The first global ecotourism conference was held in the capital city of Norway, Oslo in May 2007 and as expected was a grand success with more than four hundred and fifty participants that represented about seventy different countries which led to many positive outcomes. This global ecotourism conference was to have produced as one of its outcomes, the Oslo Statement on Ecotourism that was to list the main questions as well as challenges that are sure to be faced in the times to come, and also to make a commitment to strive continuously in improving ecotourism.

First Conference Following Declaration Of International Year Of Ecotourism

Being the first global ecotourism conference since the designation of the year 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism, this conference had the goal of reviewing and also celebrating the many achievements accomplished by the ecotourism industry and also to assess the future challenges that lay ahead.

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You may be glad to know that when former Vice President Al Gore won an Oscar for his documentary entitled “An Inconvenient Truth” the topic has now found its way into the minds and hearts of many more people today than would otherwise have happened. And, now may be the right time for us to pause and reflect on how we should travel. Even for the compulsive traveler, ecotourism is a wonderfully fresh and enervating way of spending free time and also showing responsibility in one’s travel.

Two Aspects To It – Theoretical And Practical

Though there is no definition of ecotourism that is universally accepted there are also some doubts whether ecotourism is about a pure concept, or is a term that is for public consumption. In theory, one may think of definition of ecotourism as a form of tourism in which the environment, local community as well as the visitor all are beneficiaries of such a form of tourism. However, in practice the term is used by tour operators to market their products and relates to any form of tourism that is associated with nature.

Thus, one will really need to have the right definition of ecotourism in mind which will envisage public interest in the environment and also conserves the resources which go into marketing ecotourism.

There have also been many conferences held as well as literature developed on ecotourism that have brought to the fore many principles to which ecotourism must adhere to, and which must be followed if we are to arrive at a proper definition of ecotourism. Some principals and also guidelines have been theories that are propounded by ‘armchair geographers’ that point to what perfect ecotourism could be, and they have come up with certain principles about what ideal ecotourism must look and feel like, and which can be used as a definition of ecotourism.

There are certain organizations that have taken upon themselves the mission to preserve the animals, plant as well as natural communities that are representative of our diverse life on this planet we call Earth, and one such organization is The Nature Conservancy, which is a leading conservation organization working globally to protect ecologically important lands as well as waters.

They too have a definition of ecotourism in mind, though another definition of ecotourism is the one set forth by Ceballos-Lascurain who was the first to make such a definition which goes like this “Tourism that evolves traveling to relatively undisturbed or uncontaminated areas with the specific objective of studying, admiring, and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals, as well as any existing cultural manifestations (both past and present) found in those areas”.

Another definition of ecotourism as set out by the International Society (TIES) is “Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people”.

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Ecotourism is perhaps very well known for encouraging eco-tourists to simply photograph the natural resources and leave their footprints at the places that they have visited. This is indeed a laudable aspect to ecotourism and a subject that should pass off quietly without much debate since almost everyone today would agree that we need to conserve our diverse natural resources and a good way to do so would be to leave it relatively untouched. However, everything in this world will give rise to difference of opinions, and perhaps it is almost unknown for everyone to agree about everything. Some may expound the benefits and there are sure to be many detractors as well.

Less Than Satisfactory State Of Affairs

There are a number of ecotourism debates that try to highlight the less than satisfactory state of affairs one experiences in ecotourism because such people feel that living in a capitalist society does not go hand in hand with doing much positive things for ecotourism and that not enough is being done with regard to conserving nature and providing significant benefits as well as conserving the host nation’s revenue and natural resources.

Such ecotourism debates are centered on the position that there is a ‘blue-green’ environmental spectrum in which even nature has a basic economic value. Such ecotourism debates raise the question that ecotourism has become a catch-all phrase to help market products and in the capitalist sense at least, cultures as well as societies are mere commodities that are to be consumed by external sources.

So, these ecotourism debates go on to take the position that eco-tourists are creating big economic as well as environmental and even social impacts through the simple process of merely arriving at an ecotourism destination that more often than not is in a developing country. Thus, there is hardly any perceivable difference between the eco-tourist and the mass tourist and the former do not have a great chance to minimize the impact that they are having during their ecotourism travels.

Furthermore, such an ecotourism debate goes on to take the position that novelty-seeking tourists are pursuing hedonistic aims that are more often than not no more than snobbishness and is nothing more than a mere pretence of roughing it out while on their travels. This may be seen as nothing more than a way of marking their social position in order to separate them from mass tourists. Denying them luxuries of mass tourism is no more than a need to demonstrate that they can live without such luxuries and only want to feel that they are not impacting nature as do the mass tourists.

Thus, while ecotourism debates rage on, it is nevertheless quite clear that in spite of the many problems, there is hardly any denying the fact that ecotourism does in fact encourage powers that be into at least thinking about conserving nature, though opinions will certainly differ on what need to be protected, and how as well as for whose benefit.

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There has been a lot of interest evinced on the subject of ecotourism and many case studies of ecotourism have been undertaken in different parts of the world for different locations and widely varying conditions in a bid to better understand what ecotourism is all about, and how best to improve it so that it can survive under any conditions.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park Is A Case In Point

A case in point is the case study of ecotourism that concerns the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Western Uganda, which is a good attempt at investigating how important and also how relevant is ecotourism and also to understand the awareness and understanding of ecotourism amongst local peoples of the area. Such a case study of ecotourism has a number of different purposes that include assessing the awareness as well as understanding of local peoples regarding ecotourism, assessing how has ecotourism contributed to the local population and finding out if the locals are indeed sensitized on ecotourism as well as the environment. In addition, such a case study of tourism must also delve into finding out whether people that are more educated have better understanding of ecotourism.

After making such case studies of ecotourism, it has been found that even though not many respondents were employed in tourism there was widespread support for ecotourism and conservation of wildlife. There was near unanimity that the idea of ecotourism was good and was well supported by the respondents and that ecotourism would generate income through selling of goods and services to tourists. However, there is a need to put an end to illegal activities that continues to exist even in spite of international interventions.

In any case, different case studies of ecotourism involving different destinations must highlight the potential of ecotourism as an activity that brings economic prosperity and which also will contribute towards a sustainable as well as social development of the host country, and which also promotes preservation of that country’s environmental as also cultural heritage, and at the same time ensures that local communities are also advantaged as a result of ecotourism.

Another good example of ecotourism is Belize, on which subject too there have been conducted many case studies of ecotourism, and this was among the pioneering countries to have embraced ecotourism which focused on attracting tourists to its own rich natural environment, which offered many attractions including diving for which divers came in great numbers regardless of any particular season of the year.

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There is considerable acrimony among proponents of mass tourism and those of ecotourism concerning various factors including travel safety as well as security and even global or regional schisms are developing. There are indeed many factors such as the rich vs. poor, developed vs. developing, economic vs. cultural values and of course terrorist vs. tourist that needs to be considered. The question is whether we will choose one side or is integration possible. Tourism is it mass tourism or ecotourism is certainly a vehicle that promotes better learning about different peoples and their cultures.

Making An Informed Decision

Nevertheless, there are certain differences between mass tourism and eco-tourism and we need to explore these to arrive at an informed decision about which one is better and also to learn how to improve both forms of tourism. Mass tourism will generally have its own characteristics that include concentration of high volume sales, shifting of large groups of tourists, full utilization of holiday packages and also development of huge transport systems and infrastructure, and marketing is more hedonistic.

On the other hand, differences between mass tourism and eco-tourism show that ecotourism is more nature based, low impact as well as small scale, promotes conservation, supports local communities, helps maintain natural and cultural integrity, and makes use of environmentally friendly methods as also technologies. Thus, one can easily see that there are major differences between mass tourism and eco-tourism and mass tourism is normally associated with high volumes, large scale, fast pace as well as hedonism, while ecotourism is small scale, nature centric as well as conservation oriented.

Whereas mass tourism has been around for a long time, ecotourism only began in the eighties and this is another one of the major differences between mass tourism and eco-tourism. Ecotourism aims at balancing economic development of tourism, and conservation as well as protecting the natural resources is central to it, while mass tourism is like a juggernaut that pays scant heed to any lofty ideals and is instead hell bent on churning profits and thus pays little attention to sustainable development, and as such, this is another of the many important differences between mass tourism and eco-tourism.

In addition, while considering the differences between mass tourism and eco-tourism one can also think of tourist destinations themselves that are either suited for one form of tourism and exclusive to the other. Take for instance the Pacific Islands that are ideally suited for ecotourism and not for mass tourism. Thus, one can easily understand that if ecotourism is uppermost in the minds of tourists, they will naturally gravitate towards such places, where there is little or nothing for the mass tourist type of traveler. Ecotourism may also take one to places where the climate as well as constraints of smallness make such destinations unsuited for mass tourism. Other such destinations that do not make for ideal mass tourism include Fiji, Tahiti, New Caledonia as well as the Cook Islands; though they do see some amount of mass tourism along with ecotourism, which of course is the primary form of tourism it is helping in leading to a more integrated type of tourism, which is thus narrowing down the differences between mass tourism and eco-tourism.

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Children ecotourism sounds like a somewhat odd mix of words. Usually, when ecotourism is mentioned the images that come to mind will be that of progressive adults who are weaving their progressive causes with plain, old fashioned vacation time. Such a description is somewhat limiting, however.

The reason for this is that ecotourism is not merely a vacation or leisure activity, it is an activity that can provide for tremendous personal growth. Additionally, this personal growth is not exclusive to adults, but it can benefit children as well. In fact, introducing children to ecotourism may prove a valuable investment in their future. (This has been dubbed by some as “The children ecotourism gambit) Unfortunately, there will be those who remain forever skeptical of anything with the words personal growth attached to it. This skepticism, however, would be harmful to the children ecotourism gambit.


Children ecotourism and personal growth

When the term personal growth is used, it often conjures up images of new age style pop psychology. This will, in some cases, draw a certain level of sneers from those who here the term. Part of the reason for this is that pop psychology movements have a tendency to be created from limited research and then what has been created is packaged for mass consumerism in the form of self help books, cds, etc.

While there is some benefit to such psychology, there will always be a negative cloud of a doubt of legitimacy thanks in part to the over commercialization of the product. This is really not the case in the ecotourism realm as ecotourism is based on a number of solid and sound principles that deal with a love for the environment and conservation. There is a value system at play here because a deep rooted understanding of ecotourism will create the impetus for developing personal growth through a dedication to a higher cause that is based in legitimate love as opposed to commercial gain.

As such, children ecotourism endeavors will help instill in young children value systems that provide a pathway to personal growth and maturity as their activities are based on a serious concern for maintaining a greater good in the natural world.
Children ecotourism activities are unique and fun and can be enjoyed by children of all ages. Additionally, there are a number of spiritual benefits children ecotourism ventures can provide. Because of this, it would be of great benefit to provide a child with an ecotourism activity as it will shape their lives forever.



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There is a lot to learn and know about ecotourism which is really a trend moving in the direction of preserving nature and which is rapidly gaining in strength and popularity the world over. Ecotourism is also quite new and has only been in existence for about two to three decades, and it plays an important role in both propagating social and also ecological consciousness in eco-tourists.

Trend Is Fast Catching On

There is much literature available about ecotourism which touches on subjects such as regional plant as well as wildlife as also native culture. And, the trend is fast catching on with the general public as well. The emphasis on ecotourism is that one should not exploit nature and its natural resources; rather, the focus is on conserving nature and protecting it from the ravages of modernization and finding ways to inform as well as educate people about possible dangers such as global warming and emission of greenhouse gases, not to mention endangering plant and animal lives.

One is also informed about ecotourism when one reads about exotic and far-off as well as remote regions becoming ecotourism destinations, and there are many of them spread all across the globe. Ecotourism is also a means of providing economic prosperity to local people and communities, and the continent of Africa has much to offer in this respect. The Dark Continent abounds in national parks and reserves and the wildlife and natural beauty is ideal for the promotion of ecotourism.

An ecotourism trip is significant in that it takes you to localized areas as well as those parts of the world whose environment is unique and which provides places of interest including places such as rainforests and also natural habitats of wildlife. The idea behind ecotourism and to which much importance is given, is that it is nice to leave the nature as untouched as possible and shooting pictures is much preferred to shooting big game.

You should also be clear about ecotourism and realize that it needs to be sustained and this can only be done by using eco-friendly means of constructing buildings, and also conserving the soil while providing the local communities a means to prosper thanks to their culture and environment.

So, having learnt a bit about ecotourism, there should be reason for you to consider it as a solution to your search for your next holiday destination that will benefit all of the players involved are they the natural biodiversity, the eco-tourist, the local community and most importantly, the environment. You can also think of it as being a once in lifetime opportunity because you may always have Disneyland to fall back on for a holiday, though chances are that the rainforests and suchlike may disappear if something serious is not done to protect them like taking an ecotourism holiday.

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Over the recent past couple of decades mankind has got to understand as well as appreciate the importance of a better and cleaner environment that has resulted in a greater impact on our lives today. Now, more and more tourists are becoming attracted to the new concept of ecotourism that is taking place as something of a new revolution in the way that we are thinking about taking our holidays.

A Welcome Departure From The Usual Tourism Hotspots

About twenty years ago, how we took our vacations used to follow a tried and tested path, which meant going to places based on interests and budgets. If we could find a place that was worth visiting and it did not cost more than what we could afford, then that was all there was to taking a holiday. But, with new concerns about our environment coming to the fore, there has been a gradual shift in position and rethinking has led to the beginning of ecotourism.

Basically, ecotourism is making a trip to locations that are environmentally significant as well as sensitive and though it is now gaining in popularity, has in fact been known to us in one form or another for quite some time. Excursions to watching birds is something we may all be familiar with and this is just one good example of what ecotourism is all about. We can even think of Charles Darwin’s trip to the Galapagos Islands as being the pioneering form of ecotourism.

Today, however this form of tourism is quite viable and it all really began in the early eighties though at that time its popularity was confined to small groups of people that showed their keenness in the environment. The popularity of ecotourism increased when in 2002 the United Nations declared it as being the Year of Ecotourism. There are many forms of ecotourism though generally it means visiting places that have one of a kind environment, and one can easily think of places such as rainforests, and also endangered animals’ habitats as good examples of such ecotourism destinations. It is also almost a custom to leave a tiny footprint when one visits such places.

Most ecotourism operators provide facilities, tours as well as allow you to interact with the habitat so that you come away better educated and also do not impact the habitat too adversely. Sustainability is another aspect to ecotourism and very often it has been seen that there are some places where there are people hell bent on exploiting these sensitive areas, which require giving jobs and putting money into the local economy to prevent such from happening.

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Since ecotourism means traveling responsibly there are many potential benefits of ecotourism that one can get and there will also be many improvements to the environment as also to the local economy. There is a wide gamut of possibilities that range from resorts catering to the sensitivity of the ecosystem as also stand-alone activities, a number of destinations all across the world are offering solutions so as to reduce the harm that we are doing to the environment and which at the same time provides tourists with enjoyment as well. This is perhaps the biggest benefit of ecotourism and which makes ecotourism a worthwhile experience.

Using Technologies And Principles Adhering To Eco-Friendly Methods

You can also see the benefits of ecotourism in the design and construction as well as maintenance of eco-resorts that use technologies and also principles adhering to eco-friendly methods that are throwing up a whole new industry in itself. Take for example the elevated buildings and walkways in the Caribbean that does not affect the ground vegetation.

With such means, there are also other benefits of ecotourism such as prevention of soil erosion and runoff that could otherwise harm the beaches as also the coral reefs. If the tools of ecotourism such as these are used well by local communities, there are sure to be many benefits of ecotourism accruing. Also, if we learn to recognize the importance of protecting biological diversity and properly regulate and manage these resources, we will benefit both the environment as well as see improved economic development.

With the current great boom in travel and tourism industry, and the possibility of channeling such tourism to take in ecotourism destinations there would be tremendous benefits of ecotourism reaped as seen in creating new employment, generating foreign exchange income as well as stimulating the economic development of the host country.

There is no doubt that the major benefits of ecotourism pertain to protection of the environment, though another benefit is that it can transform local communities in a most desirable manner. Direct recipients of the benefits of ecotourism are the local communities who must therefore play an important role in the planning, development as well as management of the process of ecotourism.

In fact, the main benefits of ecotourism can be categorized as economic, socio-economic as well as physical. Economic benefits are the most direct and are seen in better employment and more income. The socio-economic benefits are seen in responsible travel to natural areas thereby safeguarding the integrity of the ecosystem while also producing economic benefits to the local communities and encourage conservation. The physical benefits are seen when we learn to conserve our natural resources and preserve nature as best that we can.



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The term ecotourism was first brought to the attention of the world when a person named Hector Ceballos-Lascurain coined this word, which describes nature as being the focus of travel tourism which generally takes visitors to places that are relatively obscure and undisturbed, and where the focus of eco-tourists is to become more educated. It has now become a form of tourism that embraces culture, nature as well as leisure and some amount of adventure as well.

The basis of ecotourism is traveling to places of natural beauty and where the impact of tourism is minimal on the ecology and natural resources while at the same time building awareness of the environment and providing financial benefits to promote conservation. It also respects the culture of the local surroundings and communities, and emphasizes human rights rather than exploitation.

Ecotourism means becoming enlightened and participating in travel to experience the environments of different places and also to get a dose of culture as well as nature and to also promote tourism and also the welfare of the host country, and its resources are to be conserved rather than exploited, and so provides benefits to all the players involved in ecotourism.

Ecotourism, if we are to go by the World Tourism Organization’s information is the fastest growing market within the growing global tourism space, and ecotravel is being opted for as an alternative to mass tourism by more and more people worldwide.

Today, our society is becoming increasingly more aware of the need to conserve our ecology and natural resources, and along with being able to travel to exotic locales has drawn many more eco-travelers now than at any time in the past. And, even countries all across the globe are promoting their natural resources as well as their unique local tourism facilities so that more people choose ecotourism over mass tourism.

There are many businesses too that are engaging them in construction of camps and lodges as also trails and tours that facilitate the eco-tourist, and a continent that is particularly engaged in ecotourism is Africa mainly because of the many numbers of game parks and reserves that are ideally suited for ecotourism. With amazing wildlife, outstanding bird life as well as the many natural wonders, it is little wonder that countries in Africa are the most suitable destinations for ecotourism. Nearly every country on this wonderful continent has unique appeal and a trip to Africa for ecotourism will be sure to take pride of place in the hearts and minds of every eco-tourist.