What is Ecotourism?

Ecotourism is a buzz word for some and red flag for others.  When I became involved it was unknown, undefined and often confused with green tourism and sustainable tourism. So… what do all of these terms really mean?

Green tourism is an older term that was used primarily by lodging facilities and some tour companies to portray themselves as environmentally friendly.  However, the term got a bad rap because there was little practice of sustainability efforts and due to “greenwashing” which is where a hotel displays a sign that say’s, “please hang up your towels if you’d like to reuse them”. While that helps, it is just the tip of the iceberg.

Ecotourism is defined by the International Ecotourism Society as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education.” Those participating in ecotourism leave minimal impact and use local resources such as food, guides and businesses to benefit the locals, tour company and guests.

The UN World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism as “referring to the environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development. A suitable balance must be established between these three dimensions to guarantee its long term sustainability.” With a slightly wider focus than ecotourism, sustainable tourism includes making sure that communities are being paid fairly. 
AE Adventures has practiced sustainable tourism since the beginning and has given to many causes over the years. The goal has always been to protect the areas we visit so they can be enjoyed by our guests and future generations.

When possible, our routine practices include:

• Keeping our group sizes small to minimize impacts on the environment and adhere to land use regulations
• Operating off “peak season” to lessen our impact and help local businesses at a slower time
• Employing and partnering with local guides
• Using local lodging establishments
• Eating local foods
• Reducing waste by doing “pack out” lunches rather than setting up a large picnic lunch
• Visiting and supporting local businesses

Additionally, in some locations we donate to local causes like:

• On our Kayaking with Manatees trip we adopt a manatee for each guest on the trip through the Save a Manatee Club whose mission is protecting manatees and their aquatic habitat. Manatees are listed as endangered at the International level and threatened at the federal and state levels.  Sadly, their listing and most manatee deaths are caused by human related incidents. 
• On our Costa Rica Kayaking Trip, we donate a portion of the profit to the Osa Conservation which is dedicated to preserving the globally significant biodiversity of Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula, where our trip is based. One of the last places in Costa Rica to be settled and still sparsely populated, the Osa is covered almost entirely in magnificent, virgin rainforest extending all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Separating it from the mainland is the Gulfo Dulce – one of only four tropical fjords on the planet. The Osa packs an unparalleled amount of land and marine species and diverse ecosystems in an incredibly small area and was named “the most biologically diverse place on earth” by National Geographic.
• On our Kayaking in Cedar Key trip we donate a percentage of the profit to the Cedar Key Dolphin Project that works to preserve and protect the dolphins of Cedar Key and the surrounding Nature Coast of Florida, while learning as much as they can about the species. The dolphins of Cedar Key hold a wealth of information and may provide valuable information on the health of the ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico. Dolphins are a long-lived species and as a result are suited to long-term research studies. 

The concept of ecotourism is pretty simple. Leave a natural area better than you found it and do what you can to make sure it’s there in the future. If we all do our part, we can be assured that the generations to come can relax in the beautiful places that we like to visit. 

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