Comments on: Why Ecotourism is Important

By: Jeanine Riband

Jeanine Riband — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 10:43:59 +0000

Very few of our visitors to Amazonat Jungle Lodge ask about our ecotourism practices, something we take very seriously. Many assume that because we are in the middle of the jungle and a small operation that we must be ecologically friendly. This is not the case with all lodges. Some locally run accommodations have little regard for the environment - untreated water is released to the environment, generators are run constantly and guides have little regard for nature when they do their tours. Visitors are usually ignorant of all of this - they are just happy to have seen more animals up close (with little thought to the stress caused), enjoyed their toilets and air conditioned rooms . Small and locally owned is not a guarantee of ecological practices. In contrast, large chain hotels are often very consious of theirs. The best practice is for consumers to be as informed as possible and to ask lodges what their ecological practices are before choosing one. While they are visiting they should talk to the lodge owner or operator if ecological practices have not been followed. As responsible tourists it is part of our responsibility to ensure ecolodges are living up to their promise. I often cringe when I go to the Caribbean and take a snorkeling tour. The boat takes us to a beautiful location and throws the anchor overboard with little regard for the coral being broken below. With more and more visits the coral won’t survive. Nothing will change the boat operator’s practices faster than to have many of his clients complaining and potential clients asking how he runs his operation. We all need to play our part in maintaining the environment.

By: BigTravelWeb Admin (Chris)

BigTravelWeb Admin (Chris) — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 20:26:24 +0000

Times will change…. I read (in 2004) that is ecotourism is one of the fasting growing sectors of the tourism industry - quite what is defined as ecotourism is a different matter though. What is certain though is that the concept of “pure ecotourism” can only increase in importance and abundancy as people come to understand it, promote it and participate in it.

By: roger templeton

roger templeton — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 22:58:23 +0000

i moved to the honduras over 2 yrs ago after falling in love with the country and started a small eco lodge in a poor area not only for it’s beauty and isolation but with the hope of helping others. since then i have employed local artistians to decorate the lodge in turn supporting an entire village with trying to help the sell there crafts to all the tourists. and also hiring local craftsmen in building the resort and other projects i began. also working with the locals in how to deal with the tourists visiting our nat. parks and several hiking trails and with a snorkling tour…. keep up the good work in saving the planet….tranquilitybay beach retreat

By: Eugenio Gobbato

Eugenio Gobbato — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 15:57:52 +0000

Thank you for the write up on ecoturism. As a local ecolodge owner I have been toiling for the last 17 years trying to do precisely what you describe above, that is provide a meaningful, natural and social experience to visitors while supoorting the local community, sustaining the environment and ocassionally making a buck. I’ve found that perhaps only 50% of all visitors are genuinely inerested in the environment and social-economic issues which affect us and only some 20 are actually willing to spend money on ecotours.
Your “why ecotourism is important philophy” become very important to us as we sincerely hope more people will appreciate what we are really doing here. Not just selling cheap beer and funky rooms. so thak you for your observations they are quite “a propos”.

By: Piedra Blanca

Piedra Blanca — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 22:06:55 +0000

<p><p>Great write up there - we all need to be more responsible when travelling.</p></p>