Ethno and eco-tourism is a growing segment in the global tourism industry, which are making significant positive contributions to social, cultural, economic well being of regions as well as local communities, and to the environment. Eco-tourism refers to the practice of bringing sustainable travel practices together aimed at promotion, protection and conservation of natural areas (NOEL, 2004). Fundamentally, eco-tourism making the slightest environmental impact as possible while assisting in sustaining the indigenous populace. This encourages wildlife and habitat preservation. Eco-tourism provides an effective economic incentive for enhancing and conserving of bio-cultural diversities. It plays a crucial role in protection of natural and cultural heritage of an economy (MÜLLER & GRENIER, 2011). It boosts capacity building, opportunities, and empowers local communities in fighting poverty as well as in achieving sustainable development.
Eco-tourism has been receiving much attention in both economically impoverished regions and developing countries around the world. It has been considered as an agent of change both to local communities, and for national growth. However, ecotourism induces a variety of both positive and negative cultural, environmental, and socio-economic impacts at a destination. In its ideal form, ecotourism provides tourists with quality natural experiences, support environmental conservation and protection efforts and provide socio-economic benefits to the local communities (MÜLLER & GRENIER, 2011). While there is enough evidence that the espoused benefits of ecotourism are realizable, there are as many, if not more, instances where ecotourism have fallen short of the proposed objectives.
Ethno-tourism, on the other hand, combines sightseeing and seeking cultural experiences of the tribal communities who occupy tourist destinations. It is motivated by a search for first hand, authentic, and in some cases intimate contacts with people who have different cultural or ethnic backgrounds that are different from those of tourists. Curiosity is the ultimate factor in ethno-tourism as the tourists’ key motive is to know what defines cultural differences among communities. Ethno-tourism is stimulated by the status of economic development of local communities, and this drives the notion that it benefits both local communities and tourists (MBAIWA, 2002).
Ethno and eco-tourism have positive effects on the environment as well as to the local communities. As tourism types, they add to the economic status from the expenditure in the tourism heritages. Local communities benefit from the fact that tourist related industries build in support for visitors. For example hotels, restaurants, tour agencies, and local crafts markets, among others come up. These provide employment opportunities as well as investment ideas to the locals (TISDELL & ROY, 1998).
The internationals Eco-tourism Society provides that by increasing the number of capacity building opportunities, eco-tourism acts as a vehicle to empowering local communities to poverty eradication. This results from increased expenditure on tourism, which offers excellent opportunities for business and personal growth. From such earnings, other social amenities such as schools, hospitals, and recreational centers come up. This acts as an incentive to improved education, health, and investments, which assist in poverty eradication (NOEL, 2004). Additionally, the income generated from tourism can be channeled into local communities’ development activities such as provision of water, and purchase of community mills, among others. When such income is properly managed, it provides and adds value in the provision of needs, which would not be met.
The key aim of eco-tourism is to counteract the adverse effects of human development to the environment. The best eco-tourism programs strive to regulate environmental abuses such as deforestation, and guide towards maximizing the benefits related to environmental conservation. People living in urban areas choose to visit mountains, beaches and jungles to enjoy their beauty. This generates income to local communities, which acts as an incentive to protect and conserve these resources.
When local people get employed or generate income from tourism, they are far less likely to destroy the environment and natural resources. They get motivated to maintain and protect wildlife and forests. This assists in environment conservation, and wildlife and habitat protection. Besides enhancing conservation, the money spent by tourists act as a pool for resources that are used in protection of natural habitat for future generations (NOEL, 2004). Such resources added to government funding boost the sector and adds to the economic development. A significant example is in Costa Rica, where eco-tourism has led to the creation of national parks and researches.
The revenue collected from ethno and eco-tourism creates an economic impact from the increased levels of direct and indirect expenditures from the host communities. Such expenditure creates business opportunities, improves the levels of investments, infrastructure and development. However, such expenditures and revenues lead to increased levels of competition amongst existing and new businesses. This, in turn, leads to increase in prices of goods and services, land, labor, and additional costs to social amenities. The increase in cost of living favors the powerful and wealthy while the poor continue to be poor as they cannot afford daily basics.
Ethno and eco-tourism also endeavors in encouraging and supporting the diversities that exist amongst local communities. With moral and financial support from tourists, local service providers are motivated to compete with large and foreign companies. Additionally, the revenue produced from tourism encourages and assists local governments to fund training and conservation programs.
Ethno and eco-tourism play a crucial role in increasing awareness of social and cultural situations surrounding travel destinations (MBAIWA, 2002). It exposes tourists to hidden community aspects such as poverty levels, cultural values and believes customs, and ethics. For instance, tourists visiting Africa for natural conservation receive information on the lives of local people who surround the destinations. This assists in understanding on what they believe in, and why they value their customs. Tourism educates travelers on their interdependent relations with real life situations, conservation, and sustainability. It creates awareness on existing cultures and social systems, which describe heritage.
Ethno-tourism also focuses on local lifestyles and traditions and is dependent upon the un-inherited skills and knowledge of the locals. This, therefore, provides an opportunity for local communities to enter into the mainstream of the tourism industry and obtain additional knowledge and skills. Obtaining additional skills implies improvement in means of sustainability and conservation. This promotes environmental conservation means in creating areas where tourists can enjoy their stay as they continue to learn and appreciate the local cultures.
Both ethno and eco-tourism create awareness on the true benefits of tourism and provide a lasting effect to the local communities (TISDELL & ROY, 1998). Meeting people with interest or live close to nature assists the communities in learning and acquiring new skills. Meanwhile, the locals gain the ability to further their knowledge and skills from the income acquired. This gives them better understanding of environmentalism issues, thereby benefiting both parties.
If properly planned, ethno and eco-tourism act as a tool that can be used in preservation and conservation of heritage and culture. A significant example is in Botswana, which has become a globe’s famous cultural tourism destination from its rich cultural diversity (MBAIWA, 2002). The focal point of India’s attraction lies in its diversity, in ethnicity, and the willingness of the local communities to maintain, protect, and conserve their diversity. In Madagascar, poor infrastructure, poverty, and government instability, has led to limited access to Masaoala National Park. If this is properly managed by the locals and government, the park can result to community empowerment and overall growth in this destination, which would boost the economic status.
Ethno and eco-tourism focuses on wilderness adventures, local cultures, volunteering, learning new ways and personal growth. Tourism can be defined as travel to destinations with cultural heritage, flora and fauna as the primary attractions. Responsible tourism includes programs that minimize adverse effects on the natural environment caused by traditional tourism while enhancing cultural integrity of the local communities (NOEL, 2004). This implies that, in addition to evaluating cultural and environmental factors, initiatives provided by hospitality providers to promote energy efficiency, promote recycling, water re-use, and creation of economic opportunities for local communities.
Despite the popularity of ethno and eco-tourism, critics are made on the fact that they have a negative impact on local communities. The arrival of foreign visitors and income generated from the tourists can shift the economic and political condition of the local communities or change a destination to be an over-dependent region of tourism. This may fail other economic practices, which are an incentive to community prosperity. Additionally, Ethno and eco-tourism have been criticized with failed management, which has caused the environment more harm as compared to other economic sectors. Tourism requires proper planning and management as lack of this may lead to environmental harm. For instance, if infrastructure to the destinations is not well planned, or there is the need to increase roads to the destinations, it may mean clearance of land, which leads to environmental degradation (MÜLLER & GRENIER, 2011).
Additionally, failure to limit the number of tourists or an uncontrolled visitation to a destination at a time overloads ecosystem leading to damage of natural resources. For instance, in areas where water is scarce tourists overwhelm the available supply. Land is also put under threat as the visitors force themselves on the available land. Waste disposal in cases of uncontrolled visitation, also poses a risk to the environment as the available disposal sites may not accommodate the waste (SINCLAIR & STABLER, 1997). This leads to pollution and environmental degradation, which the locals have to deal with, and in some cases like in India, the waste becomes a permanent source of environmental degradation.
As with other economic endeavors’ generation of profits poses a risk that powerful player may dominate and squeeze out small operators. In the tourism industry, host communities are displaced to give way for development either by the government or investors. This limits their ability and denies them the opportunity for growth. As tourism develops, the demand for natural resources like land increases to cater for shelter and recreational facilities (SINCLAIR & STABLER, 1997). Without forethoughts, local communities loose natural landscapes and open space. Tourists and businesses that cater for the sector remove animals, plants, fossils, rocks, cultural and historic artifacts, and corals, among others from the area. This reduces the visual attraction of destinations, and if this is not properly managed may lead to loss of a site.
Under the guise of ethno and eco-tourism less scrupulous enterprises may have wittingly or unwittingly negative influences to the local people. Travelers may also inadvertently introduce foreign or non-indigenous species, which can increase the trade of plants and animals as well as disrupt wildlife from the disturbed breeding cycles and alteration of natural behavior (MIECZKOWSKI, 1995). This may be inclusive of tarnished indigenous cultures and brain drains, which may lead to the development of new cultures and ethics. This disrupts the lifestyle of local communities together with their beliefs, values and ethics.
Conclusion.
Different groups have different arguments when it comes to the benefits associated to Eco and ethno-tourism. Some argue on the basis of economic impacts, others on social and cultural effects while others are concerned on the environmental impacts. Ideally, tourism affects all these segments either positively or negatively. For instance, the notion that eco and ethno-tourism boost the economic status of the host community may be criticized with the increased cost of living resulting from the economic development. It is true that ethno and eco-tourism have positive effects on the local communities’ quality of life, and also to the environment surrounding the destinations. However, this depends on the programming, planning, the policies that the local communities choose in preserving their cultures and ecosystem. The government also has a critical role in maintaining the value of the destinations as well as preserving the cultural heritage. To preserve the culture and sustain the environment that ensures improved quality of life, there should be awareness on the extent of participation to the host communities, the government and the tourists.
Bibliography.
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