Title: ECOTOURISM
1ECOTOURISM
2WHEN IS IT ECOTOURISM?WHEN IS IT JUST TOURISM?
3Is this an ecotourism destination?
4What about this destination?
Guys, dont answer !
5Ecotourism Responsible travel to natural areas
that conserves the environment and improves the
welfare of local people.
- Versus
- Mass tourism Large-scale tourism, typically
associated with sea, sand, sun resorts and
characteristics such as transnational ownership,
minimal direct economic benefit to destination
communities, seasonality, and package tours.
6Tourism in general
By 2003
- As the largest business sector in the world
economy, tourism employs 200 - million people, generates 3.6 trillion in
economic activity and accounts for - One in every 12 or 8 of jobs worldwide.
7Global tourism economy
As of 20074 years later
- 230 million jobs
- 10 of global gross domestic product
- 6.5 trillion, 4.6 annual growth
8Global tourism
- If tourism were a country, its economy would be
the 2nd largest in the world. - In 4 out of 5 countries tourism is in the top
five export earners. - In 60 countries, tourism is the number one export
earner.
9Global growth of tourism
- 1950 25 million tourist arrivals
- 2004 760 million tourism arrivals
- 2020 -- forecast to reach 1.56 billion
international arrivals - 1990s growing globally at 7/year
- 2004 grew globally 10 over 2003
10Importance to developing countries
- Tourism is a principle export (foreign
exchange earner) for 83 of developing countries,
and the leading export for 1/3 of poorest
countries. - For worlds 40 poorest countries, tourism is 2nd
most important source of foreign exchange, after
oil
11Difficult to separate ecotourism from general
tourism.but here are some best estimates
12Ecotourism
- Beginning in 1990s, growing 20 - 34/year
- In 2004, ecotourism/nature tourism was growing
globally 3 times faster than - tourism industry as a whole.
13Ecotourism/Nature tourism
- Sun and surf visits show no trend.
- Growth is nature based destinations.
14- Sun-and-sand resort tourism has now matured as
a market and its growth is projected to remain
flat. In contrast, experiential tourism--which
encompasses ecotourism, nature, heritage,
cultural, and soft adventure tourism, as well as
sub- sectors such as rural and community
tourismis among the sectors expected to grow
most quickly over the next two decades.
15Economics of mass tourism vs ecotourism
- In Costa Rica, tourism (most of which is
ecotourism) generates 1000/visitor while in
France, standard tourism generates only
400/visitor. - In Dominica, in the Caribbean, stay over
tourists using small, nature-based lodges spent
18 times more than cruise passengers spend while
visiting the island.
16- 80 of money for all-inclusive package tours
goes to airlines, hotels, and other international
companies. Eco-lodges hire and purchase locally,
and therefore put a higher sometimes as much as
95 of money into the local economy.
17- A survey of U.S., British, and Australian
travelers revealed that 70 would pay up to 150
more for a two-week stay in a hotel with a
responsible environmental attitude.
18Costa Rica
- One countrys experience with ecotourism
19(No Transcript)
20(No Transcript)
21Small country. Rich Biodiversity
- About the size of West Virginia
- 0.03 per cent of worlds land surface
- More than 10 of the worlds land biodiversity
- Costa Rica biodiversity is nearly 1000 times
above average. - 25 of country has some level of protection.
22Birds, bats, and frogs make up most of the
vertebrate diversity
23(No Transcript)
24Decline of tropical amphibians
- Are tourists (or maybe ecologists) transporting
the chytrid fungal pathogen into new regions?
25Why is Costa Rica so rich in biodiversity?
- Tropical
- Two coasts
- Wet and dry forests
- Montane forests
- Admixtures from North and South America
- Periodic isolation
26(No Transcript)
27(No Transcript)
28(No Transcript)
29Biodiversity Species
- 9000 higher plants (900trees, 1500 orchids)
- 850 birds (50 hummingbirds)
- 200 mammals (50 are bats !)
- 150 amphibians (few salamanders)
- 200 reptiles (mostly snakes)
- 300000 insects (10 worlds butterflies)
- Total more than 500000 species!!
30Who is responsible?
- Ministry of the Environment and Energy (MINAE)
delegates to - National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC)
- 1998, Biodiversity Law
- 1999, National Strategy for Conservation and
Sustainable Use of Biodiversity
31- National Strategy was highly participatory
- Biodiversity Law established National Commission
for Biodiversity Management (CONAGEBIO). - CONAGEBIO together with SINAC are responsible for
natural resources - Internationally, Costa Rica has ratified such
agreements as CITES, Ramsar, Kyoto, etc. - Committed publicly to be carbon neutral in 10-20
years
32(No Transcript)
33UGA has a field station in Costa Rica with
programs that embrace such themes as
conservation, agroecology, anthropology, insect
natural history, tropical birds, among others.
34Future of Costa Rica Foreign owned resorts
(lower left) or Costa Rican owned nature lodges
(lower right) ? And, land prices on coast and in
mountains increased more than 10 fold in past 15
years. Ordinary land is being priced beyond the
reach of most Costa Ricans.
35Ecotourism problems
- Too many visitors to fragile sites
- Visitors cant see the birds, etc.
- As revenues grow, large tourism operations with
little community connection begin to take over. - Land prices and cost of living increase.
36The Emerald Pool grotto in Dominica
37Emerald Pool when the cruise ship is in port
38A cruise ship of this size can disgorge over
2000 tourists when in port and over a ton of
garbage daily.
39Is tourism the salvation or the curse of the
Galapagos?
40(No Transcript)
41(No Transcript)
42Forest birds use shade-grown coffee farms. Birds
are easier to see, farmers earn fees, tourist
learns about coffee.