Ecotourism

What should ecotourism involve?

Ecotourism questions 1) Write a full definition of eco-tourism, making sure that you include at least three of its distinguishing characteristics.

Answer 1. Eco-tourism is low-impact and low-volume tourism that tries to minimise the environmental impacts of the tourists, by involving local people, providers and resources and by keeping profits within the local area. It does not damage the environment, ensuring that the natural resources of the area are there for future generations to enjoy.

Activity 2 2) If you were on holiday, which of the following actions would help the area you were visiting and which would not: • Taking lots of photographs of local people • Employing a local guide to show you around • Learning to say ‘hello’ in the local language • Bringing lots of sweets for local children • Buying some fruit in a local market • Using eco-friendly shampoo and suntan lotion. • Giving pens and notebooks to the tour operator to give to a local school • Using taxis rather than local buses to move from place to place • Taking long luxurious daily baths in your hotel. For each action that you think would help, explain how it would benefit the area and local people. For each that you think would not help, explain the harm that it might cause.

2) Help: using a local guide (job and income for local person and you benefit from their knowledge and experience). Saying hello (benefit from cultural exchange and respect shown to locals). Fruit from market (supports local farmers and profit stays in area). Eco-friendly products (do not pollute local water supplies which might be used for drinking/fishing). Pens and notebooks (useful goods that may be expensive locally, school will benefit, not a few individuals). Harm: photographs (lack of respect, local fears of cameras). Sweets (not all children get some, sugar may not be part of natural diet). Taxis (fewer people per taxi so less green – but does create employment). Daily, deep baths (use lots of water which may be in short supply locally).

Task 3: 4) Eco-tourism is often called ‘low-volume, low-impact tourism’ meaning that it does not attract many people, but does not damage the environment. Can you name an example of ‘high-volume, high-impact’ tourism?

Homework: (choice) a. Design a poster advising tourists visiting a safari in Zimbabwe about how to be good eco-tourists. Make sure that you cover the economic, socio-cultural and environmental aspects of ‘good’ tourism. b. Draw a labelled diagram of a tourist resort that you have designed to be a perfect eco-tourist resort. Your resort can have any facilities or features that any resort in the world already has. Your resort does not have to be like any existing resort as long as it fulfils the requirements of an eco tourist resort as fully as possible. Consider materials and size of building, who will work there, where it will be, transport, facilities etc....

Ideas to start you off Water heated by solar power Gardens watered only with collected rain water Employs local, knowledgeable guides Swimming Pool Large number of rooms Nature trail activities High rise building Built with local materials Expensive to stay there Local sourced food and drink served Hire cars organised for guests Recycles waste Air-conditioning Profits used to train up Maasai guides It is a tented camp Food is provide d to meet the needs of the guests Built near existing roads Guests help out with local conservation projects Hot air balloon rides organised Baths in rooms Televisions in rooms Brightly coloured buildings Gift shop on site Water comes from a local spring Mosquito nets Guided walks organised On site casino Profits used to protect wildlife