Chapter I: INTRODUCTION Introduction

Chapter I: INTRODUCTION Introduction CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 1.1 DEFINITION OF ECOTOURISM In 1980s, alternative forms of tourism have attracted the interest of governments, communities and scholars. These were given different names like nature tourism, soft tourism, responsible tourism, green tourism, ecotourism (Schaller, 1999). Among these, the term ecotourism has become prominent, although a consistent definition is by no means found. Most definitions do, however, incorporate concepts associated with sustainable development. Sustainable development attempts were made to integrate economic development with ecological sustainability ( Redclift, 1987) The researchers like Zurick( 1992), Dearden (1991) and Hunter and Green (1995) accepted the definition of ecotourism given by World Commission on Environment and Development. According to them development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (WCED, 1987) is known as ecotourism. Many research workers now agreed that ecotourism is a two-way link between tourism and environmental conservation (Valentine, 1993; Cater, 1994). As the understanding of the close relationships between tourism and environmental conservation increased, the researchers are now calling on ecotourism industry to incorporate economic development as a fiindamental element of conservation (West and Brechin, 1991). According to Healy (1988) nature tourism is based directly on the use of natural resources in a relatively undeveloped state, including scenery, topography, water features, vegetation and wildlife. It is also based upon the desire of people to experience nature in their leisure time. Eagles (1995a) proposed that nature-based tourism has at least four sub-markets, differentiated according to the travel motives of the tourists. (Fig. 1.1) Ecotourism involves travel for the discovery of and learning about wild natural environments. Wilderness travel is the personal re-creation through the traveling in natural environments that are devoid of human disturbances. While the adventure travel is personal accomplishment through the thrills of dominating Introduction dangerous environments. Among the various subdivisions of nature based tourism ecotourism is the fastest growing tourism submarket. The growth of ecotourism primarily involved the travel by Europeans and North Americans to all parts of the world. Eagles and Wind (1994) reported that Canadian ecotour companies visited fifty different countries in 1992. Recently, with rapidly developing economies in Asia, ecotourists from these countries are entering the market as consumers. The experience is expanding with the increase in number of parks. There is now a worldwide increase in nature travel market, (Zurick, 1992). Ecotourism has an idealistic agenda, defined by Drumm (1991) as progressive, educational travel, which conserves the environment and benefits local communities. The synonyms of eco-tourism are given below: environment friendly tourism , nature tourism, green tourism, scientific tourism, cottage tourism, wildlife tourism, wilderness tourism, safari tourism, designer tourism, hard tourism, risk tourism, adventure tourism etc. In 1987, Ceballos-Lascurain defined the ecotourism as ecological tourism or ecotourism involving traveling to relatively undisturbed or uncontaminated natural areas, with the specific aims of studying, admiring and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals, as well as any existing cultural aspects found in these areas. In fact, train journeys to the first North American national parks in the late nineteenth century were called as ecotourism (National Audubon Society, 1991). Johnson(1967 )reported heavy over-use of the North American national parks, with traffic congestion and the resulting impacts was erosion and the loss of wilderness. In recent years Blamey (1997), Fennell (1998), Fennell and Eagles (1989), Orams (1995), Swarbrooke and Homer (1999) and Valentine (1993) have modified, extended and developed many new definitions of ecotourism. The definitions of ecotourism are broad in scope. Ecotourism includes conservation, education, local ownership, and economic benefit for local communities, the relevance of cultural resources, minimum impacts and sustainability. The ecotourism must determine a visitor's status as an ecotourist and encompass the social motive. Introduction Nature-based Totiristn >^ >r ^ \ Ecotowrisnt AiJve«it«rc Wildcrnca* C«r Trjuvri TTJIVCI CaxnplM^^ Fig. 1.1 Tourism sub-markets Environmental Rwenus EducaKon GenenaNon ^11 ^ y Protected Area r L ^fc^ V / -^ Justification ^ ^ Ecotourism' Visitor Appreciation/ | "^ Employment Awareness BiodivBr^itI y Maintenance/ Impnovenient Fig. 1.2 Ecotourism opportunities Introduction These definitions of ecotourism must remain faithful to the ideals of ecotourism and concentrate on positive overall balance in environment. The sustainable ecotourism development should have also economic viability. 1.2 ECOTOURISM AT GLOBAL LEVEL In western society, travel to experience wild nature is an old and well- accepted tourism since 1872.These governments had set aside the natural areas for protection and recreation in the form of national parks. Many Afiican national parks originated as game reserves. The first national parks were Albert National Park, created in the Belgian Congo in 1925, and Kruger National Park, created by South Afiica in 1926 (Luard, 1985). Parts of Kruger had been a game reserve since 1898. In Tanganyika, now Tanzania the Selous Game Reserve was assembled, in 1922, from several smaller reserves (Luard, 1985). Later the Ngorongoro Highlands were made into a game reserve in 1928, soon followed by the Serengeti in 1930. In 1940 the two areas were combined into the Serengeti National Park (Turner, 1988). Kenya's first national park, Nairobi, was created in 1946 (Luard, 1985). There is now a world-wide system of thousands of protected areas in all parts of the globe. Several Afiican countries with savanna ecosystems have assigned substantial land of their territory to protected areas. Since the last century, tourism use of parkland changed from a few hundred hardy fravelers to tens of millions. The number of travelers increased due to expanding affluence, cheaper travel costs and increasing interest in the environment. The higher level of environmental consciousness in western society is a primary factor in the higher demand for nature-based tourism. All of these factors pushed up the ecotravel growth. Ecotourism may be the fastest growing tourism sub-market (Fig. 1.3 and Fig. 1.4). Recently, with rapidly developing economies in Asia, ecotourists from various countries are entering the market as consumers. The number of eco- destinations expanded with the increase in park numbers. Introduction Protected Area/Site Manogers ( play a facititoHon role in: ) I Government I Agencies ^M- ^ Successful Ecotourism ^ Fig.1.3 Ecotourism Partnerships Environmental Cultural DigradaMon Dstortions Bionomic \ / Diminished Dstartions Tourism ^^sitcf Experience / \ Incnexised Control Industry by Qjtsiders Insbbility Fig. 1.4 Potential of Tourism Introduction Since people travel domestically before traveling to foreign areas, the domestic park infrastructure is better developed and more popular in Canada, Europe and Australia. In most destinations the experience is always very positive. Australia is a good example of nature-based tourism, due to its recognized leadership and rapidly developing industry. Tourism in Australia is the largest export industry (Shea and Sharp, 1993). The domestic tourism market is three times larger than the inboimd market (Moore and Carter, 1993). Much of this tourism is based on the superb natural features of the country, with ecotourism a major component (Shea and Sharp, 1993). The national parks and protected areas, and especially those designated as world heritage sites, are important destinations for national and international ecotourists (Dowling, 1991; Driml and Common, 1995). Australia is an important area for the study of tourism and parks. It is the first country in the world to develop and approve a national ecotourism strategy (Allcock et. al., 1994). It has become top most industry because government and environmentalists are paying attention for long-term implications of increasing tourism use in sensitive parks, reserves and world heritage sites. Kenya and Tanzania are well-documented examples of nature-based tourism in Africa starting with only a few thousand tourists in the early 1950s. Throughout eastern and southern Africa park-based tourism is a very important economic activity. The nature-based tourism is only a small part of the overall tourism industry, possibly 7%.But only Kenya has its tourism predominately nature-based. The link between environmental protection, international tourism and economic development became widely recognized in eastern Afiica in the early 1970s (Thresher, 1972; Thresher, 1981).Research workers like Filani (1975) and Western and Henry (1979) proposed the need for development of national tourism policy, closely linked to national development strategies. Kenya and South Africa have been successftil leaders in the development of ecotourism industries, based upon a comprehensive structure of national legislation, policy planning and site management. Ankomah and Crompton (1990) identified the five factors inhibiting ecotourism such as being negative 10 Introduction market image, lack of foreign exchange for capital

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