Travel

Description of Industry

Ecotourism is an umbrella term for responsible, ethical travel to natural areas that strives to minimize any impacts upon the environment, while creating social and economic benefits for the local communities.

Travel and Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world. In 2009 alone, the travel and tourism industry made up nearly 10% of the global gross domestic product, which equates to billions of dollars worldwide. The broader travel industry is also credited with generating 8-10% of the world's employment. For many countries, tourism is their primary source of economic development.

The greening of the tourism industry has been evolving since the 1980s, and has become more prevalent in the last 20 years as climate change issues have become more significant and newsworthy. As people become more ecologically-conscious at home and in their workplaces, they also are seeking travel opportunities and destinations that preserve and protect the world's diminishing, pristine natural environments. Like other sectors, the tourism and hospitality industry has recognized the economic benefits of going green and adopting sustainable business practices.

Ecotourism 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.

Ecotourism incorporates all of the above! It involves travel to natural destinations that results in minimal impact on the environment. It seeks to raise the environmental and cultural awareness of travelers and support local conservation efforts. There is also an important social justice component to ecotourism that 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 as opposed to the exploitation of an area's natural resources and employment opportunities.

The Ecotourism Industry is a powerful worldwide economic engine and an effective mechanism for promoting responsible, sustainable development and natural resource conservation. And the career opportunities are endless!

Industry Overview

What Is Ecotourism? Since 1999, Untamed Path, based in Williams, Oregon, has been leading high quality adventures in South America. With over 35 years combined experience in responsible travel guiding and educating, they have designed this site to introduce and define the concept and terms used to describe Ecotourism. Additional eco-information links are provided at this site.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Leisure Hospitality - This Career Guide to Industries, 2010-11 Edition, includes a general overview of the three segments that make up the broader Travel Industry. Various topics, such as Nature of the Industry, Occupations and an Industry Outlook, are addressed. The three general travel segments are: Hotels and Other Accommodations; Food Services and Drinking Places; and Arts, Entertainment and Recreation.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Spotlight Report - This July 2010 publication is a BLS Spotlight on Travel Report, which provides statistics on employment and expenditures in the overall travel industry.

Ecotourism Celebrates 20 Years This series of articles from 2010 describes the growth of ecotourism since the launch of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) by Megan Epler Wood in 1990.

How Green Is My Travel? - Written by Natalia Thomson, and posted to TravelWeekly.com on January 5, 2011, this article discusses the current state of inconsistent policies and practices among the various eco-tour operators. It addresses the Different Shades of Green within the industry, and offers What to Look For from eco-tour suppliers.