Introduction
This paper aims at fulfilling the requirements of the assignment to compare and contrasts two forms of tourism. For the purpose of this paper, I have will compare and contrast Ecotourism and Cultural Tourism in Australia and Kenya.
Ecotourism can be defined as exotic tourism mainly to threatened, natural areas in support of their preservation and protection and further to observe wildlife in their natural habitats. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) defines Ecotourism as an environmentally accountable tour to natural places that brings take pleasure to the tourist and encourages them to value nature. It emphasizes that such tourism should both promote conservation and be sustainable for the communities that support it. It stresses the importance of community participation and advocates for the traveler to also learn from their experience. (The Nature Conservancy)
The Quebec Declaration states that ecotourism embraces environment and cultural heritage; involves local communities (making them sustainable) in the oversight of the eco area; and educates the traveler. It allows the indigenous communities to take charge of their resources by regulating the amount of tourism that comes to enjoy the resource. It acknowledges them as key stakeholders in ecotourism and preserves their rights as equals by ensuring both parties gain positively. (United Nations Environment Programme).
Cultural Tourism refers to traversing of cultural tourists to areas whose people are culturally rich. It is an arm of tourism whose interests span over people art, culture, architecture, traditions lifestyles, religion, history and practices. In urban parts especially regions with rich historic significance or big cities, museums and theatres would be the first stop for cultural tourists. For rural areas, an actual interaction with indigenous communities would suffice once the traveler indulges in their festivals, rituals and daily life routines. In the latter, homes stays provide cultural tourists with rich experiences.
According to the Creative Nation, cultural tourism is the complete array of experience tourists can embark on to discover why a destination is distinctive. By allowing the cultural tourist to experience firsthand the daily environment in its authentic state, their own lives and cultures may be better understood. This form of tourism not only encourages cultural diversity by visitors learning hosts and hosts learning visitors but it further encourages cultural cohesiveness by sparking an interest in that very diversity. It fosters relationships between different communities through direct interaction. (Tourism Western Australia)
Comparisons between Ecotourism and Cultural Tourism
Ecotourism and cultural tourism are both socially responsible. It is a requirement that both types of tourists do not change the state in which the found the place. The environment must be preserved at all costs even if it means stopping future tourists from visiting the same place.
Both forms of tourism advocate for sustainability. They advocate for the indigenous communities to make something out of endeavour’s to promote either form of tourism. Making it sustainable ensures that the secrets of preservation are passed down to later generations. This ensures continuity. Further, the proceeds from either form of tourism should be used wisely by the indigenous communities to preserve their environments and or cultures.
Both forms promote education for the tourist. In ecotourism, the tourist learns about the environment and nature as well as its history. For cultural tourists, they are able to learn about practices, histories of different peoples. They may learn by experience how to cook traditional foods, pray, dress et al just like the people in the regions that they have visited.
Differences between Ecotourism and Cultural Tourism
In ecotourism, the main motivation for Eco-tourists lies in seeing or touring environments and natural trails that may be threatened in support of their preservation. However, cultural tourism is geared towards interaction and observation of unique cultures. The concept of learning from other cultures to broaden ones perspective is usually a core principle.
Interaction in Ecotourism is with nature, the environment and wildlife therein whereas interaction in cultural tourism is focused on people. Ecotourism encourages preservation of environments whereas cultural tourists are focused on preserving cultures, history, archaeology, traditional practices among other cultural practices.
Ecotourism suggests that the environment should benefit out of it. For instance a run held along a certain dam and the proceeds from the run goes to improving the catchments areas for the dam. However, in cultural tourism, the emphasis is for the tourist to learn from the indigenous people. There is no emphasis for the visitor to exchange practices indigenous to them with the indigenous community. In fact, this is discouraged as a measure for preservation.
Ecotourism in Australia and Kenya.
Both the countries have wealth of eco-tourism sites. Both enjoy coastal and marine life. Life at the coast in both countries is highly emphasized. It therefore follows that due to the large returns in the sector the highest investments are made there. The concentration of ecotourism along the coastline is common amongst the two countries.
Unlike Australia, Kenya’s ecotourism has continued to grow beyond the coastal line. Kenya is continuously tapping in to other forms of eco tourism such as The great Rift Valley and the Wildebeest migration in Maasai Mara which is the 7th wonder of the world.
Cultural Tourism in Australia and Kenya
Both countries are culturally rich. The Aborigines are native to Australia where as Kenya has 42 different tribes with the majority native to Kenya only. Both countries are united that these tribes, their history, practices, cuisines, traditional practices and religions and lifestyle are unique to them. In addition many people within the indigenous communities continue to practice their traditions.
Unfortunately, unlike Australia, Kenya has no policies in place to protect these forms of tourism Most of the policies are govern coastal tourism. Australia in a bid to ensure sustainability have in place regulations that protect cultural tourism. (Foo and Rossetto)
Conclusion
It may be difficult to entirely differentiate the two. The reason for this is that the very nature of ecotourism demands that there be a community preserving it. In so doing, they end up creating very own unique cultures, habits and lifestyles.
This can only pose as an advantage to the tourists because they get to see and enjoy both environment and culture. This should however be checked. It has been noted that private companies and investors in a bid to cash in on the growth of tourism may prey on innocent indigenous communities. Policies that are legally binding should be put in place to ensure that not only are the community rights preserved but also the environment and cultural heritage of any tourist destination in preserved for our future generations.
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