¶ … Ecotourism Industry in Costa Rica and Cuba
Many countries rely upon tourism as a major source of revenue for local businesses. The volatility in the industry has often caused major financial downturns for tourism-based economies. To deal with this problem many countries are targeting a new consumer, the eco-friendly traveler. Ecotourism is the fastest growing sector of the tourism industry with an average annual growth rate of 20 to 30%. (Egan, 2001). Many view ecotourism as a viable way to protect the natural environment and create social and economic benefits for local communities (Buchsbaum, 2004). The issue with ecotourism is whether or not its implementation in a given area is actually creating sustainable land use and conservation efforts or harming local economies and contributing to the overuse of natural resources.
Ecotourism Defined
Although there are several competing definitions of ecotourism, a commonly accepted explanation is it is "purposeful travel to natural areas to understand the culture and natural history of the environment; taking care not to alter the integrity of the ecosystem; producing economic opportunities that make the conservation of natural resources beneficial to local people." (Garen, 2000).
III. Ecotourism in Costa Rica
Ecotourism in Costa Rica has reached a high level of maturity compared to other countries, and now serves as an example for both the potential and the pitfalls of ecotourism (Buchsbaum, 2004). The main reason Costa Rica has become such a popular destination for ecotourism is because it has an excellent national parks, a stable democratic government with no
The government of Costa Rica began to invest heavily in ecotourism in the 1980's, and in 1984 they passed an important piece of legislation, which gave incentives and tax breaks to hotels, airlines, car rental agencies, travel agencies, and sea transportation (Honey, 1999). Government supported policies and programs were designed so that foreign investors would benefit the most which resulting in few opportunities for local businesses to invest (Buchsbaum, 2004). The governments relaxed attitude towards foreign investors and logging companies is also not encouraging sustainability (Buchsbaum, 2004). Foreign money has not helped the local economy as much as anticipated because a large amount of money leaks out of the local communities to pay tour operators, to import products that appeal to foreign tourists, and to pay for tickets on foreign owned airlines (Lindsey, 2003).
One of the dangers of ecotourism is the excessive pressure it can add to environmentally sensitive areas (Buchsbaum, 2004). Coupled with a lack of commitment, conservation efforts result in development beyond sustainable levels (Buchsbaum, 2004). Another negative impact of ecotourism is that it can lead to an increase in the cost of living for local people (Wearing, 2001).
IV. Ecotourism in Cuba
In contrast to the large amount of foreign investment encouraged by the government in…
In fact, marketing ecotourism itself can be a major challenge for many. The Internet is riddled with advertisers who claim the ability to market ecotourism with great success. The International Ecotourism Society, however, recommends supporting education in ecotourism, making more information about ecotourism visible and available, and using the media, as well as smaller ecotourism agencies, to raise awareness about ecotourism excellent marketing skills. In fact, this way of
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Plus, we will spend a lot of money bringing tourists to an area that will soon lack traditional lifestyle. We could lose big. Indeed, this comes to pass and the tourism project is fading. We will now split off with Agustin for greener horizons, where the community supports the venture more and is less self-destructive. The exercise, however, takes a left turn here. When we decide to split, we are
The article by Kimmel (1999), besides the analysis of the trend towards learning, points out that learning is a process that must be guided and managed. This means that new methods and techniques must be established within the industry to make cultural and environmental learning an integrated and effective part of ecotourism. Leadership and guidance are therefore emphasized as essential in this process. Ecotourism not only benefits the environment but
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