Eco

Tourism

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to express our special thanks of gratitude to

our teacher Dr. Dipti Vaya who gave us the golden
opportunity to do this wonderful project on the topic
Ecotourism, which also helped us in doing a lot of Research
and we came to know about new things and we are really
thankful to her.

Efforts byYashneet Grover

Vedant Aggrawal
Vineet Tehlan

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION TO ECO TOURISM

2. DEFINITION
3. VISITORS TYPE IN ECOTOURISM
4. ECOTOURISM INDIA
5. GENERAL TOURISM STATISTICS
6. PAST AND FUTURE ECOTOURISM GROWTH IN THE
WORLD
7. CONCLUSION
8. RECOMMENDATIONS
9. BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION TO ECO TOURISM

Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving visiting fragile, pristine, and relatively

undisturbed natural areas, intended as a low-impact and often small scale
alternative to standard commercial (mass) tourism. Its purpose may be to educate
the traveler, to provide funds for ecological conservation, to directly benefit the
economic development and political empowerment of local communities, or to
foster respect for different cultures and for human rights. Since the 1980s
ecotourism has been considered a critical endeavor by environmentalists, so that
future generations may experience destinations relatively untouched by human
intervention. Several university programs use this description as the working
definition of ecotourism.
Eco-tourism is considered the fastest growing market in the tourism industry,
according to the World Tourism Organization with an annual growth rate of 5%
worldwide and representing 6% of the world gross domestic product, 11.4% of all
consumer spending - not a market to be taken lightly.

DEFINITION
The variability in conceptual definitions like these is further complicated by the
difficulty of moving from a conceptual definition to an operational definition. For
example, a conceptual definition may involve sustainability, but when one tries to
measure whether someone is an ecotourist or some tourism activity is ecotourism,
a more precise definition of sustainability is needed. What are the criteria one uses
to determine whether the activity is sustainable and thus qualifies as ecotourism?

The seven characteristics of ecotourism are:

1. Involves travel to natural destinations
2. Minimizes impact
3. Builds environmental awareness
4. Provides direct financial benefits for conservation
5. Provides financial benefits and empowerment for local people
6. Respects local culture
7. Supports human rights and democratic movement

VISITORS TYPE IN ECOTOURISM

With respect to visitor types and activities, a key consideration is the diversity
within the ecotourism market. Ecotourists may differ greatly in several aspects,
including:
distance travelled;

length of stay;

desired level of physical effort and comfort;

importance of nature in trip motivation;

level of learning desired;

amount of spending;

desired activities; and

Personal demographics.

Ecotourism is done as:

Hard-core: scientific researchers or members of tours specifically designed
for education, environmental restoration, or similar purposes.
Dedicated: people who take trips specifically to see protected areas and who
want to understand local natural and cultural history.
Mainstream: people who visit the Amazon, the Rwandan gorilla park, or
other such destinations primarily to take an unusual trip.
Casual: people who partake of nature incidentally, such as through a day trip
during a broader vacation.

ECOTOURISM INDIA
Ecotourism India has developed recently, for the concept itself is a relatively new
one. Ecotourism entails traveling to places that are renowned for their natural
beauty and social culture, while making sure not to damage the ecological balance.
Ecotourism pertains to a conscious and responsible effort to preserve the diversity
of a naturally endowed region and sustaining its beauty and local culture. Indians
have been known since ages to worship and conserve nature. So the growth of
ecotourism in India is but natural. Also, the government of India has set up the
Ministry of Tourism and Culture to promote ecotourism in India alongside other
types of tourism.
Ecotourism in India has grown significantly in recent years in India since the
country has a diverse geography which led to the development of many tourists
destinations. These various destinations not only de-stress the tourists but also
rejuvenate them. There are various ways in which tourists can enjoy nature in
India. And this has given ecotourism in India a major boost.
Eco-tourists have been thronging India in large numbers for it has a rich source of
flora and fauna. A great number of endangered and rare species are also to be
found in the various national parks in India. The major national parks in India for
ecotourism are:
Corbett National Park in Uttar Pradesh.
Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
Gir National Park and Sanctuary in Gujarat.
Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan.

Ecotourism India has increased in the last few years. The government of India
and Ministry of Tourism need to make concerted efforts to ensure that
ecotourism in India is able to keep pace with ecotourism destinations across the
world and making sustainable tourism a priority.

GENERAL TOURISM STATISTICS

Worldwide
The World Tourism Organization (WTO) estimates that there were more than 663
million international travelers in 1999. Spending by these tourists was estimated
at more than US$453 billion. Tourist arrivals are predicted to grow by an average
4.1% a year over the next two decades, surpassing a total of one billion
international travelers by the year 2010 and reaching 1.6 billion by the year 2020
(WTO, 2000).

Years

Total International

Nature Tourists

Tourism Arrivals

Wildlife-related
Tourists

1988

393 million

157-236 million

79-157 million

1994

528.4 million

211-317 million

106-211 million

700
600
500

400

Nature Tourists
Wildlife related Tourists

300

other tourists

200
100
0
1988

1994

* Figures are in millions.

Table showing the total spending of ecotourists in the economy.

Years

1988

Total International Direct Nature Tourists

Related

Economic Impact *

Wildlife

Tourists

US$388 billion

US$93-223 billion

US$47-155
billion

1994

US$416 billion

US$166-250

US$83-166

billion

billion

* Total International Direct Economic Impact = money spent on travel by

tourists traveling abroad

600

500

400
Nature Tourists
300

Related Tourists
Other

200

100

0
1988

1994

* Figures are in US $Billions.

PAST AND FUTURE ECOTOURISM GROWTH IN THE

WORLD
Though estimates of ecotourism's growth are rare, due to the definitional problem,
most observers feel that ecotourism has grown faster than tourism generally during
the past several years. Based on a survey of ecotourism operators in the region,
Lew (1997) found that average annual growth rates have been steady at 10% to
25% over the past few years, and many are projecting higher growth in coming
years.
There are various explanations for ecotourism's growth, including:

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 increasing environmental awareness and interest, including the desire to be

perceived by others as environmentally sensitive;

increased media exposure to natural areas around the world;

related to the above two, a desire to see natural areas before they disappear;
increasing dissatisfaction with traditional tourism destinations and products,
and a desire for more educative and challenging vacations;
desire to go to novel destinations, sometimes as a way to "outdo" others
(e.g., to be the first person one knows who has been to Antarctica); and

Easier access to remote ecotourism destinations through development of air

routes, roads, and other infrastructure.

Insofar as the increased motivations to experience and preserve natural

environments stem in part from more fundamental changes in societal values, the
continuation of these fundamental changes, particularly in developing countries,
should lead to continued growth in demand for ecotourism. Many observers
believe that the growth rate for ecotourism will be higher than for tourism
generally. Thus, assuming an increase in the proportion of tourism represented by
ecotourism from 7% to 10% and assuming that the WTO forecast of 229 million
international arrivals by 2010 is accurate, an extremely rough estimate of the
region's international ecotourism arrivals for 2010 would be 22.9 million. To this,
one must add the substantial number of domestic visitors to natural areas.
The ecotourism market is expected to evolve over time. Much of the ecotourism
growth probably will stem from intraregional travel (Choegyal 1996; Shukla 1996;
WTO 1996; Wylie 1994). As noted above, growth in intraregional travel is
expected for tourism generally as incomes rise and infrastructure improves.
Moreover, intraregional ecotourism in particular is expected to grow as regional

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population centres become increasingly crowded and polluted, and as increased

wealth and education lead to greater knowledge of, and interest in, the natural
environment.
As noted in Section 4, growth in Asian ecotourism source markets will affect the
type of experience sought by visitors. In general, it is expected that Asian
ecotourists will travel in larger groups and will demand a higher degree of comfort
than is the case for western ecotourists. They also may be more interested in
ecotourism day trips while lodging and dining in comfortable resorts. An example
of this is the Juldis Khao Yai resort and golf course on the border of Khao Yai
National Park in Thailand. Asian visitors (mostly Japanese) flock to see the park,
play golf, and stay in luxury in the middle of jungle surroundings.
Evolution probably also will result from demographic changes occurring in
society. For example, in source countries the "babyboomer" population is ageing,
which will increase leisure time amongst this group. However, the group may
require ecotourism experiences that are less physically demanding, more easily
accessible, and with more comfortable facilities.
In addition, various factors affect the types of ecotourism experiences sought. For
example, substantial media attention has been focused on the loss of tropical
rainforests, and many tourists wish to visit them partly out of a concern that they
may be lost entirely. Future interest in forest visitation may depend on continued
media coverage and public concern about forest issues.
Other trends, such as the increased popularity of SCUBA diving, may affect forestrelated ecotourism to varying degrees, depending on individual site characteristics.
For example, forest areas near dive sites may benefit from add-on trips to the forest

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by divers. On the other hand, some forest areas may lose visitation as potential
visitors choose diving-oriented trips rather than terrestrial-oriented trips.
Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to identify future trends of this sort.
Several other factors, many of them external, may affect demand at individual sites
and countries (Brandon 1996; Laarman and Durst 1993; Lindberg and Huber
1993). For example, political or economic instability may cause strong decreases in
visitation, an event that has at times affected tourism demand for many countries in
the Asia-Pacific region.
In summary, historic data, trends, and expectations indicate that:
tourism makes a substantial contribution to the region's economy;

tourism has experienced rapid growth in the region (though less so in South
Asia), and this growth is expected to continue;

ecotourism in the region and globally has grown faster than tourism
generally, and this probably will continue over the next several years;

domestic and intraregional visitors are an important component of the

region's ecotourism, and this importance is expected to increase in the
future; and

Ecotourism demand will evolve over time, and the region's ecotourism sites
will need to adapt to these changes.

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CONCLUSION
Ecotourism means "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the
environment and improves the well-being of local people."
Fundamentally, eco-tourism means making as little environmental impact as
possible and helping to sustain the indigenous populace, thereby
encouraging the preservation of wildlife and habitats when visiting a place.
This is responsible form of tourism and tourism development, which
encourages going back to natural products in every aspect of life. It is also
the key to sustainable ecological development.
The core ideology of ecotourism is to promote education and awareness of
environmental history, help finance future conservation and improve the
well-being of local people and environment.
As of 2000, ecotourism and nature-related tourism accounted for about 20
percent of international travel. The expenditures accounted for by
ecotourism increase between 10 and 30 percent each year.
As of 2000, ecotourists pay around $1,200 per trip--more than the average
tourist.
Tourism is the leading export for a third of the world's poorest countries, and
a principle part of the export economy for 83 percent of developing
countries. In many countries, it's the second leading source of foreign
exchange, surpassed only by oil.
While ecotourism may seem earth-friendly in the short term, documented
long-term effects that may be of environmental concern include the impact
of development and/or construction that effects the environment and
recreational activities, changes in population dynamics and creation of
waste.

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To conclude What started as a hip, happening trend isn't just here to stay--it's
growing.

RECOMMENDATIONS
As a traveller, you will have an impact on the environment and culture of the place
you are visiting. Here are some rules of thumb to make this impact positive!
Learn about your destination before you get there.
Read guidebooks, travel articles, histories, and/or novels by local authors
and pay particular attention to customs such as greetings, appropriate dress,
eating behaviours, etc. Being sensitive to these customs will increase local
acceptance of you as a tourist and enrich your trip.
Follow established guidelines.
Ask your eco-tour operator, guide and/or the local authorities what their
guidelines are for limiting tourism's impact on the environment and local
culture.
Staying on trails, packing up your trash, and remaining set distances away
from wildlife are a few ways to minimize your impact in sensitive areas.
Seek out and support locally owned businesses.
Support local businesses during your eco-travels to ensure maximum
community and conservation benefit from your spending.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://www.ecotourism.org
http://www.incredibleindia.org/travel/eco-tourism
http://www.active-tourism.com/factsEcotourism1.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecotourism
http://www.fao.org/docrep/w7714e/w7714e06.htm
http://www.trails.com/facts_5001_facts-figures-ecotourism.html

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Thank You

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