Eco-tourism and its socio-cultural impact –
The Positive: Eco-tourism is the melting pot of cultures and
people. National and/or local pride is a direct manifestation of how
appreciative a foreign culture is of one’s own. Income generated through
eco-tourism benefits the locals and keeps migration for jobs at bay. Local
knowledge also stays within the community and is passed on. A successful
example can be found in a developed country – Canada. Nunavut in Northern
Canada chose eco-tourism as a viable industry. A successful effort saw the
preservation the Aboriginal and Inuit communities.
The Negative: There is a very high probability of a culture
clash. Outside influences can wreck havoc with the ethnic way of living. Local
culture and heritage should be showcased but often it is ‘packaged’ to conform
to Western expectations. Bastardization of customs into pop culture is an ever
present danger. Also, eco-tourism often forms the single source of revenue for
a community. Any cyclical changes in the economy affect it as a whole. The
island of Dominica rushed headlong into eco-tourism. Today, corruption and
environmental degradation has left its industry in shambles.