ECO-TOURISM (1) Distribution of Ecotourism in Protected Areas

According to The Oxford English Dictionary, the Three Types of Areas

word “ecotour” was first recorded in 1973, followed
by “ecotourism” in 1982. 1. Heavily developed sites, or sacrificial space
2. Immediate hinterland
There, the word is defined as, “Tourism to areas of 3. Transportation corridors and other access
ecological interest (typically exotic and often roads
threatened natural environments), especially to
support conservation efforts and observe wildlife; MODIFIED AREAS
spec. access to an endangered environment Modified Spaces
controlled so as to have the least possible adverse
effect.” Based on natural environment "or some element
thereof", provide ecotourism experiences in
Ecotourism was perhaps best defined in 1990 by extensively modified venues
Megan Epler Wood, the co-founder of The
International Ecotourism Society (TIES) and author 1. Enrich learning
of six influential books on the subject. 2. Occupies a very large and expanding
portion of the world's land area
A BRIEF HISTORY OF ECOTOURISM 3. Divert pressure away from vulnerable
Ecotourism’s earliest origins arguably began with natural environments
the Sierra Club’s Outing program. Launched in Agricultural Land
1901, these annual expeditions took hikers into the
Sierra Nevada’s backcountry in order to show  Food-producing lands
members natural wonders, “so that those persons  Occupies about half of the world’s land
could become active workers for the preservation of surface
the forests.”
Urban space
The modern movement began to take root in the
environmental activism of the 1970s. Some sources  Municipal parks, cemeteries, and golf
suggest that the term ecotourism was originally courses
coined by Mexican architect-turned-  Offers diverse wildlife habitat
environmentalist Héctor Ceballos-Lascuráin. He  Remnants natural spaces that harbor wildlife
used the word to describe traveling to undisturbed Artificial wetlands
areas in order to enjoy their natural beauty and
culture.  Irrigation, dams
 Often attracts enormous variety of wildlife
THE PRINCIPLES OF ECOTOURISM
 Eventually resemble a natural, undisturbed
Ecotourism is essentially all about bringing habitat in their complexity
nature/wildlife conservationists, local communities,
Artificial reefs
and the responsible travel industry together to
ensure development focused on long-  Unintentional or intentional
term sustainability rather than short-term profits.  Shipwrecks or other solid materials
The goal is to develop tourist accommodations,  Artificial reefs for improving habitat of
activities, and attractions that benefit everyone commercial fish population
involved– the local flora/fauna, the local people, Wasteland
travel industry stakeholders, and travelers alike.
 Most modified and degraded sites have
ECO-TOURISM(2) ecotourism potential
 Devastated areas by war, mining,
deforestation, storage of contaminated
materials, overgrazing

ECO-TOURISM (3)

Principles and Guidelines of Ecotourism

Ecotourism attracts people who wish to interact with

the environment and, in varying degrees, develop
their knowledge, awareness, and appreciation of it. 
The Ecotourism Society gives the principles and
guidelines of ecotourism. These are following as:
Prepare travelers to minimize their negative impact
while visiting sensitive environments and cultures
before departure.
Prepare traveler for each encounter with local
cultures and with native animals and plants.
Minimize visitors impacts on the on the environment
by offering literature, briefing, leading by example,
and taking corrective actions.
Minimize traveler impact on cultures by offering
literature, briefings, leading by example, and taking
corrective actions.
Use adequate leadership, and maintain small
enough groups to ensure minimum group impact on
destination. Avoid areas that are under-managed
and over-visited.
Ensure managers, staff and contract employees
know and participate in all aspects of company
policy to prevent impacts on the environment and
local cultures.
Give managers, staff and contact 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, which provide ample opportunity for
learning about the environment and sensitive
interchange with local communities.
Focuses on personally experiencing natural areas in
ways that led to greater understanding and
appreciation
Characteristics of Eco-Tourism
Ecotourism is travel to fragile, pristine, and usually
protected areas that strives to be low impact and
(often) small scale. It helps educate the traveler,
provides funds for conservation, directly benefits the
economic development and political empowerment
of local communities, and fosters respect for
different cultures and for human rights.
Some important characteristics of ecotourism are
following as:
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. Well before the tour begins,
tour operators should supply travelers with reading
material about the country, environment, and local
people, as well as a code of conduct for both the
traveler and the industry itself. 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. Ecotourism holds that national parks
and other conservation areas will survive only if,
there are happy people around the perimeters. 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. Whereas
prostitution, black markets, and drug often are
byproducts of mass 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.
Such sentiments, however, are little reflected in
conventional mass tourism. In this way, ecotourism
supports humans rights and, to establish
international peace.
Functions of Ecotourism
Eco-tourism is nature-based, environmentally In the very strong definition, all three elements
educated and sustainably managed. Ross and Wall should be equally considered, but with less
(1999) outline the five fundamental functions of emphasis on the economic aspects of ecotourism.
ecotourism namely:
COMPONENTS OF ECOTOURISM
1. Protection of natural areas
2. Education THE NATURAL-BASED COMPONENT
3. Generation of money An area dedicated primarily to the protection and
4. Quality tourism enjoyment of natural or cultural heritage, to
5. Local participation maintenance of biodiversity, and /or maintenance of
Segments of ecotourism ecological life-support services.

1. Ecotourism in wild life ACTIVITIES OF ECOTOURISM IN A NATURAL

2. Eco adventure travels SETTING
3. Sustainable tourism  Activities dependent on nature (bird
4. Responsible tourism watching)
5. Nature base travels  Activities enhanced by nature (camping)
6. Green travels  Activities where the natural setting is
7. Cultural tourism incidental (swimming)
Ecotourism Management An Overview (4)
GENERALIZED TYPES OF RECREATION
The popular appearance of ecotourism in the late ACTIVITY:
1960s was treated as a panacea to all tourism-
Kinetic experiences were non-mechanically
related problems in the destination areas. Its powered activities such as hiking, diving, swimming
popularity claimed to be associated with the:
Situation-based experience entail a strong
 general search for natural attractions during association with the destination as a unique
a holiday characteristic
 eagerness to achieve sustainable
development by any means A substitution or aesthetic experience includes
 Potential employment opportunities in observation of natural phenomena, for example bird
natural areas watching
 Shift towards planning in protected areas
LOCAL ISSUES
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITIONS OF ECOTOURISM Involvement of the host community
Ecotourism was first defined as ‘traveling to There are at least five areas where local people can
relatively undisturbed or uncontaminated natural help to bring about nature tourism activities:
areas with the specific objective of studying, information gathering, consultation, decision
admiring, enjoying the scenery and its wild plants making, initiating action and evaluation
and animals, as well as any existing cultural
manifestations found this area. Multiplier effect increases through improved
employment and higher earnings of the local
TRADE-OFF TECHNICAL DEFINITIONS OF population
ECOTOURISM
EDUCATIONAL IMPACTS
In the very weak definition, the core emphasis could
be given to the natural-based component. Education and interpretation have to be the
foundation and this should aim to include the local
In the weak definition, the core emphasis could be community and both domestic and international
given mainly to the natural-based component and to travelers
a lesser degree on the educational and
sustainability components. Provide onsite educational programmes at the
destinations
In the strong definition, a definition could stress the
measurement of the basis of ecotourism practices in ECOTOURISM MANAGEMENT
both protected and non- protected areas, which CONSIDERATIONS: IMPACTS PERSPECTIVE
generates a high level of
education/conservation/economic/social/cultural Governments and non-governmental organizations
benefit to the destination. around the world are developing and promoting
ecotourism in protected areas to benefit local
communities and to help preserve the environment
and different ecosystems

Be integrated in the planning and development of

ecotourism projects at an early stage

Evaluation of the knowledge of ecotourism impacts

can be considered by understanding the host
community’s sensitivity of the positive and negative
environmental, economical and social impacts of
ecotourism

ECONOMIC IMPACTS

1. DIRECT impacts are those arising directly

from tourist spending
2. INDIRECT impacts are those such as when
a restaurant is purchasing supplies in order
to cater to tourist
3. INDUCED impacts are those such as when
an employee who works in a restaurant buy
goods and services from wages earned

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

Ecotourism is usually concentrated in sensitive and

unique environments.

ECOTOURISM MANAGEMENT
CONSIDERATIONS: A MARKETING
PERSPECTIVE

SOCIAL IMPACT

People from different cultures and societies meet

and especially when tourism development takes
place it becomes more noticeable

The process of planning and executing the

conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of
ideas, goods, and services to create and maintain
exchanges that satisfy individual, organizational,
and societal goals in the systemic context of global
environment.

Four Ps- product, place, price and promotion

ECOTOURISM MANAGEMENT
CONSIDERATIONS: A DEMARKETING
PERSPECTIVE

1. GENERAL DEMARKETING required when

an organization wants to shrink the level of
total demand
2. SELECTIVE DEMARKETING required when
a company wants to discourage the demand
coming from certain customer classes
3. OSTENSIBLE DEMARKETING involves the
appearance of trying to discourage demand
as a device to actually increase it