Ecotourism - Ecoturismo

Ecotourism is the contraction of the words ecological tourism. It is a form of tourism focused on environmental and social commitment.

Principles

The authorship of the term "ecotourism" is generally attributed to the Mexican architect Hector Ceballos-Lascurain, author of numerous publications on the subject. In 1988 he coined the following definition of ecotourism:

"Traveling in relatively undisturbed or uncontaminated natural areas with the specific aim of studying, admiring and appreciating the scenery, its wild plants and animals, as well as any existing cultural manifestation (past and present) of the destination areas"

The definition was then reworked and revised by the principles laid down in the 2002 Quebec Declaration, declared by the United Nations the international year of ecotourism. On this occasion the UNEP (United Nations Environment Program), the UNWTO (World Tourism Organization) and the International Ecotourism Society organized the world ecotourism summit in Quebec (Canada) which was attended by 1,169 delegates from 132 different nations that contributed to the drafting of the Quebec Declaration on Ecotourism. 2002 was the year in which a shared definition was coined on the meaning of the term ecotourism that went beyond the concept of ecological tourism to also incorporate aspects related to respect for the local (social) community and its economic development beyond satisfaction. of the tourist.

The summit expressed a wide range of interests for an issue of growing importance not only as a sector of considerable potential for economic development, but also as a powerful tool for the conservation of the natural environment provided that it is adequately managed. These concepts, in harmony with the philosophy of the United Nations and its specialized agency, the World Tourism Organization, must try to reconcile the demand of tourists for the use of natural, social, ethical and cultural resources, with the need to guarantee them at the same time. integrity, indeed increasing its potential for the future. Ecotourism in this perspective is characterized by some peculiar aspects:

  • is aimed at promoting sustainable development of the tourism sector.
  • it does not cause the degradation or exhaustion of resources or minimizes the impact.
  • focuses attention on the intrinsic value of natural resources responding to a more biocentric than anthropocentric philosophy.
  • it requires the ecotourist to accept the environment in its reality without expecting to modify it or adapt it to his convenience.
  • it is based on a direct encounter with the environment and is inspired by a direct cognitive dimension.

One of the most widely shared definitions of ecotourism is that of the International Ecotourism Society which states:

"Ecotourism is a responsible way of traveling in natural areas, preserving the environment and supporting the well-being of local populations"

According to this definition, ecotourism has a strong programmatic component and describes not only a certain segment of the demand, but also a set of desirable results, which can be summarized as follows:

  • environmental and socio-cultural compatibility as a fundamental condition.
  • contribution of benefits for environmental protection projects and for the local population (participation, creation and wide distribution of income).
  • increasing environmental awareness and greater acceptance of nature conservation as a profitable and adequate use of the land (both among tourists and among other stakeholders in local development).

Based on this definition, the Italian Ecotourism Association, founded in Brescia in December 2002 by 11 organizations, the Italian referent of the International Ecotourism Society, proposes its own definition:

"A way to travel responsibly in natural areas, preserving the environment in which the host local community is directly involved in its development and management, and in which most of the benefits remain with the community itself"

Problems

An important critical point of ecotourism as of tourism in general is that of the high environmental cost of air travel to many of the destinations in other continents (Asia, Africa, Latin America). According to the International Energy Agency, aviation produces 1.4% of the world's CO2 emissions and is set to grow. According to the international air transport association, an airplane emits 360 tons of CO2 in 600 minutes on the Rome-New York route, or 42 tons of CO2 in 70 minutes of a simple Rome-Venice. The average cost for the neutralization of greenhouse gas emissions, according to AzzeroCo2 estimates, is about 25 euros per tonne of carbon dioxide.

Example

In January 2003, the ecotourism destination of the Chambok community was opened to the public, located in the northeastern border of the Kiriom National Park west of Phnom Penh Developed by Mlup Baitong, a Cambodian environmental association and members of the local community, the destination offers nature trails along the park exploring indigenous culture and diversity of flora and fauna along with a spectacular 40 meter waterfall.

The project was conceived to encourage the local community to adopt a sustainable approach to the use of natural resources and for the conservation of the valuable natural heritage of the national park and surrounding areas. A large part of the village's economy has always depended on coal production and wood extraction. This has led over time to the destruction of the national park, and in particular deforestation, soil depletion and fires. In addition to this, the animals of the Park have been indiscriminately hunted by the villagers, compromising their survival. Since the beginning of the project, Mlup Baitong has started presenting threats to the environment by increasing the awareness of the local community of the risk to which their future was exposed with unsustainable use of resources. In light of this, Mlup assisted villagers in identifying alternative forms of income through an ecotourism project.

The activities defined together with the villagers include excursions, guided tours, visits to bat caves, local crafts, local accommodation, mountain bike rental and traditional dance shows. In the first 6 months of activity alone, the revenue was $ 2,122 from a total of 4295 visitors. All proceeds go to the 250 families of the village. A number of 15,000 visitors per year is sufficient to guarantee the well-being of the entire community while respecting the environmental carrying capacity of the site.

Suggested readings

  • Cassola P. "Sustainable tourism and protected natural areas. Concepts, tools and actions", Ediz. ETS, Pisa 2005 (2nd edition) ISBN 88-467-1338-9
  • Galli P., Notarianni M., The challenge of ecotourism, De Agostini, Novara, 2002, IBN 88-418-0372-X

See also

  • Farmhouse
  • Cycling tourism
  • Wine tourism
  • Equitourism
  • Wild farm

Other projects