Ecotourism, third edition Although representing only a small percentage of international and domestic tourism, eco- tourism, as a form of alternative tourism, continues to be a viable development option for all countries around the world. Its appeal lies in the fact that ecotourism attempts to safeguard human and ecological conditions, while at the same time activating economic opportunities for individuals and communities. Focusing on an array of economic, social and ecological inconsistencies that continue to plague ecotourism in theory and practice, this third edition continues to examine the evolution of ecotourism in reference to other related forms of tourism, impacts, conservation, sustainability, education and interpretation, policy and governance and the ethical imperative of ecotourism as these apply to the world’s greenest form of tourism. This revised and updated edition of ecotourism provides a broad introduction, including: ● New information on the magnitude of the tourism industry, nature-based tourism, wildlife tourism and the pros and cons of mass ecotourism. ● Revised chapters on development, economics, marketing, policy, ecotourism in practice and biodiversity conservation. ● A section on governance models, ecotourism programmes, operators and guides, interpretation, certification and ecolodge design. ● A discussion of ecotourism as an ethical or responsible form of tourism. ● Approximately 300 new references. This critical overview of ecotourism is a useful reference for students, lecturers and researchers. It includes a range of case studies, and considers the perspectives of many adjacent fields, including geography, economics, business, philosophy, biology and envi- ronmental studies. David Fennell teaches and researches mainly in the areas of ecotourism and tourism ethics at Brock University, St Catharines, Ontario, Canada. He is the founding Editor-in- Chief of the Journal of Ecotourism, and is an active member on editorial boards of many academic journals. Ecotourism Third edition David Fennell First published 1999 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016 Second edition first published 2003 Third edition first published 2008 This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2007. “To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.” Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2008 David Fennell All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Fennell, David A., 1963– Ecotourism / David Fennell. – Ed. 3. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978–0–415–42931–3 (hardcover) – ISBN 978–0–415–42930–6 (softcover) 1. Ecotourism. I. Title. G156.5.E26F465 2007 338.4’791–dc22 2007009494 IS BN 0-203-93958-1 Master e-book IS BN ISBN10: 0–415–42931–5 (pbk) ISBN10: 0–415–42930–7 (hbk) ISBN10: 0–203–93958–1 (ebk) ISBN13: 978–0–415–42931–3 (pbk) ISBN13: 978–0–415–42930–6 (hbk) ISBN13: 978–0–203–93958–1 (ebk) To my family Contents List of plates ix List of figures xi List of tables xiii List of case studies xv Preface xvii Acknowledgements xix Chapter 1 The nature of tourism 1 Chapter 2 Ecotourism and ecotourists 17 Chapter 3 The social and ecological impacts of tourism 47 Chapter 4 Development, economics and marketing 71 Chapter 5 Natural resources, protected areas and conservation 106 Chapter 6 Policy and governance: managing stakeholder interests 133 Chapter 7 Ecotourism in practice 164 Chapter 8 The ethical imperative 206 Chapter 9 Conclusion 226 Appendix 232 Bibliography 238 Index 273 Plates 1.1 Tourist development at Cancún, Mexico 5 1.2 Alternative tourism can take many forms 7 2.1 Mayan ruins 26 2.2 To some tourists, culture is the primary attraction 26 2.3 Combining natural history and adventure 36 3.1 Wilderness users are wise to use existing campsites 58 3.2 The impact of park users on the environment takes many forms 58 3.3, 3.4 Leaving plants and animals alone altogether 59 5.1 On Canada’s west coast, giant trees saved from loggers have generated much interest among ecotourists 116 5.2 Petroglyph (painting of a moose), Clearwater River Provincial Park, Saskatchewan 117 5.3 The beauty and power of river environments 117 7.1, 7.2 The importance of environmental awareness in programme planning 168 7.3 The kayak: mainstay of many adventure-related operations in North America 170 7.4, 7.5 Experienced multilingual interpreters 190 7.6, 7.7 The ecolodge 201 8.1 Jaguar, chained up for 24 hours a day as an ecotourism attraction 213 8.2 Turtle egg-laying season 213 . in the USA 28 3.1 Ecotourism in the Galápagos Islands 63–5 3.2 The fate of Mexico’s Mayan heartland 69 4.1 Urban ecotourism 78–9 4.2 Ecotourism and Monarch. the ethical imperative of ecotourism as these apply to the world’s greenest form of tourism. This revised and updated edition of ecotourism provides a broad