Scroll down for posts that have been tagged with “ecotourism and nature-based tourism”.
“Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and creates knowledge and understanding through interpretation and education of all involved (visitors, staff and the visited)” ― Global Ecotourism Network, 2016; What is (and what isn’t) ecotourism.
Ecotourism is a type of tourism that has a very low impact on the natural surroundings. It aims to promote conservation and education, while providing visitors with an opportunity to experience unique natural landscapes and wildlife.
Ecotourism could be though of as a sub-category of nature-based tourism, which the Travel Industry Dictionary defines as: “Leisure travel undertaken largely or solely for the purpose of enjoying natural attractions and engaging in a variety of outdoor activities.” Nature-based tourism includes a wide range of outdoor activities, such as hiking, camping, birdwatching, and wildlife safaris, that are very much embedded within natural environments.
Both forms of tourism focus on exploring natural environments in a sustainable and responsible way, with the goal of preserving them for future generations.
Ecotourism and nature-based tourism are gaining popularity around the world. They provide opportunities for travellers to learn about local ecosystems and appreciate natural beauty. By engaging in responsible and sustainable tourism practices through ecotourism and nature-based activities, travellers can feel that they are protecting the environment (and supporting local communities). (Both types of tourism have the potential to offer significant benefits to local communities, as they offer incentives and opportunities for locals to conserve their natural resources for a sustainable economic benefit.)
Tags are informal; an afterthought to content creation. The “Good Tourism” Blog never gets bogged down with tagging accuracy or consistency. Feel free to comment on any post you think has been incorrectly or insufficiently tagged. “GT” encourages good-faith debate and discussion and appreciates helpful feedback.
Several speakers considered what ecotourism might look like post-COVID and explored “revolutionary” ideas during the second day of the 2020 Global Eco Asia-Pacific Tourism Conference. And, predictably, there were lots of other “re-” words bandied about — Reset. Rethink. Redesign. Reflect. Reboot. Regenerate. … — words better applied to the travel industry at large rather than the “eco-” niche; […]
Read More Re: Ecotourism
Politicians and public servants spruiked their respective places and tax-payer-funded initiatives, and industry giants and global consultants had their say, but it was the small entrepreneurs who were the most inspiring speakers on the first day of the 2020 Global Eco Asia-Pacific Tourism Conference. What matters? Indeed Sonia Beckwith, co-owner of Live Ningaloo, had a […]
Read More ‘Not good enough. Move your … !’ Grit, honesty, hope, and how to survive a crisis
Acclaimed environmentalist and sustainable development pro Dr Nirmal Shah has no solution to conservation’s budget crisis in the COVID-19 era. And no-one else appears to have any answers either. In this “Good Tourism” Insight, the Nature Seychelles chief offers a brief history of ecotourism in Africa’s most prosperous nation and lets us in on the […]
Read More From overtourism to no tourism in Seychelles: What now for conservation?
Through the COVID-19 pandemic and tourism crisis, hopes rest on contingency “plan B” to sustain the retired logging elephants of Green Hill Valley, Myanmar and the community of people who love them. Hollis Burbank-Hammarlund of Work for Wild Life International knows them well, having led elephant healthcare and welfare workshops at the camp in 2018 and […]
Read More Tourism in crisis: A Myanmar elephant camp & community pivot to plan B
Sustainable tourism is a complex puzzle with lots of moving parts. Toss in regenerative principles and it becomes even more confounding. Fortunately there are those who think deeply about important parts of the puzzle, such as animal welfare consultant Daniel Turner of ANIMONDIAL. In this “Good Tourism” Insight, Mr Turner shares how our industry might […]
Read More As we build back better, is sustainable tourism enough to regenerate nature?
“GT” Friend Kevin Phun of new “GT” Partner The Centre for Responsible Tourism Singapore (CRTS) has developed a series of short online courses for aspiring responsible tourism practitioners — or anyone interested in the subject — to establish a foundation of knowledge and a framework for thinking about various aspects of responsible tourism. “GT” 20% discount coupon: GTB-20-OFF Courses […]
Read More Online courses by The Centre for Responsible Tourism Singapore: ‘Reinventing tourism learning’