The Spread of Ecotourism: Some Planning Implications

Abstract

The idea of ecotourism is being promoted and supported, by growing numbers of people and groups in different parts of the world, as a major means of dealing with the damaging effects of tourism. Yet the meaning of the term varies among different people, projects, and places. Evidence from national parks, where this type of tourism has been promoted for many years, shows that such tourism can cause substantial long-term cumulative changes in environment. Concepts such as ecotourism, green tourism, and sustainable tourism development, are general in their nature and have to be described, planned, and assessed, in detail on the ground in terms of the socioeconomic and environmental conditions applying in different places. In this respect, careful planning and management procedures are needed not only for ecotourism but indeed for all forms of tourism.

Modeling Distribution and Abundance of Antarctic Baleen Whales Using Ships of Opportunity

“…Wilderness-based tourism is a global and growing industry (Nelson 1994). More than 10 000 tourists now visit Antarctica annually on expedition-style natural history cruises aboard small, icestrengthened ships (International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators 2000).…”

Ecotourism and the Conservation Ethic: Recruiting the Uninitiated or Preaching to the Converted?

“…However, some critics have suggested that ecotourism is just as damaging to the natural environment as mass tourism. Rather than providing a solution to the impacts of tourism, it will simply exacerbate them by encouraging increased use of natural areas and greater penetration into sensitive environments (Butler, 1990;Nelson, 1994;Steele, 1995;Wheeller, 1993).…”

Promoting community ecotourism enterprises in common property regimes : a stakeholder analysis and geographic information systems application in Ejido X-Maben in central Quintana Roo, Mexico

“…Mastny (2002) reports one study which found that in 1992 as many as 60 percent of international tourists traveled to experience nature, while 40 percent traveled specifically to observe wildlife in natural areas, such as bird watching and whale watching. Ecotourism developed in the late 1960s during a time of heightened concern about the effects of economic growth on wildlife, natural areas and all aspects of the environment (Nelson, 1994). It began with the principle o f taking environmental processes into consideration when deciding on location, intensity and other characteristics of land-use change.…”

“…It began with the principle o f taking environmental processes into consideration when deciding on location, intensity and other characteristics of land-use change. The main focus was initially to reduce deforestation, pollution, erosion and loss of habitat (Nelson, 1994). However, in the 1980s the concept of sustainable development was introduced with the publication of the World…”

“…Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) (Nelson, 1994). The WCED defined sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (Hall & Lew, 1998).…”