Literature Review: Nature-Based Tourism

Tourism is the world’s largest industry with nature-based ecotourism seeing rapid growth since its initial arrival in the 1980s. It is estimated by the World Tourism Organisation that nature tourism generates 7% of all international travel expenditure (Lindberg, 1997) and this figure will have increased rapidly over recent years. It’s increase in popularity is due to a number of factors; tourists becoming increasingly bored of the typical sun, sea and sand holiday’s, the increase in global awareness or environmental issues such as global

Trophy hunters often claim that their hunting produces economic and conservation benefit. Trophy hunting brings in some capital to African countries. “It makes up 1.8 percent of tourism revenues”(Schelling). The majority of tourists come to see Africa’s wildlife and nature. Come with the intention of seeing and experiencing new things. Trophy hunting major importance to conservation in Africa is creating economic incentive. “Eco-tourism on private game reserves generates more than 15 times the income of livestock or game rearing or overseas hunting” ( Kernodle). Tourism makes a lot more money than killing and destroying animal habitats. Hunting can interfere with the ecotourism by interacting and making animals upset to the point where tourists cannot view them. Keeping

This article was meant to provide Canadian’s insight into the struggle of preserving Canada’s national parks, and how quickly they are being consumed for commercial purposes. The article was also mean’t to provide as a warning for Canadians to take a stand to preserve the parks before they are entirely eradicated by the tourism and commercial industry. The CPAWS is currently taking action against developers since they feel that the parks are endangered and they are the only one’s willing to fight for the protection of the

Eco-tourism is when you travel to a natural space and appreciate nature and protect the environment. You also learn the past and present of the destination.

We capture, contain, and control the very wildness of these animals, we so admire them for. We decorate a large bucket of water, or a box of bars to resemble a shallow shadow of the wilderness they should be in. These animals held captive in collective groups as a means to entertain us. We are trading the wonder of nature, seen in it’s own wilderness area for animal showmanship and entertainment. Losing the remarkable sensations of hope and renewal we experience, as we stand in a wilderness land, quietly observing animals and nature in the wildly beautiful and raw lands. The absence of our own lack of realization that nature and the wild places we call the wilderness are under attack. They are in danger of being beyond repair. It overwhelms the senses, and is not to be tolerated.

However, conservation, recreation and aesthetics play a role as well. One visit and guests see these efforts at work in the natural beauty of Cayo Costa.

The preservation of wilderness that national parks offer is comforting to us; we know that our true home is out there somewhere remaining pure; therefore we may continue living our daily lives with the comfort.  However, as Cronon points out, our careful sectioning off of designated wilderness areas may lead to more environmental harm than good by possibly allowing a sense of irresponsibility to develop between people and the natural environment.  Cronon explains that if we see the environment as only small sections of our world meant to be visited as if they served the same purpose as museums, then we cut ourselves off from the natural world and no longer feel a true responsibility toward it, or possess a real knowledge of it.  Furthermore, in urban areas, people exist no longer as member of the natural world but as spectator of the nature. We live our daily life admiring the natural world and yet our ability to protect the nature and adopt a smart use of the natural resources becomes more and more weak as the time unfold.  That is by far what Cronon calls the manifestation of our lack of knowledge about nature and how to use it. He tries to emphasis this by saying that “Idealizing a distant wilderness often means not idealizing the environment in which we live […] we need an environmental ethic that will tell us as much about using nature as not using it.”

Business that lined themselves along this road were geared toward tourism, local shops, hotels and guided trips that promised the eager foreigner they would take them to see a tapir and possible the elusive jaguar. I spoke with a few local rangers at the Monteverde National Park about the wildlife and the growing area around it. They had mentioned that the tapir was on the verge of extinction in the region and that a jaguar had not been scene for years. I could not help but connect the dots of the growing economic needs of the locals and the habitats of these two creates and the ecological damage that came with expansions of towns to

At Hasting’s Point it was evident from the ecosystems visited that there exist many, possible future implications due to human impacts. The value of these ecosystems to us as a resource is immense, however human activity, in particular tourism, threatens to undermine this value. Tourism is comprised of several damaging factors: directly interacting with ecosystems; pollution; development of the area and increased popularity. We rely on these ecosystems for food, relaxation, medicine (scientific research), natural balance and, paradoxically, tourism. However if nothing is done to rectify and/or control this issue, these ecosystems in Hasting’s Point, like many others, run the risk of being destroyed and losing their value as a resource. It

Since decades ago, the natural heritages has become the increasingly popular attractions, attracting a large number of people to visit, mainly due to the growing concern of environment protection and the rising living standard. People pursue the uniqueness of attraction, which the natural heritages have, that there is a great demand for this activity. The GBR is the representative one, catering to the demand of millions of visitors annually. The tourism industry is flourishing and make a great contribution to the GBR while it also offer a valuable and enjoyable experience to visitors, generating mutually beneficial relationship between them.

When it comes to the topic of ecotourism, most of us will readily agree that it is a less harmful alternative to mass-tourism and that it promotes responsible and low-impact travel to areas where flora, fauna and cultural heritage are the primary drawing power. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of what the impact of ecotourism actually is and what its long-term consequences are. Whereas some are convinced that ecotourism provides the basis for sustainable development, particularly in places that suffer from exploitation and excessive resources’ usage, and that could only improve the general conditions of the local people, others maintain that we are still far from true ecotourism, for many are those in the

The use of natural resources to attract tourists, if successful, leads to the obligation of an infrastructure upon ‘nature’. Over time, it is the manmade structures that maintain the desirability of the tourist resort, not the natural features that prompted the original.(Ryan, 1991) Thus by focusing too much on attracting tourists

As mentioned by Rimmington & Morrison (2009), the assistance from different parts of the world presents a new and diverse outlook for future research including theoretical innovations and revelations, cultural and environmental aspects, tourist destination and other ecotourism and recreational aspects of tourism and hospitality industry (Brotherton,

The Travel and Tourism industry is still one of the largest single businesses in world commerce and its importance is widely recognized. The tourism industry is now one of the largest sectors earning foreign exchange. In the face of many benefits, many countries have started assigning due weight age to the tourism industry in their national development agenda. Tourism is an industry that operates on a massively broad scale: it embraces activities ranging from the smallest sea-side hotel; to air-lines, multi-national hotel chains and major international tour operators. Originally, non-traditional industries such as tourism emerged as a solution to strike a balance between ecology and industry

Planning and development are both extremely important factors within the tourism industry and can have both positive and negative effects on the environment, local communities and tourist destinations. “Destination planning aims to limit the negative impacts of cultural tourism upon the history and lifestyles of the local community. An understanding of sustainable tourist development allows for the development of culture without loss of its authentic identity” (Maidment. T. 2012). This statement discusses the importance of planning to avoid having any negative impacts on environments and communities. Because the effects of tourism are so severe to destinations, many natural and cultural resources have been destroyed, therefore tourism planning is vital to preserve and maintain these places for future generations.