Ecotourism and Ecotourists

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Ecotourism and Ecotourists
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Ecotourism History

• Origins of world ecotourism
• Def Traveling to relatively undisturbed or
  uncontaminated natural areas with the specific
  objectives of studying, admiring and enjoying the
  scenery and its wild plant, and animals as well
  as any existing cultural manifestations

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• Ecotours started in Canada in the 1970s?
• Ecotourism in the 90s focus on concepts
  including low impact, sustainability, community
  development
• Canadian government thought it was important to
  allow Canadian and foreign travelers to
  appreciate human land relationships in Canada

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• Ecotourism existed before its name
• African Wildlife base Nature Tourism enterprises
  in 19th Century
• During Romantics Era - outdoor travel for the
  intrinsic nature of the experience
• Psychological Factor in Travel Novelty
• Trips to Yellowstone in 1880s

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Hard and Soft Dimensions of Ecotourism
Nature-Related interest
Dedicated naturalist
Casual Interest in Nature
Physically Hard (difficult) Physically Soft
(easy)
B
Physical Rigour
A
Source Laarman Durst, 1987
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Ecotourism vs. Nature Tourism

• Nature Tourism encompasses all forms of tourism -
  mass, adventure, low impact - and ecotourism-
  which use natural resources in a wild or
  undeveloped form. Its purpose is to enjoy
  undeveloped areas or wildlife

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• Ecotourism low impact nature tourism which
  contributes to the maintenance of species and
  habitats either directly through a contribution
  to conservation and / or indirectly by providing
  revenue to the local community sufficient for
  local people to value, therefore protect their
  wildlife heritage as a source of income (Goodwin
  1996)

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Key Differences

• Educational component
• Sustainable component
• Ethical nature of the experience
• Nature based tourism-wide area of interest

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Ecotourism Framework
The Visitor
Service Industry
Tourism Operation
Marketing
Resource Tourism
Resource Mgmt
Visitor Mgmt
Community Development
Visitor Attitudes
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Principles of Ecotourism

• minimizes negative impacts to the environment and
  local people
• Increases awareness and understanding of an
  areas natural and cultural systems and their
  subsequent involvement in conservation issues
• Contributes to conservation and management of
  protected and other natural areas

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• Maximizes local participation in the decision
  making concerning intensity of tourism
• Directs economic and other benefits to local
  people
• Provides special opportunities for local people
  and nature tourism employees to utilize and visit
  natural areas

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Varying Factors in Ecotourism Definitions and
Practices

• Varying Factors in definitions
• Interest in nature
• Contribution to conservation
• Reliance on parks and protected areas
• Benefits to local people / long-term benefits
• Education and study
• Low impact non-consumptive
• Ethics / Responsibility
• Management
• Sustainable
• Enjoyment / appreciation
• Culture
• Adventure
• Appropriate scale

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Adventure Tourisms Relationship to Ecotourism

• Adventure Tourism
• The outdoor pursuit component is important,
  however there must be an element of uncertainty
  (Priest, 1990)
• Difference in social psychology of the experience
  .. Why the experience occurs
• element of risk (a desire for a condition)
• the further one goes beyond their perceived
  talents the more intense the adventurous
  situation becomes

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Levels of Risk in Tour Packages
HIGH
R I SK
SOFT ADVENTURE
ADVENTURE
HIGH ADVENTURE
LOW
ADVENTURE LEVEL
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Tourism Activity Spectrum
Increasing Certainty/Safety
ADVENTURE TRAVEL
TOUR TRAVEL
ECOTOURISM
Increasing preparation/training
Unexpected results and risks
Known results and safety
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The Changing Face of Ecotourism
Ecotourism
Cultural Tourism
ACE TOURISM
Adventure, culural, ecotourism
Adventure Tourism
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Tourist Typologies

• Tourism research based on tourist types, and not
  settings of tourism
• Focuses on
• Needs
• Traits
• Motivations of the traveler

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Four Categories of Tourists

• Group Mass Tourists
• Individual Mass Tourists
• Explorers
• Drifters
• (Cohen, 1972)

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Tourist Motivations

• Purely psychological and not sociological
• Travel to
• 1. Seek intrinsic awards (the novelty)
• 2. To escape everyday environments (the escape)
• Both personal or interpersonal in nature
• Iso-Ahola, 1982

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Ecotourist Profiles

• Do it yourself Ecotourists
• High degree of flexibility
• Ecotourists on Tours
• High degree of organization travel to exotic
  places
• School or Scientific Groups
• Stay in regions for extensive periods of time
• Willing to endure harsh conditions
• (Kulser, 1991)

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Ecotourism Profiles

• Hardcore Nature Tourist
• Scientific researchers, very dedicated
• Dedicated Nature Tourists
• Take trips to see specific areas, learn history
• Mainstream Nature Tourists
• Visit the Amazon (or other unusual places)
• Casual Nature Tourists
• Experience nature as a part of a broader trip
• Lindburg, 1991

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The Ecotourist Profile

• Well Educated, and Wealthy
• Difference between ecotourists and average
  traveler
• Different travel motivations from average
  traveler
• Not one homogeneous group- can be differentiated
  through many different variables

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In Conclusion

• More studies and research are needed for further
  understanding on ecotourism
• Differentiation on different types of tourism
  must be done on a basis of social psychology