Definition and Concept of Ecotourism.
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Ecotourism
is seen as a symbiotic relationship between tourism and nature
conservation. The criteria that the ecotourism development should
meet are:
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The activity must be nature based. It does not imply that the
setting must be pristine or unmodified. It does not exclude
settings that include exotic species or are substantially or
totally comprised of introduced species. It does not imply any
specific level of physical activity. It means that the motivation
for undertaking the activity in a particular setting is provided
by expectations of satisfaction that are directly related to
the natural qualities of the setting. |
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"Scuba
diving" |
•
The activity must be environmentally sustainable. It is
this criterion that supports the contention that ecotourism
is better understood as a process rather than a product.
To ensure environmental impacts of tourism activities are
sustainable it is necessary to have a process for monitoring
environmental impacts and the ability (and willingness)
to limit or mitigate the impacts of tourism and recreation
within the limits of acceptable change.
•
The activity must make a contribution to nature conservation.
The contribution to conservation may be measured by the
degree to which the impact of local communities is reduced
or it may be made directly by the tourism related activities,
or indirectly by facilities provided with the funds generated
from ecotourism.
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