Biol1500 Argument On Ecotourism Conserving The Ecosystem

Ecotourism
Name
Institution
Ecotourism
In the recent past, there has been a shift in focus from traditional tourism to ecotourism. This shift has been facilitated by a need to create sustainability in the environment by not only enhancing the experience of tourists but also encouraging local communities to preserve the environment through economic incentives. As such, ecotourism can be defined as recreational travel to natural areas that not only conserve the ecosystem but also improve the quality of life of the local people and offers additional knowledge to tourists (Lee & Jan, 2017). Ecotourism improves the quality of life of the local people through social and economic benefits. Given the definition above, it is evident that the concept of ecotourism relates to ecological economics as covered in chapter 3 of the class textbook. This is because they are both concerned with the issue of ecosystem conservation and economic well-being so that there can be global sustainability. In addition, ecotourism is closely related to ecosystem management. According to Primack and Sher (2019), ecosystem management is about conserving the environment while at the same time empowering society by meeting their needs. Thus, ecosystem management shares a similar goal with ecotourism. Ecotourism serves as a means of enhancing the economic well-being of local people, conserving the ecosystem, and as a source of environmental and cultural knowledge.
Ecotourism is of fundamental importance to society because there are so many issues in the ecosystem currently and there is a need to enhance sustainability. According to Wilkinson (2019), ecotourism presents some opportunities for environmental sustainability, especially for protected areas. As such, it is important to explore the ways in which ecotourism and ecosystem conservation and sustainability link. Consequently, it will be clear on how and why ecotourism has received a lot of attention, especially at a time when the planet is facing so many issues. Ecotourism does not only affect tourists and local communities but also the society at large. Ko, Pai, and Mao (2018) posit that through ecotourism, people become aware of environmental issues and are more likely to embrace the concept of ecosystem preservation. Through ecotourism, it is possible to create a balance between nature and human activities.
Ecotourism is a source of economic empowerment for the local communities. As revealed by Mendoza-Ramos and Prideaux (2017), a lot of income is generated from ecotourism, either through employment or through other income generating activities related to tourism. Through ecotourism, local people are able to provide services to tourists by acting as tour guides, or travel agencies that offer services ranging from accommodation to transportation. As a result, the local community is able to thrive economically. In fact, Mendoza-Ramos and Prideaux (2017) note that local communities are able to flourish in other aspects of their lives such as education because they can afford to pay. In addition, economic empowerment is accompanied by other benefits. For instance, Mendoz...