Some Of The Differences between mass tourism and eco-tourism Include Scale And Attitude Towards Conservation
There is considerable acrimony among proponents of mass tourism and those of ecotourism concerning various factors including travel safety as well as security and even global or regional schisms are developing. There are indeed many factors such as the rich vs. poor, developed vs. developing, economic vs. cultural values and of course terrorist vs. tourist that needs to be considered. The question is whether we will choose one side or is integration possible. Tourism is it mass tourism or ecotourism is certainly a vehicle that promotes better learning about different peoples and their cultures.
Making An Informed Decision
Nevertheless, there are certain differences between mass tourism and eco-tourism and we need to explore these to arrive at an informed decision about which one is better and also to learn how to improve both forms of tourism. Mass tourism will generally have its own characteristics that include concentration of high volume sales, shifting of large groups of tourists, full utilization of holiday packages and also development of huge transport systems and infrastructure, and marketing is more hedonistic.
On the other hand, differences between mass tourism and eco-tourism show that ecotourism is more nature based, low impact as well as small scale, promotes conservation, supports local communities, helps maintain natural and cultural integrity, and makes use of environmentally friendly methods as also technologies. Thus, one can easily see that there are major differences between mass tourism and eco-tourism and mass tourism is normally associated with high volumes, large scale, fast pace as well as hedonism, while ecotourism is small scale, nature centric as well as conservation oriented.
Whereas mass tourism has been around for a long time, ecotourism only began in the eighties and this is another one of the major differences between mass tourism and eco-tourism. Ecotourism aims at balancing economic development of tourism, and conservation as well as protecting the natural resources is central to it, while mass tourism is like a juggernaut that pays scant heed to any lofty ideals and is instead hell bent on churning profits and thus pays little attention to sustainable development, and as such, this is another of the many important differences between mass tourism and eco-tourism.
In addition, while considering the differences between mass tourism and eco-tourism one can also think of tourist destinations themselves that are either suited for one form of tourism and exclusive to the other. Take for instance the Pacific Islands that are ideally suited for ecotourism and not for mass tourism. Thus, one can easily understand that if ecotourism is uppermost in the minds of tourists, they will naturally gravitate towards such places, where there is little or nothing for the mass tourist type of traveler. Ecotourism may also take one to places where the climate as well as constraints of smallness make such destinations unsuited for mass tourism. Other such destinations that do not make for ideal mass tourism include Fiji, Tahiti, New Caledonia as well as the Cook Islands; though they do see some amount of mass tourism along with ecotourism, which of course is the primary form of tourism it is helping in leading to a more integrated type of tourism, which is thus narrowing down the differences between mass tourism and eco-tourism.
Ecotourism Grants
Of course, another thing you can do is not waste everyday resources, such as water and paper.
Thus, to further the aims of ecotourism environmental education, it has been seen that pilot projects have been developed which aim to better local communitys understanding of biodiversity and in this regard local teachers can contribute towards better ecotourism environmental education in the following way. This is one of the types of ecotourism which encourages visitors to experience the agricultural life at first hand, and this type is gathering strong support from smaller communities as well as rural communities, as rural people have come to realize the benefits of sustainable development brought about by similar forms of green tourism. It would also mean building capacity for the creation and also marketing of ecotourism environmental education products as also getting local people to participate in creating as well as developing new ecotourism environmental education products. Thus, if there is accountability and transparency in ecotourism there should be a proper mechanism and a philosophy of long-term returns in place; instead of myopic means being used to get short-term gains. Animals such as seagulls try to eat the left over plastic, and end up choking to death.
Such ecotourism debates raise the question that ecotourism has become a catch-all phrase to help market products and in the capitalist sense at least, cultures as well as societies are mere commodities that are to be consumed by external sources.
Such a scenario is not as unlikely as we may assume and global warming is a very real threat that may lead to many disastrous situations in the not too distant future. The only way for this to happen however is for all of us to come together as a whole and work towards ensuring that ecotourism acts as positive as possible and that the benefits serve us all. Boats were a common site on the river and they glistened in the sun that reflected off the blue/green water. As such, children ecotourism endeavors will help instill in young children value systems that provide a pathway to personal growth and maturity as their activities are based on a serious concern for maintaining a greater good in the natural world. They too have a definition of ecotourism in mind, though another definition of ecotourism is the one set forth by Ceballos-Lascurain who was the first to make such a definition which goes like this Tourism that evolves traveling to relatively undisturbed or uncontaminated areas with the specific objective of studying, admiring, and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals, as well as any existing cultural manifestations (both past and present) found in those areas.
In fact, among the impacts of eco and mass tourism you can find that there is an increase in racial and gender divide with the locals being relegated to the lesser jobs while the cream jobs often may go to the foreigners or their representatives.
With changes becoming evident in the lives and values as well as habits of different people in many countries around the world, new strategies and polices are being devised to promote ecotourism and the accompanying new natural attractions. What is the International Ecotourism Society? If you have ever visited a National Park, no doubt you have seen at least a few pieces of litter in different places. |
