Imagine vacationing in a place of stunning, natural beauty. Picture yourself relaxing on a pristine beach in Belize exploring the desert on a camel in Dubai, or following lions and zebras in Kenya. Now imagine the while enjoying these experiences, you are also helping to preserve the environment, protect wildlife, and support local communities. Sound too good to be true ? It isn't ! Such vacations are part of the fastest growing trend in the travel industry. The trend is called ecotourism.
While ecotourism was almost unheard of before the 1990s, it has quickly become a multi-billion dollar industry. But what exactly is ecotourism? These are some of its characteristics:
It involves travel to natural, often remote, destinations. These are often protected areas where development is limited.
Ecotourism destinations focus on recycling, water conversation, and using renewable energy sources.
It builds environmental awareness. As visitors explore an area, they also learn about it.
It provides an economic incentive to preserve the environment and raises money to help protect it.
It creates financial opportunities and jobs for the local population.
Costa Rica was one of the first ecotourism success stories. At one time, Costa Rica had the highest rate of deforestation in all of Latin America. However, since ecotourism, there has been a dramatic reduction in deforestation. Now, more than a quarter of Costa Rica is now the world's top ecotourism destination. Amazingly, this small country of four million people has about 1.5 million visitors per year.
Stacy Davison is one of the millon-plus tourists who chose to visit Costa Rica this year. "We wanted to explore a country that was largely unspoiled by development. And, boy, did we get what we were looking for! We saw beautiful beaches, lush rainforest, and exotic wildlife. " Stacy is especially enthusiastic about a wildlife refuge she and her husband visited during their trip. "Getting there took four hours by bus along an unpaved road. But it was so beautiful that it was worth it. We hiked the trails and took a tour through the rainforest canopy. Our guide showed us how to poke a stick into a termite nest to get a snack (They have a nutty flavor!), and how to use live leaf-cutter ants to create stitches for a cut. It was Quite an amazing experience!"
Stacy also enjoyed knowing that the money she was spending on her vacation was being used in environmentally responsible ways. She stayed in locally-owned, fruits and vegetables, and use renewable sources of energy such as wind and solar power.
Undoubtedly, ecotourism plays a critical role in preserving the land in Costa Rica as well as in other ecotourism destinations around the globe. At the same time, ecotourism provides visitors with a unique, unforgettable, and educational vacation. Basically, ecotourism is a win-win situation for both the tourists and the countries they visit.