THE CONCEPT OF ECO-TOURISM

 Ecotourism is a relatively new concept, and it is still

often misunderstood or misused .

 The term was first heard in the 1980s, Ecotourism was

coined by Hector Ceballos-Lascurain in Mexico City
in 1983.
 Ceballos-Lascurain “travelling to relatively
undisturbed or uncontaminated areas with the specific
object of studying, admiring, and enjoying the scenery,
its wild plants and animals, as well as any existing
cultural manifestations found in these areas”.
 The (International) Ecotourism Society in 1990:
Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the
environment and improves the well-being of local
people.

Most recently (1999), Martha Honey;

 Ecotourism is travel to fragile, pristine and usually

protected areas that strives to be low impact and
(usually) 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.
 In 1996 by the World Conservation Union (IUCN)
which describes ecotourism as:

 Environmentally responsible travel and visitation to

natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature
(and any accompanying cultural features, both past
and present) that promote conservation, have a low
visitor impact and provide for beneficially active socio-
economic involvement of local peoples.
 TERMINOLOGY AND EVOLUTION OF ECOTOURISM

 Ecotourism is a late 20th-century compounded from

eco- and tourism.
 According to the Oxford English Dictionary, ecotour
was first recorded in 1973 and ecotourism, "probably
after ecotour", in 1982.
 Ecotour, n ... A tour of or visit to an area of ecological
interest, usually with an educational element.
 Ecotourism, n ... Tourism to areas of ecological interest
(typically exotic and often threatened natural
environments), esp. to support conservation efforts and
observe wildlife; specially access to an endangered
environment controlled so as to have the least possible
adverse effect.
 Ecotourism has brought the promise of

 Achieving conservation goals, improving the well-being

of local communities and generating new business.
 TRENDS LEADING TO ECOTOURISM
1. Increases in the overall travel market.

2. Growth in popularity of vacations to natural areas –

particularly dramatic growth rates to parks in
developing countries

3. Massive dissatisfaction with the simplistic travel

packages offered by travel firms and a desire for more
educative and challenging vacations

4. Urgent need to generate funding and human resources

for the management of protected areas in ways that meet
the needs of local rural populations.
5. Recognition of the importance of tourism within the
field of sustainable development.

6. Provide employment and other avenues of income to

rural communities where ecotourism resources are
often located
ECOTOURISM ATTRACTION/ BASIC ELEMENTS

 There are 3 categories of Ecotourism attractions:

• Focal
• Complementary
• Support
 Focal Attractions
 They are the most distinctive and relevant elements
of the natural and/or cultural heritage found in an
ecotourism destination or region.
• Complementary Attractions
 They also correspond to elements of natural and/or
cultural heritage which are found in a specific area,
but which do not possess the same importance.
• Support Attractions
 They are those artificial elements (facilities and
services) that provide satisfaction to the visitor,
facilitating his visit.

 They include: Eco lodges, restaurants, interpretive

centre, nature trails, docks, look-out points, horse
riding and boat riding services, Eco tour operators, etc.
 They are never the main reason for an ecotourism

visiting a specific destination or region, but they

constitute an indispensable element.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ECOTOURISM
 Agritourism; is a form of ecotourism that brings
tourists and visitors to farms, ranches, and even
vineyards in order to engage in agricultural activities.
 Activities include planting, cultivating and harvesting
crops, and feeding animals, among other things.
 Adventure ecotourism; involves boosting activities that
have little to no impact on the environment or
surroundings.
 Activities of this nature include canoeing, snorkeling,
and kayaking.
ECOTOURISM ACTIVITIES
 Cultural ecotourism; involves travelling to areas and
countries in order to discover, protect, and/or share in
cultural experiences.

 Culture involves a whole range of things, including

religion, beliefs, and arts such as music and dance.
 Community based ecotourism; involves trying to protect
and preserve the communities of indigenous peoples.
 This includes not only protecting the people themselves
but also protecting their means of sustaining
themselves, from preventing deforestation to helping
alleviate soil erosion.
 Ecotourism for Endangered Wildlife is a form of
ecotourism that entails protecting and preserving the
natural habitat of endangered flora and fauna as well
as the flora and fauna themselves.

 Deforestation and poaching are the primary reasons

why some plants and animals are quickly becoming
extinct.

 Eco- lodging; An Eco lodge is an accommodation

venue for tourists, built with minimum impact on the
surrounding natural environment.
 Eco Trekking ;Eco treks are designed to increase a
traveler‟s awareness about the natural and cultural
environment of a particular region.

 Visitors learn about local threats to the environment

and habitats, as well as current and potential
preservation techniques.
Where as interms of their aims of controlling it
has two basic categories

Entrepreneur based ecotourism (EBE)

Community based ecotourism (EBE)

Community based Ecotourism - owned and

managed by the community.
It involves conservation, business enterprise and
community development.
Entrepreneur based Ecotourism -private sector
initiatives where the stakeholders are the
entrepreneurs or their appointees, shareholders,
employees
 A distinct difference is that in entrepreneur based

ecotourism the community does not manage or own

the enterprise and is a beneficiary (stake holder).

 Ecotourists may differ greatly in several aspects,
including:
Distance travelled;
Length of stay;
Desired level of physical effort and comfort;
Importance of nature in trip motivation;
Level of learning desired;
Amount of spending;
Desired activities; and
Personal demographics.
 PRINCIPLES /CHARACTERISTICS OF ECOTOURISM

• There are five core principles that are fundamental to

ecotourism. They are that ecotourism is
1) Nature based
2) Ecologically sustainable
3) Environmentally educative
4) Locally beneficial
5) Tourist satisfaction.
 The first 3 characteristics are considered to be
essential for a product to be considered ecotourism while
the last two are viewed as being desirable for all forms
of tourism.
1. Nature based
 Ecotourism is based on the natural environment with a
focus on its biological, physical & cultural features.
 Ecotourism occurs in, and depends on, a natural
setting & may include cultural elements where they
occur in a natural setting.
2. Environmentally educative
 The educative characteristic of ecotourism is a key
element that distinguishes it from other forms of nature
based tourism.
 Ecotourism attracts people who wish to interact with
the environment in order to develop their knowledge,
awareness & appreciation of it.
3. Ecologically sustainable
 All tourism should be sustainable economically,
socially & environmentally.
 Ecotourism is ecologically sustainable tourism
undertaken in a natural setting.
 The very incorporation of „eco‟ in its title suggests that
ecotourism should be an ecologically sustainable form
of tourism.
4. Locally beneficial
 Local communities can become involved in ecotourism
operation, & in the provision of knowledge, services,
facilities & products.
 These benefits should outweigh the cost of ecotourism
to the host community and the environment.
5. Tourist satisfaction

 Satisfaction of visitors with the ecotourism experience

is essential to the longer viability of the ecotourism
industry.

 Indeed, this incorporates elements of the concept of the

visitor experience and the need to recognize the
complexity of what constitutes the ecotourism
experience in a marketing, experiential & satisfaction
context.
 WHO IS ECO TOURISTS?
 Who is Eco-tourist?

 Seeking authentic local experiences and opportunities

to give back to the communities they visit.

 Increasingly, eco-tourists are also seeking to minimize

the carbon footprint of their travel, traveling with
climate in mind by planning wisely and choosing
consciously.
 TYPOLOGIES OF ECO TOURISTS
A. Hard-core: scientific researchers or members of tours
specifically designed for education, environmental
restoration, or similar purposes.
B. Dedicated: people who take trips specifically to see
protected areas and who want to understand local
natural and cultural history.
C. Mainstream: people who visit the Amazon, the
Rwandan gorilla park, or other such destinations
primarily to take an unusual trip.
D. Casual: people who partake of nature incidentally,
such as through a day trip during a broader vacation.
THANK YOU.