Ecotourism Example: Leading The Way Are Australia And Costa Rica
Today, ecotourism is a global phenomenon that is fast changing the way we are taking vacations and it is also a fast growing segment in the tourism industry and it has a significant magnitude. According to figures released by the Travel Industry Association of American and also the Smithsonian Magazine, it was noticed that more than eighty percent of adult tourists were from the United States and they were interested in historic as well as cultural travel. Furthermore, an ecotourism example is Belize whose department of immigration saw more than fifty percent of its two hundred thirty thousand visitors in the year 2004 coming from America and among these tourists many were eco-tourists.
Lamanai Area In Northern Belize
Ecotourism examples abound and can be seen in the instance of places such as the Lamanai area situated in the north of Belize, and in this regard much effort is being expended in not destroying the many attractions that such a destination has for its eco-tourists. Moreover, a perfect ecotourism example is to visit such destinations as well as photograph and learn about orangutans that are found in other ecotourism destinations such as in Borneo.
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.
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).
Even though countries such as Australia and Costa Rica are good ecotourism examples, there are still many destinations that do not have, as yet, the green certification that promise to keep the environment from being harmed and thus there is need for more work to be done to make these destinations good ecotourism examples.
As an ecotourism example, Costa Rica too has ranked high as that country had a scale of compliance that ensures that it is not just a vacation center in the middle of a cloud forest, but was actually run on lines that were conducive to conserving the environment with means such as solar power. Thus, by setting a good ecotourism example, countries such as Australia and Costa Rica are showing the way to other countries to make similar and proper follow-up checks, because if standards at a particular ecotourism destination fall, eco-tourists simply pack their bags and head off in search of other ecotourism destinations.
What Is Ecotourism
However, everything in this world will give rise to difference of opinions, and perhaps it is almost unknown for everyone to agree about everything.
Ecotourism is perhaps very well known for encouraging eco-tourists to simply photograph the natural resources and leave their footprints at the places that they have visited. 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. Over the recent past couple of decades mankind has got to understand as well as appreciate the importance of a better and cleaner environment that has resulted in a greater impact on our lives today. 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. Because of this, those who sponsor ecotourism need your support and patronage.
These people seem to forget that everyone needs the environment to survive.
This, in spite of the fact that Costa Rica is the leader in the world as far as deforestation rates and ransacking of forest resources is concerned having lost approximately half its forest areas between the fifties and nineties to much cutting down of trees. And, now may be the right time for us to pause and reflect on how we should travel. 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.
It can stop such madness.
Among the negative effects of ecotourism that affects many ecotourism countries is that higher and management level jobs generally are gobbled up by white people leaving the local population being satisfied with the less paying jobs. 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. What is the International Ecotourism Society? There are many different ways that you can help the environment, and it is unfortunate that more people do not think about these ways. |
