ECO-TOUR

courtesy : ECO-TOUR

ECO-TOURISM

Eco-tourism has emerged as one of the most important sectors of the international tourism industry. The United Nations, recognizing eco-tourism’s potential role in sustainable development, has declared 2002 the “International Year of Eco-tourism.”

At its best, eco-tourism is responsible travel to natural areas that safeguards the integrity of the ecosystem and produces economic benefits for local communities that can encourage conservation. At the nexus of population and the environment, eco-tourism is a creative way of marrying the goals of ecological conservation and economic development.

Unfortunately, while some eco-tourism projects succeed in promoting both of these causes, others are less successful. Environmental deterioration and inequitable development may in some cases actually be exacerbated by eco-tourism. To ensure that eco-tourism fulfills its promise, policymakers, promoters, and participants should make sure that all tourism activities have minimal environmental impact, that such development is welcomed by local communities, and that it promotes stable and equitable economic development.

This fact sheet is designed to offer more insight into eco-tourism’s potential upside and downside as a development scheme.

A Booming Industry

• Rising numbers. The eco-tourism industry, which is growing rapidly, has emerged as one of the most important sectors of the international tourism industry, making up 7 percent of the world tourism market (see figure). In the Asia-Pacific region alone, eco-tour operators report growth rates of 10 percent to 25 percent a year. Demand for quality eco-tourism destinations will continue to grow as urban congestion, pollution, crowding, and concern for the natural environment all increase.
• More money. Many developing countries with established eco-tourism destinations have seen the number of eco-tourists, and the money they spend during their visits, dramatically increase over the last several years. In Costa Rica, the number of foreign tourists visiting national parks rose 330 percent in the six years between 1985 and 1991. Zimbabwe’s international tourist arrivals, dominated by eco-tourists, have increased threefold, while receipts from tourism quadrupled between 1985 and 1994. Direct economic contributions from park entrance fees in developing countries have been conservatively estimated to be between US$2 billion and US$12 billion annually. When indirect expenditures on such items as hotel rooms, rental cars, and food are included, eco-tourists spend between US$93 billion and US$233 billion annually in developing countries.
• New investments. Many developing countries, boasting large, intact tropical ecosystems, pristine beaches, and archeological ruins, are eager to carve out a niche in this multibillion-dollar industry. Countries are investing in eco-tourism as a means of attracting foreign capital to propel economic development. Representatives of five Central American governments have formed a consortium, “Mundo Maya” (Mayan World), to promote visits to their cultural and natural attractions.

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#A Booming Industry

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