Ecotourism must take into account social, environmental and economic factors in
order to be effective.
Ecotourism is a subcategory of sustainable tourism. The perceived assurance of
ecotourism as a longer investment tool is the main indication of why emerging economies are
now embracing it and integrating it into their conservation strategies and economic
development.
Ecotourism is defined as an environmentally sustainable activity, that is, tourism
focused on a natural experience which promotes the social and economic development of
surrounding communities and is designed as an activity of visiting the natural areas. It
emphasizes on the experience and understanding of the natural surroundings, their
habitats, their flora, fauna and their landscape, including cultural objects (Sabuhoro et al.,
2020).
A symbiotic and nuanced interaction between the surroundings and touristic activities
is achievable when ecosystem is transformed into an efficient policy, tactful practice and
careful planning. Carefully planned and operated ecotourism sites may provide direct profits
that can minimize the effect of other relatively less sustainable cultural and environmental
activities (Ghosh and Ghosh, 2019).
Ecotourism leads to natural resources restoration or preservation and encourages
cultural and natural resources stewardship. The local population thus profits economically
and socially and contributes to the long-term sustainability of a project. Cultural and
environmental education is incorporated into ecotourism.
By providing local communities a more stable additional source of
revenue, ecotourism leads to socioeconomic sustainability. Its mission is the conservation of
resources, especially biological diversity, and efficient use of resources while maintaining the
development and environmental benefits of travellers. The achievement of ecotourism
targets, however, is dependent on their ecological and environmental efficacy, as well as their
economic viability. Ecotourism helps local governments to involve themselves in protecting
the environment and biodiversity of the area, which in turn provides the local population with
economic benefits.
References
Ghosh, P. and Ghosh, A., 2019. 'Is ecotourism a panacea? Political ecology perspectives from
the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, India', GeoJournal 84(2): 345-366.
Lowe, J., Tejada, J.F.C. and Meekan, M.G., 2019. 'Linking livelihoods to improved
biodiversity conservation through sustainable integrated coastal management and
community based dive tourism: Oslob Whale Sharks', Marine Policy 108: 1-11.
Sabuhoro, E., Wright, B.A., Powell, R.B., Hallo, J.C., Layton, P.A. and Munanura, I.E.,
(2020). 'Perceptions and behaviors of Indigenous populations regarding illegal use of
protected area resources in East Africa's Mountain Gorilla Landscape', Environmental
Management 65(3): 410-419.
Snyman, S. and Bricker, K.S., 2019. 'Living on the edge: benefit-sharing from protected area
tourism', Journal of Sustainable Tourism 27(6): 705-719.