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Du lịch sinh thái: (Ecotourism) + Khái niệm du lịch sinh thái. (Definition ) + Lịch sử hình thành du lịch sinh thái. (History) + Các hoạt động trong chuyến đi du lịch sinh thái. (Activities involved in ecotourism) + Lợi ích và tác hại của du lịch sinh thái. (Advantages and Disadvantages of Ecotourism) + Một số mẹo và lời khuyên cho du khách. (Tips and advice for ecotourists)
Ecotourism is a new field of study and a new sub sector of the tourism industry. People can benefit a lot from ecotourism, yet somepeople are still trying to understand exactly what it is and what they derive from it. Let’s first see what is ecotourism defined as. DEFINITION: - In Oxford Dictionary: Ecotourism means tourism directed towards exotic natural environments, intended to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife. - In Merriam – Webster Dictionary: Ecotourism means the practice of traveling to beautiful matural places for pleasure in a way that does not damage the environment there. - According to the International Ecotourism Society: Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves environment and improves the well-being of local people. In my point of view: Ecotourism is travel that is environmentally friendly, tourism that has as little impact on the environment as possible, that respects local culture and that helps promote livelihoods. HISTORY: The concept arose in the 1970s from the general global environmental movement, and by the 1990s was one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors. Ecotourism appeals to responsible travelers who want to minimize the negative impacts of their visit, and who take special interest in local nature and cultures. ACTIVITIES CONSTITUTE ECOTOURISM: Now let’s see some activities involved in ecotourism to understand more clearly about it. There are a lot of activities constitute ecotourism such as: + Stay overnight in a local village and try local food, take part in local festival, learn how to cook a traditional dish => learn about local traditions and culture. + Go swimming, scuba-diving and see the coral reefs. + Go hiking or go camping in the forest. + Visit a national park or protected areas => learn how to protect animals and plants. + Wildlife viewing: see different kind of animals, learn about their habitat and habit. + Visit historical or beautiful natural places. + Take a boat through a cave and enjoy its beauty. PROS AND CONS: In today’s world everything tends to be ecological, everything has to be with minimal impact on the nature, everything has to be green. But is it always good to live in world like that? For example ecotourism, do you think that ecotourism is good at all time? Is ecotourism better than normal tourism which we know and which is still more popular? What are the advantages and disadvantages of ecotourism? And these are the main issues that will, hopefully, be explained in our presentation. PROS: If done right, ecotourism bring us a wealth of benefits. First and for most, as being an ecotourist, you can relax and gain a lot of wonderful and useful experience and skills. For example, when go camping in a forest, you can take part in activties such as swimming, fishing, sightseeing, climbing, singing, dancing and so on, which can help you refresh your mind and learn how to co-operate and respect each other. Ecotourism can be educational because you can learn about plants, animals and understand more deeply about local culture, which help you broaden your knowledge. Ecotourists have much greater interaction with native peoples than traditional tourists who barely venture out of their westernized hotels. Home stays and eco-lodges allow visitors to experience local lifestyles and customs first-hand, and this interest helps to preserve the region's heritage. Besides, ecotourism can be spiritually uplifting, bring you closer to nature, open you up to new ideas and it can be a great springboard for ecotourists. Additionally, going on an ecotour can take you off the beaten path and help you lose weight because it usually requires going on foot or by bicycle, not by car. In addition to benefits to the ecotourists, ecotourism has done the nature good. It has helped protect endangered animals and habitats and conserve the biodiversity. During an ecotour to a national park or while going wildlife viewing, people always learn about animals’ habitats and habits so that they can raise and protect them better. Ecotourism also help protect the environment and reduce negative impact on it because tourists have to keep the environment clean and usually learn about the ways to protect it when going on an ecotour. Last but not least, community or local residents also derive a lot of benefits from ecotourism. First, ecotourism provide local employment, which help to solve the problem of unemployment. Historically, mass tourism has helped to support corrupt and undemocratic regimes, but with ecotourism, money goes directly into local communities, rather than government coffers. The eco-tourism industry is seeing a boom as the concept is getting much popular with each passing day. More and more job opportunities are opening up as a result of the increasing demand of hotels, resorts and other accommodations equipped with skilled and trained professionals, experienced tour guides, merchandise retailers selling lots of necessary items, restaurants offering a variety of tasty foods, and so on. Furthemore, when an ecotour is organised, tourists visit the destionations of ecotourism and pay for their journey, the money of which will flow back into the community and help to solve the problem of poverty. What’s more, ecotourism also brings a better standard of living to local residents whose conditions are quite difficult. In fact, when an area is chosen to be an ecotourism destination, the government or the investor have to build or at least improve facilities such as clinic, drinkable water sources, new roads and provide electricity. This is really benificial to the local residents because they receive a better, more comfortable and convenient life. CONS: However, despite huge benefits people and nature derive from ecotourism, it also has some drawbacks that should be noticed and concerned. If badly managed, ecotourism can do harm to local residents because they can be displaced to build resorts, restaurants, hotels and so on or because they won’t be able to afford to stay or they may be forced by developers to leave, let alone local people’s land being expropriated at unfair prices because of a deal struck between wealthy corporations and government authorities. Moreover, the nature beauty can be badly affected. Water can be diverted from rivers to beautiful turquoise swimming pools or lush green golf courses and energy sources can be depleted to accommodate tourist hordes. In addition, excessive viewing of wildlife can disturb animals' feeding and breeding. For instance, in Oman, the Arabian Oryx was threatened with extinction. They would run until exhaustion, chased across desert sands by tourists in 4WD vehicles. Last but not least, demand for rare birds or animals or for souvenirs can promote endangered spieces trafficking. On a recent trip to Panama, wildlife rescue workers told me they'd found young toucans for sale for $30 along the roadside, being sold in plastic bags! CONCLUSION: Although the above list of positives and negatives of ecotourism was a rather 'tongue in cheek' attempt, it has hopefully given you a more 'balanced' and 'informed' view on the impacts of ecotourism. However, it should be noted that not all ecotourism can be judged the same, each company and eco-holiday will have its own unique set of strengths and weaknesses regarding its environmental friendliness. There is still a lack of 'regulation and accreditation' regarding exactly what constitutes ecotourism, so although there is tourism activities that are in fact environmentally friendly, there are also 'wildlife theme parks' and 'eco- helicopter rides' and mismanaged 'ecotourism' programmes that get away with being dubbed as 'ecotourism' despite little regard for its true principles. However, on the whole ecotourism as a concept is obviously a good thing the promotion and protection of nature despite some issues of mismanagement it is certainly a step in the right direction. TIPS: Now, we have some tips for you who want to go on an ecotour. People seem to have a difficult time figuring out which name to call the “take only pictures, leave only footprints” approach, they seem to have an even harder time figuring out practical ways to do it. The truth is, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to become a more eco- friendly traveler. In fact, becoming more conscious about HOW you travel can actually save you money. Better still, when responsibly applied, the principle ideals of ecotourism can stimulate financial growth in developing nations, strengthening the global economy. Individually, one person taking these baby steps to going green might not seem to make much of an impact. But if we all take simple strides towards being more conscious of our impact in the planet, collectively we can make a world of difference. Here are an easy ecotourism tips so you can travel more responsibly and sustainably, not just for Earth Day but for every day! Planning your trip Be aware of local history, culture and customs of the locals before arriving. Learn enough knowledge of the language to be polite i.e. hello, please and thankyou. By making the effort to learn even the basics it will be appreciated by locals; and enrich your experience. When packing, if you want to bring gifts for local people in developing countries don't give sweets; instead bring clothes and pens, and ask your tour operator or driver to give them to community elders so that you don't encourage begging from children. Learn about the vital eco-systems before arriving. Before leaving on your trip take the time to do a little research about the eco- destination you are interested in travelling to. Local libraries are an invaluable resource in terms of guidebooks to get you started. Research local customs, culture and history before leaving on your eco-trip. Even if you only learn enough of the local language to be polite, local people will appreciate the effort you have taken and your effort will go a long way to making your eco-trip more rewarding. Many times when vacationing tourists like to bring gifts to distribute to the local communities. Resist the urge to bring candy when thinking of what to pack to bring as gifts. Practical gifts such as pencils or pens are a much better choice if you are insistent on packing gifts. When possible have your guide or tour operator distribute these offerings to the local elders. This will discourage children of the community from begging. Gain as much knowledge as you can about the all important ecosystem wherever you travel to minimize your impact on the local environment. During your stay Be sensitive to the local culture by wearing clothing that is accepted. Be aware of people's sensitivity to being photographed; always ask first. Observe local customs. Remember that you are a visitor and therefore be aware that your cultural values may differ from those of the locals. This may include different concepts of time, personal space, communication etc. which are not wrong or inferior, just different. Demonstrate responsible behaviour to other travellers who are less informed than you by acting as an example. Use local transportation, guides, inns, restaurants and markets to benefit the local economy. Be sensitive to displays of wealth in front of people from developing countries. By displaying possessions such as cameras and jewellery, feelings of jealousy may be created which then generates barriers that inhibit genuine interactions between travellers and locals. Ask your tour operator or guide what their established environmental guidelines are for limiting and improving tourist impact on the environment and local culture. General guidelines involve staying on trails, maintaining set distances away from wildlife, and not encouraging drivers to move too close to wildlife, even if it is tempting for getting a better picture. Comply with international environmental conventions. Do not buy any animal products while travelling. Do not remove any objects, plants or animal products from nature. Not only can these affect fragile ecosystems, but is also illegal. Conserve Resources. Be aware of resource shortages such as water and food as many tourist destinations are under increasing pressure. Don't allow your guide to hunt endangered or threatened species or harvest rare plants for your consumption. Encourage practices to conserve the environment, including the use of renewable resources in a sustainable manner and the conservation of non- renewable resources. Conclusion These recommended guidelines should be followed by all eco-travellers. However by choosing a tour operator through EcoTour Directory, a small part of the work has been done for you as the eco-policies of every listed operator has already been reviewed; and is displayed for you to read about. By encouraging the tourism industry to comply with these policies on a local, regional and national level the aim is to restructure the tourism industry into making a positive impact towards environmental sustainability, economic sustainability for all stakeholders and the preservation of culture. By choosing only travel providers that hold eco-principles, the rest of the tourism industry will be forced to follow due to the power of consumer demand. -THE END- . But is it always good to live in world like that? For example ecotourism, do you think that ecotourism is good at all time? Is ecotourism better than normal tourism which we know and which. mismanaged &apos ;ecotourism& apos; programmes that get away with being dubbed as &apos ;ecotourism& apos; despite little regard for its true principles. However, on the whole ecotourism as a concept. Dictionary: Ecotourism means the practice of traveling to beautiful matural places for pleasure in a way that does not damage the environment there. - According to the International Ecotourism