Ecotourism

Ecotourism (also known as ecological tourism) is a widely used, yet ill-defined term in today's tourism industry. In very broad terms, most observers would probably agree that ecotourism describes “the practice of low-impact, educational, ecologically and culturally sensitive travel that benefits local communities and host countries.” In contrast to traditional tourism, ecotourism often involves travel to smaller and less developed destinations, fosters respect and educates participants, claims to economically benefit communities visited, and purports to protect the environment, natural habitats, and precious cultures. Other terms widely used are sustainable tourism, green tourism, responsible tourism, and nature-based tourism.