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What Is This Industry?
Eco-tourism is an umbrella term for responsible travel to natural areas that strives to minimize the impact upon the environment and benefit the local communities.
Description of Industry
Tourism is one of, if not the largest industries, in the world. In both developing and prospering countries, it comprises a huge portion of the Gross Domestic Product and a significant source of employment. The greening of the tourism industry has been evolving over the last 20 years. As people become more ecologically conscious at both home and work, they also are seeking travel opportunities and destinations that preserve and protect the world's diminishing, pristine natural environments. Like other business sectors, the tourism and hospitality industry are also beginning to recognize the economic benefits of going green.
Eco-tourism can fall under many different headings:
- Green Hospitality applies to any activity or facility operating in an environmentally friendly fashion. It is comprised of several industry sectors including lodging, event planning, and restaurants.
- Sustainable and Responsible Tourism refers to any form of tourism that does not delete the natural resources and operates in such a way as to minimize negative impacts on the environment.
- Nature-Based Tourism refers to any activity or travel experience with a focus on nature.
- Cultural Tourism involves interacting with and learning from different cultures. Volunteer vacations have become increasingly popular giving the traveler the opportunity to live and work amongst people of a different culture.
- Eco-tourism incorporates all of the above. It involves travel to natural destinations with minimal impact on the environment. It seeks to raise the environmental and cultural awareness of travelers and support local conservation efforts. There is a hugely important social justice component to eco-tourism. Eco-tourism provides opportunities for local economies to diversify, by promoting the formation of small enterprises in remote areas and introducing technologies and basic infrastructures which strengthen their linkages with the outside world.
Industry Overviews
Sustainable Travel International, founded in 2002, is a non-profit organization, dedicated to providing education and outreach services that help tourist and tourism professionals support environmental conservation and protect cultural heritage while promoting cross-cultural understanding and economic development.
The International Ecological Society is the world's oldest and largest non-profit international ecotourism association, TIES seeks to be a global source of information to help unite communities, conservation, and sustainable travel.
International Ecotourism Club promotes social and ecological change through tourism. It is a low-cost consultancy, supporting ecotourism practitioners, networking and career opportunities.
Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas promotes sustainable tourism throughout the Americas. It seeks to establish regional networks to promote the application of the best practices and certification.
What's it Like to Work in This Industry?
Job Function Areas
The ecotourism industry consists of four main functions:
- Assessing and developing sustainable tourism destinations: Tourism development specialist, sustainable tourism business development manager, sustainable development consultancy, ecosystem management and development, tourism and human resources advisor.
- Managing ecotourism destinations sustainably: Heritage tourism officer, sustainable tourism manager, ecotourism project manager, rainforest station manager, ecolodge manager, cultural tourism project facilities manager, rural tourism officer, sustainable tourism operator, ecotour leaders, green caretakers of tropical island, coastal tourism and conservation program officer, sustainable consumption and conservation manager, conservation expedition country coordinator, nature tourism ranger, nature tourism park manager, parks and recreation director, wildlife visitor center advisor, reserve director, conservation project manager, preserve manager, naturalist programmer, conservation expeditions field positions, conservation program assistant.
- Marketing: Guidebook writers, protected areas communications officer, responsible tourism communications manager, adventure travel promotion manager, responsible tourism marketing manager.
- Cultivating Global Partnerships: Public health advisors; human resource specialist, translators and community organizers, proposal writers, regional recruiter, communications specialist, artisan product and business specialist, teachers, tutors. Conservation scientist, nature center research technician, biodiversity specialist, wildlife research assistant
Online Job Profiles
Numerous interviews with people already working in this industry can be found in the EcoClub, International Ecotourism Magazine
For a brief description of jobs, go to Ecotourism Logue
Job Boards
Where Is This Industry Active?
Organizations to Watch
The International Ecological Society is the world's oldest and largest non-profit international ecotourism association, TIES seeks to be a global source of information to help unite communities, conservation, and sustainable travel.
International Ecotourism Club promotes social and ecological change through tourism. It is a low-cost consultancy, supporting ecotourism practitioners, networking and career opportunities.
Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas promotes sustainable tourism throughout the Americas. It seeks to establish regional networks to promote the application of the best practices and certification.
Where Can I Go to Connect with This Industry?
Professional Associations
The International Ecotourism Society: a “global network of ecotourism professionals and travelers seeking to make tourism a viable tool for conservation, protection of bio-cultural diversity, and sustainable community development.”
CREST - The Center for Responsible Travel (formerly Center on Ecotourism and Sustainable Development, CESD) is a non-profit research institution whose mission is to improve ecotourism tourism practices and principles. Its policy-oriented research focuses on reducing poverty and support biodiversity, as well as socially and environmentally responsible tourism practices.
Sustainable Travel International is a non-profit organization, which provides education and outreach services that support conservation, cross-cultural understanding, and economic development.”
Adventure Travel Trade Association a network of professional seeking to provide a unified voice to promote and market sustainable adventure tourism.
International Tourism Partnership is an organization of leading companies from the tourism industry seeking to make a valuable contribution to the countries and cultures in which they operate.
The International Ecotourism Club is a network to promote social and environmental change through ecosocial tourism. It also provides low cost ecotourism consultancy.
Green Hotels Association:- a professional organization dedicated to encouraging, promoting and supporting ecological consciousness in the hospitality industry.
The Global Sustainable Tourism Alliance (GSTA) is a single award, five-year Leader with Associates (LWA) cooperative agreement funded by USAID. Its purpose is twofold: to advance the state-of-the-practice in sustainable tourism development and allied fields; and to assist USAID missions and other operating units to design and implement innovative, integrated, and market-based tourism approaches that will foster sustainable futures for individuals, local communities, and societies in USAID-presence countries.
Events
Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2010: Greening Tourism in US & Canada
The International Ecotourism Society's fourth conference focusing on sustainable tourism in the U.S. and Canada, the ESTC 2009 will bring together over 400 experts, industry leaders and community stakeholders from across the region.
Hosted by Travel Portland and Travel Oregon, the conference will provide opportunities for business leaders, travel and tourism professionals and community members to gain knowledge of the latest trends in ecotourism and sustainable tourism, learn practical skills, and participate in invaluable networking and knowledge sharing.
September 8-10, 2010
Portland, Oregon
The Adventure Travel World Summit is designed to encourage open dialogue and candid discussions of challenging issues and visionary opportunities. It offers a blend of best practices, travel innovations and progressive technologies.
October 4-7, 2010
Aviemore, Scotland
Innovators Symposium, Rethinking Coastal Tourism Development:The Importance of Innovators in Times of Climate Change & Economic Crisis. Sponsored by CREST (The Center for Responsible Travel)
January 20 - 22, 2010
Stanford University
This is a global business forum focused on exploring green travel strategies and the impact on business travel and meetings. At the first summit in 2009, over 160 corporate travel executives, industry suppliers, travel agency managers, travel provider executives, tourist board executives, tour operators and travel industry decision makers. The summit is produced by Unicomm, LLC the producers of Adventures in Travel Expo (ATE) and founding member of the Adventure Council.
March 18-19, 2010
Newport Beach, California
What Training or Education Do I Need to Enter This Industry?
Education/Training Options
The International Ecotourism Society has a number of educational options. They also list universities that offer ecotourism and sustainable tourism. You must become a member of the society to gain access to these lists. They also have books and online training options.
One of their training options is The University Consortium Field Certificate (UCFC).This multi-disciplinary program allows professionals to gain a certification that's flexible to meet their needs. The program can be focused around these disciplines: recreation, parks, and tourism; hospitality management; geography; business; natural resource management; natural resource law, public administration; and landscape architecture majors.
The Rainforest Alliance provides training and technical assistance on environmentally and socially-sound management, certification standards and marketing to hotels, restaurants, transportation companies, and other tourism businesses in Latin America.
Charles Strut University 's online Ecotourism program with postgraduate courses which aim to develop students' ability to apply advanced knowledge of ecotourism operations to the management of existing businesses.
Where Should I Go to Learn More about This Industry?
Books
Ecotourism Stephen Page, Ross Dowling Nov 2001, Pearsons books, ISBN13: 9780582356580 ISBN10: 058235658X
Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: Who Owns Paradise? (Second ed.). Honey, Martha (2008). Washington, DC: Island Press. ISBN 1597261254 ISBN 978-1597261258.
Going Green: Minimum Standards Toward a Sustainable Hotel - free download
Environmental Management for Hotels - reprinting soon
Sustainable Hotel Siting, Design, and Construction
Online Reports
TIES Global Ecotourism Fact Sheet
TIES Oslo Statement on Ecotourism
Going Green: Minimum Standards toward a sustainable Hotel - free download
Where Should I Find Current Trends and Background Info?
Blogs
Sustainable Travel International's blog
Digital Traveler Online newsletter - by the The International Ecotourism Society
Newsletters
Sustainable Travel International
What Keywords Best Describe This Industry?
Keywords for Job Boards and Searche
green lodging; green hotel; LEED; LEED hotel; green resort; sustainable hospitality; green hospitality; green events; green planning; sustainable tourism; ecotourism; greening; responsible tourism; green restaurant
Additional Resources
Interview with Megan Epler Wood, founder of The International Ecotourism Society
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