The strong orientation of the ecotourism field toward the evolution of principles, guidelines, and certification based on sustainability standards gives it an unusual position in the tourism field. Over the years, discussion in conferences has provided a general consensus on the components of ecotourism (as seen in box above).
Ecotourism as a Market Segment Ecotourism is a small but rapidly growing industry working within a niche market that is governed by market forces and regulations. Ecotourism is primarily
advertised as being equivalent to nature tourism in the marketplace. Some countries, companies and destinations have social and environmental policies and programs, while others do not. This has led to confusion worldwide about the meaning of the term ecotourism as it is applied in the marketplace. Further discussion of guidelines and accreditation systems relating to sustainability criteria for the ecotourism industry can be found later in this chapter.
Figure 2 provides a reflection of how ecotourism fits into the larger tourism marketplace. Both adventure