Ecotourism

M.M.C.B Ehelamalpe

Ecotourism- DefinitionEcotourism is now defined as "responsible

travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education" (TIES, 2015).  Education is meant to be inclusive of both staff and guests.

Principles of EcotourismEcotourism is about uniting conservation,

communities, and sustainable travel. This means that those who implement,

participate in and market ecotourism activities should adopt the following ecotourism principles:

Minimize physical, social, behavioral, and psychological impacts.

Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect.

Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts.

Provide direct financial benefits for conservation.

Generate financial benefits for both local people and private industry.

Deliver memorable interpretative experiences to visitors that help raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climates.

Design, construct and operate low-impact facilities.

Recognize the rights and spiritual beliefs of the Indigenous People in your community and work in partnership with them to create empowerment

ConservationOffering market-linked long-term solutions, ecotourism provides effective economic incentives for conserving and enhancing bio-cultural diversity and helps protect the natural and cultural heritage of our beautiful planet.

CommunitiesBy increasing local capacity building and

employment opportunities, ecotourism is an effective vehicle for empowering local communities around the world to fight against poverty and to achieve sustainable development.

InterpretationWith an emphasis on enriching personal experiences

and environmental awareness through interpretation, ecotourism promotes greater understanding and appreciation for nature, local society, and culture.

 

Segments of Ecotourism

Ecotourism in wildlifeEco Adventure travelsSustainable tourismResponsible tourismNature base travelsGreen travelsCultural tourism

Ecotourism in wildlifeWildlife tourism can be an eco and animal friendly

tourism, usually showing animals in their natural habitat. Wildlife tourism , in its simplest sense, is watching wild animals in their natural habitat.

Eco Adventure travels

Eco adventure is the combination of adventurous activity with environmentally responsible awareness.

floating a raging river soaring through the tree canopy

Sustainable tourismAny form of tourism that does not reduce the

availability of resources and does not inhibit future travelers from enjoying the same experience.

If the presence of large numbers of tourists disturbs an animal's mating patterns so that there are fewer of that species in the future then that visit was not sustainable.

Responsible tourismTourism which operates in such a way as to minimize negative impacts on the environment.

A wilderness camping trip using "leave no trace" ethics would be considered responsible tourism while dune buggy tours would not.

Nature based tourismA more generic term for any activity or travel experience with a focus on nature.

Remote jungle lodges fall into this category as do cruise ships to view penguins in Antarctica.

These types of trips may or may not be environmentally sustainable or responsible.

Green tourismOften used inter-changeably with eco-tourism

and sustainable tourism but more accurately described as "any activity or facility operating in an environmentally friendly fashion".

A lodge with composting toilets, gray water system, and solar powered lighting is probably "green".

Cultural tourismInteracting with, understanding and learning about unique cultures is the focus of this style of trip.

The concept of learning from other cultures to broaden ones’ perspective is usually a core value.

Ecotourism and Tea industry

In the context of tea industry in Sri Lanka, ecotourism has been recognized as an economically viable, environmentally friendly and socially acceptable non-crop diversification mechanism to increase profits.

Natural resource managementNatural resource management can be utilized as a

specialized tool for the development of ecotourism. There are several places throughout the world where

the amount of natural resources are abundant. But, with human encroachment and habitats these

resources are depleting. Without knowing the proper utilization of certain resources they are destroyed and floral and faunal species are becoming extinct.

Ecotourism programmers’ can be introduced for the conservation of these resources. Several plans and proper management programmes can be introduced so that these resources remain untouched.

Negative impactOne definition of ecotourism is "the practice

of low-impact, educational, ecologically and culturally sensitive travel that benefits local communities and host countries”. Many of the ecotourism projects are not meeting these standards. Even if some of the guidelines are being executed, the local communities are still facing other negative impacts.

including forcing people to leave their homes, gross violations of fundamental rights, and environmental hazards—far outweigh the medium-term economic benefits

Most forms of ecotourism are owned by foreign investors and corporations that provide few benefits to local communities. (No reinvestment into the local economy or environmental protection.)

Displacement of peopleThreats to indigenous culturesMismanagement

Environmental hazardsThe industrialization, urbanization, and

unsustainable agriculture practices of human society are considered to be having a serious effect on the environment.

Ecotourism is now also considered to be playing a role in this depletion.

These invasions often include deforestation, disruption of ecological life systems and various forms of pollution, all of which contribute to environmental degradation.

Environmental hazards…The number of motor vehicles crossing the

park increases as tour drivers search for rare species. The number of roads has disrupted the grass cover which has serious effects on plant and animal species.

These areas also have a higher rate of disturbances and invasive species because of all the traffic moving off the beaten path into new undiscovered areas.

Thank You