Ecotourism and Sustainability - Report Example

Running Head: Ecotourism and Sustainability Ecotourism and Sustainability Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Name Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Course Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lecture Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 21st September 2012 Introduction Among many definitions, ecotourism can be defined as tourism which seeks to actively contribute to the environment in a positive way. This kind of tourism seeks to preserve and conserve the natural environment leaving it with no damage. Ecotourism’s main aim is to contribute to healthy and quality natural systems through protection of flora and fauna which in return protects the local communities by safeguarding the environment. Ecotourism is centered on five major goals which include appreciation of the environment, creation of value in nature, providing financial support to the places visited, joining the local people in conserving the environment and finally promote all activities involving ecology. The emergence of eco tourism started long in history in the days of Aristotle where people like explorers from diverse places used to visit places and appreciate food and vegetation of all kind. It started when human beings realized the beauty of nature that would profit them if they took a chance to invest in the environment. To make this a success, people in different places started to fight against environmental degradation and pollution and worked towards improving the environment while still not tempering with it. With its emergence, communities have had an opportunity to enjoy and preserve the environment at the same time. Travelers who appreciate the environment really support ecotourism and it has seen countries develop economically through international foreign exchange. Ecotourism has gained much favor in sustainable tourism development because it aims at eradication of environmental damage while maintaining a high diversity of resources. It also makes sustainable tourism by seeking to reduce the negative effects caused by both local and global levels of environmental degradation. The reason behind ecotourism is to actively contribute to the community development and participate in conserving the environment. Current approaches Current approaches used in ecotourism development include reduction of emission of carbon, agro tourism, voluntourism and green architecture. Emission of carbon has an impact on the ecological setting where too much exposure of carbon in the environment causes an increased penetration of ultra violet rays which are harmful to the growth of plants and the human body. Environmentally it leads to degradation as no proper growth of natural vegetation will happen. Having too much carbon in the environment leads to extinction of various plants hence not promoting ecotourism. To fight against this, ecotourism sector in Costa Rica and China has come up with measures of adopting a green environment that encourages reforestation and encourages the use of alternative energy sources such as ethanol and pig waste and traditional ways of growing plants and people are encouraged to replace the use of diesel with wind turbines or solar arrays. Agro tourism Agro ecotourism is also another approach used as through this travelers hold much interest in rural lifestyles and through hosting and educating the visitors, farmers earn a lot of income (BCG2009). Agro tourism has a positive impact on the environment and improves social sustainability through appreciation of what the local community has to offer without tampering with anything in the environment. Natural factors are not affected not leaving behind cultural factors because ecotourism aims at conservation of everything in its natural state. Voluntourism Voluntourism is closely related to voluntary action or activities that are meant to conserve the environment without being paid. Among the activities, this involves addressing global issues affecting the environment in term as of eradicating poverty and ways of reducing environmental destruction (Directgov, 2009). With combined effort of host communities and visitors, this is made possible by coming up with solutions on how the community can increase awareness in global citizenship and being socially responsible towards the environment. Voluntourism has a great impact on the environment and its ecology as it is through this that natural settings are conserved and there is sustainability in both social and environmental settings. Green architecture Green architecture is a way where there are new development in terms of native landscaping, development of organic gardens and adoption of eco friendly ways of doing activities such as using wind or solar power, recycling of waste water and using recycled building materials (Drury, 2009). By adopting green architecture, ecotourism will be sustained as there will be environmental sustainability through re-usage of materials and it is a sure way that there will be reduced waste. Destinations in case study Among the destinations that do practice ecotourism are Costa Rica’s Tortuguero, Limon and china’s Ordos Relict Gull Reserve. The product offered in Tortuguero, Limon is canoeing through the rainforest as one watch the spectacular view of stunning patches of rain forests that tower over the swamps. A product offered in China’s Ordos Relict Gull Reserve is bird watching of the rare species of the Gull bird that is only found in china. These two destinations offers a place in nature where one can appreciate the rainforests and the views of unchanged settings in the environment. These two destinations have been reserved for a period of time making it a natural attraction and promoting ecotourism. Tourism development has played a major role in ensuring sustainability of rainforests and through this there is eradication of environmental degradation in the two countries. SWOT analysis for Costa Rica’s Tortuguero, Limon Strengths Strengths in this destination are that it is near ports of the Caribbean and the pacific oceans hence an attraction to many travelers. This destination is known by many as a nature destination hence a place to appreciate exotic yet rare plant species found in the world. Its attractions such as beautiful scenarios of tropical forests and many adventure activities that can be done using canoes makes the destination even exiting to go in groups for team building purposes (Barkin, 2003). One of the strengths that have contributed to the worldwide popularity of this destination is that it is not susceptible to hurricanes hence a good place to be throughout the year. Also the sites to be visited in this destination are not fragile or risky to travel to hence guaranteed safety. Opportunities One of the opportunities which this destination has is that it can invest in cruise ship travelling and through this more tourists will have an opportunity to visit this destination (Eagles, 2002) With the destination being in an economically disadvantaged population, cruise ships can really benefit the economy and the people at large because there will be opportunities for employment. Weaknesses Among the weaknesses that this destination has is that this destination is often encountered by wet seasons hence limitation to visitors who came expecting to participate in sunny activities. The destination bases its itinerary on an eight day period which might not be popular to the visitors (Ryan, 2002). Also in accessing the destination, one has to use other ports which make it inaccessible by private means. Lastly, there are only few attractions which hinder more exploration until one reaches to this destination. Threats The threats pose a big challenge in this destination as by it experiencing cold seasons in most part of the year, more visitors will substitute the destination for warmer places hence a threat to their business. Increase in crimes poses a threat to the traveler which makes them feel insecure in their exploration activities (Costa Rica Tourism Board, 2002). SWOT analysis of China’s Ordos Relict Gull Reserve Strengths Strengths in this destination are that this destination is famous for its habitation of the rare species of the Gull bird among other extinct species not leaving behind the exotic vegetation in the environment. The local people strongly support ecotourism in the region hence look for ways to improve on the environment for more visitors (Awazi, 2002). Through such activities as conservation of the remaining species of the Gull bird, it makes this destination have an added strength as there are a good number of both foreign and local tourists visiting this destination. There is an already established tourism infrastructure using ancient architecture which makes the visitors of this destination appreciate the different tribes and cultures in China. Weaknesses There are few weaknesses in this destination which include language barriers and the lack of interpreters which makes it a disadvantage for foreigners to understand the Chinese language (Chan, 2003). Another weakness attributed to this destination is lack of much involvement of the local people in information regarding the Gull bird which acts as a great disadvantage. Through not much involvement of the locals in enhancing ecotourism, less income is generated out of this destination. Opportunities There are however opportunities that do exist in this destination and among them are that there can be social mobilization through the help of government and the local communities. The destination can also increase the packaging of their products like camping and nature walks inside the destination hence increasing income gotten from the park. Threats Due to the increased awareness of protecting the endangered species, there is a threat that there will be a high number of migrations of people in the name of increasing territory for the endangered species. This will be a negative social impact as there will be a lot of landless people in China. Another threat is lack of proper management in the destination’s ecotourism sector which will bring forth an impact in the ecosystem. Finally another threat posed by this destination is where tourists prefer mass tourism as compared to ecotourism meaning that less revenue will be generated in this sector which is a disadvantage. PESTEL analysis for both destinations Political Both destinations are prone to terrorist attacks hence a major threat in the travelers and tourists visiting these destinations. Ecotourism is largely affected when such incidences occur. In a country that does not have political stability, ecotourism cannot thrive well as tourists fear the threat of being attacked any time. The taxation policy in the country where these destinations are can be a threat in the ecotourism sector hence all governments should look for ways to provide subsidies to the destinations. Economical Economically, the exchange rate will largely affect the ecotourism sector as the sterling pound will be a determinant whether the destinations are economically active or not. By enhancing globalization in the destinations, it is a sure way that there will be diverse travelling agencies that will make the world aware of existence of such ecotourism destinations. Social cultural In the social cultural part, both destinations appreciate the value of diverse cultures and through this, the destinations make it their duty to offer special customized packages and in a cultural setting. In delivery of the product that they give to the tourists, the destinations ensure that they are conscious with the cultural issues at hand and through this they ensure that they remain loyal to all their clients through the branding of their products. In all their activities, both destinations have an attitude of conserving and sustaining the environment. Technological Technologically, both destinations use online services to advertise for their products and it is through such kind of media that they get to know what products are needed by the locals and the tourists. Also in the technological aspect, the introduction of social media makes people disinterested in travelling as they to stick to one place for entertainment making this a major threat to tourism. Environmental Environmentally, both destinations fight for a fully green environment that as ways of emission of carbon in the air. To make this a success, the destinations have come up with green architecture starting from the holiday locations to spread awareness of the appreciation of an ecological environment. Natural disasters are a threat to the ecotourism destination which can hinder tourist visits. Legal aspect Lastly on the legal perspective, both destinations have sought to look for safety that covers individuals, environment consumer wants and health related issues and through amendments of laws I the individual countries that suite the wants of individuals, it is a sure way of more tourists visiting these destinations. Stakeholders The main stakeholders in sustaining of a friendly ecotourism environment are international lending institutions such as USAID which plays an increasingly important role in sustaining of ecotourism. Through the lending institutions, developing countries are pushed to invest in ecotourism projects. The state is also another stakeholder that promotes sustainability in the ecotourism industry. Through this it has regulated rules regarding investors who invest in ecotourism in both countries(Awazi, 2002) Non- Governmental organization that promote conservation of the environment are also stakeholders as they work on improving the environment through education on environmental education. Tourists are the key stakeholders as it is through them that there is consumption of ecotourism. To ensure that they maximally benefit from the tourism sustainability, there is the need to avoid discrimination of information in all ages and allow free travelling in both destinations. Strategic planning for ecotourism development The move taken to ensure that there is sustainable ecotourism sustainability is through regulation of the environment and conservation of extinct environments. Through this, both countries have come up with a decision with their governments to ensure maximum protection of the environment. Another strategy adopted by the two destinations is education of local communities on information regarding tourist parks and attractions. The destinations have made it their responsibility to sensitize the local people on ways to improvement the environment. Challenges Among the challenges facing the realization of sustainable ecotourism is the environmental economy that is a major determinant in global decision making. This is because there are alternatives in the use of lend other than conservation of the environment (Chan, 2004). Foreign exchange is also another challenge as both of these countries are developing hence the little funding they get from outside is used for other developmental activities other than sustaining eco tourism (Ryan, 2002). Local labor is also another challenge as jobs given in the ecotourism sector pays low hence poor employment from inside forcing both countries to outsource labor from outside. To overcome this challenges both destinations are working with the stakeholders mentioned above to ensure sustainability in the in all ecotourism projects. Conclusion To summarize the above essay, it is important to note that ecotourism has played a big role in ensuring sustainability in the tourism industry. Though it has its strengths and weaknesses, ecotourism has greatly contributed towards economic development not forgetting conservation of the environment. Ecotourism increases awareness on how to upgrade and sustain the environment through a balance in social, economic and environmental development. Using the two destinations as a case study, the report has represented the strengths and weaknesses and in addition given a PESTEL analysis of challenges and factors facing the ecotourism sector. By using Costa Rica and China as a representation of destinations that support ecotourism, and the strategies to be adopted to sustain the tourism sector, it is a sure way that through the decisions made by stakeholders there will be better management of this sector. References Directgov. (2009). Holidays: Greener Choice. Retrieved November 3, 2009, from Environment and GreenerLivingDirectgov:http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/Greenertravel/Airtravelandgreenerholidays/DG_064430 Drury, I. (2009, February 6).Ration Holiday Flights to Cut Pollution, says Brown's Adviser. Retrieved October 16, 2009, from Mail Online: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article- BCG. (2009, January).Capturing the Green Advantage for Consumer Companies. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from The Boston Consultancy Group: http://www.bcg.com/documents/file15407.pdf  Barkin, D. (2003). Alleviating poverty through ecotourism: Promises and reality in the Monarch butterfly reserve of Mexico. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 5, 371–382. Eagles, P. (2002). “Understanding The Market for Sustainable Tourism.” Burlington, Vermont: The International Ecotourism Society. Ryan, C. (2002) Equity, management, power sharing and sustainability – issues of the “new tourism”. Tourism Management.23 (1), 17-26. Awazi, W. (2002). Third World Economic Development: Tourism as a Critical Engine for Growth. The Journal of Current Research in Global Business.4 (5):71-81. Costa Rica Tourism Board (2002). Costa Rica Tourism Board website, Available at www.visitcostarica.com accessed 21 September 2012 Chan, N.W. (2003). Striking a Balance between Ecotourism: Issues and Challenges. Penang. School Chan (Editor) Introductory Course on Ecotourism. Penang: British Council DFID Higher Education. Linksand School of Humanities. Penang: Universities Sains Malaysia. Chan, N.W. (2004). Ecotourism: Issues and Challenges. Penang, School of Humanities, Universities Sains Malaysia Publisher. Read More

on of carbon has an impact on the ecological setting where too much exposure of carbon in the environment causes an increased penetration of ultra violet rays which are harmful to the growth of plants and the human body. Environmentally it leads to degradation as no proper growth of natural vegetation will happen. Having too much carbon in the environment leads to extinction of various plants hence not promoting ecotourism. To fight against this, ecotourism sector in Costa Rica and China has come up with measures of adopting a green environment that encourages reforestation and encourages the use of alternative energy sources such as ethanol and pig waste and traditional ways of growing plants and people are encouraged to replace the use of diesel with wind turbines or solar arrays.

Agro tourism Agro ecotourism is also another approach used as through this travelers hold much interest in rural lifestyles and through hosting and educating the visitors, farmers earn a lot of income (BCG2009). Agro tourism has a positive impact on the environment and improves social sustainability through appreciation of what the local community has to offer without tampering with anything in the environment. Natural factors are not affected not leaving behind cultural factors because ecotourism aims at conservation of everything in its natural state.

Voluntourism Voluntourism is closely related to voluntary action or activities that are meant to conserve the environment without being paid. Among the activities, this involves addressing global issues affecting the environment in term as of eradicating poverty and ways of reducing environmental destruction (Directgov, 2009). With combined effort of host communities and visitors, this is made possible by coming up with solutions on how the community can increase awareness in global citizenship and being socially responsible towards the environment.

Voluntourism has a great impact on the environment and its ecology as it is through this that natural settings are conserved and there is sustainability in both social and environmental settings. Green architecture Green architecture is a way where there are new development in terms of native landscaping, development of organic gardens and adoption of eco friendly ways of doing activities such as using wind or solar power, recycling of waste water and using recycled building materials (Drury, 2009).

By adopting green architecture, ecotourism will be sustained as there will be environmental sustainability through re-usage of materials and it is a sure way that there will be reduced waste. Destinations in case study Among the destinations that do practice ecotourism are Costa Rica’s Tortuguero, Limon and china’s Ordos Relict Gull Reserve. The product offered in Tortuguero, Limon is canoeing through the rainforest as one watch the spectacular view of stunning patches of rain forests that tower over the swamps.

A product offered in China’s Ordos Relict Gull Reserve is bird watching of the rare species of the Gull bird that is only found in china. These two destinations offers a place in nature where one can appreciate the rainforests and the views of unchanged settings in the environment. These two destinations have been reserved for a period of time making it a natural attraction and promoting ecotourism. Tourism development has played a major role in ensuring sustainability of rainforests and through this there is eradication of environmental degradation in the two countries.

SWOT analysis for Costa Rica’s Tortuguero, Limon Strengths Strengths in this destination are that it is near ports of the Caribbean and the pacific oceans hence an attraction to many travelers. This destination is known by many as a nature destination hence a place to appreciate exotic yet rare plant species found in the world. Its attractions such as beautiful scenarios of tropical forests and many adventure activities that can be done using canoes makes the destination even exiting to go in groups for team building purposes (Barkin, 2003).

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