Ecotourism and Volunteer Travel: Behind the Lingo

by Julie Johnson

Ecotourism. Curiously, few people seem to know exactly what that means. For some, it is travel to a country to enjoy its natural beauty. For others, it is merely environmentally friendly travel. However, according to The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), which coined the term in 1990, true ecotourism is “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.” At its best, ecotourism can educate the traveler, fund conservation efforts, and support local communities by increasing jobs and income to the area.

Typical vacation packages often take tourists to the same countries and even the same areas of the country as ecotourism ventures are found. But, eighty percent of the price of a conventional vacation package goes to large international companies such as hotel and resort chains, rather than to the local economy. Ecotourism projects that do the most good take a small number of tourists and focus on quality rather than quantity. They hire locals and provide guests with food and personal items like those used by the local community, instead of shipping in familiar brands. 

To many, the term ecotourism brings to mind exotic, tropical locations, and certainly there are plenty of these. The TIES website contains links to serious ecotourism operations in Peru, Costa Rica, India, Brazil, and Mexico, among others. You can stay in a tree house in the jungle of Dominica, on an island in a lagoon in India, or in a thatched roof lodge on the edge of the Amazon River. Although tropical environments are by far the most popular with tourists, not every ecotourism destination possesses a steamy equatorial climate. Sustainable tourism opportunities exist on every continent, and eco-friendly adventures may be had among the glaciers of Iceland, the steppes of Siberia, and Canada’s open tundra.

However, ecotourism has plenty of skeptics, who make some sound arguments about the downside of ecotourism. And what’s a prime offender to ecotourism? Traffic. Even tourism that labels itself “eco” and claims to offer sustainable travel must still face the realities of increased traffic through delicate ecosystems. Often this influx of people not only does unintended damage to local plants and animals, but also overwhelms the human infrastructure in rural areas. Many of these facilities were not created to deal with a relatively high volume of people. This can result in the pollution of rivers and the production of waste in regions that lack a proper way to dispose of garbage and sewage.

The phenomenon known as “green-washing”, that is, labeling a company or product as ecofriendly or “green” merely for the value that description adds, is very evident in the ecotourism market. Many companies declare their allegiance to the principles of ecotourism while their actual business practices prove otherwise. Nevertheless, for people willing to do their homework to find an ecotourism operation that is run in a sensitive, environmentally responsible way, ecotourism may prove an opportunity for a fascinating travel experience which benefits the traveler, the environment, and the local economy.

Ecotourism claims to offer travel that avoids negatively affecting the environment, but there are ways to make your impact on an ecosystem not just neutral, but actually positive. By volunteering, either over a gap year, for a summer, or as a vacation, you can be of real assistance to organizations working to preserve wildlife.

And when it comes to choosing where and how to donate your time, there are numerous organizations in dozens of countries from which to pick. Do you want to help rehabilitate lions in Zimbabwe? Assist in behavioral research on gibbons in Thailand? Harvest vegetables on an organic farm in Sweden? The variety of opportunities available ensures that anyone can choose an adventure they will be passionate about, and which will align with their abilities.

There are, of course, lots of websites to help you pick the perfect trip. United Planet offers environmental “quests” – both short term (1-12 weeks) and long term (6 months -1 year) – in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Jordan, India, and New Zealand, to name just a few. Global Vision International (GVI) also organizes volunteering opportunities, such as a two week trip to Kenya to join a team of researchers studying dolphins. An organization called Rustic Volunteer and Travel provides simple accommodation in the country you choose as well as food and travel insurance for a very low cost. The group places volunteers to assist with conservation efforts in Peru, Tanzania, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Nepal and China.

So why pay money to travel to exotic locations if it means getting up early to clean out animal cages instead of lolling on a beach with a frozen daiquiri? Volunteering to help the environment does more than impart a warm, fuzzy feeling. Often organizations involved in research and conservation efforts rely heavily on the help of volunteers, as most are non-profits and cannot afford to hire many staff members. This guarantees your hard work is not merely a token gesture, but will be valued by the organization you choose. And not only will you come back from a volunteer vacation with more impressive photos than if you took that cruise to Cozumel, but you will likely return with a new understanding of animals and ecosystems as well as new (or at least newly discovered) skills.

Image courtesy of WikiMedia Commons.

Comments

[jamesmical]

In collaboration with other local NGOs, MICATZ takes the initiatives and offers you the opportunity to provide social services towards various welfare projects to upgrade the lifestyle of the people in Tanzania.

[Golf Tips For Beginners]

You have become like a guiding light to me. When I started a project
on similar topic I could not get enough information to carry further.
But as soon as I read your article, my project is doing great and
I hope to get an A+ this time. thanks

[holyland tours]

delicate ecosystems are not something to be meddled it. That is the reason Eco-tourism was started in the first place. For example, divers can observe and enjoy the reefs as long as they don't touch it.

[Benefits of ecotourism]

Ecotourism provides the opportunity for self discovery, growth, and to make a difference. No matter what the reasons for participating in ecotourism, either as a tourist or a provider of ecotourism experiences, one thing remains the same, the people and places involved benefit economically, socially, and culturally and so does the environment.