ECOSYSTEMEnvironment

Ecotourism: Principles, Benefits and Examples of Ecotourism

Ecotourism comes from two words, ecosystem and tourism. So before understanding the principles and benefits of ecotourism with examples, we have to follow the meaning of the two constituting words.

ecotourism-principles-benefits-and-examples

An ecosystem is an environment where various types of organisms live and survive by depending on each other. The ecosystem makes biological existence by the food chains and food webs. However, tourism means to travel from one place to another for mental relaxation or leisure for at least 24 hours and not more than one year.

Hence, by combining these two meanings, we can say ecotourism is traveling or visiting green places. However, ecotourism does not only mean to go to nature but to become more responsible for preserving our ecosystem and reducing the environmental hazards by tourism.

Here in this article, we will discuss the principles and benefits of ecotourism and understand it in a better way by going through some of its examples.

What is Ecotourism?

Before understanding the principles and benefits of ecotourism, we should know what it is. Usually, ecotourism manages living pieces of typical habitats. Ecotourism is the central idea behind socially capable travel, self-improvement, and ecological maintainability.

For the most part, ecotourism involves visiting places where the natural environment like flora, fauna and cultural heritage are the main attractions. Ecotourism is intended to provide tourists with an insight into the effect of human beings on the environment and cultivate a greater appreciation of their natural habitats.

What Are the Principles of Ecotourism?

Many trades and small companies promote ecotourism without understanding it completely. However, ecotourism is not just an idea; it’s a preventive measure of environmental hazards.

So before advertising eco-friendly tourism or travel, we should figure out the principles and benefits of ecotourism. Thus, some of the international and nationally approved laws and policies are determined, as it involves stakeholders from many regions, disciplines, and backgrounds.

Thus, Let’s have a look at the principles of ecotourism;

  • To educate the tourists on the requirements of conservation.
  • To reduce the adverse effects on the environment and culture, which can destroy a point.
  • Highlighting the use of ecological and social base-line research and long-lasting monitoring programs to evaluate and diminish influences.
  • Emphasize the value of accountable local authorities and people to demonstrate community demands and provide conservation benefits.
  • To focus on the requirement for regional tourism zoning plus traveler administration plans for either areas or natural regions, which are expected to turn into eco-destinations.
  • To regulate profits by the maintenance and preservation of the ecosystem and protected zones.
  • Follow to know that tourism development doesn’t surpass the economic and ecological limitations of acceptable changes as investigators identify in assistance with local communities.
  • For seeking to improve financial benefits for the nation, communities, and local trades, especially individuals who are living near the natural and protected areas.
  • And finally, to depend on environment-friendly infrastructures, to reduce the utilization of fossil fuels, to preserve local plants and wildlife, and yet to support the natural and cultural ecosystem.

So, these are some principles of ecotourism we should understand before knowing the importance of it. Different scholars have different policies explained. But the gist of all remains the same, which can be broadly concluded as natural, ecologically sustainable, environment education, locally beneficial and generates tourist’s satisfaction.

What Are the Benefits of Ecotourism for Local Communities?

Ecotourism is a discipline that provides lots of benefits to the environment as well as our society. We understood the principles, Now let’s talk about the advantages or usefulness of ecotourism elaborately;

  • It provides valuable biological information.
  • Ecotourism offers local Economic Improvement.
  • Also, it delivers financial benefits for conservation.
  • It helps in research and development.
  • Ecotourism Brings responsibility to travelers.
  • Further, it has a positive impact on community traditions.
  • It assists in natural resource management.
  • Moreover, ecotourism brings responsibility to travelers.

The Negative Impact of Ecotourism:

Positives and negatives are mirror images of each other, so if there are some advantages, there must be some disadvantages to everything. Therefore, let’s talk about the negative side of ecotourism. The limitations of ecotourism include;

  • Relocation of locals.
  • Environmental degradation.
  • It becomes a threat to indigenous cultures.
  • Travel impacts on the environment.
  • The integrity of the ecotourism organization.
  • Disturbance to ecosystem.
  • Habitat fragmentation.

What Are Some Examples of Ecotourism?

There are lots of examples of ecotourism that can explain it better. Here we are describing five of the famous worldwide ecotourism examples below;

Costa Rica:

Costa Rica is the most popular ecotourism spot in this world. Every year lots of tourists visit this place because of its natural beauty. Costa Rica is situated in southern American countries with coastlines on both the Caribbean and Pacific, which is almost a one-fourth rainforest and is an excellent place for travellers who want mental peace. Costa Rica has spectacular biodiversity and volcanos and pristine beaches, which makes it the most eco-friendly place on this planet.

Galapagos Islands:

The archipelago home is the name given to Galapagos Island in 1978, announced as the world’s first natural heritage site for its beautiful fauna. It is another stunning ecotourism place due to its tourism management system that respects the environment entirely. By visiting Galapagos Island, an excellent example of ecotourism, you can decrease your carbon footprint by staying in Villa in the Galapagos as it’s constructed in a manner that will save electricity and reduce waste.

Norway:

Norway is the most beautiful and natural country to visit, and the Norwegian Fjords is the best place within this country. This nation’s culture and sustainable living promote us to care for our mother nature and teaches us to conserve it. Further, the government regulates fishing, hunting, and drilling in this area for eco-friendly tourism.

Iceland:

Another prominent example of ecotourism is Iceland becoming the world’s most visited tourism destination. And why not? It’s a purely natural environment that encourages us to explore, hike, ride on horseback, and bike in that place. By living in Eyrarbakki, you can learn sustainability, as Iceland is the cleanest energy consumer.

Amazon Rainforest:

Everyone might have heard of the Amazon rainforest before, as it’s the best forest area to visit with the more rare and beautiful organisms. Before the concept of ecotourism and sustainable development, this suffered a lot with deforestation and climate change and fragmentation of several rare species. But now different preventive measures are taken to save this place from biodiversity loss and instability in the ecosystem, making it the best place to visit as an ecotourist.

Ecotourism in India

The history of ecotourism in India is relatively young. However, the country has been grappling with ecotourism since its inception. And the way modern India has risen from the ashes is not a story that can be told through words alone.

So, if you’re going to see how the modern Indian world has changed for the better, you should know a little about India’s history of ecotourism the next time you travel to India.

Mohan Krishan Khanna wrote the book “Ecotourism in India” has identified geodiversity and the most suitable ecotourism destination globally.

Biosphere Reserves, Coral Reefs, Mangroves, Mountains and Forests, Deserts, Flora and Fauna, Seas, Caves, Lakes, and Rivers make up its ecosystem. You can see the world’s most stunning and rare flora and fauna in the bio reserves of India.

Ecotourism Examples in India

Some examples of biosphere reserves are Great Nicobar, Nokrek, Nilgiris, Nandadevi, Gulf of Mannar, Manas, and Sundarbans.

Examples of Mangroves includes Coringa, Godavari Delta, and Kristna Estuary (Andhra Pradesh), Northern Andaman and the Nicobar Islands, Pichavaram and Point Calimere (Tamil Nadu), Goa, Gulf of Kutch (Gujarat), Coondapur (Karnataka), Achra/Ratnagiri (Maharashtra), Vembanad (Kerala), Sunderbans (West Bengal), Bhitarkanika and Mahanadi Delta (Orissa).

However, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep Islands, the Gulf of Mannar, and Gulf of Kutch are the popular places for coral reefs.

In the North-Western Region, The Great Thar Desert and the little desserts are the best desserts to visit. Besides these, there are lots of other mountains, forests, seas, lakes, and caves that are present, which makes the country astonishing.

Conclusion

Many tourists prefer eco-friendly tourism because it helps us to maintain a balance of tourism’s impact on the environment. These tourism options also provide the same services as those that other types of tourism provide.

You can count on during your travel to be able to see wildlife and local communities very carefully, but that is not all. If you are interested in eco-friendly tours and travel, it is good to find out more about where the best ones are located with a lot of learning experiences.

Here, we described the principle and benefits of ecotourism and the examples in detail. Let us know if you have any further queries. For knowing more about ecotourism, you can follow us.

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