ECO TOURISM

ECO TOURISM
Ecotourism is catering for tourists wishing to experience the natural environment without damaging it or
disturbing its habitats. It is a form of tourism involving visiting fragile, pristine, and relatively undisturbed
natural areas, intended as a low-impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial mass tourism.
It means responsible travel to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the
local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide funds for ecological conservation

TERMINOLOGY & HISTORY

Ecotourism is a late 20th-century neologism compounded from eco- and tourism. According to the Oxford
English Dictionary, ecotour was first recorded in 1973 and ecotourism, "probably after ecotour", in 1982.
• Ecotour - A tour of or visit to an area of ecological interest, usually with an
educational element.
• Ecotourism-Tourism to areas of ecological interest (typically exotic and
often threatened natural environments), esp. to support conservation efforts
and observe wildlife.
A hanging bridge in ecotourism area
of Thenmala, Kerala in India - India's
first planned ecotourism destination
• Eco-tourism is one such activities which provide a solution by creating
awareness and concern for the environment among both the tourist and
local people of the region.
• Eco tourism Hub by itself, which talks about the tourism aspects of the
context, creating a cultural Hub point which gives a platform for the
villagers as well as the essence of the vernacular for the tourist.
• The brief of the concept is to design an eco-tourism hub for the region of
KHONOMA (Asia’s first green village) and the proximity near the region.
Keeping in mind the local traditions, culture, art and Architecture .The
design brief put an emphasis on the articulation of said traditions and
their interpretation in modern times without losing the essence of the
vernacularity.
• KHONOMA is an Angami Naga village located about 20 km west from
the state Capital, Kohima, Nagaland. The terrain of the village is hilly,
ranging from gentle slopes to steep and rugged hillsides. The hills are
covered with lush forestland, rich in various species of flora and fauna.
ELEMENTS OF ECO TOURISM
THE 4 ELEMENTS OF ECOTOURISM
• 1. Nature

• Nearly all definitions of ecotourism include the focus on the natural environment. This
focus is flexible and ranges from say, a biome such as
• a rain forest and all that it includes to a product that focuses on a single species. Many
ecotourism companies focus on certain elements in
• nature, commonly referred to as ‘fauna/flora/liths’.

• 2. Education/Interpretation

• Ecotourism has an emphasis on education / interpretation as one of its essential elements.

• Interpretations can be either off-site or on-site. Offsite interpretation includes guidebooks,
information and images on website, brochures or
• even word of mouth. This is important as it influences the visitor’s decision to visit the
attraction.
• 3. Cultural Impacts
• It is important to involve the local community and garner their support and interest by making it ecotourism activities beneficial
to them.
• This is most likely to lead to the protection of the natural attractions.
• Another major aim of ecotourism is to put money back into the local community. Operators are therefore encouraged to
spend money
• associated with the running of the tour locally. This also includes personal expenditure on goods and services. The local economy is
• stimulated by this spending and economic growth is a flow-on effect, creating employment and economic security for the local rural
• populations. Income is also generated through the fees associated with permits and licences; this ensures that more money is spent
on public
• land management and conservation. Job opportunities in this field would increase with a greater demand for park rangers,
kiosk operators,
• park assistants and so on

• 4.4. Sustainability
• Sustainability calls for minimizing impact on natural environment and/or enhancing the ones that were degraded in some aspect. This
can
• be achieved by providing visitors the opportunity to give back to nature. They are encouraged to participate in restoration activities or
• provide donations to such work. This approach promotes the notion of the environment being everyone’s responsibility.
• In conclusion, it is important that every ecotourism company operates according to “environmental best practices.”
FACTORS WHICH DECIDE
TO IDENTIFY IDEAL ECO
TOURISM SITE
• They first identified primary variables which are landform, elevation, landuse/forest

• cover, vegetation diversity, density and endemism, wildlife (mainly birds and butterflies),

• tourism attraction features and the infrastructure facilities. The ecotourism indices values
• were determined using these primary variables.
• 1. LOCATION

• 2. AREA AND POPULATION

• .3. ADMINISTRATIONS
• PHYSIOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

• 1. LANDUSE
• 2. TOPOGRAPHY
• 3. CLIMATE
• 4. FLORA AND FAUNA
• 5. TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION

• 4. CULTURAL HERITAGES
• Ecotucative. So, two types of Cultural heritages have been defined
• 4. CULTURAL HERITAGES
• Ecotourism is culturally educative. So, two types of Cultural heritages have been defined
• – tangible cultural heritage and intangible cultural heritage.
• Tangible cultural heritages include historically and archeologically significant places,
• sculptures, and monuments etc. which are physically visible.
• Intangible cultural heritages comprise traditions, customs, languages, social values and
• other aspects of human activities.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235968026_FINDING_SUITABLE_LOCATIONS_FOR_ECO-TOURISM_DEVELOPMENT_IN_COX'S_BAZAR
 1: Gili Lankanfushi and the
Coral Line Project, Maldives
• Coral reefs are both the most threatened and richest biodiverse ecosystems on
the planet. Marine biologist Vaidotas Kirsys believes everybody can contribute
to the protection the coral reefs. In March 2014, he initiated the Coral Line
project at Gili Lankanfushi resort in the Maldives.
• The Coral Line project pursues four goals: to offer guests an unforgettable
experience by direct encounter with the corals, to make a contribution to the
investigation of the corals, to support social and environmental projects, and,
finally, to help regenerate a small coral reef.
• The project has helped Gili Lankanfushi became the first resort on the Maldives
to use a low technology system to let corals grow. More importantly, with the
expertise of marine biologist Deborah Burn, they are sharing this knowledge,
providing information to other resorts looking to raise coral reefs.
 2: Tongsai Bay, Thailand
• Regarded as one of the greenest hotels in Thailand, the Tongsai
Bay started in 1985 when the late Akorn Hoontrakul purchased the
land and spent three months sleeping on the beach, dreaming of his
ideal resort with low impact on nature. During its construction he
made sure no tree was felled. The hotel was built around nature and
not vice versa.

•On July 8th 2017, the Tongsai Bay celebrates its 30th anniversary.
Today, the resort is managed by Akorn’s son, Thanakorn, and his
daughter-in-law, Saisiri. Both share his passion for the environment.

• Over 60 species of birds and butterflies can only be spotted on this

piece of land, and guests can participate in various environmental
projects as they unwind in largely unspoiled nature.
3: Inkaterra, Peru

• In 1975, José Koechlin von Stein bought land in Puerto Maldonado

and created his first eco-friendly Inkaterra Hotel: the Reserva
Amazónica Lodge. Soon his vision for eco-tourism caught on, and his
‘Inkaterra’ concept expanded to include seven lodges located at
Peru’s most popular spots, including the Amazon rainforest, the
Machu Picchu cloud forest, the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the city
of Cusco.
• Today, Inkaterra’s non-profit organisation, Inkaterra Asociación,
aims to conserve Peru’s natural environment, as well as cultural and
archaeological resources. Their focus is to grow Peru as a
sustainable tourist destination and conserve its natural beauty. They
believe that environmental responsible travel is the only way to
sustain the industry in Peru and generate a positive impact on the
environment.
 4: KASBAH DU TOUBKAL, MOROCCO
THE KASBAH DU TOUBKAL IS A SMALL AUTHENTIC LODGE IN THE MIDST OF A LOCAL BERBER COMMUNITY IN THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS OF
MOROCCO. THEIR MISSION, SINCE THE OPENING IN 1995, HAS BEEN TO PROTECT THE MOROCCAN IMLIL VALLEY AGAINST NEGATIVE EFFECTS
OF MASS TOURISM DEVELOPMENTS.
GUESTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE GIVEN THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CULTURE AND THE LIFESTYLE OF
THE BERBERS, WITH THE LODGE A LIVING EMBODIMENT OF BERBER HOSPITALITY. 95 PERCENT OF THE EMPLOYEES COME FROM VILLAGES IN
THE REGION AND 80 PERCENT FROM THE VICINITY OF TWO KILOMETRES.
PROFITS ARE CHANNELLED INTO THE EDUCATION OF EMPLOYEES, PARTICULARLY WOMEN. A FOUNDATION, FINANCED BY A SMALL
OVERNIGHT SURCHARGE, SUPPORTS SOCIAL PROJECTS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, MANY OF WHICH GUESTS CAN TAKE PART IN.
ECOTOURISM
SITES IN
INDIA
Ecotourism destinations in India- Nature friendly tours India
Honey Hills – Thenmala Eco-Tourism, Kerala

• Ecotourism and medical tourism are the fast

developing tourism segments of Kerala. Thenmala
or Honey Hills is the unique destination in Kerala.
The destination is known for its ecotourism and
beautiful landscapes which are not only
comforting but also stimulating. Located about
72kms from Thiruvananthapuram, the Thenmala
Eco-Tourism stocks its resources with the well-
known Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary at the
slopes of the Western Ghats.
Bandipur National Park, Karnataka

• Bandipur National Park is one of the oldest parks in the

Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary. Situated in Karnataka, it is
among the biggest wildlife reserves of India. It is a part of
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and is highly protected by the
Indian Government. The place meets the requirements of
eco places. Green lodges here support sustainability of
environment using methods like energy reduction and
water conservation. Water conservation helps in
preserving natural habitats which serves as homes for
beloved wildlife.
REFERENCE

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecotourism
• https://tourguidecentral.org/en/ecotourism-4/
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235968026_FINDING_SUITABLE_LOCATIONS_FOR
_ECO-
TOURISM_DEVELOPMENT_IN_COX'S_BAZAR#:~:text=A%20lot%20of%20natural%2C%20en
vironmental,to%20get%20more%20accurate%20decision.
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344838581_A_STUDY_ON_ECO-
TOURISM_AND_ITS_SUSTAINABILITY_IN_INDIA
• https://www.mtu.edu/peacecorps/programs/forestry/pdfs/susan-fox-thesis-final.pdf