August 4, 2006, Newsletter Issue #10: Consider Ecotourism

Tip of the Week

Rather than booking another trip to an amusement park or historical site, consider ecotourism instead.

Ecotourism focuses on local cultures and community, and encourages visiting places where the flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the main attractions – rather than human-made structures. Ecotourists also try to reduce as much as possible the traditional impact of tourism on the local environment, and engage in programs such as wilderness adventures, volunteer work, and learning new ways to take care of the planet.

Ecotourism is dedicated to the preservation of local cultural and natural resources of a specific location, and also is dedicated to the sustainability of local populations through job opportunities. It minimizes the concept of luxury, since luxury often means waste, and tries to increase tourists’ cultural end ecological knowledge of an area.

Just because a hotel is located in a beautiful natural setting does not mean it is following the principles of ecotourism, to many experts’ dismay. Many people misunderstand the concept of ecotourism, and are led astray by marketing ploys or “green-washing,” when organizations use the terms “eco-“ or “green” to make potential customers believe they are ecologically sound but are actually ecologically irresponsible.

To be a responsible ecotourist, do your research and make sure the local attractions are really the natural beauty and local culture, and not ritzy hotels or other human-made things.

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