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.
Negative Effects Of Ecotourism
The present day represents everyone who looks to the future in trying to preserve our world and its resources.
We may have to look to the many ecotourism projects being undertaken in several parts of the world to find a new direction in which the planet should be moving. 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. Understanding the heart of ecotourism, or what the word really truly stands for is the best way to get to know the concept and to decide for yourself whether or not its something youre interested in participating in. This is not to say that an instructor should bring a sense of alarmism with him towards the issue. 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 skepticism, however, would be harmful to the children ecotourism gambit.
And, at the recently concluded ecotourism global conference in Oslo, Norway it was found that countries such as Australia and Costa Rica were very good ecotourism examples, and which are playing a major role in the multi-billion dollar ecotourism industry that has seen tremendous growth which is believed to be about thirty percent each year. As such, it can be difficult to make a decision as to which type of ecotourism vacation to take. It focuses on a number of factors such as regional plants and their wildlife, as well as cultures that are native to these places. In theory, one may think of definition of ecotourism as a form of tourism in which the environment, local community as well as the visitor all are beneficiaries of such a form of tourism. There is a lot to learn and know about ecotourism which is really a trend moving in the direction of preserving nature and which is rapidly gaining in strength and popularity the world over. Ecotourism is a relatively new concept, in which people can take retreats to natural places, such as parks or wildlife reserves, and there they can experience nature through various means.
Also, the internet and library sources along with governments documents were used to gather data for the study ecotourism.
However, with global warming and other factors becoming more and more noticeable, people, including the governments of the world, will have to take more notice. More like camping than lodging, these ecolodges are very popular spots for tourists, making it an essential part of the heart of ecotourism. Keep one thing in mind, teaching is not preaching. On the other hand, even indigenous people have begun to realize that prosperity lies in tapping ecotourism potentials and their focus is thus shifting in selling their cultures to foreigners though keeping in mind that such culture and natural biodiversity is to be conserved rather than pandered and wasted irresponsibly. The reason for such a state of affairs can be attributed to understanding that without economic activity, there would probably be no real tourism and thus there is a need to mix the factors involved and come up with a correct balance so that no one particular factor dominates the others and this is where accountability and transparency in ecotourism comes into play. Basically, ecotourism is making a trip to locations that are environmentally significant as well as sensitive and though it is now gaining in popularity, has in fact been known to us in one form or another for quite some time. |
