Do you like traveling? Our world is full of wonders and amazing sights to see and learn from. Locations of untouched natural beauty are the ultimate destinations, in my book.
There are still tons of places that are unspoilt, you just need to go out and find them! This article is about getting you as excited about eco-tourism as I am, and how you can have the best ecotourism vacations of your life.
For me, it’s one of those things that I must do at least twice a year. I like to pack my bags and just get out of the house for several days at a time to see the unknown. It is a great way for me to unwind and relax, while I forget about my daily routine.
Ecotourism is about exploring nature and there are unlimited activities and attractions available. A wonderful by-product is that it also helps to promote awareness about nature and the need for conservation.
What is your favorite ecotourism destination? Please add it to our comment section or go to our Facebook page to share.
What is ecotourism?
Ecotourism means engaging in activities that are environmentally responsible that also help to develop a better understanding of nature, culture and heritage around the world. These may seem like lofty, time-consuming and expensive goals, but in fact, it’s easy to keep it simple.
“Ecotourism isn’t important – it is critical. I must confess, I really enjoy the thrill and excitement of traveling to natural areas and participating in this relatively new thing called “ecotourism”, but it’s much more than just a hobby. “- Court Whelan, Ph. D.
There is a huge range of outdoor activities that are often available, including hiking, nature study, bird watching, mountain climbing, animal rides, river boating and rafting. Of course your activities will depend on which part of the world you are visiting.
Apart from being educated about nature and the cultures of different countries, you will also enjoy participating in fun activities such as interacting with local people, attending their cultural activities and dining in local restaurants to taste their traditional food and wine.
Why go on an ecotour?
The first thing I like about ecotours is the excitement of discovering new places; places with undisturbed natural beauty. Traveling around the world allows you to be close to nature and be around people and cultures that you hadn’t seen or known existed. It is both recreational and educational, and the best part is that it relaxes and unwinds you, so it’s extremely healthy.
Ecotourism can attract more travelers into nature and therefore promote conservation and biodiversity, while also being a means of promoting social, economic and cultural conditions in developing countries.
Traveling to a different country
As an American, you will feel that tourists from the United States are always greeted with a warm welcome around the world. Even if you go to our neighboring country, down to Mexico or to Central America, people have endless curiosity about American tourists. If you go on a long tour to an Asian country, you will find that most people are friendly and curious about foreign tourists.
However, before you plan on traveling to a different country, you should learn more about the place, especially the living conditions, accommodation facilities, food and water availability, transportation, political and social situations, crime, etc. It would also help if you learn the language and a little bit about the culture of the country that you are traveling to.
Clayton B. Cornell, who quit his full-time job and became a full-time traveler, wrote in a blog titled, “20 Things I Learned From Traveling Around the World”.
- Most people around the world are friendly. Most people you’ll meet around the world are friendly, polite and helpful. You will find that most people are curious to know why you chose to visit their country.
- Most places are safe. Most places around the world are pretty safe if you avoid the really rough neighborhoods.
- Most people don’t know/care about what America is doing: Ok, most of the rest of the world does not know or care about what goes on in America. Surprised?
- Traveling around the world in not as expensive as you think: You might even be surprised to know that you could travel the world with the money that you pay for your rent and with what you spend in bars back home.
With wide-spread ecotourism facilities, you will probably find eco-lodges, eco-restaurants and so on, to allow you to travel around with very little money and minimum impact on the environment. These facilities help to contribute to the social and economical conditions of a country and also help in conservation of the natural tourist spots, places of beauty and attractions around the world.
Ecotourism contributes to the local economy of a country. It grows awareness. With the growth of responsible eco-tourism, developing countries may be able to maintain international standards for facilities, infrastructure, responsible development and conservation.
Both eco-tourists and the authorities that are engaged in managing the ecotourism spots, are responsible for increasing appreciation for these places of natural beauty, increasing responsible activities that are ecologically, economically and socially sustainable.
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Source: Environmental Professionals Network
