Eco Tourism

Ecoturism

One of the first definitions of ecotourism was made in 1983 by the Mexican architect Héctor Ceballos-Lascuráin, who defined it as follows: "That form of environmentally responsible tourism that involves travel and visitation to relatively undisturbed natural areas with the object of enjoying, admiring, and studying the nature (the scenery, wild plants and animals), as well as any cultural aspect (both past and present) found in these areas, through a process which promotes conservation, has a low impact on the environment and on culture and favors the active and socioeconomically beneficial involvement of local communities".

However, a universal consensus is yet to be reached about a single definition of ecotourism. Experts on the field, government agencies, tourism operators and environment conservationist organizations, have attempted to define ecotourism, thus producing the various existing definitions. Given that this concept comprises an activity, a philosophy and a development model, it is difficult to accurately define it. Nevertheless, most of the definitions share the following elements:

• It's travel to natural, relatively unchanged areas, where natural beauties are the main attraction. It's a low-impact and small-scale form of travel aimed at avoiding the alteration of each place's ecosystem.
• It is a sustainable kind of travel since according to its premises, it contributes to sustainable development. Sustainable development is the one which seeks to optimize the present social and economic benefits, without compromising the potential to obtain similar benefits in the future. It is also referred to as ethical tourism because it seeks the wellbeing of local communities without leaving the appreciation and conservation of the environment aside. The terms ecological tourism and nature based travel are synonyms for ecotourism.
• It seeks to promote and support the understanding, appreciation and conservation of the environment and culture, raising awareness and producing a feeling of appreciation for biodiversity (emphasizing on the conservation of diverse plant and animal species) and for local cultures (emphasizing on preserving their indigenous features). It is also a suitable means to obtaining economic resources for the conservation of the natural and cultural heritage, supporting local efforts to this end.
• It seeks to improve local communities' welfare, by boosting their economic and social development, creating economic opportunities which in turn will produce sustainable benefits in time. Therefore, it is an activity which promotes employment as well as economic and social development, acting as an alternative income source for social sectors living in hard economic situations.
• It seeks to educate travelers on conservation of the environment and respect for different cultures. It also pursues the creation of an ecological conscience, encouraging more activism among visitors so that they become enthusiastic and effective conservation agents.

Ecoutourists seek to enjoy and learn from the nature and culture they visit while maintaining a responsible attitude. Some of the activities in ecotourism are:

• Animal watching (mainly birds).
• Plant observation.
• Fossil observation.
• Stargazing.
• Flora and fauna rescue programs.
• Mountain trekking.
• Photographic safari.