Ecotourism
Ecotourism
Conserve and Preserve |
"Ecotourism" may be the most over-used and mis-used word in the adventure travel industry. What does Ecotourism mean? The defines it as "responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of the local people".
A loose interpretation of this definition allows companies to market themselves as something that they are not. It boils down to 2 words: "Conserve" and "Improve". If true ecotourism is important to you, please ask the trip provider a lot of questions to determine if your trip will help "conserve and improve" the places you visit. A white water rafting trip is only ecotourism if it raises awareness and funds to help conserve and improve the watershed and the country you are traveling through. A Trek through a rain forest is not ecotourism unless that particular trip helps conserve and improve that environment.
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