By Izzy Anderson
This article looks at the growing ‘ecotourism’ industry, examining whether it can have a place in a sustainable future, or if it is instead another greenwashing tactic.
Ever heard of ‘eco-friendly’ cruises to visit the Antarctic ice sheet? Or visits to the Amazon Rainforest to help with conservation efforts? Then you’ve come across ecotourism, a phenomenon growing increasingly in popularity for those wanting to visit different areas of the world in a meaningful way. Credited with raising awareness around the biggest environmental issues on the planet today, ecotourism has been formally recognised and practiced, to varying extents, since the 1980s. But with more of an impetus on cutting unnecessary travel and minimising further human damage on pristine parts of the planet, is there a place for eco-tourism in a sustainable future? In this article we’ll discuss the benefits and drawbacks and examine frameworks through which individuals are aspiring to travel in a more ethical way.
A strict definition
Before getting started, it’s worth outlining what is meant by ecotourism in this article. Whilst often interpreted in such a way, is not simply travelling to a remote or untouched place in order to partake in tourist activities. This is instead categorised as ‘nature-based tourism’, where pressure is often put on sensitive ecosystems through tourist activities. Instead, ecotourism differs with the specified intention of doing net good by visiting. The United National World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) sums this up nicely by outlining five key points in their 2002 definition, like the need for ‘observation and appreciation’, supporting ‘the maintenance of natural areas’ and minimising ‘negative impacts upon the natural and socio-cultural environment’.
The positives
Clearly, on paper, ecotourism sounds like a win-win scenario. With a focus on education, it is often claimed that tourists partaking in such activities provide direct financial benefits for conservation, as well as building cultural awareness and generating financial benefits (The International Ecotourism Society). For example, in Palau, an island in the Pacific Ocean, an app-based rewards system has been introduced to gamify and incentivise responsible tourism. The points-based system allows users to unlock badges through completing tasks such as using reef-safe sun cream, participating in regenerative tourism projects, and eating sustainably sourced, local food. On an island for which, pre-COVID, tourism made up 85% of GDP, such an innovative initiative has meant that environmental impact has been minimised whilst maintaining economic income.
The downsides
Despite multiple success stories, as is the case with many eco-initiatives, the industry can be rife with greenwashing and buzzwords that maximise profit over ecological wellbeing, especially since there is no standardised global framework for ecotourism standards. Characterised by multiple scandals, ecotourism providers have occasionally inflicted long-lasting damage on untouched and vulnerable ecosystems simply through their presence. To name a few examples, it was found in a research study that human presence on the Galapagos Islands has heightened stress in iguana species. There have also been major one-off events, like in 2007 when a vessel travelling through Antarctica cracked its hull on submerged ice, creating an oil slick over a 2-mile square area near the wreck. This slick was still visible over a year later, and illustrates the risk in well-meaning visits which bring potential harms to ecosystems.
It is also worth mentioning that any travel often requires movement across the world of some sort, often by plane, boat, or train. Whilst there are various carbon offsetting schemes available, it is often not mandatory for tourist-oriented transportation systems to partake in these, and therefore, whilst ecotourist activity may not always directly harm ecosystems, it still contributes to the global climate crisis in the longer term.
Eco and travel: paradox or possibility?
Without a standardised global framework for ecotourism, as well as a host of companies willing to bend the truth to appear sustainable, ecotourism is a difficult industry to decisively rule in or out of a sustainable future. It seems that until there is a uniform method of comparing ecotourism providers in place (see the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s recognised standards and systems for now), it is down to tourists themselves to research the areas in which they are travelling to in order to avoid environmental or societal damage, as well as offsetting any emissions resulting from their activity. Of course, it is unrealistic to suggest that tourism, an industry which made up $10 trillion globally in 2019, will subside anytime soon. But if more tourism can be adapted to fit the definition of ecotourism, then this is at least likely to mitigate some of the negative impacts that would have been experienced without such change. Like many aspects of ESG, regulation and reporting need to catch up with the trend.
Comments