Over the past few years, as industry watchers have gathered information and performed follow-up studies, they have tried to determine just how ecotourism operates. A key to understanding this growing movement is being able to identify the components of ecotourism. However, from the beginning, it may be better to start with another question: Is a definitive answer possible when searching for the components?
Some start with an overview of ecotourism, trying to grasp a larger concept before breaking it down to its individual pieces. Ecotourism was born as an idea only a couple of decades ago. It is a relatively new segment of a larger tourism industry and so it may be difficult to come up with solid evidence of just what makes ecotourism work.
Of course, an extended definition must include the opportunity to take at trip to some remote place or some unique location for the purpose of enjoying the surroundings and helping to preserve resources at the same time. These ideas would probably be included in any attempt to define ecotourism.
Beyond that, what are the components of ecotourism? The variety of answers from people who have studied the industry is surprising. For example, people interested in wildlife conservation might plan a nature hike, during which the hikers gather information about animals and plants along the way. A guide may indicate various forms of wildlife, paying particular attention to details about eating, sleeping, hunting, growing etc. If the species is endangered, that information is included as well. I attended one such hike in Alicante, Spain.
So there you have it, right? After all, this is a good, uncomplicated description of what ecotourism involves. But that is only the beginning. It is only one component of a much larger endeavor. What if the individual ecotourist is more interested in how the general environment is doing? Suppose a tour organizer focuses on an overview of plant and animal life, with emphasis on color, plant size and so on. This type of ecotourism activity might include a close look at the streams or lakes used by the wildlife, while not paying particular attention to any one species. There again, we have a nice, packaged description of a quality ecotourism trip. Again, this is just one component.
Perhaps a group of people wants to gain a better understanding of the global environment. A project might be put together to address this or perhaps the group would travel to another location where they would hold their own two-day conference, with associated workshops. These individuals may be interested in education and in taking what they learned back to their home base. This too is ecotourism, though the people may spend almost no time outdoors.
It might be wise to come to grips with the idea that there are numerous questions involving ecotourism, and consequently, there are numerous answers. The options for actual travel are growing so fast that it may be impossible to nail down a list of components that make up ecotourism. Whether the activity takes place in the backyard or halfway around the globe, well-planned events and activities of all kinds can be components of ecotourism.
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