-tourism resources as it is, on the basis that this may limit the number of hits during a certain period, and the promotion of ethical behavior and responsibilities in the conduct of all those involved. If we apply the eco-tourism for Leiper's model for a system of tourism, and the touristgenerating - for example, the United Kingdom - have a life resources wild deficit and a big part of the demand, while Ecuador has an abundance, including many unique species of plants and animals. In the area of ​​generation will be motivated and ecotourist positions "responsible consumption towards products based on nature, and will be educated to a higher than average level. Many of the individual tourists are far from wealthy (although they may be seen as such by the host community) , and for them it is likely to be a "holiday of a lifetime", which involves months of preparation - stage in anticipation of the trip - and also remembers the experience to potential tourists others long after their return to their countries of origin. In the area of ​​destination, and the nature is the main attraction, while the ancillary services (housing, restaurants and guidelines) should be well managed and "environmentally friendly." participate in the learning experience is the main goal of the trip, while shopping facilities, night-time entertainment is less a concern than it is the case for other types of tourism. in the transit area, where tourists take trips "place, the ecotourist seeking ideally carriers locally owned and non-polluting modes of transport. This may be an option for internal travel, from, say, the tourist base upon his arrival to the country of destination to a national park or other protected areas to be visited.
However, eco-tourism destinations such as the Ecuadorian Amazon is almost by definition remote places, and link to it from generating areas such as Britain requires a trip halfway around the world by air. Since aircraft emissions are the main source of pollution, and possibly contribute to the "greenhouse effect", this is the weakest link in the argument that eco-tourism is a form "greener" for tourism. Click here to more details