Considerations about Ecotourism and Nature-Based Tourism - Realities and Perspectives

Tourism is globally a major industry, and by some measures it is estimated to be the world’s largest industry. Furthermore, it is a growing industry. Nature-based tourism is undoubtedly one of the most significant areas of research in tourism studies today. Nature-based tourism includes tourism in natural settings (adventure tourism), tourism that focuses on specific elements of the natural environment (safari, wildlife tourism, nature tourism) and tourism that is developed in order to conserve or protect natural areas (ecotourism, national parks). Ecotourism is viewed in many parts of the world as the next wave of community and regional development. Three goals of ecotourism are that is should bring benefits to local people, protect the natural and cultural heritage upon which the tourism is founded. As a nature-based form of tourism, ecotourism requires a relatively untouched landscape that is physically accessible to markets and entrepreneurial individuals who can develop the product within accepted parameters.