The Need for Teaching Ecotourism
When the subject of teaching ecotourism comes up, people may give the person who brought up the subject a quizzical look. This is not because there is a feeling of condescension towards the subject but because it seems like an odd subject to teach. After all, what could possibly be the importance of teaching ecotourism to people who are not involved in the hotel and tourism trade?
Well, if a teacher is successful in presenting the true facts of the subject of ecotourism, then the quizzical looks will quickly disappear as people begin to realize the absolute seriousness of the issue. Hopefully, they will understand that ecotourism is not all about leisure, but also about properly dealing with common threats to the environment.
If one perpetuates teaching ecotourism to where the awareness level of the subject arises, then the teacher will be doing the world a great service. Of course, in order to do this, the instructor must properly convey the information so that the desired result is achieved.
Stressing Importance When Teaching Ecotourism
In order to make teaching ecotourism effective, it becomes critical that the instructor stresses the notion that ecotourism is a serious issue that requires serious attention. This is not to say that an instructor should bring a sense of alarmism with him towards the issue. Alarmism never works and will more than likely backfire if employed.
But if the instructor brings a firm approach to the subject matter and infuses into the instruction a notion that action is required to help promote environmental causes that are helpful for the greater good, then the process of teaching ecotourism will prove successful.
Avoiding Preaching When Teaching Ecotourism
Keep one thing in mind, teaching is not preaching. That is, the teacher must not climb on a soapbox and perform the duties of an advocate. This undermines the purpose of teaching and will ultimately lead to the audience turning against the instructor.
The classroom is not a place where an advocate can climb on a soapbox and subject his feelings towards a captive audience. Regardless of how good the instructors intentions are, such a heavy handed approach is ultimately self defeating.
If the instructor does teach the material properly and it is the material is properly absorbed by the students, then they will take it upon themselves to do the right thing and advocate ecotourism when the need arises. When they do this, they will greatly aid in the conservation of the environment and the teachers main purpose will have been achieved. Is that not the goal in the first place?
Eco Tourism Florida
The goal is to have ecotourism be as positive as possible overall.
The negative effects of ecotourism also means that ecotourism can in rare instances cause damage to the natural resources with corals being damaged and even the marine life underwater gets depleted due to over-fishing which is done to meet the increase in tourist market demand. In the end, the heart of ecotourism is what you feel it is. Perhaps you may wish to send over an environmentalist doubting Thomas to the site so that perhaps they may be converted to the cause! Take for instance the Pacific Islands that are ideally suited for ecotourism and not for mass tourism. These people think that the tree does not feel any of it, but in fact the tree can. And then, you still need to understand in which ways ecotourism may be becoming a problem and in which ways it is a good thing.
You can also search the internet for more information, just be aware that opinions differ on this subject.
The year 2002 was designated the Year of Ecotourism, which is a healthy sign of things to come. Ecotourism in general means visiting significant as well as sensitive environments and one may choose places such as those that offer opportunity for bird watching as well as rainforest areas as possible ecotourism destinations. Because of the fact that from the awareness that it creates there comes a movement for conservation. Whether its because of preserving land, having the opportunity to explore previously unknown places or just the thought of what ecotourism stands for, the heart of ecotourism is in the eye of the beholder. Similar ecotourism examples can be seen in the Thai beach resorts known to be environmentally friendly, and also the jungle lodges in Kenya that together account for approximately fifteen percent of the global market for ecotourism, according to The International Ecotourism Society (TIES).
It has now become a form of tourism that embraces culture, nature as well as leisure and some amount of adventure as well.
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. Ecotourism is also a means of providing economic prosperity to local people and communities, and the continent of Africa has much to offer in this respect. The physical benefits are seen when we learn to conserve our natural resources and preserve nature as best that we can. |
