B. To the private sector
20. bear in mind that for ecotourism businesses to be sustainable, they need to be profitable
for all stakeholders involved, including the projects’ owners, investors, managers and
employees, as well as the communities and the conservation organizations of natural
areas where it takes place;
21. conceive, develop and conduct their businesses minimizing negative effects on, and
positively contributing to, the conservation of sensitive ecosystems and the environment
in general, and directly benefiting and including local and indigenous communities
22. ensure that the design, planning, development and operation of ecotourism facilities
incorporates sustainability principles, such as sensitive site design and community sense
of place, as well as conservation of water, energy and materials, and accessibility to all
categories of population without discrimination;
23. adopt as appropriate a reliable certification or other systems of voluntary regulation,
such as ecolabels, in order to demonstrate to their potential clients their adherence to
sustainability principles and the soundness of the products and services they offer;
24. cooperate with governmental and non-governmental organizations in charge of
protected natural areas and conservation of biodiversity, ensuring that ecotourism
operations are practised according to the management plans and other regulations
prevailing in those areas, so as to minimize any negative impacts upon them while
enhancing the quality of the tourism experience and contribute financially to the
conservation of natural resources;
25. make increasing use of local materials and products, as well as local logistical and
human resource inputs in their operations, in order to maintain the overall authenticity
of the ecotourism product and increase the proportion of financial and other benefits
that remain at the destination. To achieve this, private operators should invest in the
training of the local workforce;
26. ensure that the supply chain used in building up an ecotourism operation is thoroughly
sustainable and consistent with the level of sustainability aimed at in the final product
or service to be offered to the customer;
27. work actively with indigenous leadership and local communities to ensure that
indigenous cultures and communities are depicted accurately and with respect, and that
their staff and guests are well and accurately informed regarding local and indigenous
sites, customs and history;
28. promote among their clients an ethical and environmentally conscious behaviour vis-à-
vis the ecotourism destinations visited, such as by environmental education or by
encouraging voluntary contributions to support local community or conservation
initiatives;
29. generate awareness among all management and staff of local, national and global
environmental and cultural issues through ongoing environmental education, and
support the contribution that they and their families can make to conservation,
community economic development and poverty alleviation;
30. diversify their offer by developing a wide range of tourist activities at a given
destination and by extending their operations to different destinations in order to spread
the potential benefits of ecotourism and to avoid overcrowding some selected
ecotourism sites, thus threatening their long-term sustainability. In this regard, private
operators are urged to respect, and contribute to, established visitor impact management
systems of ecotourism destinations;