Category: Ecotourism

Introduction

As focus shifts to environmental friendly businesses, its important that everyone adopts the technologies and practices that have minimal negative impact on the environment. The tourism industry has been cited as one of those where environmental degradation is high (Fennell, 2007).

Given that a lot of tourism has to do with direct contact with the environment, it is therefore necessary to look for ways to minimize the damage that results from them. Big companies that operate hotel chains and other amenities that support tourism are the culprits. Eco tourism therefore aims at combating this problem while preserving the traditional meaning of tourism (Zeppel, 2006).

The concept will involve the surrounding communities where tourist attractions like wildlife are found. Instead of lodging in big resorts built in delicate ecological areas, tourists will be hosted in the communities round the attractions centers. The community will only collect a goodwill fee from the visitors, which will be geared towards preserving the environment.

Facts about ecotourism

According to the International Ecotourism Society (TIES) (2011), eco-tourists accounted for over 20% of international travel by the year 2000. TIES further says that an eco tourist pays on average $1200 more than the regular tourist in a trip. The above facts clearly point to the viability of the business model and they are a sure indicator of its growth and benefits.

Objectives

The objectives of the Amazon Resort will include:

• Maintaining the natural ecology of the Amazon Providing visitors with service worth their fee
• Mission

The mission of the Amazon Eco Resort will be to offer eco friendly services to visitors to ensure economic development of the surrounding community and preservation of the ecosystem.

Business Summary

The Amazon Eco Resort will be a virtual resort that will comprise tens of residential units owned by the local community. The residential units will be in use by the residents but special accommodation for visitors will be prioritized. The families will host the visitors and the visitors will immerse themselves in the community and live like the locals.

Business Ownership

The business will be owned by the Amazon community on whose land these residential units will be built.

Business location and facilities

The business will be located on the Brazil Amazon with all the facilities needed for a comfortable stay. A new whether road has already been constructed by the community to be used by the visitors.

Products

The Amazon Eco Resort will offer a variety of services including sight seeing, hiking, bird watching, and recreational study for scientists who would like to study about the Amazon environment and the way of life of the Amazon people.

Business time

The business will be open through out. The locals will receive visitors all year round. The visits to the virtual resort will be pre arranged to avoid any hiccups that may arise.

Viability

A research done before the planning of the business commenced, showed that over 70% of people interviewed favored this type of travel to the traditional tourism. Many people are willing to pay more to experience ecotourism (Kunkel, 2008).

Amazon and the African Savanna were cited as the most preferred ecotourism destinations. The authorities in Brazil have already given approval for the commencement of the project and have the investors.

References

Fennell, A. (2007).Ecotourism. New York: Routledge.

Kunkel, M. (2008). Ecotourism in Brazil – Case Study of the Legal Amazon. Norderstedt: GRIN Verlag.

The International Eco-Tourism Society (TIES). (2011). Driving change in Global Tourism. Web.

Zeppel, H. (2006). Indigenous ecotourism: sustainable development and management. London: CAB International.

Introduction

In the past decade, Dubai has grown to be not only a commercial hub, but also an excellent tourist destination (Anheier 2012, p. 94). A key sector driving Dubai’s flourishing tourism industry is the eco-tourism sector.

Even though eco-tourism is a new industry in Dubai, the rapid tourism boom in the region threatens coastal and desert habitats (Simm 2012, p. 1).

From the ecological concerns about the growing tourism industry in Dubai, this paper proposes a research study to assess the cost of adopting eco-tourism. To have a more practical approach to this issue, this paper proposes a case study that focuses on one hotel located on the Palm Tree Island – Fairmont the palm, Dubai.

The palm tree island is an artificial island off Dubai’s coast that hosts several hotels and resorts. The 2006 palm-tree island project provides a good case study for this paper because the project ended and now hosts several high-end resorts, villas, and hotels (Page 2012).

This paper therefore proposes a research study to establish the cost of adopting eco-tourism in Fairmont the palm, hotel.

Background/Rationale

Even though Dubai’s climate is characterised by arid conditions, the World Tourism Destination ranks it among the top tourist destinations in the world. In fact, Dubai is ahead of China, Turkey, France, Hong Kong, Germany and other top tourist destinations in the world, in terms of attracting the largest tourist numbers (Stephens 2008).

Statistics, which show that about 10,000,000 tourists visit Dubai every year, support the growing relevance of Dubai as a top tourist destination. For instance in 2010 alone, Taylor (2011) estimates the number of tourists who visited Dubai to be about 9,000,000 people.

To support its growing tourism sector, Dubai also reported increased hotel capacity, which analysts estimated at 70% in 2011 (Kumae 2012). The growth of the general tourism industry has also led to the growth of other tourism sectors like the cruise ship industry, which grows by about 10% every year (Stephenson 2010).

In 2010, Dubai hosted close to 400,000 cruise ship passengers. Observers expect this number to grow to about 600,000 travellers by 2015 (Mohammed 2011). The growing tourism industry in Dubai has brought significant economic development in the emirate.

However, underlying this growth is a worsening ecological crisis that threatens the existence of the tourism industry in the first place (Badescu 2011).

Problem Statement

Notably, the U.A.E has among the world’s greatest ecological footprint, considering its rapid growth and harsh climatic condition. The rapid growth of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are especially among the greatest threat to the ecological sustainability of the region (Routledge 2012).

Through the decline of environmental quality at the palm tree island, this paper seeks to understand the cost of adopting eco-tourism as a new model for sustaining eco-tourism at Fairmont the palm, Dubai. This seaside hotel is located on the palm tree island as a magnificent tourist lounge.

The challenges facing the hotel resemble many other challenges facing Dubai’s hotel industry – sustainability. Therefore, as Dubai’s tourism sector embraces eco-tourism as a sustainable model, this paper proposes to investigate the cost of embracing eco-tourism as a sustainable model for Fairmont the Palm, Dubai.

Research Objectives

General objective

• To understand the cost of adopting eco-tourism as a new model for sustaining the tourism sector at Fairmont the Palm, Dubai

Specific Objectives

• To estimate the cost of regulating eco-tourism activities at Fairmont the Palm, Dubai
• To evaluate the financial cost and savings of improving operations at Fairmont the Palm, Dubai to eco-tourism accreditation standards
• To ascertain the cost of developing new facilities and infrastructure for eco-tourism at Fairmont the palm, Dubai
• To find out the implication of adopting eco-tourism on the local community living around Fairmont the Palm, Dubai hotel
• To establish the impact of adopting eco-tourism on the tourist numbers coming to visit Fairmont the Palm, Dubai

Originality of Research and Contribution to Knowledge

Albeit a fledgling industry, Dubai local authorities have expressed interest in eco-tourism as a sustainable model for development (especially in the tourism sector) (Dluzewska 2008).

This new interest has even prompted the government to rebuild some of the damaged underwater natural resources, off Dubai’s coastline, by sinking old aeroplanes and ships to reconstruct the damaged marine life (Tomlinson 2010).

This effort to reconstruct the environment demonstrates a significant interest, not only within the government, but also within private developers (hotels) about the possible advantages of embracing eco-tourism.

With this renewed interest in eco-tourism comes the need to evaluate the potential cost implications for embracing this model of tourism (Stewart 2008).

The uniqueness of the above analysis contributes to the existing body of knowledge regarding the cost of implementing eco-tourism, plus the environmental impact of the growth of the tourism industry on the environment.

The findings of the paper therefore specifically contribute immensely to the growing body of knowledge surrounding Dubai’s eco-tourism sector. Since eco-tourism is an emerging field in Dubai, the findings of this study will be pivotal in explaining the underlying economic factors affecting the growth and sustainability of the industry.

Reviews of literature and relevant concepts

Review of Literature and Relevant Concepts

The emergence of ecological concerns, amid the growth of the tourism industry in Dubai, is part of a larger global concern regarding the importance of embracing sustainable economic practices in most aspects of development (Wang 2010).

Therefore, an assessment of the cost of adopting eco-tourism in Dubai is only part of a wider global concern for the environmental impact of economic activities on the environment (Thullen 1996). Many researchers have argued that the growth of the tourism industry bears negative implications for the environment (Assaker 2011).

However, it is crucial to show that unlike other economic sectors, tourism and the environment share an interdependent relationship.

Measuring the economic costs of tourism is a two-thronged approach where the investment and profitability of the venture measure against occupancy rates and market surveys (UNEP 2012).

Knowing the appropriate co-efficiency of occupancy is a strong indicator of the success or viability of tourism investments. Investors interested in adopting eco-tourism ventures would therefore be significantly interested in achieving a break-even occupancy level so that they achieve a favourable return on investment (Baum 2012).

UNEP (2012) suggests that the gross operating result method is the best way for understanding the economic costs of embracing eco-tourism.

This method mainly works by comparing the available budget for financing the investment and the possible profitability of the investment, without considering the intangible costs associated with the project, such as, social or environmental costs.

However, eco-tourism projects cannot openly adopt this measurement model because the potential cost of embracing eco-tourism also has significant implications for the community and other stakeholders (Ruiz-Molina 2010).

Therefore, when calculating the cost of embracing eco-tourism, economists equally consider the cost and benefits of embracing eco-tourism for the local population (Jalilvand 2012).

Cost benefit analyses of tourism projects often show that very little investments in occupancy rates (like 20%) have significant benefits for the local community (UNEP 2012). Therefore, even with low occupancy levels, the income of the local population may increase significantly.

Conceptual Framework

The main conceptual framework underlying the nature of the proposed study lies in sustainable development models. Many scholars agree that eco-tourism is a sustainable model for defining the relationship between the tourism industry and the environment (Yang 2008).

Environmentalists also agree that eco-tourism is the best way to uphold a sustainable relationship between tourism activities and the environment (Yang 2008).

Indeed, for many reasons, eco-tourism remains a sustainable model for the environment because it not only preserves the environment, but also creates jobs and awareness about the importance of “going green.” Through this conceptualisation, it is easier to understand how eco-tourism is a sustainable model for generating revenue and protecting the environment.

Research Design, Data Collection, and Analysis

Research Design

Considering the multifaceted nature of the research topic, this paper proposes a mixed research design that uses qualitative and quantitative research methods.

A mixed research approach is crucial for the proposed study because some issues about the research require a qualitative approach, while other issues require a quantitative understanding.

For example, stakeholder interests in the growth of the tourism industry, and the protection of the environment, require a qualitative approach to understand the phenomenon.

Similarly, an understanding of the economic impact of adopting sustainable practices in the tourism industry requires a quantitative approach. It is therefore inevitable to use both techniques. The research project will be deductive.

Deductive projects follow the top-down logic where information about industry activity provides a logical solution regarding a specific phenomenon. This approach explains how industry dynamics in the adoption of eco-tourism affect Fairmont the Palm, Dubai.

Therefore, conclusions about general industry dynamics associated with the cost of adopting eco-tourism associate with Fairmont’s willingness to do the same.

This approach is appropriate for this paper because Fairmont has not embraced eco-tourism yet and therefore, it would be difficult to find enough information regarding its willingness to do so, internally. An inductive approach is therefore impossible.

However, external case studies may provide an overview of the cost of embracing eco-tourism. Therefore, a deductive approach would be most appropriate for this paper.

Data Collection

Considering the flexibility and convenience of online sampling techniques, the proposed study will use online surveys as the main data collection technique. Besides, the flexibility of styling of online surveys, this data collection technique is appropriate for this study because it saves time and requires minimal financial resources to conduct.

Therefore, considering this paper partly uses the qualitative research method, it will be easy to accommodate varied research questions.

Even though online questionnaires have their limitations (like limited sampling availability), the minimal resources for the study (time and finances) make online questionnaires the preferable technique for this paper (Sue 2011).

Besides the online data collection procedure, journals and books comprise the main sources for secondary data. Journals and books comprise the main sources of secondary data because they are reliable sources of information. Peer–reviewed content will be most preferable.

Context and Participants

The proposed study includes the incorporation of primary and secondary research. For purposes of primary research, professionals, who are knowledgeable about the research topic, will give their insights regarding the subject. Mainly, their contribution compares similar findings derived from secondary research.

A random selection process identifies ten respondents as the research sample. I will obtain the ten respondents through an online panel platform provided by a trusted provider, such as, Recruiting Agencies and knowledgeable expert networks.

The main advantage of this method is the potential high commitment and engagement of the respondents to the research process. Indeed, all the respondents sampled would have initially agreed to participate in similar research.

A random selection process informs this process because it will be difficult to know the respondent at a personal level. Therefore, so long as the respondents meet the criterion of selection (knowledge about the research and having worked with a reputable consultancy firm); they will be eligible for the research.

The main motivator for adopting this method is to have a highly representative sample of the respondents. There will be no preferred firms in this study because of the deductive nature of the research. A sample size of ten respondents conveniently suits this study because there is limited time to conduct the research.

Moreover, the subject of research focuses on one hotel and therefore, a few respondents sufficiently address the research topic.

Therefore, considering the fixed allocated time for data collection and the focused nature of the research topic, the study can appropriately accommodate ten respondents. The following time schedule shows how the research will occur

Data Analysis

The coding and member check techniques form the main data collection techniques for the proposed paper. Both techniques complement one another through a distributed function system.

The coding technique will mainly analyse secondary data by providing an interpretive tool for sorting and differentiating the huge volumes of secondary data into easily understandable data pools (Babbie 2010, p. 400). This data analysis tool eases the process of identifying different types of information through codes.

The member-check technique complements the coding technique by establishing the accuracy, transferability, and authenticity of the information sourced. In detail, the member-check technique ensures that the context and attitudes of the findings presented in the final study represent the original sources of information (Klenke 2008, p. 43).

Therefore, this data analysis technique ensures all the findings derived from the secondary pieces of information (for example) mirror the opinions and context of the authors who developed the information.

Conclusion of Proposal

While many researchers have explored the ecological impact of the tourism industry on the environment, the proposed research seeks to provide a specific assessment of the cost of adopting eco-tourism in Dubai.

Location-specific attributes about the Island and the unique environmental dynamics of the region characterise the research process. Therefore, the findings of the paper provide a specific analysis of the location of the study – Dubai.

This is a limitation to the proposed study because it would be difficult to generalise the findings across other geographic regions.

However, a potential strength of this study is the unique nature of the research topic because the dynamics surrounding the research will be specific to the region.

Therefore, a high accuracy of the paper’s finding is expected. Comprehensively, the proposed research provides an accurate assessment of the cost of having sustainable tourism and hospitality industries.

References

Anheier, H. (2012) Cultures and Globalization: Cities, Cultural Policy and Governance. London: SAGE.

Assaker, G. (2011) ‘Modeling a causality network for tourism development: an empirical analysis’. Journal of Modelling in Management. 6(3) pp. 258 – 278.

Babbie, E. (2010) The Practice of Social Research. London: Cengage Learning.

Badescu, V. (2011) Macro-Engineering Seawater in Unique Environments: Arid Lowlands and Water Bodies Rehabilitation. New York: Springer.

Baum, T. (2012) ‘Human resource management in tourism: a small island perspective’. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research. 6(2) pp. 124 – 132.

Dluzewska, A. (2008) ‘Direct and indirect impact of the tourism industry on drylands: the example of Southern Tunisia’. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal. 19(6) pp. 661 – 669.

Jalilvand, M. (2012) ‘The impact of electronic word of mouth on a tourism destination choice: Testing the theory of planned behavior (TPB)’. Internet Research. 22(5) pp. 591 – 612.

Klenke, K. (2008) Qualitative Research In The Study Of Leadership. London: Emerald Group Publishing.

Kumae, R. (2012) ‘Tourism in Dubai: The Sunrise Sector’. Middle East Journal of Business. 7(1) pp. 15 – 16.

Mohammed, K. (2011) ‘Food safety challenges and initiatives in the Dubai hospitality industry’. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes. 3(5) pp. 443 – 449.

Page, K. (2012) Middle East Review. London: Kogan Page Publishers.

Routledge. (2012) Tourism Mobilities: Places to Play, Places in Play. London: Routledge.

Ruiz-Molina, M. (2010) ‘Good environmental practices for hospitality and tourism: The role of information and communication technologies’. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal. 21(4) pp. 464 – 476.

Simm, C. (2012) Eco-tourism in Dubai Web.

Stephens, M. (2008) ‘Dubai – a star in the east: A case study in strategic destination branding’. Journal of Place Management and Development. 1(1) pp. 62 – 91.

Stephenson, M. (2010) ‘Islamic hospitality in the UAE: indigenization of products and human capital’. Journal of Islamic Marketing. 1(1) pp. 9 – 24.

Stewart, D. (2008) The Middle East Today: Political, Geographical and Cultural Perspectives. London: Taylor & Francis.

Sue, V. (2011) Conducting Online Surveys. London: SAGE Publications.

Taylor, J. (2011) ‘Barriers to HACCP in hospitality: a global problem with global solutions?’. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes. 3(5) pp. 387 – 401.

Thullen, S. (1996) Tourism and its Impacts on the Environment Web.

Tomlinson, B. (2010) Greening Through It: Information Technology for Environmental Sustainability. MIT: MIT Press.

UNEP. (2012) Monitoring The Costs And Benefits Of Ecotourism: Equitable Distribution Between All Actors Web.

Wang, S. (2010) ‘Residents’ attitudes toward tourism development in Shandong, China’. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research. 4(4) pp. 327 – 339.

Yang, J. (2008) ‘Nature-based tourism impacts in I-Lan, Taiwan: business managers’ perceptions’. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research. 2(3) pp. 250 – 270.

Introduction to Tourism in Mauritius

Tourism is regarded as one of the most important foreign exchange earners in Mauritius. The IMF (2012) reports that tourism is slightly over 8 percent of the country’s GDP, making it an important aspect of the island’s economy. The growth in the tourism sector over the past 3 decades has contributed to the overall growth of the Mauritian economy.

The IMF (2012) reveals that tourism has served as a large engine of job creation in the country. The performance of Mauritius’s tourism sector has been impressive with the country experiencing a remarkable increase from having some 18,000 visitors a year in 1970 to some 400,000 visitors in 1994 and an impressive 960,000 visitors to the island in 2012.

The tourism sector in Mauritius is largely homegrown. There are a number of major luxury hotel chains owned and operated by Mauritian entrepreneurs. In addition to this, the Mauritius business community has reinvested part of the proceeds from the sector into the Mauritius economy thereby fostering the country’s economy.

Profile of Mauritian Tourists

Mauritius is marketed as a high-class destination and targeted at up-market tourists. As an expensive tourist destination, the island is out of reach for the standard tourist. Bulcke and Verbeke (2009) reveal that the inflated airfares are an important factor in making the destination inaccessible. Graham and Forsyth (2012) observe that more than 90% of the total number of visitors to Mauritius go to the country for leisure purposes.

The national carrier, Air Mauritius, enjoys almost a monopoly as the main passenger carrier to the island. A key attribute of the airline is that it charges high prices, which help to uphold the high-class destination image that the island has and continues to project. The limited competition faced by Air Mauritius allows the airline to implement price discrimination based on nationality and the origin of the travel.

This discrimination ensures that foreigners are charged significantly more than the Mauritius residents are. Since chartered flights are not allowed into the country, reaching Mauritius at a favourable rate proves to be impossible for many.

European high-spenders make up the vast majority of Mauritius’ foreign tourists. The largest number of tourists to Mauritius is from France and the French island of Reunion located in the Indian Ocean. These two countries combined account for about 41% of the total number of foreign tourists visiting the country annually.

The popularity of Mauritius among the French travellers can be attributed to the island’s long history with France. The island was held as a French colony from 1905 to 1810 when it was lost to the British after the Napoleonic wars.

There is therefore deep history between France and the island with many cultural and language similarities between the two countries (Graham & Forsyth, 2012). The other principal tourist-generating countries include South Africa, United Kingdom, India, Germany, and Italy.

Major Attractions

The primary attraction offered by Mauritius is the pristine natural setting of the country. Geographically, the Island has an expansive white sandy beach that extends for more than 140 kilometres. In addition to the impressive sandy beaches surrounding the island, the country has beautiful coral reefs that protect many natural lagoons found within the surrounding waters.

The turquoise sea surrounding Mauritius is a prime tourist attraction. The combination of the splendid beaches, good climate, and impressive sea life has led to Mauritius being presented as a tropical paradise for tourists.

To ensure that all tourists are able to enjoy the country’s physical assets, all tourist hotels in Mauritius have been built on or near the wide beaches or the protected lagoons giving visitors an opportunity to savour the natural beauty of the island.

As a small island, Mauritius is able to market itself as a more attractive and exotic destination for tourists. Scheyvens and Momsen (2008) contend that small islands like Mauritius are able to obtain a much higher than average international arrivals growth rate since tourists travelling to this destination can delight in the fact that “their” island is not shared with any other tourism operators.

This exotic nature of Mauritius makes it a prime tourist destination for high-end tourists.

Major Activities

Mauritius has faced increasing competition in its principal tourist-generating countries from other affordable destination. The island has therefore had to diversify its tourism products in order to maintain its clientele and even attract more. The increase in leisure opportunities to visitors was also prompted by the decline in average duration of stay by tourists in Mauritius.

Graham and Forsyth (2012) explain that the government implemented a policy aimed at increasing the expenditure per day and rising the average duration of stay for each tourist. The island offers a wide range of water-related sports to its visitors. Common water sports include sea kayaking and kite surfing.

Mauritius has a number of cultural and historical sites that tourists can visit. Port Louis offers the visitor an unreserved look into the colonial past of the island. There is a statue of the 17th century French naval officer Mahe de Labourdonnais and Queen Victoria (Mountain & Proust, 2002). The two statues pay tribute to the two powers that colonized Mauritius.

The National History Museum has many artefacts that elaborate on the country’s history and its rich culture. In addition to this, the museum has a wide range of stuffed Mauritian birds offering the visitor a glimpse into the expansive bird population of the country.

Shopping is another activity that tourists in Mauritius can engage in while visiting the country. The island has a number of high-end shops that offer luxury products from all over the world. There are also duty-free goods that tourists can purchase and duty applied to some luxury products has been reduced in order to promote purchasing by tourists.

The island has a number of trendy bars and restaurants that appeal to the fun loving tourists. The island offers a host of nightlife activities including dancing and parties in its vibrant clubs (Mountain & Proust, 2002).

For further entertainment, the country has a number of world-class casinos that cater primarily for tourists. Tourists are therefore able to visit these facilities and engage in gambling in the same way as they would do while at world famous gambling

References

Bulcke, D. & Verbeke, A. (2009). Handbook on Small Nations in the Global Economy: The Contributions of Multinational Enterprises to National Economic Success. London: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2009

Epler, M.W. (2002). Ecotourism: Principles, Practices and Policies for Sustainability. Nairobi, UNEP.

Graham, A., & Forsyth, P. (2012). Aviation and Tourism: Implications for Leisure Travel. Boston: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.

IMF (2012). Mauritius: 2012 Article IV Consultation – Staff Report; Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Mauritius. Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund.

Mountain, A. & Proust, A. (2002). This is Mauritius. Pretoria: Struik.

The project that has been proposed seeks to implement some changes in the eco-tourism activities in New Zealand. These changes cut across the local, national, and international concerns in the tourism sector. The project entailed adventurous tours organised with a motive of introducing the participants to the variety of flora and fauna found in the Fiordland of New Zealand. The activities were boat riding, hiking, camping, cycling and hills climbing among many others. Selection process for the activities to include in the project was influenced by some of the spectacular features that Fiord land National Park had to offer for the tourists. Some of the spectacular features that were considered are fiord waterfalls, snow covered mountains, steep hills, rivers among others (Warren and Taylor 12). As a guiding principle, the participant guests had to interact with the workers in the park who were involved in eco-tourism activities.

Justification of the project

Selection of New Zealand as the best location for the project was arrived at after an in-depth analysis of the historical events were analysed regarding the location. New Zealand is one of the few countries that were isolated from the entire world (Bejder, Stephen and Harraway 743). Therefore, it retained its ecological purity than any other possible location that could be thought of. However, due to the Europeans migrating to the area in the recent past, some major ecological impacts have started to be felt. The negative effects have made some of the endemic species to become extinct (Warren and Taylor 10). In this regard, the New Zealand fiord land has raised a global alarm on the need to conserve the environmental through proper eco-tourism practises in the area. On the same note, the project was proposed to enhance some of the measures that ought to be taken to actualise eco-tourism activities.

Overview of Negative Environmental Impacts

Some ecotourism activities performed by people and animals destroy the natural stature of animal and plant species. First, the physical distraction of the species habitat is one critical aspect that modifies their survival tactics. These negative environmental effects are apparent in such cases where roads are made or trees and rocks cleared. The endemic lizards are affected by such environmental disturbances. The infrastructural activities affect the lives of species making them part of the unpreserved conservation zone like national parks and reserves.

Fishing activities in the fiords: it has been observed that due to marine activities and the ignorance by some of the marine bodies, oils spillages have evidenced on the Fiord land; an aspect that has led to water pollution. Fishing also brings another fundamental effect involving overfishing. This activity deprives the ability of the marine life to multiply. It has been noticed that various species of fish such as whitebait are slowly becoming extinct. If overfishing is not controlled, then it is estimated that over varieties of species of fish will have ceased to exist. Finally, the fauna living in these aquatic habitats face another grave vice from agricultural effluents. In this case, the farmers neighbouring Fiord lands are often involved in discharging of chemicals to the rivers (Goldie 76). The chemicals destroy soil and marine life leading to imbalance in the ecological niche.

Thirdly, pollution is a critical result of ecotourism. For instance, noise pollution from marine activities such as cruise boat riding, oil drilling, and cars travelling are associated with creation of excessive noises believed to stress the fauna and disrupt their breeding behaviours (Bejder, Stephen and Harraway 745). Tourism activities may lead to littering, especially in respect to the popularity of the Fiord land in New Zealand. This region has exhibited an increased number of both local and international tourists in the recent past. However, some tourists have been noted to litter the areas they visit; a negative impact to the environment that threatens the life of the bird species in the Fiord land (Bejder, Stephen and Harraway 747).

Environmental Benefits of Project

If the project proposed is enacted, the following environmental benefits will be realised;

• The levels of pollution by either or a combination of noise, solid, and liquid waste will be minimised. Minimisation of waste ensures proper growth of micro and macro organisms which are depended upon by other organisms for survival.
• Fishing activities will be controlled to ensure survival of the marine life especially the fish species that faces extinction threat. By enhancing proper fishing activities, it is estimated that only mature marine species are fished, giving space for the offspring to grow and recreate (Bejder, Stephen and Harraway 740).
• Owing to monitoring of tourist activities, bio-degradation problems will be reduced to non-hazardous levels, an initiative that ensures the recreation of both flora and fauna (Hviding and Bayliss 23).
• In this quest, an environmental concern is impacted to the prospective tourists thereby building a beneficial relationship between the humans and the environment.
• By promoting proper eco-tourism activities, an eco-friendly environment is realised which directly benefits all the organisms (Kotler 13).

Social and Economic Benefits and Impacts

When viewed in a different angle, the project will provide a lot of social and economic benefits in New Zealand. In this project, proposed activities are estimated to provide education and knowledge to the local people in New Zealand. In this aspect, the various measures of environment conservation that have been proposed can only be achieved through training of the affected people. By so doing, important environment related information is passed from one generation to another (Briggs 132).

This information helps to conserve the environment for future generations. Most of the eco-tourism proposed activities will promote good co-existence between the fauna and the surrounding human beings. Consequently, the proposed activities and measures taken in the project, seeks to ensure that both the human beings and the fauna found in the fiord land have enough food for sustenance. In this regard, the distinct boundaries between the two key organisms are defined. Cultural practises define the way of living for people in a region (Le, David and Lawton 89).

Enrichment of cultural values for the inhabitants of New Zealand will be enhanced if the project is enacted. This aspect will be achieved through promoting eco-tourism, beautiful sceneries, marine life and other attractive features are which are preserved as the country’s symbol of definition; giving the surrounding community a mark of heritage that defines them to the outside world. In addition, the project proposes economic benefits in the revenue collection areas (Butler and Hinch 13).

This economic benefit will be achieved from the collection of gate charges, competitions organisation charges and many other forms of revenue collection. In this case, revenues are collected from both the local and foreign tourists through ticketing to the various sceneries and other places of interests. Consequently, through proper marketing strategies of the initiative, world environmental bodies may fund the project in order to facilitate its growth and expansion of proposed activities (Gibson, McDougall and Ireland 406). A pristine and ecological friendly environment ensures economical inter-dependability between humans and the environment (Bejder, Stephen and Harraway 739). This aspect can be viewed in terms of clean and safe to use water bodies, abundant food supply from the various sources such as marine and forest among others

Mitigation and Monitoring Program

In keeping the proposed activities in the right track as per the project objectives, it will be appropriate to enact a proper mitigation and monitoring program. In this case, the program should focus on quality checks and controls in the different areas proposed. Some of the elements to this program will entail giving the first priority to matters affecting the environment by ensuring that the activities are well defined and accepted by majority of the locals in New Zealand. In this regard, it is appropriate to involve the relevant authorities while undertaking all the planned activities (Fairweather and Swaffield 222).

It is also important to conduct regular surveys in the fiordland land and other sceneries in order to enhance the sustainability of the proposed activities (Fairweather, Crystal and Simmons 88). The various stake-holders in the eco-tourism should be encouraged to provide feedback on the contents in the project and some of the raised concerns adjusted to suit the needs of both the environment and the visiting tourists.

Marketing Plan

The need to conserve the endangered species has been given the top priority by the environment concerned bodies in the tourism industry. It is a goal for most tourism practising fields to maximise their number of customers in a geometric progression format over the entire lifetime of the firm’s existence. However, most firms do not reach the targeted goals due to poor marketing strategies enacted.

This project targets both the local and international eco-tourists in New Zealand. Local tourists are comprises mainly the hard eco-tourists that are encouraged to be part of the eco-tourism activities through subsidizing their charges (Warren and Taylor 7). In achieving a proper marketing strategy, the following plan is proposed;

Price breakdown: with reduced prices, most local and international eco-tourists are able to afford the services offered. As a strategy of retaining loyal tourists, 15% discounts will be offered to any customer who returns.

Promotional activities; in order to sell out the proposed eco-tourists activities, promotions are the bestselling tools to take. These promotions will be geared to promoting networking as an appropriate advertisement strategy. A customer is eligible for promotional packages if he brings a new member to any of the activities proposed in the project. The promotion will also be based on number of active customers who provide timely responses in the survey process either conducted manually or online. In order to market the eco-tourism activities proposed reach a wide range of recipients, a well-established in-bound tour operator would be hired to sell out the business activities (Shoemaker 213).

The other strategies that can be applied to facilitate effective and productive marketing include the use of social media, mass media, websites and physical ads. The electronic adverts can be used through connecting internationally to attract the tourists. This aspect allows many people searching for places to visit for their endeavours to find the suitable and advertised location as in this plan.

Works Cited

Bejder, Lars, Stephen Dawson, and John Harraway. “Responses by Hector’s dolphins to boats and swimmers in Porpoise Bay, New Zealand.” Marine Mammal Science 15.3 (1999): 738-750. Web.

Briggs, Susan. Successful tourism marketing: a practical handbook. Kogan Page Ltd, 1997. Print.

Butler, Richard, and Thomas Hinch. Tourism and indigenous peoples: Issues and implications. Delni: Routledge, 2007.Print.

Fairweather, John, and Simon Swaffield. “Visitor experiences of Kaikoura, New Zealand: an interpretative study using photographs of landscapes and Q method.” Tourism Management 22.3 (2001): 219-228. Web.

Fairweather, John, Crystal Maslin, and David Simmons. “Environmental values and response to ecolabels among international visitors to New Zealand.” Journal of Sustainable Tourism 13.1 (2005): 82-98. Web.

Gibson, G, McDougall I, and T. Ireland. “Age constraints on metamorphism and the development of a metamorphic core complex in Fiordland, southern New Zealand.” Geology 16.5 (1988): 405-408. Web.

Goldie, Terry. Fear and Temptation: The Image of the Indigene in Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand Literatures, Upper Saddle River, NJ: McGill-Queen’s Press-MQUP, 1989. Print.

Hviding, Edvard, and Tim Bayliss. Islands of rainforest: agroforestry, logging and eco-tourism in Solomon Islands, Ashgate, 2000. Print.

Kotler, Philip. Marketing for hospitality and tourism, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2006. Print.

Le, Tuan-Anh, David Weaver and Laura Lawton. Factors influencing the performance of community-based tourism in the semi-periphery of Vietnam: A resident perspective from Ta Van Village, Denmark: La Trobe University, 2012. Print.

Shoemaker, Stowe. “Marketing leadership in hospitality and tourism: Strategies and tactics for competitive advantage.” Marketing 3.4 (2007): 5. Web.

Warren, Julie, and Nicholas Taylor. “Developing eco-tourism in New Zealand.” Institute for Social Research and Development 4.8 (1994): 7-18. Web.

Ecotourism

Ecotourism implies traveling to places where the environment is preserved in its original form. This type of traveling means getting acquainted with the cultural-historical and natural features of the territory. When organizing ecotourism activities, priority is given to the conservation and maintenance of ecosystem integrity (Ballantyne & Packer, 2013). One of the possibilities to maintain such an approach is the influx of money into the region (for instance, through the purchase of local products, souvenirs, services, and so on).

The local population benefits from the maintenance of this kind of tourism since, as a result, the area is developed, but the environment is not harmed. Therefore, travelers gain an understanding of the natural, cultural, and ethnographic features of the terrain; thus, contributing to the preservation of the continuity of ecosystems and creating the economic setting for the development and maintenance of the existing natural resources. This paper aims to research the peculiarities of different types of tourism as well as its issues and trends and to analyze the background and perspectives of ecotourism in Peru.

Tourism and Its Features

It is worth noting that the distinguishing features of ecotourism lie in the fact that it stimulates and satisfies the desire to commune with nature, though, preventing the negative influence on nature and culture, and encouraging tourists to contribute to environment conservation and socio-economic development of the territory. Thus, ecotourism is an important component of the sustainable development of natural areas (Fennell, 2014).

Those kinds of tourism activities that have the highest net positive effect in terms of environmental, economic, and social development are more stable. The concept of ecotourism can be reduced to a set of principles applicable to all types of tourism-related to nature investigation including massive tourism. For instance, the basic principle of ecotourism is an acquaintance with wildlife as well as with the local customs and culture. Besides, a crucial aspect is to minimize the negative effects on the environment and socio-cultural heritage and maintain the ecological environment of stability (Fennell, 2014).

Quite often, traveling to reserves and national parks, which was originally planned as an ecotourism trip, has several serious shortcomings. For example, often tourists are taken to the venue of the tour by helicopters or boats with petrol engines frightening animals and polluting the water. Few programs include the active involvement of travelers in environmental activities. Previously, ecotourism was traditionally opposed to mass tourism, and it was defined as limited and, in some ways, exclusive nature tourism. However, based on the modern concept of ecotourism, this cannot be justified (Timothy & Boyd, 2014).

For instance, birdwatchers may be guided by environmental intentions; however, if there are not enough visitors, it will not provide a serious economic alternative to deforestation, the expansion of agricultural lands and settlements. At the same time, the more massive forms of nature tourism provided they are well organized, have considerable potential. One of the most striking examples is the Amboseli National Park in Kenya (Timothy & Boyd, 2014).

During a year, more than a quarter-million visitors come to explore it, which brings the local Maasai tribe ten times more income than getting it by cattle. In this context, it is fair to state that the income from tourism, if a significant part of it is given to the region, creates the economic resources for the conservation of natural ecosystems. Thus, the scale of tourism or motivation is not significant for nature conservation while the primary objective is determined by the actual organization of the trip.

Differences

Nature tourism (nature-based or nature-oriented tourism) is any kind of tourism, which is associated with the use of natural resources in their relatively unmodified state including landscapes, terrain, water, vegetation, and wildlife (Timothy & Boyd, 2014). In contrast to ecotourism, environmental tourism is based only on the motivation of the tourists and the nature of their activities, and it does not take into account the ecological, cultural, and economic impacts of such a journey. In this connection, the use of natural resources does not seem reasonable and sustainable enough.

Meanwhile, ecotourism is a comprehensive concept that implies the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity for future generations, the planning, and the management of tourism activities. In addition to the satisfaction of touristic urges, it implies the achievement of social goals. Some researches indicate other types of ecotourism such as wildlife tourism and wilderness travel, whose purpose may be the exploration of any objects in nature ranging from individual species to ecological communities (Timothy & Boyd, 2014).

Frequently, adventure tourism is associated with ecotourism. However, the latter does not always imply an adventure component. At the same time, not all adventure tours meet environmental criteria especially in the aspect of the sustainable use of resources. In particular, sports and safari tours associated with getting the trophies or achievement of results at any cost (using trees felled for the construction of crossings) do not seem environmentally friendly.

One more type of tourism that is connected to ecotourism is agrotourism. It is especially popular in the US and Western Europe, and it is a trip to the countryside (the villages, farms, farmhouses) (Timothy & Boyd, 2014). Tourists while leading the rural way of life in nature, are introduced to the values of popular culture, arts and crafts, national songs and dances, local customs, they participate in traditional rural labor, national holidays, and festivals.

Lastly, yet importantly, green tourism involves the use of environmentally friendly techniques and technologies while making a journey. Thus, it should be stressed out that ecotourism is at the intersection of nature-oriented and sustainable forms of tourism.

Peru

In Peru, the rich cultural heritage and extraordinary traditions are intertwined with ancient history and national identity. Peru is considered one of the most exotic and mystical countries. It is the desired destination not only for the fans of tropical forests and natural beauty but also for those interested in ancient sights. Local tropical rain forests give the home to many different species of birds and animals, where there are thousands of species of plants among which many endemic species can be found (Legrand, Simons-Kaufmann, & Sloan, 2012).

Ecotourism travelers can experience a lot of pleasant moments walking along with the local nature reserves, climbing the Andes, visiting the desert of Nazca, and other local attractions. The pearls of the Inca culture are the legendary Machu Picchu, giant drawings of Nazca desert, and the mysterious Lake Titicaca. In this region, the three different climatic zones are intricately mixed – the majestic Andes, the wild jungle, and ocean coast, as well as different cultures and beliefs, are mixed and intertwined.

Peru allows gazing at a variety of attractions. For instance, the town of Paracas is unique in the way it connects the sea with the arid desert. The coast reveals a protected area, where travelers can watch a variety of birds and the representatives of the marine ecosystem. In the Paracas Reserve, the voyagers can find the unusual archaeological site El Candelabro, which is 120 meters high and the incredible creation of nature La Catedral cliff, which is reminiscent of a cathedral dome (Legrand et al., 2012). Besides, the river Amazon keeps safe the vulnerable beauty of the jungle with its fragile flora and fauna.

Machu Picchu depicted in Picture 1 is considered one of the most powerful energy places in the world, and the city of Cusco was declared the cultural heritage of humankind (Peru, n.d.). Further, in the Tambopata Reserve, travelers can observe more than 590 species of birds, over 100 species of mammals, 200 species of amphibians, and more than 1230 species of butterflies (Forrest, 2012). Further on, the national park Pacaya Samiria is one of the most beautiful nature reserves.

It covers an area of over 2 million hectares. Two rivers form a huge network of waterways. Thus, all the attractions and the natural wealth indicates that ecotourism aims to preserve and maintain the existing heritage of Peru.

It should be stated that Peru belongs to the category of ecotourism destinations for a variety of reasons. The natural resources of the country are diverse, and various ecological attractions are available and require preservation. The beauty and diversity of the landscape attract many tourists yearly, and the proximity to the international airport and tourist centers allows easy access to the location. Moreover, the natural heritage of the country is characterized by high biodiversity. Also, a long and relatively comfortable journey to the destination can be correlated with the level of attractiveness and availability of sights. It should be noted that seasonal difficulties associated with traveling by washed away roads at rainy seasons are governed as well, for instance, with the help of suspension bridges as evidenced in Picture 2 (CSR, n.d.).

Ecotourism in the area makes it possible to watch the wildlife and unusual forms of vegetation; moreover, the country is rich in cultural attractions and heritage. Local customs, ethnography, and traditional ways of life will enable travelers to learn about the history of this beautiful country. Moreover, the cooperation with the local population allows organizing a variety of outdoor activities.

Trends

The main trends to be considered when planning ecotourism activities in Peru can be reduced to five aspects. They are the minimization of environmental impacts, the protection of nature, creating a possibility of educational potential, the participation of local residents, and the sustainable development of the region. These aspects are discussed in detail in Table 1 (Bulbeck, 2012).

Table 1. Trends.

The contemporary understanding of ecotourism focused on achieving sustainability as the final result encourages to reconsider the traditional ideas about what types of traveling can be considered ecotourism (Bulbeck, 2012). At the same time, the traditional criteria of the motivation for traveling and the volumes of tourist flows do not play a determining role anymore. The main issues to consider when planning touristic activities in Peru are the implications related to the impacts on the natural and cultural environment of the territory.

Challenges and Opportunities of Ecotourism in Peru

At present, ecotourism in the country is at a moderate level, and there is an evident need for emphasizing the regulation of the existing state. The country has a fairly high tourism potential, which is linked to high primary and derivative tourist offers (natural and cultural attractions). Also, the region is interested in the development of this type of tourism and engaging new audiences in the exploration of the country to attract finance to the sector.

However, the ecosystems are quite vulnerable, and the influence of nature conservation bodies is not high enough (Legrand et al., 2012). An analysis of the social, cultural, economic, and political factors indicates that the resources and the possibility of participation of the local population are at an average level, but there are prerequisites for a wide distribution of income from ecotourism in the community. According to the latest researches, the evaluation of the economic and political framework conditions, in particular, the national environmental policy, as well as the conditions of the autonomous income-protected areas, testify in favor of more active development of the industry.

Conclusion

Thus, Peru has good opportunities for ecotourism. However, there are several problems and obstacles to the more effective development of the industry. However, much work has been done during recent years. For instance, in some remote areas, the infrastructure of hotels and transport system was poorly developed, but the locals found a way and began using the resources of the Amazon River for this purpose with no harm to the environment (McCarthy, Miranda, Raub, Sainsbury, & Waterson, 2013).

Amazing safari routes through protected forests attract tourists from all over the world. However, the tour guides should have solid scientific erudition to be able to use modern means of communication and transport. Needless to say, they need to know foreign languages. Accordingly, these professionals should be trained properly. Consequently, a comprehensive scientific study of routes and the consideration of purification technology for household waste, the appearance of which is unavoidable, should be conducted. When planning ecotourism activities not only the interests of tourists should be considered but also the ability to pass through the nature area with due security and minimized dangers for the environment.

References

Ballantyne, R., & Packer, J. (2013). International handbook on ecotourism. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.

Bulbeck, C. (2012). Facing the wild. New York, NY: Earthscan.

CSR: When care has its rewards. (n.d.). Web.

Fennell, D. (2014). Ecotourism. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.

Forrest, J. (2012). Peru – culture smart! London, UK: Bravo Limited.

Legrand, W., Simons-Kaufmann, C., & Sloan, P. (2012). Sustainable hospitality and tourism as motors for development. New Abingdon, UK: Routledge.

McCarthy, C., Miranda, C., Raub, K., Sainsbury, B., & Waterson, L. (2013). Lonely planet Peru. Melbourne, Australia: Lonely Planet.

Peru. (n.d.). Web.

Timothy, D., & Boyd, S. (2014). Tourism and trails. Bristol, UK: Channel View Publications.

Wearing, S., & Neil, J. (2013). Ecotourism. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.

Proposal

Description of Proposal: “Preserving New Zealand” is an adventurous and inspiring tour designed to introduce the participants to the unusual flora and fauna of Fiordland the largest National Park of New Zealand. The guests will be provided with a two-week or a month-long opportunity to camp in Fiordland. The activities included in the tour are hiking, tramping, boat trips, scuba diving, bike riding, and kayaking.

Fiordland National Park literally has everything a tourist could dream about from fiords to waterfalls, from snowy mountain peaks to steep hills, rivers, and coastlines. The guests will also have a chance to meet the workers of the Park focused on its preservation and learn what it takes to keep this area safe.

Justification: For centuries New Zealand has been isolated from the rest of the world. This is how its nature managed to stay more pure and pristine than anywhere else. Ever since the country started to be populated by the Europeans, a variety of major ecological impacts occurred and led to a large number of negative outcomes such as pollution, over-hunting, littering, modification of wildlife and ecosystems, which lead to the extinction of a number of endemic species of animals, insects, fish, and birds. The Park has been announced the World Heritage Area, this is why it requires a lot of care and attention from ecologically concerned individuals, organizations, and businesses (World Heritage Area par. 1). Besides, its huge size creates a constant need for helpers.

Target customer: The tour targets environmentally concerned, fit and adventurous people of 20-40 years of age in good shape ready to handle the challenges and adventures Fiordland has prepared for them.

Location: Fiordland National Park, which is located in the south-west part of South Island, New Zealand, and covers 1.2 million hectares (Fiordland par. 3).

Overview of Environmental Impacts

1. Didymo algae transmission: Didymo is an invasive freshwater algae species extremely harmful to the environment and ecosystems around (Devastated: Didymo confirmed in remote Fiordland par. 1). It can be transmitted on shoes of fishermen or hunters and damp clothes or equipment.
2. Predators and pests: the population of New Zealand by the Europeans brought new species of predators such as rats, mice, and possums. Domestic fauna such as rare birds and bats has not had time to adjust and are gradually eliminated by the new neighbors (It’s all about predator control par. 1).
3. Extinction of endemic lizards: Mountain hikers and rock climbers may damage the nests and holes of rare lizards, which could lead to their extinction, as when eggs are destroyed, the new offspring becomes endangered.
4. Fishing in the fiords: Marine bodies of Fiordland do not obey the restrictions that cover its forest and mountain areas (Ryan 4). This way, a large number of fishing boats are present there every day. They may cause pollution of water through oil spills.
5. Over-fishing: Excessive fishing can lead to the extinction or decline of various fish species (one of the current examples is whitebait that can barely be found today) (McDougal par. 11). The ruination of balance may lead to a shift in ecosystems and create a range of unpredictable outcomes.
6. Agriculture and dairy farms: The territory of Fiordland gets constantly affected by the impacts created by the local farmers. These may include the discharge of chemicals and waste into the water, destruction of soil, and littering.
7. Cars: It is a well-known fact that cars pollute the air creating toxic emissions. In a pristine area such as Fiordland, this negative impact is especially noticeable and harmful it poisons the unadjusted species of animals, insects, and plants and stimulates the decline of their population.
8. Noise: Cars, cruise boats, and fishing boats are responsible for the creation of loud noises that stress out the unadjusted fauna and may lead to disruption of breeding behaviors that are likely to create a serious shift in local ecosystems and result in unpredictable outcomes such as the extinction of some species and loss of biodiversity.
9. Littering: tourism in this area is highly popular since Fiordland is a “must see” for every person visiting New Zealand. Unfortunately, not all tourists are equally environmentally concerned and responsible. They may create littering of the area, which is a serious ecological threat for the species of animals and birds living in the territory of Fiordland.

Scoping Process for Ecotourism Proposal

Short Discussion

Magnificent landscapes and rare species can be found almost in every country of the world, yet it goes without saying that New Zealand is one of the most fascinating places on our planet. Due to its lengthy natural isolation, New Zealand entered the world of industrialization, globalization, and technological progress much later than most of the countries. As a result, its nature remained pure and untouched and even kept a variety of amazing species that do not exist anywhere else.

The environmental concerns of New Zealand and its numerous National Parks are related to technological influences, the intrusion of people, and the unusual intermix of domestic and foreign species. This way, while humans clash with nature, domestic and alien fauna participate in their own uneven battle. Therefore, pure and pristine areas of New Zealand such as Fiordland National Park require constant responsible control and protection. Ecotourism to such areas could significantly help preserve the nature there in a number of ways. Ecotourism works as a great attention raiser, besides, part of its revenues are directed to the environmental organizations.

Moreover, ecotourism is a good source of volunteers for organizations such as DOC focused on environmental protection. Finally, ecotourism provides education. Knowledgeable and experienced guides could take the visitors to the most beautiful and endangered places and explain what needs to be done to prevent tragedy. Besides, environmental organizations and activists with strong influence could impact the national government and enforce policies concerning fishing in fiords, driving cars without a necessity in the Park, or practicing ecologically dangerous processes in agriculture. Ecotourism is a powerful phenomenon that is able to make a difference for the contemporary environment all around the world.

It does not have to be an extreme sport; it can be rather relaxed and safe, as National parks are equipped with camping areas, huts, walking tracks, and safe zones (Fiordland National Park par. 9). Targeting more people ecotourism allows National Parks such as Fiordland to launch big preservation projects gathering workers and volunteers willing to make the world better and safer. In my opinion, ecotourism should find a way to develop family tours to engage children in the environmental protection and teach them about the beauty and importance of the nature around us.

Works Cited

Devastated: Didymo confirmed in remote Fiordland. DOC. 2013. Web.

Fiordland. Fiordland. n. d. Web.

Fiordland National Park. NewZealand. n. d. Web.

It’s all about predator control. Fiordland House. n. d. Web.

McDougal, Nicci. Southern whitebait in jeopardy. 2011. Web.

Ryan, Paddy. Story: Fiords. 2012. Web.

World Heritage Area. Fiordland. n. d. Web.

Tourism involves the travelling of people from one country to another country or within a country. The connection between tourism and indigenous is that the tourism industry must include traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) because it will help to enhance their tourism products and increase benefits to the local community.

However, failure to incorporate TEK will lead to lack of leaping maximum benefits. Moreover, ignoring TEK and the local practices and resource management will continue the dispossession pattern and displacement mainly linked with external tourism development.

Tourism marketing can incorporate the indigenous people and their practices. The tourism products can be developed around the indigenous people’s culture and practices. Tourists then will come and experience the culture of the people in the raw form because it will be appealing to them.

Besides, the indigenous people’s activities may attract people that love the outdoors. The visitors will come, and visit the community especially if the locals are involved as they will welcome them and share their culture hence it will be a win- win for all the stakeholders. Therefore, marketers should incorporate the environmental practices of the indigenous communities to expand the tourism scope.

More importantly, ecotourism should be guided by market demand so that the products created do not become short lived and disappear. Furthermore, indigenous tourism will be appealing if the artifacts tourists buy are authentic because they will shun fake ones although some will buy them as souvenirs.

On the contrary, the image the marketers portray to the tourists in their indigenous tourism products may not be the actual picture on the ground, and it may lead to disappointments. However, it is important to have a positive image of the indigenous locations to attract the tourists. The marketers should provide appropriate images of the indigenous communities to avoid distortion and stereotyping.

Besides, indigenous tourism provides added value for tourists involved in mainstream tourism and with proper links, tourists will be able to experience the indigenous communities. The links will provide information and contact with the indigenous communities and enable the tourists to experience indigenous tourism.

The links also help the marketers to determine the value of goods and services and identify potential markets and the seasonal trends. The information they gather from the links help in their marketing campaigns to tourists.

More importantly, tourism should involve the indigenous community. They should take part in decision making so that they can also own the tourism, and they will embrace it instead of seeing the tourists as intruders, and an interruption of their way of life.

Through the involvement of the locals they will help to conserve the environment and hence tourism will go on for a long time because they will take part in their own way and terms.

Finally, indigenous tourism can open up more opportunities for the local communities to make money by opening up their environment to tourists. They offer an experience that is not found in any other place. If the environment is sustained through cooperation of the locals and the tourism industry such attractions will be sought for long.

On the other hand, indigenous tourism has challenges such as stereotype and such problems can be overcome through proper integration of all the stakeholders to increase the marketability of indigenous tourist locations. Indigenous tourism is bound to remain a very relevant part of tourism and will provide income and empower many communities.

The Environment

The environment is the combination of all living and non-living components on the earth and on the universe as a whole (Johnson, Ambros, Bassett, Bowen, Crummey, & Isaacson, 1997). All these components interact in what is referred to as the natural environment. The environment may be said to be natural or built. The natural environment is one that has minimal or no human influence (Odum, 2000).

On the other hand, the built environment is one that has greatly been influenced by man’s activities. The environment consists of ecological units that occur naturally. These include living components such as microorganisms and vegetation, and non-living components such as soils and rock. The atmosphere and the naturally occurring phenomena also make part of the environment.

The environment is made up of natural resources that occur naturally. These include air, water and climate. The hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere are the parts of the earth that support life. The hydrosphere support marine life while the biosphere supports terrestrial animals.

Fig 1: Earth’s atmosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere

Nature is a great attraction to tourists who love to explore the wild in search of adventure. However, some tourist activities may prove to be harmful to the environment and cause damages that may be irreversible. Therefore, it is important to protect and conserve the environment.

Damages to the environment mainly occur when the natural resources are strained by their overuse. Loss of biodiversity may prove to be disastrous in various ways as highlighted below.

1. Loss of biodiversity may lead to loss of food supply. It also reduces the opportunities for recreation, hence threatening the sustainability of tourism. It also destroys the source of valuable medicine, timber and energy.
2. The vital ecological functions may be disrupted. These include soil formation and species balance. Biodiversity also plays an important role of greenhouse gas absorption. Therefore, its unavailability translates to the absence of such services.
3. It also causes a reduction of the ecosystem’s productivity. This translates to reduced quantities of natural goods and services.
4. It causes the weakening of the ecosystems rendering them vulnerable to natural disasters. This means that the ecosystems would not have the ability to resist drought, floods and such stresses. Man-made stresses would also prove harmful.

Tourism

One form of human stress to the environment may be in the form of tourism. There are various forms of tourism and each has different impacts to the environment. Tourism is a term used to describe the movement of individuals to areas outside their usual place of residence. It involves the actual activity of travelling and the activities that they indulge in during their stay in the destination.

One form of tourism is wildlife tourism. In this case, tourists visit areas where wildlife is in abundance in order to view wild animals in their natural environment.

Another form is cultural tourism whereby the tourists mainly visit a destination in order to learn more about different cultures. Religious tourists, on the other hand, are those that that travel for pilgrimage. These individuals mainly travel in large masses to holy cities. Such cities include Varanasi, Jerusalem and Mecca.

Another form of tourism is sports tourism. In this case, individuals visit other places either to view or participate in sporting events. This mainly occurs when there is a sporting event such as the Olympics. Some tourists travel for the sole purpose of rebuilding their health and stamina.

They are referred to as health or medical tourists. It involves traveling great distances in search of medical treatment. One of the advantages of this is the issue of reduced costs. Some also enjoy alternative forms of therapy such as those experienced in hot springs. Other forms of tourism include educational tourism, business tourism and family tourism.

There are alternative forms of tourism that greatly differ from traditional tourism since they strive to establish a mutual relationship between the tourists and the local communities (Eadington & Smith, 1992).

Alternative tourism is vital in today’s world since it is a key driver of sustainability and sustainable development. One of these forms is ecotourism. Several benefits are tied to this form of tourism since it encourages conservation and preservation of the environment.

Tourism-environment Relationship

Some forms of tourism may be a source of great disturbances to the animals and a catalyst of biodiversity depletion. One of the ways in which tourism may be harmful to the environment is whereby tourist resorts and hotels are developed in fragile ecosystems such as mangroves and rainforests (Davis, 2000). This causes the destruction of microenvironments hence destruction of life.

Wildlife viewing may also be disadvantageous in several ways. Some activities such as feeding and nesting may be disrupted as animals run away for safety. Opening up of forests may also push away animals that prefer to live in forested areas. Deforestation may also contribute to climate change since the plant cover necessary to absorb greenhouse gas is reduced during development of infrastructure that supports tourism.

Another impact of tourism to the environment is the introduction of exotic species. As tourists travel around, they may unknowingly carry with them insects, plants (seeds) or diseases from their places of origin. When these elements are introduced to the area of destination, they may flourish and cause destruction. This may cause disruptions to the ecosystem or cause complete destruction.

Global tourism accounts for approximately 50% of traffic movements. This translates to huge volumes of carbon dioxide being released during the burning of fuel in automobiles and aircrafts. The release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to the environment causes a blanketing effect in the atmosphere and therefore causes global warming.

Effects of global warming include the rise in atmospheric temperatures, the decrease in snow cover in the poles and the rise in sea level. Global warming may also cause severe and unseasonal weather (Karl, Melillo, Peterson, & Hassol, 2009).

Fig 2: Sources of greenhouse gases and effects on global warming

Ecotourism

Ecotourism is one of the forms of tourism that supports sustainable development (Bar-kin, 2002). It is whereby tourists travel to natural areas with the aim of promoting conservation. Such tourists also value the community living around the conservation areas. Therefore, they strive to improve the people’s well being and lifestyles. For this reason, there are principles that guide ecotourism activities. These principles include the following.

1. Building environmental awareness and promoting respect
2. Minimize environmental impacts
3. Provide financial support towards conservation
4. Support the host community financially
5. Positively impact the tourists and hosts

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)

With the increased need for the conservation of the environment, several organizations have been established globally in order to encourage ecotourism. One of the organizations established for this purpose is The International Ecotourism Society. It was founded in 1990 in order to spearhead the concept of responsible tourism. The organization helped to define the concept of ecotourism.

It is a non-profit organization that aims at providing guidance and standards pertaining to tourism activities. The organization also provides training and distributes educational resources. The goal of this organization is to use tourism as a tool to promote protection and conservation of biodiversity. It also strives to promote sustainable development of the communities.

The organization works together with individuals, communities and organizations by providing avenues for registration for membership and also uses educational programs. These tools are used mainly to promote the principles of ecotourism. The organization trains professionals in various fields and these include the academicians, architects, tour operators, government officials, conservation personnel, among others.

The organization defines ecotourism as responsible tourism. Using the principles of ecotourism, the organization continues to provide unbiased information in the field and continues to foster sustainability of tourism activities. The organization’s mission is to promote ecotourism. This involves promoting environmental conservation and improving the lifestyles of the surrounding communities.

Ecotourism is the preferred form of tourism because it has several positive aspects. Ecotourism ensures that there is as little impact to the environment as possible. It also encourages the building of environmental and cultural awareness. This ensures that people have respect for the environment. Ecotourism also fosters community development, which gives the members incentive to conserve the environment.

Ecotourism also involves the channeling of funds into conservation efforts. This goes directly towards ensuring that flora and fauna is conserved in its natural environment. Since ecotourism also entails sensitizing the country’s environmental and political climate, it ensures that conservation is the responsibility of every citizen.

References

Bar-kin, D. (2002). Ecotourism for sustainable regional development. Current Issues in Tourism, 5(3), 245-253.

Davis, T. (2000). Sustaining the forest, the people, and the spirit. New York: State University of New York.

Eadington, W., & Smith, V. (1992). The emergence of alternative forms of tourism, in tourism alternatives: Potentials and problems in the development of tourism. Pennsylvania, USA: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Johnson, D., Ambrose, S., Bassett, T., Bowen, M., Crummey, D., & Isaacson, J. (1997). Meaning of environmental terms. Journal of Environmental Quality, 26(3), 518-589.

Karl, T., Melillo, J., Peterson, T., & Hassol, S. (2009). Global climate change impacts in the United States. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Odum, E. (2000). Cycles of life. New York: Scientific American Library.

These days, tourism appears to be a popular and pleasant option for spending vacation, seeing interesting places, meeting new people, and broadening the mind. It is also beneficial for the local economic condition. However, in present-day developments, the consequences of the mass arrival of people are evident. First of all, local cultures may encounter some hardships, and local authorities are more likely to supply more opportunities for large retail departments, which will attract significant profit. Secondly, it is a common sight when the income does not benefit the local population. Multinationals, such as airlines and hotel chains, are predominantly the only ones, who receive profit from the popularity of tourism. It is also worthy to note that tourism damages the environment considerably, as prominent sights attract a great number of people, who pollute water, air, and the area around them. This problem presents a pressing concern and should be addressed urgently.

A possible solution for this hot-button issue could be eco-tourism. According to What Is Eco-tourism?, this term implies “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education” (n. d., para. 4). Its main principle involves minimizing “physical, social, behavioral, and psychological impacts” (What Is Eco-tourism?, n. d., para. 6). In addition, it supports the spreading of awareness of the negative consequences of tourism and respect attitude towards popular holiday destinations among travelers. Eco-tourism involves receiving a significant amount of positive experience while exploring foreign countries, though the negative impact is minimizing as much as possible. It also includes some options for supporting local enterprises and supplying them with profit from tourism. This way, it is undeniable that eco-tourism appears to be a satisfactory solution to multiple problems associated with traveling.

Reference

What is ecotourism? (n. d.). The International Ecotourism Society. Web.

Introduction

This essay discusses pertinent aspects of the hospitality and tourism industry. The hospitality industry encompasses many aspects, which incorporates tour and travel, leisure destinations, hotels, resorts, beaches, ticketing agencies, ecotourism and airlines services. This makes tourism a robust industry, which contributes to the economic development of a given country.

Eco tourism is a term that describes travel activities intended to conserve the environment. It is a travel or tour to natural areas that are undisturbed by human activities with the aim of displaying the flora, fauna, sceneries and culture of a particular place.

The term eco tourism was popularised by Ceballos-Lascurain referring to the aspect of travelling to natural environments with the objective of learning and understanding the environment, cultures and history without altering the landscape and the ecosystem.

The tourism provides economic opportunities to the locals as well as the countries, which have the tourists’ attraction sites. Eco tourism is an environment-oriented travel that takes into consideration the cultures of the local people. The tourists involved conserve the environment for the development of the country (Ming, Yang & Zhong, 2000).

Most of the scholars on this subject have outlined the principles of eco tourism. The first principle is environmental conservation where the aim of eco tourism should be to preserve the natural sceneries and the indigenous flora and fauna. The second principle of eco tourism is to enrich the local communities who are directly involved in conservation of the environment.

The local communities should enjoy conserving the ecosystem through remunerations from both domestic as well as international tourists. The third principle of eco tourism is that it should be informative and a learning experience to the tourists. It should act as reminder of the need to conserve environment by providing reasons why environment need conservation.

Whereas most of the scholars have discussed the principles of eco tourism this research discusses different empirical studies conducted previously on the tourism. It discusses the methodologies that they used in their research as well as the findings. This discussion looks into different perspectives of eco tourism and how to benefit both the tourists and the local communities involved in the industry (Zhang, 2001).

Literature review

Eco tourism is one of the most influential aspects of tourism and preserves the environment while enriching the local population. The aim of this research is to provide the theoretical aspects that govern eco tourism with an aim of increasing conservation of the environment as well as increasing the participation of the local communities.

The literature was reviewed due to its analysis on benefits of eco tourism, the discussion on environmental conservation and the emerging trends in eco tourism. The literatures excluded were those that did not discuss theoretical considerations or aspects of ecotourism. They also discussed tourism in general and were not specific on eco tourism.

The research however did not explore eco tourism in relation to any particular country. The literature that did not discuss the benefits of eco tourism was also excluded. However, this research did not include the literature based on research methodologies or findings. The following literature reviews two major articles that delve into the aspects of eco tourism (Zhang, 2003).

Theories of eco tourism

There are few theories that discuss eco tourism but none of them specifically targets eco tourism. The existing theories are economic theories that apply to tourism sector and operations. The stakeholders’ theory of tourism is a theory that applies to the discipline of eco tourism. This theory recognises the different stakeholders who play a major role in the tourism industry.

The industry cannot thrive without involvement of different stakeholders. These stakeholders range from the government, airline service companies as well as tour and travel companies. Unlike in general tourism, eco tourism recognises the flora, fauna, the ecosystem and the local community as stakeholders (Cochrane, 2006). This means that the tourists and the industry must reserve benefits for all stakeholders.

However, eco tourism has not conserved the environment or benefited the local people. For instance, there is the example of Kenya where eco tourism is a major attraction for eco tourists.

However, the roads and infrastructures that are build to take the tourist into the park to see the animals interfere with the core principles of eco tourism on conserving the environment. The local community is disadvantaged because of the fact that they cannot use the land for other purposes yet the compensation received from the government is low (Zhang, 2003).

This article applies the qualitative research methodology by using the case study of Kenya and the stakeholder’s theory. The theory has looked into the contribution of eco tourism to the local Maasai community in Kenya where the game reserves and national parks are located.

The theory shows how the environment has been affected both positively and negatively through eco tourism. The author is however critical of the fact that the results of eco tourism do not always lead to environmental conservation and benefits to the local community (Zhang, 2003).

The other theory on the second case study is the externality theory, which discusses the eternality of eco tourism. Externality is incurring additional costs in the process of production of goods and services. These costs are indirect and monetary value is not the appropriate quantification, reflection and measure of the actual value.

In eco tourism industry, the external costs involve depletion of environment through creation of new infrastructure and other tourist related activities. The external revenues involve the jobs created from such developments (Cochrane, 2006). This theory views eco tourism as a spill over effect, which comes because of conserving the environment.

The externality theory discusses the external factors that affect the local communities and tourism in general. Externalism states that there will be spill over effects emanating from the eco tourism, which may affect the local community or the environment. In many instances, the effect is not positive especially to the environment (Cochrane, 2006).

Although the intention of eco tourism is to conserve the environment, the sceneries and indigenous cultures, the spill over effect of this tourism such as the development of tourist infrastructures affects the environment negatively by hindering the movement of wild animals. During the process of such developments, indigenous trees and sceneries may be disturbed or destroyed thereby affecting the environment negatively.

There is a case study of instances where the tourists leave garbage on the natural sceneries thereby compromising the beauty of the natural environment. The tourists also destroy plants through camping, horse riding, gaming and hunting leading to compactness and hardness of soil making it difficult for plants to grow.

The spill over effect of destroying the natural environment has led to the creation of artificial sceneries and tourist attraction sites by private agencies rather than the local community and the government. This has reduced revenues that are intended for the government (Guo, 2007).

Although externality views eco tourism negatively in that it results to environmental degradation, it results to the creation of job opportunities for the local community who act as guides to the tourists. It has also led to the growth of other artificial sites that compete with the natural attraction sites.

The revenues that the country receives from the eco tourists have little or no expenses as compared with the provision of other services that have high costs of operation and production. The higher the cost of operation the lower the profits realised. Therefore, eco tourism is a profitable venture as long as the environment is conserved (Guo, 2007).

Analysis of the literature

The two literatures contain the case studies of different communities as well as the methodology of research. The first article is a case study of eco tourism in Kenya and the second article is the case study about eco tourism in China. The difference is that the two studies have used different theoretical approaches with the first case study using the stakeholders’ theory and the second one used the external theory.

Both studies acknowledge that ecotourism does not always result in conservation of the environment and that pursuit of economic benefits usually overrides the need to conserve the environment. Both studies agree that the stakeholders have to do more to conserve the environment, cultural heritage and sceneries for them to continue receiving revenues from ecotourism industry.

The two literatures however miss the principle of learning as part of eco tourism. They have extensively discussed the conservation of the environment as part of eco tourism and the economic benefits but they have not indicated the reasons why tourists want to see those sites. The principle of learning about the environment from those sites is equally critical as part of the conservation of the environment.

This is the only way tourism stakeholders can market themselves to eco tourists. As noted earlier the aspect of conserving the environment, which was the motivation of eco tourism, has been compromised in pursuit of economic benefits. The studies also show that the governments are over reliant on this source of revenue and ends up edging out local community from the benefits accrued from eco tourism (Cochrane, 2006).

Conclusion

Eco tourism in the modern day tourism does not uphold its principles especially in environmental conservation. It is concerned with gaining economic benefits without conserving the environment. To make eco tourism comprehensive, all the three principles need to have priority.

They are environmental conservation, economic benefit to the local communities and learning. Adhering to one principle of eco tourism while compromising the other aspects generalises eco tourism rather than separating it as a distinct branch of hotel and tourism industry.

The government and other stakeholders need to uphold all the principles of eco tourism by conserving the environment and teaching the local communities as well as the tourists on the need to maintain the status quo of the attractive ecosystems.

In mitigating externality, governments should view the eco tourism as spill over effect of conserving the environment rather than a source of revenue. This will enable the stakeholders maintain the integrity of the environment while benefiting from eco tourism.

References

Cochrane, J. (2006). The sustainability of ecotourism. London: Rutledge.

Guo, L. (2007). Chinese ecotourism: The base of sustainable tourism. Journal of Chinese Progress in Geography, 16(4), 4.

Ming, Q., Yang, G., & Zhong, L. (2000). Ecotourism. Beijing: Higher Education Press.

Zhang, J. (2001). Ecotourism theory and practice. Beijing: China Travel & Tourism Press.

Zhang, J. (2003). Ecotourism and the benefit of local residents, an analysis of successful experience of ecotourism. Chinese Tourism Tribune, 5(2), 60-63.