What is Eco Travel?
July 27th 2008 18:47
When most people think about annual vacations, they conjure up images of glitzy resorts and tourist destinations like Disney World and Paris. These places are worthwhile in their own right, but they certainly wouldn't be considered eco travel. So what exactly is eco travel?
Conservation International has perhaps the best definition:
The idea of responsibility seeps into every aspect of eco travel. There are several other ways that eco travel differs from traditional tourism:
Place. Rather than selecting a congested world metropolis like New York City to sightsee, shop and dine out, an eco traveler might instead head to the Kakum village in Ghana to immerse completely in the customs and local cuisine. The money a tourist would naturally spend on food, lodging, transportation and souvenirs benefits the local economy rather than a faceless, unconnected group of companies.
Purpose. In traditional tourism, the purpose of your visit is largely personal. Perhaps you want to see a specific artist's work in a museum, or want your children to see the city you grew up in. With eco travel, your purpose is still personal, but there's an added element: giving back to the local environment. Eco travel might include volunteering to help build or repair a village's structures, teaching English to native children or helping to maintain indigenous plant life.
People. Traditional tourism can have a crippling effect on the way a small town or village operates. Eco travel seeks to preserve a community's status quo as much as possible. Natural attractions rather than manmade ones celebrate a destination's unique identity.
Eco travel is quite different from conventional tourism. With eco tourism, you're inserted directly into a community as an active participant rather than a passive observer. You'll experience the wildlife, local customs and cuisine through the eyes of natives and experienced tour guides. In doing so, you'll inevitably have a completely one-of-a-kind experience--something that's nearly impossible with traditional travel.
Conservation International has perhaps the best definition:
Responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people.
The idea of responsibility seeps into every aspect of eco travel. There are several other ways that eco travel differs from traditional tourism:
Place. Rather than selecting a congested world metropolis like New York City to sightsee, shop and dine out, an eco traveler might instead head to the Kakum village in Ghana to immerse completely in the customs and local cuisine. The money a tourist would naturally spend on food, lodging, transportation and souvenirs benefits the local economy rather than a faceless, unconnected group of companies.
Purpose. In traditional tourism, the purpose of your visit is largely personal. Perhaps you want to see a specific artist's work in a museum, or want your children to see the city you grew up in. With eco travel, your purpose is still personal, but there's an added element: giving back to the local environment. Eco travel might include volunteering to help build or repair a village's structures, teaching English to native children or helping to maintain indigenous plant life.
People. Traditional tourism can have a crippling effect on the way a small town or village operates. Eco travel seeks to preserve a community's status quo as much as possible. Natural attractions rather than manmade ones celebrate a destination's unique identity.
Eco travel is quite different from conventional tourism. With eco tourism, you're inserted directly into a community as an active participant rather than a passive observer. You'll experience the wildlife, local customs and cuisine through the eyes of natives and experienced tour guides. In doing so, you'll inevitably have a completely one-of-a-kind experience--something that's nearly impossible with traditional travel.
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Marissa
