University of Aarhus ECOTOURISM AS A WAY TO PROTECT ...
University of Aarhus ECOTOURISM AS A WAY TO PROTECT ...
University of Aarhus ECOTOURISM AS A WAY TO PROTECT ...
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Ecotourism as a sustainable way to protect nature<br />
amount <strong>of</strong> greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. The Galapagos Islands are<br />
located 1000 km <strong>of</strong>f Ecuador’s coast, and most tourists will prefer to fly to the<br />
island rather than passing 30 hours or more to get there by boat. It is possible to<br />
promote “polluted payment” on travel cost. Travel agencies should spend a<br />
reasonable percentage <strong>of</strong> the travel costs on forest maintenance or reforestation.<br />
This could be the way to reduce the greenhouse gasses.<br />
Tourists are transported by car on safaris and other cultural trips to show<br />
and satisfy the tourists as much as possible, instead <strong>of</strong> showing one place more<br />
intensely by foot or on horseback etc. Ecotourism should consider and react on<br />
these trends.<br />
Social and cultural aspects are also important in ecotourism development.<br />
It is very necessary to make sure whether social and cultural aspects are<br />
sustainable or not. Social society and cultural attraction are easily affected when<br />
protected areas are established. They may also be affected by the outside culture<br />
that is brought by tourists. Conflicts between black people and white people in<br />
KNP have occurred because white people have moved back people out <strong>of</strong> the<br />
protected areas. Their cultural and social structures were changed in the new<br />
place.<br />
It is not only a case <strong>of</strong> establishing <strong>of</strong> protected areas but many large-scale<br />
developing projects also generate social and cultural conflicts. You can imagine<br />
how difficult it is for local people to get new jobs, and the huge changes <strong>of</strong><br />
social and cultural structures in the new place are. There is no doubt that<br />
conflicts will happen if we carelessly plan in project development strategies.<br />
Public involvement at the early stage <strong>of</strong> project planning is one <strong>of</strong> the best<br />
ways to reduce conflicts. Most large-scale development projects in the world are<br />
now required to have environmental impact assessment (EIA) in place. In this<br />
process, public involvement is one very important step. Local leaders, local<br />
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