Ruckelshaus, M., Klinger, T., Knowlton, N., and DeMaster, D. P.,
2008. Marine ecosystem-based management in practice:
scientific and governance challenges. BioScience, 58(1), 53–63.
Slocombe, D. S., 1998. Lessons from experience with ecosystembased management. Landscape and Urban Planning, 40, 31–39.
U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, 2004. An ocean blueprint for the
21st century. Final report. Washington, DC. http://govinfo.library.
unt.edu/oceancommission/documents/full_color_rpt/welcome.
html#full Accessed 28 June 2013.
Cross-references
Adaptive Governance
Adaptive Management
Precautionary Principle
ECOTOURISM
Monica Ferreira da Costa
1 and Carlos Pereira da Silva
2
1
Oceanography Department, Federal University of
Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
2
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade
Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
Synonyms
Ecological tourism; Ecotourism
Definition
The business of organizing holidays to places that people
do not usually visit in a way that helps local people, does
not damage the environment, and can contribute to its conservation (Cambridge Dictionary, modified).
Fundamentals
Tourism is a sector of the world economy that provides
a major contribution to growth and development, occurring in all continents (Harris et al., 2002; Hall and Page,
2006), even in the most remote in Antarctica, and shortly
it will have its début in space. In this sector, as in many
others of modern economy, new trends appear and bloom
frequently. Some of these trends link to emerging and/or
dominating social paradigms (Harris et al., 2002; Hall
and Page, 2006). Such is the case of ecotourism that
started to develop by the middle of the twentieth century
(post-World War II), when tourism began to specialize in
a number of different branches (coastal tourism, business
tourism, sports tourism, third-age tourism, etc.) and, on
the other hand, society became aware of environmental
issues at large. In this way, people wanted to see and enjoy
the disappearing forests, animals, ocean depths, and traditional people from distant lands and islands. In the collective, shared unconscious, it is possible that by witnessing
natural wonders, people will be able to save the biota from
extinction. At present, it is evident that we have permanently changed nearly half of the natural landscapes.
In effect, ecotourism activities can have many different
forms and can be promoted in obvious spaces such as
protected areas (EAA, 2013; IES, 2013) but also within
urban environments. It is a field of the imagination and
of entrepreneurship. However, to target and maintain sustainable practices is difficult to achieve. This means that it
is a kind of tourism practiced at smaller scales, by small
groups at a time, in a truly sustainable way, and involving
local communities.
Increased attention has been given to this type of tourism since the 1990s, with many private and nonprofit
groups exploiting ecotourism as their main income source
for maintaining traditional ways of life. Governments are
usually responsible for licensing, rating, and regulating
this activity.
Many ecotourism activities involve water and coastal
environments. Beaches and estuaries are important targets
for ecotourism, due to the natural (and sometimes incalculable) values they possess and the communities that live
and depend on the resources and services generated by
those ecosystems. Several activities can be related to
coastal/estuarine ecotourism:
• Animal watching
• Plant observation
• Fossil observation
• Flora and fauna conservation programs
• Trekking, climbing, and diving
• Photographic safari
• Archeology
There is a code of conduct for the practitioners of this
type of tourism that includes:
• Minimization of impacts on the environment where it
takes place
• Building environmental and cultural awareness and
mutual respect
• Providing positive experiences for visitors and local
communities
• Producing outcomes for environmental conservation
• Providing financial benefits and empowerment for local
people, especially women
• Raising environmental awareness to host communities
One of the main goals of ecotourism is to deliver information and educate tourists about options of nature
conservation in order to respect cultural and geographical
differences. Therefore, it helps to develop/improve an
ecological conscience, with a more sensible behavior
toward nature, encouraging more involvement among
tourists so that environmental values can be perceived
and protected. Also important is that ecotourism has
to be sustainable, and the local communities must
be allowed to receive the majority of the social, educational, and economic benefits generated by this kind of
tourism.
Bibliography
Ecotourism Association of Australia, 2013. (http://www.ecotourism.org.au/).
236
ECOTOURISM
2008. Marine ecosystem-based management in practice:
scientific and governance challenges. BioScience, 58(1), 53–63.
Slocombe, D. S., 1998. Lessons from experience with ecosystembased management. Landscape and Urban Planning, 40, 31–39.
U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, 2004. An ocean blueprint for the
21st century. Final report. Washington, DC. http://govinfo.library.
unt.edu/oceancommission/documents/full_color_rpt/welcome.
html#full Accessed 28 June 2013.
Cross-references
Adaptive Governance
Adaptive Management
Precautionary Principle
ECOTOURISM
Monica Ferreira da Costa
1 and Carlos Pereira da Silva
2
1
Oceanography Department, Federal University of
Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
2
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade
Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
Synonyms
Ecological tourism; Ecotourism
Definition
The business of organizing holidays to places that people
do not usually visit in a way that helps local people, does
not damage the environment, and can contribute to its conservation (Cambridge Dictionary, modified).
Fundamentals
Tourism is a sector of the world economy that provides
a major contribution to growth and development, occurring in all continents (Harris et al., 2002; Hall and Page,
2006), even in the most remote in Antarctica, and shortly
it will have its début in space. In this sector, as in many
others of modern economy, new trends appear and bloom
frequently. Some of these trends link to emerging and/or
dominating social paradigms (Harris et al., 2002; Hall
and Page, 2006). Such is the case of ecotourism that
started to develop by the middle of the twentieth century
(post-World War II), when tourism began to specialize in
a number of different branches (coastal tourism, business
tourism, sports tourism, third-age tourism, etc.) and, on
the other hand, society became aware of environmental
issues at large. In this way, people wanted to see and enjoy
the disappearing forests, animals, ocean depths, and traditional people from distant lands and islands. In the collective, shared unconscious, it is possible that by witnessing
natural wonders, people will be able to save the biota from
extinction. At present, it is evident that we have permanently changed nearly half of the natural landscapes.
In effect, ecotourism activities can have many different
forms and can be promoted in obvious spaces such as
protected areas (EAA, 2013; IES, 2013) but also within
urban environments. It is a field of the imagination and
of entrepreneurship. However, to target and maintain sustainable practices is difficult to achieve. This means that it
is a kind of tourism practiced at smaller scales, by small
groups at a time, in a truly sustainable way, and involving
local communities.
Increased attention has been given to this type of tourism since the 1990s, with many private and nonprofit
groups exploiting ecotourism as their main income source
for maintaining traditional ways of life. Governments are
usually responsible for licensing, rating, and regulating
this activity.
Many ecotourism activities involve water and coastal
environments. Beaches and estuaries are important targets
for ecotourism, due to the natural (and sometimes incalculable) values they possess and the communities that live
and depend on the resources and services generated by
those ecosystems. Several activities can be related to
coastal/estuarine ecotourism:
• Animal watching
• Plant observation
• Fossil observation
• Flora and fauna conservation programs
• Trekking, climbing, and diving
• Photographic safari
• Archeology
There is a code of conduct for the practitioners of this
type of tourism that includes:
• Minimization of impacts on the environment where it
takes place
• Building environmental and cultural awareness and
mutual respect
• Providing positive experiences for visitors and local
communities
• Producing outcomes for environmental conservation
• Providing financial benefits and empowerment for local
people, especially women
• Raising environmental awareness to host communities
One of the main goals of ecotourism is to deliver information and educate tourists about options of nature
conservation in order to respect cultural and geographical
differences. Therefore, it helps to develop/improve an
ecological conscience, with a more sensible behavior
toward nature, encouraging more involvement among
tourists so that environmental values can be perceived
and protected. Also important is that ecotourism has
to be sustainable, and the local communities must
be allowed to receive the majority of the social, educational, and economic benefits generated by this kind of
tourism.
Bibliography
Ecotourism Association of Australia, 2013. (http://www.ecotourism.org.au/).
236
ECOTOURISM