A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVE
In addition to providing positive experiences for tourists,
ecotourism, if it is to be sustained, must be economically viable,
environmentally appropriate, and socio-culturally acceptable. If
positive experiences are not available, then tourists will cease to
come—there will be no tourism! If ecotourism is not economically
viable, then the facilities and services required by most ecotourists
will not be provided and the potential economic benefits of
ecotourism for both industry providers and local residents will not
be achieved. If the environment and its treasures are not maintained
then the resource base for ecotourism is destroyed—if tourism
continues, it is unlikely to be ecotourism unless one can persuade
visitors to come to restore a severely degraded environment. If the
ecotourism is not culturally acceptable and local people do not
benefit from its existence, they will be hostile towards and may work
to undermine it. Thus, economy, environment and culture are all
involved. One is not more important than the other—they are all
vital to the successful introduction, operation and perpetuation of
ecotourism.