What Is Ecotourism

Ecotourism can have different meanings depending on who you are speaking to.

With all the green buzz these days it is easy to get confused about what exactly the definition or standard is for anything “green, sustainable, or eco”.

When a trend or lifestyle path in our culture catches fire and begins to rise in popularity it is often targeted by big business.  The popularity of the keywords or catch phrases can mean big dollars in terms of profitability and juicy looking bottom lines.

To be fair there is also a decent amount of what I like to think of as “green washing” coming from the other side of the eco coin.  This is when certain activities, methods, or products aren't fully acknowledged for their total impact on the environment.

This isn't the time or place to dig into this topic but I'm sure we will visit it in future posts.

Know this about me, I am not an optimist or a pessimist but a realist with optimistic tendencies.  I don't believe real progress can be made unless there is a willingness to be brutally honest about our reality.

Sugar coating things to make ourselves feel good isn't going to serve anyone, especially those without a voice that often pay the dearest.

I will do my best to strike a balance with my razor sharp realism  and my desire to support the people, businesses, organizations, & associations that strive to make a difference and market themselves as “sustainable”.

True sustainability in my opinion is a service or product that can be sustained indefinitely in regards to the action or object being performed or created.  Sustainability lasts forever, unsustainable activities have limitations.  Someone is getting all fancy right now and thinking about how the sun is going to give out at some point and that nothing is truly sustainable.  That sort of thinking is cherished here and most welcome, it highlights why these discussions are so tricky and deserve a soft heart, open ears, and a willingness to find understanding versus the desire to proclaim or have the answer.

There are many activities which are not sustainable in the long term which are called sustainable.  This is the environment that we are existing within and need to find patience and dialogue to continue to strive forward.

My point to this minor rant is that I want us all to be honest, to own our actions, and do our best.  It is ok to admit our short comings, this gives us room to grow and progress.  We are incredible beings who have accomplished much and in the same breath we are comparable to toddlers discovering their environment and how it functions.

I don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water and I don't want to green wash something in order to feel good.  On this website we are going to push for a better tomorrow via honesty, compassion, humility, and awareness.

 

How Other Major Players Define Ecotourism
Greenloons Definition
If you would like to read some poetic musing about what ecotourism strives to achieve I would recommend the following pieces. First up would be Greenloons, I really enjoyed the depth & perspective of how they defined what ecotourism is when operating at a high level of consideration & function. They start off with an acronym S.E.E. which simplified refers to social empowerment, economic viability, & environmental responsibility. Hit the link to the and show them some reader love for that finely crafted piece of environmental & social justice. Below you will find a Greenloons promotional piece.  
The International Ecotoursim Society
The International Ecotourism Society, known as TIES, offers this impactful & concise piece of ecotourism insight: “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education” (TIES, 2015). At the heart of the ecotourism lies a world of common sense, be good to all things.   We all know how easy it is to say something like that and we will nod our head in agreement to the truth of the statement.  I think we could all agree that we don't always no what that means or how to go about conducting ourselves that way, I know I am continually learning about the impacts I make on the world around me. This is where The International Ecotourism Society and the other committed voices help us find our way.
TIES Ecotourism Definition
Sustainable Travel International
Sustainable Travel International
I can appreciate the fact that Sustainable Travel International doesn't come out with a direct definition as to what ecotourism is. In their Our Approach section they begin to discuss standards, here is an excerpt: “Standards provide visitors with the assurance that a destination or tourism business is on the path toward sustainability and has met globally recognized criteria for clean water, responsible energy use, local employment and sustainable sourcing. We have been at the forefront of sustainability standard development since 2002.” Head over to their page to find out more about how they have chosen to assist communities in benefiting from economic development while implementing standards practices to honor the local social and environmental traditions.
Hawaii Ecotourism Association
Hawaii Ecotourism FAQ
The Hawai‘i Ecotourism Association also acknowledges the varying interpretations of what ecotourism means in there opening line to address the question. “While different definitions of ecotourism exists, everyone agrees that ecotourism is a type of of sustainable tourism. HEA defines ecotourism as natural and cultural based tourism that is ecologically sustainable and supports the well-being of local communities.” Again, we have a concise definition that uses only the essential words to give a good interpretation, focusing more on the intention & direction we are heading. They are an excellent resource for planning an ecotourism journey to the islands.
Wikipedia Ecotourism
Wikipedia being the collobrative effort that it is has a wealth of information & opinions to offer if you are looking for something that has more substance. I mean look at this content list, dig in!

Wikipedia Ecotourism