Ecotourism, Is It Possible?

When we talk about ecotourism, we think of a type of tourism that is responsible towards the environment, as the prefix “eco-” suggests an absence of negative impacts on the environment from a certain activity. Therefore, ecotourism, in the strictest sense of the word, should not generate any negative impact from start to finish of the activity. Is this possible?

Author: Gabino Damián Jiménez Martínez
Leia em português. Leer en español.

From the outset, any form of tourism is an economic activity that impacts the environment. According to Mexico’s Institute of Ecology (2022), the negative impacts of tourism on the environment include:

  • Destruction and fragmentation of habitat and loss of associated biodiversity due to the removal of vegetation cover by complete specimen extraction, incineration, and selective or total clearing.
  • Destruction or alteration of the coastline and adjacent ecosystems due to urbanization.
  • Removal of materials, alteration of topographic conformation, and sedimentation patterns.
  • Aquatic sports practices, especially on coral reefs, and due to the dragging of anchored boats.
  • Alteration of hydrological flows.
  • Generation of wastewater and solid waste.
  • Dragging of pollutants into aquifers.
  • Disposition of activated sludge, often destined for open-air landfills.
  • Emissions to the atmosphere.
  • Introduction of exotic species.
  • Modification of the landscape.
  • Illegal wildlife trafficking, etc

Here, ecotourism by definition should minimize these impacts, but with the growing trend of foreign tourists seeking different, nature-based tourism, the same demand brings these environmental impacts to places that were not previously intended for tourism. From the mobilization of people, we find environmental impacts in the emission of greenhouse gases, different patterns of water consumption are also an important issue especially when visiting territories with water scarcity, a clear example is seen in Oaxaca where authorities prioritize water service to hotel zones leaving the local population without access to this vital liquid which is their right.

Then, why does the term ecotourism exist if it is a concept that contradicts itself? All tourism has environmentally negative impacts, but like the concept of sustainable development, they are utopian terms that help us direct our actions with the goal of reducing our negative impacts.

As consumers of these services, one must be more informed and look for community-based natural tourism, where the key lies in the community. The community that provides these ecotourism services must first understand their environment, comprehend the various natural cycles and relationships present in their ecosystem to design activities with less environmental impact, in addition to allocating resources for the conservation of these areas.

However, it is crucial that the economic resources are managed by the community itself, hence tourists should be more informed when hiring these services and ensure, as much as possible, that the deal is direct with the communities and not through tourism companies.

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