The Pros and Cons of Ecotourism Essay Example

argue that the advantage of ecotourism far outweigh its drawbacks.

2. The Impact to Economic Tourism is widely believed to be the most rapidly growing global industry, while ecotourism is believed to be the fastest growing tourism segment (Ecotourism Society, 1998). Although it is growing rapidly, there are advantages and disadvantages needed to be considered.

2.1 The advantages of ecotourism to economic.

Developing ecotourism can improve a country’s economic. The ecotourism projects can generate foreign exchange and provide economic benefits to the poor areas (Fennell, 1999). Campbell (1999) claimed that in Costa Rica, a country increasingly promote its industry to develop ecotourism niche, foreign receipts from tourism have surpassed those earned by traditional export products, to become the country’s most important economic industry. Ecotourism initiatives can also attract investment capital for community infrastructure development, often including improved local social and educational services (Barnes, Burgess & Pearce., 1992). These evidences show that ecotourism can contribute to economic greatly.

Ecotourism can also increase local people’s income and improve their living standards. A research did in Chicanab, Guatemala showed that most families in Chicacnab are farmers and they can get part of their income from ecotourism (Bascomb & Taylor, 2008). Men are paid 37.50 dollars for 18 days of work, however, they can earn same amount of money by hosting 2 tourists 2 nights (Bascomb & Taylor, 2008). In some other areas, local people also using the money earned by tourism to improve people’s living standard. According to a research of ecotourism at Masoala National Park, Madagascar, half of park visitor entrance fees are allocated to local management committees called COGES, in 1991, the COGES invested approximately 700 US dollars on road

improvements, construction of tables for a primary school, public toilet construction and building rehabilitation (Ormsby & Mannle, 2006). The development of ecotourism can also increase local employment (Tisdell, 2002). However, there are some disadvantages when developing ecotourism.

2.2 The disadvantages of ecotourism to economic.

Developing ecotourism not only increase local people’s investment, but also build a barrier for small business to join in. According to the research in Chicanab, Guatemala, the hosting family required to buy foam pads for tourists to sleep on and need to have a slightly separated space for tourists including a table and bed (Bascomb & Taylor, 2008). For hotels, environmental alternatives are easily viewed as drop in standards, the hotels have to provide recycled paper, soap dispensers, towel re-usage, and they may cannot satisfying their customers greatly.

Another drawback of developing ecotourism is the potential for ‘leakage’, the loss of income from the host country to international investors and foreign-run tour companies (Fennell, 1999; Honey, 1999). This seems that the biggest beneficiary is not the host country but the foreign investors.

3. The impact to Environment.

Ecotourism is regarded as responsible tourism in natural areas able to facilitate conservation objectives and able to promote environmentally sustainable development and conservation (Tisdell & Wilson, 2005). However, there is also a risk that human activities may harm to the local species.

3.1 The positive impact to environment.

The development of ecotourism improved local people and visitors’ environmental awareness. Bascomb and Taylor (2008) claimed that the hosting family in Chicanab, Guatemala, agreed to discontinue slash and burn agriculture, farmers now practice crop rotation and use animal fertilizers to their fields to supply the nutrients instead of using burned vegetation. Furthermore, training

local guides to lead visitor education programmes can provide income for local residents and increase visitor environmental awareness (Paaby & Clark, 1995; Weiler & Ham, 2002).

Ecotourism provide an important opportunity to promote environmental learning (Kimmel, 1999). Weiler and Ham (2001) emphasize that education activity is necessary to provide meanings and relationships to people about the place they visit and about the things what they see and they do there.

3.2 The negative impacts to environment.

Ecotourism may affect the local ecosystem and even damage the local environment. Honey (1999) suggested that nature-based ecotourism projects have a threat to nature conservation. Once an ecotourism destination becomes popular and potentially overcrowded, it will risks of losing the qualities such as seclusion, and the original beauty (Rosote, Smardon & Moan, 1991). Ecotourism may cause detrimental ecosystem impacts, ‘including stress to animal populations, trampling of vegetation, introduction of alien invasive species, soil erosion and compaction, water quality degradation, and coral reef destruction. Overuse of an area may result in a loss of wildlife and natural habitat’ (Barnes et al., 1992; Fennell, 1999; Honey, 1999). For the presence of tourists, even if they engage in ‘non-consumptive tourism’, can destroy native vegetation and disturb wildlife, it is bad for their reproduction and availability, the ‘non-consumptive’ tourism also has impacts on the surrounding nature (Tisdell, 2003). However, the negative impacts seems

3. The impacts to local culture.

Denison (1996) defined culture as ‘a metaphor to describe and explain organizational behavior, has been a popular feature of the literature in administration contexts in general’. Loss or change in culture is a common issue associated with ecotourism (Weinberg, Bellows & Ekster, 2002). The change can be either positive

or negative. 3.1 The positive impacts to culture.

It seems that ecotourism might be changed local people’s food and living habitants and make them much healthier. According to the research in Chicacnab, Guatemala, after the Peace Crop volunteers explained the importance of boiling drinking water for visitors, local people started strictly drink boiled water. Sugar, salt and chile are introduced in local cuisine. They were taught to ‘use sugar and salt more sparingly and serve chile on the side rather than mixed directly into the food’. The local people also taught to prepare some non-traditional foods to satisfy customer needs . This seems to be that the local people’s foods become healthier and even diversification.

Ecotourism can also encourage people to respecting local culture. It provides an opportunity for international tourists to enjoy and learn about nature while respecting local culture (Emmons, 1991). For instance, according the research in Chicacnab, Guatemala, observance and participation in a genuine Qeqchi home is an import reason for many tourists to Chicacnab, in this sence ecotourism encourages the maintenance of local culture and traditional values (Bascomb & Taylor, 2008).

3.2 The negative impacts to local culture

It is also believed that ecotourism can damage the local culture. The local people had to change some aspects of daily life to accommodate tourist, such as distracted from their work in the fields while guiding tourists, change their own way to cook and speak Spanish to communicate with tourists (Bascomb & Taylor, 2008). If this situation last for a long-term, there is a possibility that some items of the local culture will be damaged even disappear. However, in the positive impacts, it seems that the main

culture will be remained and strength.

4. Some of the disadvantages can be overcome

There are some possible solutions to reduce the negative impacts to economic. The actual financial problems in ecotourism will depend on how well the tourism project is managed (Tisdell, 2002). The ‘leakage’ can be minimized by promoting the use of host countries’ tour operators, keeping in mind that there is still a need to ensure that revenues stay at the local level and do not flow to a capital-based tour company (Ormsby & Mannle, 2006). An English Tourist Council survey found that 80% of holidaymakers would select environmentally awarded accommodation if given the choice (English Tourist Council, 2002). This seems that the increasing cost to customer is acceptable and the hotels don’t need to worry about the environmental service can reduce customers’ satisfaction. The negative impacts to local environment seem to be controllable. This can be achieved by better managing the number tourists and improving their awareness of protect environment.

5. Conclusion

To conclude this report, it appears that ecotourism can contribute to economic by attacking more tourists and increase local people’s income, living standards and provide job opportunities. It also can improve local people and tourists’ awareness to protect environment and provide an important opportunity to promote environmental learning. Ecotourism can also change the local culture, strength the main items and improve local people’s hobbits and make it much healthier.

However, there are drawbacks. The development of ecotourism also caused economic problems, such as increase cost of customer, built barrier for business firms and potential ‘leakage’ problems. There is also a possibility to damage the local ecosystem and environment. It is also believed that the

ecotourism will damage the local culture. Most of the disadvantage can be overcome by implanting multiple measures. This paper also provides some possible solutions to overcome the disadvantages. Compare the disadvantage and disadvantage, the advantages far outweigh its drawbacks.