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Unit 8
Visitor Impacts

ECOTOURISM

Unit objectives:

1. Identify the misrepresentation of ecotourism.

2. Identify the impacts to ecotourism.
3. Describe methods for managing visitor impacts.

ECOTOURISM

Unit topics





Misrepresentation of ecotourism
Social impacts
Ecological impacts
Managing impacts

ECOTOURISM

Misrepresentation of Ecotourism
When any business or activity is referred to as "ecotourism#, it must meet
the core criteria listed below:
1) A form of tourism: The most common reason for travel is visiting
friends and relatives (VFR). A "tourist# will also travel outside their
normal residence and spend a specific amount of time at a destination.
2) Basis in nature: Attractions are based primarily on a natural
environment (ecosystem) or some component of that environment.
It also may have a cultural component associated with the natural
environment.
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3)
4)

Learning: Visitors are motivated by the opportunity to gain

knowledge or appreciation of a natural area or culture.
Sustainability: Sustainable is a critical factor in any ecotourism
definition. It is /development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs0.

ECOTOURISM

Misrepresentation of Ecotourism

Deliberate misrepresentation of a business or activity that does not meet
these criteria is using ecotourism to promote business, this is
/greenwashing0 or /eco-selling0.

Unfortunately, too many individuals and companies inappropriately use the
ecotourism label to market their product
or services. This misrepresentation harms
the entire ecotourism industry.
(www.prm.nau.edu)
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Social Impacts
According to Doxey, there are essentially four main stages to consider in
the assessment of local feelings toward the tourism industry. These include:
1. Euphoria: Tourists are welcomed, with little control or planning.
2. Apathy: Tourists are taken for granted, with the relationship between
both groups becoming more formal or
commercialized. Planning is concerned
mostly with the marketing of the tourism
product.
ECOTOURISM

Social Impacts
3.

4.

Annoyance: As saturation in the industry is

experienced, local people have misgivings
about the place of tourism. Planners increase
infrastructure rather than limit growth.
Antagonism: Irritations are openly displayed
towards tourists and tourism. Planning is
remedial, yet promotion is increased to offset
the deteriorating reputation of the destination
(Fennell, 2008).
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Social Impacts

Tourism leads to conflict between locals and hosts.

Hotel, lodge and airport development from private external ownership have
led to a loss of autonomy, sense of place, and declining access to local
resources.

The refusing to hire locals into top management positions.

The demonstration effect: Local patterns of consumption change to
imitate those of the tourists.

The process of commercialization and commodification may ultimately
erode local goodwill and authenticity of products.
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Social Impacts

The fragmentation of culture:






Prostitution
Crime
The erosion of language in favour of more international dialects
The erosion of traditions, either forgotten or modified for tourists
Changes to local music and other art forms
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Social Impacts







Food, in the form of a more international cuisine

Architecture
Dress
Family relationships
Religion

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Social Impacts
Key points in recognizing the potential for social impact in a tourism region:
1) The number of tourists
2) The type of tourists
3) The stage of tourist development
4) The differential in economic development between touristgenerating and tourist-receiving zones
5) The difference in cultural norms between tourist-generating and
tourist-receiving zones
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6)

The physical size of the area, which affects the densities of the
tourist population
7) The extent to which tourism is serviced by an immigrant worker
population
8) The degree to which incoming tourists purchase properties
9) The degree to which local people retain ownership of properties
and tourist facilities
10) The attitudes of governmental bodies
11) The beliefs of host communities, and
the strengths of those beliefs
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12) The degree of exposure to other forces of technological, social

and economic change
13) The policies adopted with respect to tourist dispersal
14) The marketing of the tourist destination and the images that are
created of that destination
15) The homogeneity of the host society
16) The accessibility to the tourist destination
17) The original strength of artistic and
folkloric practices, and the nature of
those traditions (Fennell, 2008)
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Ecological Impacts

According to Fennell (2008)The tourism industry has the capability of
either moderately altering or completely transforming destination
regions in adverse way.

The resource base acted as the raw material of tourism, which through
improper use and overuse loses its value.

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Ecological Impacts

There are tremendous range of topics related to the negative impact of
ecotourism (Fennell, 2008):
 Pollution
 Crowding and congestion
 Damage/destruction of heritage resources
 Land use loss
 Ecosystem effects
 Loss of flora and fauna
 Increased urbanization
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Managing Impacts

Planning and policy are critical components of a more ecologically
based tourism development strategy for the future.

Environmental impacts can be objectively measured through an
analysis of ecological conditions.

Determining the carrying capacity for tourists sites is an important
factor in the planning and design of appropriate tourist facilities
(Fennell, 2008).
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Managing Impacts
Carrying capacity
The concept of carrying capacity can be loosely defined on the basis of
the following four interrelated elements:
1) The amount of use of a given kind
2) A particular environment can endure
3) Over time
4) Without degradation of its suitability for that use
(Fennell, 2008)
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Managing Impacts
Managing services and activities at a site
There are three overlapping courses of action needs to be considered:
 Site management technique: This focus on improving the environment#s
ecological capacity to accommodate use.
 Overt management approaches: These aim at direct regulation of user
behavior.
1) Spatial and/or temporal zoning of use
2) Restrictions of use intensity
3) Restrictions on activities/enforcement of user regulations
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Managing Impacts
 Information and education programmes:

This alternative to heavy-

handed overt methods includes

1) Informing users about the recreational resource, and current levels
of use
2) Making the users more sensitive to the potential impacts their
behaviors might have on the environment
3) Giving the manager and the users a chance to exchange
information concerning user needs and management activities
(Fennell, 2008)
ECOTOURISM