The Good Side Of Ecotourism statistics Encourages Optimism, Though There Is Danger Ahead As Well
Tourism has a changed face, as after the First World War, it has changed from domestic travel to incorporate traveling to far-off places and taken in a lot of international travel that has seen it grow exponentially even in developing countries. Within this sphere of tourism is the new trend known as ecotourism whose main aim is to minimize the negative aspects of tourism on the host country.
Marked Shift From Mass Tourism To Ecotourism
According to ecotourism statistics, the eighties saw a marked shift from mass tourism to ecotourism and more and more tourists were seeking environmentally relevant holiday destinations. These ecotourism statistics further shows that nature tourism has generated, it is believed, as much as seven percent of all international travel expenditure and they further reveal that this rate is increasing by about ten to thirty percent each year.
More facts revealed by ecotourism statistics show that ecotourism along with other forms of nature-related tourism are accounting for approximately twenty percent of total international travel. There are more facts revealed by these ecotourism statistics which shows that the typical eco-tourist is aged between thirty-five and fifty-four years of age and of these, it is believed that as many as eighty-two percent have graduated from college, and are more than ready to pay more than what average tourists pay, which is about twelve hundred dollars for a trip.
Furthermore, you can glean much more information from studying ecotourism statistics as can be seen in the case of Kenya where it is estimated that a single lion is worth seven thousand dollars per year in income generated from tourism, and an elephant herd can bring in an estimated six hundred ten thousand dollars per year. So, ecotourism is no small fry and it is believed to be a trillion dollar industry that is now the worlds top ranked employer.
There is a lot of potential in ecotourism and one can see this in the ecotourism statistic that shows that in South Africa, a developer is planning spending eight hundred million dollars to create an ecotourism paradise that comes complete with a floating casino and hippos in the water hazards, as also imported wild game. Even countries such as Nepal are offering helicopter treks to view summits of various mountains instead of climbing the mountainous landscapes.
However, there is a flip side to ecotourism statistics that show that unless proper measures are taken, ecotourism destinations may soon become overused and the resources they have will become depleted and their worth to humanity will decline, which is indeed a reason to become alarmed and take heed of the various ecotourism statistics that are showing up these dangers to our environment.
Eco Tourism Mayan Riviera
Part of the reason why it is so important to research ecotourism rests on the fact that the more serious research is performed on the subject, the clearer the understanding of the subject becomes.
So, foreigners purchased or leased land and called them ecolodges where accommodations were simple and natural. In the late 1990s, communities realized that they could even start getting people to help them make things better. The bottom line is that the impacts of eco and mass tourism can be positive and beneficial to the local peoples and host country if they are properly managed and there are in place well-thought out plans as well as programmes.
However, when faced with a cutting off of funds unless such a situation was not rectified, Costa Rica has turned into a good example of what ecotourism can do to a region and also country and to also positively impact the environment as well.
Because of the fact that from the awareness that it creates there comes a movement for conservation. It also respects the culture of the local surroundings and communities, and emphasizes human rights rather than exploitation. The timeline as mentioned before, dates back to the 1980s and tells its story all the way to the present day. Who knows, it may be worth a shot! This is not to say that an instructor should bring a sense of alarmism with him towards the issue.
Over the years more and more damage has been done to the environment by humanity.
As such, the present day history of ecotourism shows it as being the fastest growing tourism space in all of tourism as a whole. For most it is not a problem, because tourism of this kind is surely beneficial to our world. If such places can be preserved and their rich natural heritage is protected from ravage and destruction, ecotourism in general will have served mankind well. Ecotourism, if we are to go by the World Tourism Organizations information is the fastest growing market within the growing global tourism space, and ecotravel is being opted for as an alternative to mass tourism by more and more people worldwide. |
