Eco-tourism: Measuring Success
Kristen Tanz Senior, Biology
Defining Eco-tourism
„„Traveling to relatively undisturbed or uncontaminated natural areas with the specific objective of studying, admiring, and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals, as well as any existing cultural manifestations found in these areas‟‟ Ideological goals:
respect local culture optimize benefits to local people minimize environmental impacts maximize visitor satisfaction promote conservation of the natural ecosystems support local economies
Ceballos-Lascurain (1987) and Lowman (2004)
Sustainable Eco-tourism
Four basic criteria must be met:
Ecology – Environmentally sustainable? Finance – Money coming into the region? Visitation – Too few vs. too many? Economics – Relieving local poverty?
Aylward et al. (1996)
What Factors Affect Sustainability of Eco-tourism?
Region Habitat Type Flagship Species
What Causes Eco-tourism Projects to Fail?
Case Study: Galapagos Islands
Inka's Empire Tours
History
In 1959, Ecuador set aside all unsettled land in the Galapagos Islands as national park land The park service established several good rules:
Only select sites could be visited by tourists Every tourist group had to be guided by a naturalist Tourists could not stay overnight The park extended 15 nautical miles offshore Tourism limits were put in place
Hogan (2004)
Problems
Locals resorting to consumptive land-use, sometimes violently
Sea cucumber
Government not able or unwilling to enforce all rules
Tourism limits Waste products, erosion, environmental impacts
Too many tourists
Direct Encounters…
This…
Direct Encounters…
…Or This?
…Environmental Destruction Hurts Everyone
Sources
Krüger, O. 2003. The role of ecotourism in conservation: panacea or Pandora‟s box? Biodiversity and Conservation 14: 579–600. (And articles quoted within) Lowman, Margaret. “Eco-tourism and Its Impact on Forest Conservation” (2004). 23 Feb. 2006. Hogan, Thom. “Shooting the Boobies” (2004). 6 Mar. 2006. Inka‟s Empire Tours.