Ecotourism - Responsible and Sustainable Tourism

Eco-tourismprofessional management and planning of destination
Responsible tourism means all tourism directlyare critical if tourism is to contribute to their
dependent on the use of natural life e.g. wildlife andconservation and to be perceived as an acceptable
landscape. Nature based tourism include eco-tourismindustry in a world whose survival is threatened.
and mass tourism. Uncontrolled mass tourismTourism demand unspoilt environment in which to
continues to contribute to the degradation of naturaloperate. It is essential that tour operation should be
& cultural significance (commercialization of Culture)developed and managed in such a way that as to
thus leading or causing loss of biological and culturalprotect the natural assets. We subscribe to the fact
biodiversity, and important sources of income. Naturethat the extent to which tourism is developed,
based tourism offers a way of financing uniqueplanned and controlled in an orderly and coordinated
ecosystems preservation. This provides opportunitymanner will affect the long-term quality of the
for the community living near the protected areas totourism product and subsequently the success of the
benefit economically e.g. employment opportunity. Buthospitality Industry. While tourism can be a catalyst
Nature based tourism & travel while sustainingfor development, it is important for the government
eco-system also degrades them. Much nature basedagencies plan and develop tourism carefully so that
tourism falls short of social responsibility to the localthe benefit can be optimized without creating social
community.and environmental problems
Sustainable tourism is developed and managed in suchLow impact forms of tourism counteracts the
a way that all tourism activities will focus on aeffects of mass tourism that poses a number of
heritage resource, natural and cultural which can bechallenges on the resource base i.e. environment,
continued imminently and every effort is made tosociety, and economy. Low impact forms of tourism
maintain the resource to perpetuity.create a balance between environment quality and
According to hector Ceballos-Lascurian (1983)resource utilization. This is mainly aimed at
ecotourism means "the tourism that involvesempowering local communities in managing their
travelling to relatively undisturbed natural area withnatural resources that is creating an incentive to
the object of admiring, studying and enjoying theconserve the biological resource in the environment
scenery and its wild plants and animals as well asby allowing the beneficial effects from tourism filter
cultural features found there."down to the individual families and households.
Eco-tourism embraces four basic elements:-Alternative tourism is seen as forms of tourism that
• The natural environment as the primaryare consistent with natural social and community
attraction and the cultural environment playing avalues and which allows both the host and the guest
secondary roleto enjoy positive and worthwhile interaction and
• The sustainable use of the ecological and culturalshared experience it is also known variously as
environment.ecotourism, nature tourism sustainable tourism
• Focus on education and the interpretation of theenvironmentally friendly, environmentally sensitive,
resourceecological compatible ecologically sound or Green and
• Provision of the benefit to the host communityeco-tour such as Walking tours, Birds Safari, Camel
Tourism is about people and places where one groupsafaris Guided nature walks, horse riding safaris,
of people leave, visit and pass through places, thebicycle tours, home and farm stays, youth tourism.
people who make the trip possible and the peopleMany destinations marketed as responsible tourism
encountered in the tour, it involves travellers, hostdoes not consider the local community development,
communities and governments.economical, social welfare and human rights. Indeed
In tourism industry the destination is perhaps one ofmajority of them care less about the resource as
the most important elements. The destination regionlong as it brings the "green bill ". There must be
represents the raison d'tre for tourism and the touristconcern with staff and tourist education i.e. the
attraction at the destination generates the visit.expected visitors' behaviour. Thus in this, nature
Tourism product is consumed where it is producedbased tourism is formulated as sustainable
(destination). Hence the destination comes underdevelopment. The concept of set principles, Ties 1991
considerable pressure from high levels of demanddefined it as responsible travel to natural areas that
focused both in time and at specific sites forconserve the environment and sustains the well being
example the warm East Africa, Indian Ocean coastalof the local people.
beaches during the northern hemisphere winter.It is now fashionable to look at tourism development
Tourist pressures can lead to alteration of thein the context of "sustainability" "alternative tourism"
tourism resource and as tourism resource and as"green tourism" all of which have a particular meaning
tourist demand continues to raise so have manyto different people but majority of this are just
destinations around the world succumbed toeco-labels or marketing and PR slongs. Sustainable
environmental degradation. The impact that sometourism is that which meets the needs of the
form of tourism development has on thepresent without compromising the ability of future
environment has raised concern amonggenerations to meet their own needs.
environmentalist and other constituents. Therefore