Abstract
Ecotourism, since it was introduced to tourism science through the definition created by Ceballos-Lascuráin in 1987, has developed (especially in the theoretical aspect) from the simple admiration for undisturbed natural spaces to the care for these areas as well as for local communities. This approach places it at the centre of sustainable tourism, ensuring even development in three pillars—environmental, social and economic. However, there are still difficulties in introducing its principles to the world of practice and business, despite the growing acceptance of the fact that only such an approach to the development of tourism will ensure success. On the basis of an in-depth literature review that analyses various approaches and definitions, as well as aspects of the phenomenon, such as the impact on natural resources and local communities (both positive and negative), along with the controversy arising in this context, this chapter presents the author’s attempt to show contemporary problems in the development of ecotourism as well as present some examples of good practices in this area.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Acott TG, La Trobe HL, Howard SH (1998) An evaluation of deep ecotourism and shallow ecotourism. J Sustain Tour 6(3):238–253
Agreement M (2000) Proposal for an international certification program for sustainable tourism and ecotourism
Amendah E, Park J (2008) Consumer involvement and psychological antecedents on ecofriendly destinations: willingness to pay more. J Hosp Mark Manage 1(3–4):262–283
Ballantine JL, Eagles PF (1994) Defining Canadian ecotourists. J Sustain Tour 2(4):210–214
Balmford A, Green JMH, Anderson M, Beresford J, Huang C, Naidoo R, Walpole M, Manica A (2015) Walk on the wild side: estimating the global magnitude of visits to protected areas. PLoS Biol 13:e1002074
Ban J, Ramsaran RR (2017) An exploratory examination of service quality attributes in the ecotourism industry. J Trav Tour Mark 34(1):132–148. https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2016.1141155
Barkauskiene K, Snieska V (2013) Ecotourism as an integral part of sustainable tourism development. Econ Manage 18:449–456. https://doi.org/10.5755/j01.em.18.3.4272
Beaumont N (2001) Ecotourism and the conservation ethic: recruiting the uninitiated or preaching to the converted? J Sustain Tour 9(4):317–334
Beaumont N (2011) The third criterion of ecotourism: are ecotourists more concerned about sustainability than other tourists? J Ecotour 10(2):135–148
Björk P (2000) Ecotourism from a conceptual perspective, an extended definition of a unique tourism form. Int J Tour Res 2(3):189–202
Blamey RK (2001) Principles of ecotourism. In: Weaver DB (ed) Encyclopedia of ecotourism. CABI Publishing, New York
Bluwstein J (2017) Creating ecotourism territories: Environmentalities in Tanzania’s community-based conservation. Geotourism 83:1–113
Brennan F, Allen G (2001) Community-based ecotourism, social exclusion and the changing political economy of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. In: Harrison D (ed) Tourism and the less developed world: Issues and case studies. CAB International, Wallingford, pp 203–221
Brundtland GH (1987) Our common future. The World Commission on Environment and Development, Oxford University Press, Oxford
Bricker K (2017) The international ecotourism society. Advancing Tourism Research Globally, Travel and Tourism Research Association, p 11
Buckley R (2003) The practice and politics of tourism and land management. In: Buckley R, Pickering C, Weaver DB (eds) Nature-based tourism, environment and land management, pp 1–6
Butler RW (1990) Alternative tourism: pious hope or trojan horse? J Trav Res 28(3):40–45. https://doi.org/10.1177/004728759002800310
Butler RW (1999) Sustainable tourism: a state-of-the-art review. Tour Geograph 1(1):7–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616689908721291
Carr AM, Higham JES (2001) Ecotourism: a research bibliography. Department of Tourism, University of Otago, Dunedin. New Zealand
Ceballos-Lascuráin H (1987) Estudio de Perfectibilidad Socioeconómica del Turismo Ecológico y Anteproyecto arquitectónico y urbanístico del Centro de Turismo Ecológico de Slan Kalan, Quintana Roo, México. Estudio para SEDUE, México, DF
Charter for Sustainable Tourism (1995) https://www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/charter.html
Clifton J, Benson A (2006) Planning for sustainable ecotourism: the case for research ecotourism in developing country destinations. J Sustain Tour 14(3):238–254. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669580608669057
Cohen E (1973) Nomads from affiuence: notes on the phenomenon of drifter tourism. Int J Comparatitive Soc 14(1–2):89–103
Cohen E (1987) Alternative tourism—a critique. Tour Recreat Res 12(2):13–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.1987.11014508
Cohen E (2002) Authenticity, equity and sustainability in tourism. J Sustain Tour 10(4):267–276
Conway D, Timms BF (2010) Re-branding alternative tourism in the Caribbean: the case for ‘slow tourism.’ Tourism and Hospitality Research 10(4):1–16
Coria J, Calfucura E (2012) Ecotourism and the development of indigenous communities: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Ecol Econ 73:47–55
Cretu RC (2018) Analysis of the ecotourist profile in Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria. In: Economic and social development: book of proceedings, pp 404–413
Deng J, Li J (2014) Self-identification of ecotourists. J Sustain Tourism. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2014.934374
Dodds R (2005) The nature of ecotourism. Friends of conservation economic and social benefits of forest protection. Birdlife International Workshop
Dyess R (1997) Adventure travel or ecotourism? Adv Travel Bus
Epler Wood M (2002) Ecotourism: principles, practices and policies for sustainability. United Nations Publications, New York
Fennell DA (2001) A content analysis of ecotourism definitions. Curr Issues Tourism 4:403–421
Fennel DA (2003) Ecotourism. An introduction. Routledge, London
Fennell DA, Eagles PFJ (1990) Ecotourism in Costa Rica: a conceptual framework. J Park Recreat Admin 8(1):23–34
French SS, González-Suárez M, Young JK, Durham S, Gerber LR (2011) “Human disturbance influences reproductive success and growth rate in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). PLoS ONE 6:e17686
Gallagher AJ, Vianna GM, Papastamatiou YP, Macdonald C, Guttridge TL, Hammerschlag N (2015) Biological effects, conservation potential, and research priorities of shark diving tourism. Biol Cons 184:365–379
Garraway J (2011) Ecotourism as a Means of Community Development: the case of the indigenous populations of the Greater Caribbean. J Tourism Res 1(2):11–20
Goodwin H (1996) In pursuit of ecotourism. Biodivers Conserv 5(3):277–291
Geffroy B, Samia DSM, Bessa E, Blumstein DT (2015) How nature-based tourism might increase prey vulnerability to predators. Trends Ecol Evol 30:12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2015.09.010
Hausmann A, Slotow R, Fraser I, Di Minin E (2017) Ecotourism marketing alternative to charismatic megafauna can also support biodiversity conservation. Anim Conserv 20:91–100
Higham J, Lück M (2002) Urban ecotourism: a contradiction in terms? J Ecotourism 1(1):36–51
Holden P (ed) (1984) Alternative tourism, with a focus on Asia. Ecumenical Coalition on Third World Tourism, Bangkok
Huddart D, Stott T (2020) Adventure tourism in the Canadian Arctic. In: Adventure tourism. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Jegdić V, Gradinac O (2016) Cities as destinations of urban ecotourism: the case study of novi sad. Acta Economica Et Turistica 2:101–236. https://doi.org/10.1515/aet-2016-0014
Jegdić V, Milošević S (2011) Urban ecotourism as a mean of sustainable development of cities. In: Proceedings of 15 international eco-conference: environmental protection of Urban and Suburban Settlements II, pp 433–441. Ekološki pokret Novog Sada, Novi Sad
Jones S (2005) Community-based ecotourism. The significance of social capital. Annal Tourism Res 32(2):303–324
Kerstetter DL, Hou J-S, Lin C-H (2004) Profiling Taiwanese ecotourists using a behavioral approach. Tourism Manage 25:491–498
Kiper T (2013) Role of ecotourism in sustainable development. Intech Open Access Publisher, ITech Education and Publishing, Rijeka, Croatia
Kiss A (2004) Is community-based ecotourism a good use of biodiversity conservation funds? Trends Ecol Evol 19(5):232–237
Krippendorf J (1986) Tourism in the system of industrial society. Annal Tourism Res 13(4):517–532
Laarman JG, Durst PB (1987) Nature travel in the tropics. J For 85(5):43–46
Lee TH, Jan F-H (2018) Ecotourism behavior of nature-based tourists: an integrative framework. J Travel Res 57(6–7):92–81
Liu Z (2003) Sustainable tourism development: a critique. J Sustain Tourism 11(6):459–475
Lu ACC, Gursoy D, Del Chiappa G (2016) The influence of materialism on ecotourism attitudes and behaviors. J Travel Res 55(2):176–189
Machnik A (2013) Nature-based tourism as an introduction to ecotourism experience—a new approach. J Tourism Challenges Trends 6(1):75–96
Machnik A (2015) Turystyka przyrodnicza i ekoturystyka w Polsce – teoria i praktyka. In: Bosiacki S (ed) Kształcenie kadr dla gospodarki turystycznej i rekreacji. Stan obecny i prognozy. AWF, Poznań, pp. 117–126
Machnik A, Królikowska-Tomczak A (2019) Awareness rising of consumers, employees, suppliers, and governments. In: Leal Filho W, Azul A, Brandli L, Özuyar P, Wall T (eds) Responsible consumption and production. Encyclopedia of the UN sustainable development goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71062-4_39-1
Macleod D (2005) Alternative tourism: a comparative analysis of meaning and impact. Glob Tour 2:150–167
Medina LK (2005) Ecotourism and certification: Confronting the principles and pragmatics of socially responsible tourism. J Sustain Tourism 13(3):281–295
Mehmetoglu M (2007) Typologising nature-based tourist by activity—theoretical ad practical Implications. Tourism Manage 28:651–660
Mehmood MT (2017) Towards a more desirable form of ecotourism. IJRASET 5(11):463–467
Millman R (1984) From tourists to visitors: a ‘north’ country view. In: Holden P (ed) Alternative tourism with a Focus on Asia. Ecumenical Coalition on ‘lhird World Tourism, Bankok
Mohd-Shahwahid HO, Mohd Iqbal MN, Ayu AM, Farah MS (2013) Assessing service quality of community based ecotourism: a case study from Kampung Kuantan Fireflies Park. J Trop Forest Sci 25:22–33
Montero-Quintana A, Vázquez-Haikin J, Merkling T, Blanchard P, Osorio-Beristain M (2020) Ecotourism impacts on the behaviour of whale sharks: an experimental approach. Oryx 54(2):270–275. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605318000017
Moorhouse TP, Dahlsjö CA, Baker SE, D’Cruze NC, Macdonald DW (2015) The customer isn’t always right—conservation and animal welfare implications of the increasing demand for wildlife tourism. PLoS ONE 10(10):e0138939
Mtapuri O, Giampiccoli A (2018) Tourism, community-based tourism and ecotourism: a definitional problematic. S Afr Geogr J. https://doi.org/10.1080/03736245.2018.1522598
Mullner A, Linsenmair AK, Wikelski M (2004) Exposure to ecotourism reduces survival and a stress response in hoatzin chicks (Opisthocomus hoazin). Biol Cons 118:549–558
Neth B (2008) Ecotourism as a sustainable rural community development and natural resource management in Tonle Sap biosphere reserve. Kassel University Press GmbH, Kassel
Nevard T, Nevard G (2014) The Mareeba Wetlands—conservation through sustainable ecotourism. J Ecotour 13(2–3):152–158. https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2014.998231
Nowaczek A, Smale B (2010) Exploring the predisposition of travellers to qualify as ecotourists: the ecotourist predisposition scale. J Ecotourism 9(1):45–61. https://doi.org/10.1080/14724040902883521
Okazaki E (2008) A community-based tourism model: its conception and use. J Sustain Tourism 16:511–529
Orams M (2002) Feeding wildlife as a tourism attraction: a review of issues and impacts. Tourism Manage 23:281–293
Ponomarenko YV, Zholdasbekova BA, Balabekov AT, Kenzhebekova RI, Yessaliyev AA, Larchenkova LA (2016) Modern methodology and techniques aimed at developing the environmentally responsible personality. Int J Environ Sci Edu (IJESE) 11(9):2877–2885
Sabran NB, Marikan DAA, Shuib A (2019) Introductory on conservation participation, willingness to pay (WTP), mangrove forests, and ecotourism: a review. Int J Bus Soc Dev (IJBSD) 1(1):43–53
Sangpikul A (2017) Ecotourism mix, good practice, and green marketing: an approach towards the quality tourism business. J Commun Dev Res (Humanit Soc Sci) 10:1
Self RM, Self DR, Bell-Haynes J (2010) Marketing tourism in the galapagos islands: ecotourism or greenwashing? Int Bus Econ Res J (IBER) 9(6):111–126
Schanzel H, McIntosh AJ (2000) “An insight into the personal and emotive context of wildlife viewing at the Penguin Place, Otago Peninsula, New Zealand. J Sustain Tourism 8(1):36–52
Sharpley R (2010) The myth of sustainable tourism. CSD working papers series, 2009/2010 No 4
Silva L (2015) How ecotourism works at the community-level: the case of whale-watching in the Azores. Curr Issues Tourism 18:196–211
Stronza A, Gordillo J (2008) Community views of ecotourism. Annal Tourism Res 35(2):448–468
Stronza AL, Hunt CA, Fitzgerald LA (2019) Ecotourism for conservation? Annu Rev Environ Resour 44:229–253
Sutcliffe SR, Barnes ML (2018) The role of shark ecotourism in conservation behaviour: evidence from Hawaii. Marine Policy 97:27–33
The Ecotourism Declaration (2002) www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/quebec-declaration.pdf
Thompson BS, Gillen J, Friess DA (2017) Challenging the principles of ecotourism: insights from entrepreneurs on environmental and economic sustainability in Langkawi Malaysia. J Sustain Tourism. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2017.1343338
Tisdell J (2003) Economic aspects of ecotourism: wildlife-based tourism and its contribution to nature. Sri Lankan J Agricult Econ 5(1):83–95
Tisdell C, Wilson C (2012) Nature-based tourism and conservation. New economic insight and case studies. Edward Edgar Publishing Limited
Toon TK (1993) Ecotourism: tourism development and the environment in the Caribbean. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Trave C, Brunnschweiler J, Sheaves M, Diedrich A, Barnett A (2017) Are we killing them with kindness? Evaluation of sustainable marine wildlife tourism. Biol Cons 209:211–222
Wallace GN, Pierce SM (1996) An evaluation of ecotourism in Amazonas, Brazil. Annal Tourism Res 23(4):843–873
Walsh T, George B (2019) The ecotourism principle—practice divide: factors that limit the applicability of ecotourism principles into practice. Turismo: Estudos & Práticas (RTEP/UERN) 8(2):170–198
Weaver DB (2005) Mass and urban ecotourism: new manifestions of an old concept. Tour Recreat Res 30(1):19–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2005.11081230
Weaver DB, Lawton LJ (2007) Twenty years on: the state of contemporary ecotourism research. Tour Manag 28(5):1168–1179
Wheeler B (1991) Tourism troubled times. Tour Manage 12(2):91–96
Yasu CM, Baños MR, Hazael CM (2018) Ecotourism as a path to sustainable development in an isolated Magic Town: the case study of La Trampa, Mexico. J Tour Anal 25(1):23–38
Zaręba D (2008) Ekoturystyka. PWN, Warszawa
Zeppel H (2006) Indigenous Ecotourism: Sustainable Development and Management. CABI, Wallingford
Zografos C, Allcroft D (2007) The environmental values of potential ecotourists: a segmentation study. J Sustain Tour 15(1):44–66
Zografos C, Kenrick J (2005) Negotiating ‘indigenousness’ through ecotourism in the Amazonian Ecuador. Tourism 53:205–215
TIES (1991) https://ecotourism.org/our-story/
TIES (2015) www.ecotourism.org/what-is-ecotourism
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Machnik, A. (2021). Ecotourism as a Core of Sustainability in Tourism. In: Lubowiecki-Vikuk, A., de Sousa, B.M.B., Đerčan, B.M., Leal Filho, W. (eds) Handbook of Sustainable Development and Leisure Services. World Sustainability Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59820-4_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59820-4_15
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-59819-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-59820-4
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)