Ecoturismo

ECOTOURISM:
PRINCIPLES, PRACTICES & POLICIES
FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Megan Epler Wood

United Nations Environment Programme
Division of Technology, Industry and Economics
Production and Consumption Unit
Tour Mirabeau, 39-43, quai André-Citroën
75739 Paris Cedex 15, France
Tel: 33 1 44 37 76 12. Fax: 33 1 44 37 14 74
e-mail: uneptie@unep.fr
www.uneptie.org/tourism/home.html

TheInternational Ecotourism Society
P.O. Box 668, Burlington, VT 05402 USA
Tel. 802/651-9818. Fax: 802/651-9819
e-mail: ecomail@ecotourism.org
www.ecotourism.org

© 2002 UNEP
First edition 2002
This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes
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Moreover, the views expressed do not necessarily represent the decision or the stated policy of the United Nations
Environment Programme, nor does citing of trade names or commercial processes constituteendorsement.

UNITED NATIONS PUBLICATION
ISBN: 92-807-2064-3

Table of Contents

Foreword

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5

Travel Agents

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Outbound Tour Operators
Introduction

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7

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34

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35

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36

Inbound Tour Operators
Ecolodges

What isEcotourism?

9
Non-Governmental Organizations

Ecotourism as a Concept

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9

Communities

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37

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38

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10

Community-Based Ecotourism

The Roots of Ecotourism

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11

Women and Ecotourism

Principles of Ecotourism

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13

Ecotourism and Indigenous Communities

Ecotourism as aMarket Segment

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41

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42

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44

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45

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45

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47

Regional And National Governments
The Ecotourism Experience

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Brazil

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19

Government Planning Guidelines

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21

Development Agencies

22

Developing The Capacity ForSuccessful Ecotourism

Explanation of an Ecotour

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25

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27

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29

Explanation of an Eco-destination
Explanation of an Ecolodge
Local Vendors

Australia

18

The Number of Ecotourists
Ecotourist Demographics

17

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Environmental Awareness and Ecotourism

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48

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49Research Community

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51

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51

Non-Governmental Organizations
Conclusion

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53

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55

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56

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57

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59

Ecotourism Hosts and Guests
The Components of Successful Ecotourism

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33

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33

Resource Documents

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34Resource Organizations

Ecotourism Stakeholders
Ecotourism Industry

34

3

Foreword
“Putting tourism on a sustainable path is a major
challenge, but one that also presents a significant
opportunity”.
K LAUS T ÖPFER , UNEP Executive Director.

Ecotourism has been growing rapidly over the last

with local communities and respecting local

decades. Yet, while ecotourism has the...