Ecotourism
Ecotourism or Green tourism as it is sometimes called is a form of sustainable tourism. It refers to protecting the environment, involving local people in making decisions that affect their land and their living.
Any tourist destination can be harmed by excessive amounts of tourism. If tourist destinations are damaged or destroyed, they will not of course be available to tourists of the future.
The aim of ecotourism is to reduce the impact that tourism has on naturally beautiful environments. The idea is to allow tourists to visit areas of natural beauty, see rare animals and plants, and appreciate traditional cultures - while at the same time protecting the natural environment and minimising damage to the land and local people.
Holiday huts made from rainforest materials
Ecotourism is actually a type of sustainable development. The ecotourist approach includes:
o ensuring that tourism activities do not exploit the natural environment or local communities
o the strict planning of tourist developments
o making sure that infrastructure improvements benefit local people and not just tourists
o consultation with local communities on planned developments
Ecotourism now has the backing of the United Nations, which made 2002 the "International Year of Ecotourism".
Guidelines for ecotourists
Ecotourism sets out guidelines for how tourists should behave when visiting fragile environments. These include:
o protect the environment - keep to footpaths, don't leave litter or start fires.
o avoid interfering with wildlife - don't scare or feed the animals.
o protect resources - don't take too many showers or use air conditioning.
o support local communities - stay in locally owned accommodation, buy produce from local people.
o eat local food and drink - avoid products that have been imported from MEDCs.
o respect local customs and traditions - some communities are offended if tourists wear inappropriate clothes in religious establishments, strip off on the beach or behave in a rowdy manner; locals appreciate tourists who try to learn the language and show interest in their culture.
Increasing numbers of people are attracted by ecotourism. These tourists appreciate remote locations, small numbers of tourists and less sophisticated facilities. If the resort becomes over-developed then these people will choose alternative destinations.
Case study: ecotourism at Ayres Rock
You have studied ecotourism in Kenya (page 207 in Understanding Key Geography/ sheet 12.9 in your files). However, if you would like, you can use the case study below taken from the GCSE Bite size website.
Ayres Rock, in Australia, is considered the largest rock in the world. It was named after South Australian premier Sir Henry Ayres, by the white man who discovered it. Until recently large numbers of tourists visited the rock and climbed it using a rope-and-pole path drilled into the side of the rock. As a result the rock was becoming eroded.
However in 1985 the land on which Ayres rock stands was handed back by the Australian government to the aboriginal inhabitants - the Anangu, descendents of the people who found the rock nearly 10,000 years before the white man. The rock (now called by its traditional name, Uluru) has spiritual significance for the Anangu and they do not climb it. The Anangu now ask tourists to respect the rock by not climbing it, and most tourists comply.
Exam tip
Tourism interlinks many aspects of your GCSE geography course, such as resource management, economic geography, development, human interactions with the physical environment and potential impact of natural hazards.
Make sure you are aware of the positive and negative effects of tourism. Research ecotourism in MEDCs and LEDCs so you have case studies should a question come up on your exam that requires you to compare these.