Lectures on Ecotourism

definitions of ecotourism

 responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of the local people

 traveling to relatively undisturbed natural areas with the specific objective of studying, admiring and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals


 nature base tourism that involves education and interpretation of the natural environment and is managed to be ecologically sustainable


two key words in defining eco-tourism
 conserve the environment
 improve the lives


other buzzwords or terms used for eco-tourism
 nature tourism
 adventure travel sustainable tourism
 sacred tourism
 green tourism
 responsible tourism
 cultural tourism
 multi-sport adventure
 community–based sustainable tourism


types of adventure
 hard
 soft

defining points of Martha Honey of ecotourism
 involves travel to natural destinations
 minimizes impact
 builds environmental awareness
 provides direct financial benefit for conservation
 provides financial benefit an empowerment of local people
 respects local culture
 supports human rights and democratic movements

motives and ethics behind eco-tourism
 is the environment being card for?
 Is there genuine effort to help local economies?
 Are resources being left intact for future generations?
 Is the local culture being honored and valued and not just photographed?

benefits of win-win ecotourism
 An enterprise with potential positive contributions to the conservation of endangered biological resources
 Raise awareness about the value of biological resources for better conservation practices
 Increase local participation in the benefits of biodiversity conservation
 Nature tourists bring and generate revenues which can be used in operating and protecting natural resources
 Increase appreciation in bio-diversity

issues in ecotourism
 Risks on unregulated ecotourism and pollution due to poor waste management system
 Distribution of benefits between the control of international travel agents and tourism industry vs. local communities who are often less advantaged in terms of economic benefit
 Perceptions such as fear that protected areas will become playgrounds for international tourists instead of being usd for farming
 Lack of information

pilot projects of DOT in year 2001-2003
 Bohol dolphin watching
 Ifugao – Rice Terraces Institutional Capacity Building for Banawe tour operators and guides
 Mt. Pinatubo Trekking
 Mt. Apo Signages, Davao

operating dimensions of CBST
 Political
 Social
 Cultural
 Economic
 Ecological

cultural assets in communities
 Meaning of your community name
 First families
 National symbols
 Flora and fauna
 Farming or fishing implements
 Natural wonders
 Traditional ways


suggested environmental ethics in nature tourism and mountaineering
 Prepare well with regards to route, food, clothing, first-aid etc

 Know the local practices, respect local customs and traditions


 While trekking into the wilderness avoid widening trails, use established trails
 Careful selection of the campsite at least 100 feet away from the water source

 Carry out all of non-biodegradable garbage. Bury only biodegradable trash. Pick up litters as you encounter.


 Use established latrines or make catholes 100 feet away from the water source for proper sanitation

 Minimize using soap in washing yourself or wash at least 100 feet away from water source


 Do everything you can to protect water source from contamination and lessen your impact on water sources

 Keep fires small or enjoy and experience a fireless evening and look at some stars.


 Avoid smoking if possible

 Minimize impact on the land with mountain bikes


 Blend with the camp and nature

 Keep group small


 Leave pest home

 Soft softly and gently, avoid shouting or rowdy games in natural environment


 Respect the solitude of others

 Join environmental outdoor organizations




qualities essential for effective tour guiding
 enthusiasm
 outgoing and approachable nature
 self-confidence
 proactive nature
 sensitivity
 flexibility
 authenticity
 pleasant, professional appearance
 sense of humor
 knowledge
 good communication skills
 organization
 decisiveness
 good health
 personal integrity
 charisma

ECOTOURISM INDUSTRY

1. Travel Agents
 Located throughout the world
 Markets retail travel industry products
 (have pot played a significant role in marketing ecotourism industry)

Note: in 1999 the use of internet shows more than 52 million online travelers with 54% increase over the previous year

2. Outbound Tour Operators (OTO)
 Are the ecotourism industry’s dominant marketing and sales organizations
 They create the brand name that sells the ecotourism products
 Markets destinations using four color brochures. Catalogues with photos of wildlife and ecosystems, World Wide Web Pages, in some cases through distribution of film, videotapes and CD-ROM disks
 Takes responsibility for selecting and packaging the tour products
 They must oversee the creation of itineraries to ensure that they will meet the market demand
 Handle all sales of the tour product and also handle most air arrangements to their clients through in-house travel agents
 They provide tourists with all the pre-departure information
 Responsible for traveler insurance and liability issues

Note: OTO requires extensive work with their inbound operators to ensure that guiding, business, conservation practices and host community relations concur with ecotourism guidelines

A growing number of non-profit organizations are successfully marketing tours to their members in partnership with the OTO

Tour Operator Responsibilities
 Build environmental and cultural awareness through information and education for clients
 Minimize impact on the environment
 Provide direct financial benefits for conservation
 Respect local cultures
 Support local business and service providers
 Provide local guide services and assists with training local guides
 Manage activities in a responsible manner, using local guidelines for visitor behavior
 Support parks and protected areas, paying entry fees at all times
 Work in cooperation with local NGOs and government to develop plans for visitor management that protects local people and the environment
 Avoid over-crowded, over-exploited destinations on itineraries and help develop lesser-known sites
 Offer site-sensitive accommodations
The International Ecotourism Society,
Ecotourism Guidelines for Nature Tour Operators, 1993

3. Inbound Tour Operators (ITO)
 Usually located in the major cities of destinations countries
 They handle multi-day group tours for OTO
 ITO can provide conference services or customize itineraries directly to the individual clients
 ITO in some cases own their own lodges or hotels which they use for their own clients
 ITO is responsible for ensuring that the trip is of high-quality and, particularly that the educational component meets the ecotourism standards
 ITO must have quality interpretive guides which is the key human resource that establishes an ITO as a top competitor in the market place
 They must select ground transportation services that are suitable in size for their groups
 They select restaurants that feature local cuisine and are owned by local entrepreneurs
 They must also work with local vendors to ensure that tourists have an opportunity to view and ideally purchase genuine local products, such as handicrafts
 Ensure that tourism products generates income for the conservation projects
 They must work with local communities at each destination site visited to ensure that host communities have proper opportunities to benefit from the tourism program and that appropriate guest-host interactions exist.

4. Ecolodges
 Reflect the creative initiative and entrepreneurialism of business pioneers, rather than large multi-national corporations
 Some cases are skilled entrepreneurs who have partnered with indigenous landowners to co-manage the wild land resources that tourists visit and the local people depend on
 Contributes towards maintaining official protected areas
 Large owners may be involved in long-term agreements with protected areas worldwide


Ecolodge Owner / Manager Responsibilities

 Design the lodge to reflect the local natural and cultural environment, using the principles of sustainable design and endemic design styles
 Use site planning to minimize the environmental impact of construction and to protect key natural features such as vegetation. Avoid use of non-renewable construction materials and use recycled building products whenever possible
 Design an operation ecolodge that will minimize use of natural and, particularly non-renewable resources. This could include energy and water reduction strategies but also a waste management plan that encourages reduction of excess waste through reuse and recycling.
 Work in collaboration with the local community and involved them in the planning of the ecolodge. Support the local economy and initiatives by contracting local service providers and buying local products. Offer local people employment that spans a wide range of responsibilities and incorporates them into management roles.
 Provide benefits to local conservation and research programs, either public or private.
 Work with government and local NGOs to develop long-term sustainable land-use plans.
 Offers visitors interpretive programs that will educate them about the local natural and cultural environment.
 Give clients the opportunity to contribute directly to the local development and environmental projects.
 Investigate the economic and legal aspects of developing the ecolodge and run it as a business. A facility that operates in contravention of the law or is not financially viable will not effectively contribute to the conservation of the natural environment or benefit the local community.

Adapted from Mehta et al,
International Ecolodge Guidelines, In Press