In Defense of Eco-Tourism

Eco-tourism does have issues, but I believe the benefits outweigh the problems.

The biggest environmental benefit is that eco-tourism encourages nations to preserve and protect their environments. It makes sense. If you’re the president of a country and much of your economy is based on eco-tourism, you are going to work extra hard to protect and preserve that natural resource that is vital to your country’s economy. Eco-tourism is probably the best way to get developing nations to protect and preserve the natural resources they might plunder otherwise.

Protecting the environment is often takes a back seat to development and eco-tourism is a way to accomplish both ends. Take Brazil for example. They are tearing the Amazon apart in an effort to build the economy, but the Belizean government is actively trying to protect the coral reef off their coast and their endowment of tropical rain forests because they are helping build the Belizean economy.

Eco-tourism can also serve to teach the wealthy tourists about protecting the environment. The Sandals Resort in Jamaica (from the film) is a poor example and not what I consider true eco-tourism. When I was younger, my family took a vacation to the rain forest of Belize. The hotel we stayed in consisted of several traditional huts built in the middle of the forest. And, part of the experience was learning about the issues facing tropical rain forests around the world. Travel aside, it was a very sustainable vacation.

I am in support of true eco-tourism. It is a great way for countries to bring money into the economy and gives them a material incentive to protect their local environment.