Offering an overview of worldwide ecotourism, showing how both the concept and the reality have evolved, this book examines the growth of ecotourism within the Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya and South Africa, their political systems and their economic policies.

Offering an overview of worldwide ecotourism, showing how both the concept and the reality have evolved, this book examines the growth of ecotourism within the Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya and South Africa, their political systems and their economic policies.

This book reflects contemporary developments in the field. Building on the strengths of the first edition, the text discusses the significance of ecotourism in the domestic and international tourism sectors. The origins, markets, venues and impact of ecotourism form the basis of the first part of the book. Business aspects of ecotourism, external environments, organisations and policies are examined in the second part of the book, along with special environments, such as islands, polar regions and indigenous territories, and distinctive activities, such as whale-watching and penguin-watching. The management of ecotourism is covered comprehensively and is illustrated by extensive industry and destination examples derived mainly from the peer-reviewed literature. A highlight of the book is a regional survey of ecotourism that offers comparative insights into ecotourism in Australia, the South Pacific, Asia, Europe, the Americas and Africa.

For many people, holidays are an increasingly central feature of contemporary western society. The tourism industry has expanded rapidly since 1950, but this book poses the significant question of consequent environmental impacts: are environments being benefited or damaged, by the tourist who visit them? A well-balanced introductory text, this topical book on the relationships between tourism, society and the environment, examines 'tourism' and 'environment' in detail, and gives a historical overview of the growth of the tourism industry. It discusses how the tourism industry markets physical and cultural environments to be consumed by the tourist, and the consequences of the tourism they then attract. It explores: * how the economics of tourism can be adopted in a positive way to aid conservation * whether the concept of sustainability can be applied to tourism * provides a critique of the 'new' forms of tourism, that have developed in recent years. An extensive range of international case studies from both the developed and developing world are used to illustrate the theoretical ideas presented, and to aid the student, it includes end of chapter summaries, further reading guides and boxed vignettes focusing on contemporary environmental issues and debates.

Sustainable development is the single most important consideration for those working in the tourism industry. Presenting a discussion by leading contributors on the impacts of tourism on local culture and the environment, this new edition moves forward the debates in sustainable tourism, covering new locations, concepts and perspectives, and new case studies providing a global outlook for a universal issue. --From publisher's description.

This handbook presents a timely, broad-ranging, and provocative overview of the essential nature of ecotourism. The chapters will both advance the existing central themes of ecotourism and provide challenging and divergent observations that will thrust ecotourism into new areas of research, policy, and practice. The volume is arranged around four key themes: sustainability, ethics and identity, change, conflict, and consumption, and environment and learning, with a total of 28 chapters. The first section focuses on sustainability as a core ecotourism criterion, with a primary focus on some of the macro sustainability issues that have an impact on ecotourism. Foremost among these topics is the linkage to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which have relevance to ecotourism as one of the greenest or most responsible forms of tourism. The chapters in the second section provide a range of different topics that pull ecotourism research into new directions, including a chapter on enriching indigenous ecotourism through culturally sensitive universalism. The third section includes chapters on topics ranging from persons with disabilities as a neglected body of research in ecotourism, to ecotourism as a form of luxury consumption. The final section emphasises the link between ecotourism and learning about the natural world, including a deeply theoretical chapter on rewilding Europe. With contributions from authors around the world, this handbook gives a global platform to local voices, in both developed and emerging country contexts. The multidisciplinary and international Routledge Handbook of Ecotourism will be of great interest to researchers, students, and practitioners working in tourism and sustainability.

Using a wealth of international case studies and photos, Ecotourism: An Introduction provides an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the key foundations, concepts and issues related to Ecotourism, the fasted growing segment of the global tourism industry. Among the topics covered are: * the foundations of ecotourism * tourism and ecotourism policy * the economics, marketing and management of ecotourism * the social and ecological impacts of tourism * ecotourism and development * the role of ethics in ecotourism The book includes case studies from Scotland, Austria, the USA, Canada, Mexico and Australia.

Explores the impact of mainstream tourism and the potential positive social and environmental benefits of ecotourism.

Published in association with the Royal Geographical Society.

COVID-19 put a temporary stop to the crisis of overtourism. Yet there is no question that travel will resume; the only question is, when it does, what will it look like? Overtourism: Lessons for a Better Future charts a path toward tourism that is truly sustainable, focusing on the triple bottom line of people, planet, and prosperity. This practical book examines the causes and effects of overtourism before turning to emerging management strategies. Visitor education, traffic planning, and redirection to lesser known sites are among the measures that can protect the economic benefit of tourism without overwhelming local communities. As tourism revives around the world, these innovations will guide government agencies, parks officials, site managers, civic groups, environmental NGOs, tourism operators, and others with a stake in protecting our most iconic places.