Lecture (2):Ecotourism

Edited by
Dr. Yehia Shihata Elzek
PhD of Tourism Studies
Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, University of Sadat City
 Origins of Ecotourism
Ecotourism developed ‘within the womb’
of the environmental movement in the
1970s and 1980s. Growing environmental
concern coupled with an emerging
dissatisfaction with mass tourism led to
increased demand for nature-based
experiences of an alternative nature.
At the same time, less developed countries
began to realize that nature-based
tourism offers a means of earning foreign
exchange and providing a less destructive
use of resources.
Ecotourism exists within
the broader classification
of tourism types which, at
an initial level, can be
divided into the following
types:
1. Mass Tourism
2. Alternative Tourism
 Mass Tourism
Mass tourism refers to the
movement of a large number
of organised tourists to
popular holiday destinations
for recreational purposes. It
is a phenomenon which is
characterised by the use of
standardised package
products and mass
consumption.
 Alternative tourism
Alternative tourism can be
defined as ‘forms of tourism
that set out to be consistent
with natural, social and
community values and which
allow both hosts and guests
to enjoy positive and
worthwhile interaction and
shared experiences’.
 Ecotourism definition
• Traveling to relatively undisturbed or
uncontaminated natural areas with the
specific objective of studying, admiring,
and enjoying the scenery and its wild
plants and animals, as well as any
existing cultural manifestation (both
past and present) found in these areas.
• Responsible travel to natural areas
which conserves the environment and
improves the well-being of local people.
 Ecotourism definition

Ecotourism is nature-based
Travel to enjoy the world’s
tourism that involves
amazing diversity of
education and interpretation
natural life and human
of the natural environment
culture without causing
and is managed to
damage to either.
be ecologically sustainable.
Elements of Ecotourism
 1. Nature
Nearly all definitions of ecotourism include
the focus on the natural environment. This
focus is flexible and ranges from say, a biome
such as a rain forest and all that it includes to
a product that focuses on a single species.
Many ecotourism companies focus on certain
elements in nature, commonly referred to as
‘fauna/flora/liths’.
Fauna includes any animal species such as
whales, lions, birds and even insects. Flora
includes plant species, while liths are natural
formations, such as mountains and other
geographic features of interest.
 2. Education/Interpretation
• Ecotourism has an emphasis on education /
interpretation as one of its essential elements.
Effective interpretation reveals the complex
relationships found in nature. It also
encourages appropriate behavior, which
minimize human impact on the environment.
• Interpretations can be either off-site or on-
site. Offsite interpretation includes
guidebooks, information and images on
website, brochures or even word of
mouth. This is important as it influences the
visitor’s decision to visit the attraction. On site
interpretation includes guided tours
 3. Social
• It is important to involve the local
community and garner their support
and interest by making it ecotourism
activities beneficial to them. This is most
likely to lead to the protection of the
natural attractions. Another major aim
of ecotourism is to put money back into
the local community.
 4. Sustainability
• Sustainability calls for minimizing
impact on natural environment and/or
enhancing the ones that were degraded
in some aspect. This can be achieved by
providing visitors the opportunity to
give back to nature. They are
encouraged to participate in restoration
activities or provide donations to such
work. This approach promotes the
notion of the environment being
everyone’s responsibility.
 Principles and Guidelines
of Ecotourism
• Prepare travelers to minimize their
negative impact on sensitive
environments and cultures.
• Prepare traveler for each encounter
with local cultures and with native
animals and plants.
• Minimize visitors impacts on the
environment by offering literature
and briefing by example, and
taking corrective actions.
• Minimize traveler impact on
cultures by offering literature and
briefings by example, and taking
corrective actions.
• Maintain small groups to ensure
minimum group impact on
destination.
• Ensure managers, staff and
employees know and participate in
all aspects to prevent impacts on the
environment and local cultures.
• Give managers, staff and employees
access to programmes that will
upgrade their ability to
communicate with and manage
clients in sensitive natural and
cultural settings.
• Be a contributor to the conservation
of the region being visited.
• Provide competitive local
employment in all aspect of
business operation.
• Offer site-sensitive
accommodations that are not
wasteful of local resources or
destructive to the environment.
• Focuses on personally
experiencing natural areas in ways
that led to greater understanding
and appreciation.
Characteristics of Eco-Tourism
1) Involves travel to the
natural destination:
These destinations are often
remote areas, whether inhabited
or uninhabited, and are usually
under some kind of
environmental protection at the
national, international,
communal, or private travel.
2) Minimize impact:

Tourism causes damage.

Ecotourism strives to minimize the
adverse effects of hotels, trails, and
other infrastructure by using either
recycled or plentifully available
local building material, renewable
sources of energy, recycling and
safe disposal of waste and garbage,
and environmentally and culturally
sensitive architectural design.
3) Builds environmental
awareness:
Ecotourism means education,
for both tourist and residents of
nearby communities. Tour
operators should supply
travelers with reading material
about the country, environment,
and local people. Ecotourism
projects should also help
educate members of
surrounding communities,
schoolchildren, and the broader
public in the host country.
4) Provides direct
financial benefits for
conservation:
Ecotourism helps raise
funds for environmental
protection, research, and
education through a
variety of mechanisms,
including park entrance
fees; tour company,
hotel, airline, and airport
taxes and voluntary
contributions.
5) Provides financial
benefits and empowerment
for local people:
The local community must
be involved with and
receive income and other
tangible benefits (potable
water, roads, health clinics,
etc.) from the conservation
area and its tourist facilities.
6) Respects local culture:
Ecotourism is not only
“greener” but also less
culturally intrusive and
exploitative than
conventional tourism.
Ecotourism strives to be
culturally respectful and
the human population of a
host country.
7) Supports human rights
and democratic movements:
The United Nations-
sponsored World Tourism
Organization proclaims that
tourism contributes to
“international understanding,
peace, prosperity, and
universal respect for and
observance of human rights
and fundamental freedoms for
all.
 Ecotourist
The word ecotourist is derived from the
term ecotourism.
- People who require environmentally
compatible recreational opportunities, where
nature rather than humanity predominates.
- A person who goes on an organized
holiday that is designed so that the tourist
damages the environment as little as
possible, especially when some of the
money they pay is used to protect the local
environment and animals
 Characteristics of Ecotourists
• Ecotourists are not interested in lounging by
hotels pools or hectic sightseeing schedules.
They are interested in visiting wilderness,
national parks, and tropical forests, and in
viewing birds, mammals, trees and wildflowers.
• They want to experience new lifestyles and meet
people with similar interests to themselves and
they want to see their traveling dollars
contributing toward conservation and benefiting
the local economy.
• Ecotourists can be generally characterized as
having higher than average incomes, largely
holding tertiary qualifications and there tend to
be more female ecotourists than men.