Ecotourism can be one of the most interesting travel experiences. It is ideal especially when planning for either trip to places or vacations during one’s free time, as it involves traveling from one place to another.
Ecotourism can be defined as a form of tourism that involves the conservation of the natural environment and wildlife. The main aim of ecotourism is to bring a change to the environment by conserving it and bringing out significant development to it.
Its main aim is to visit places and get to study more about something for more economic benefit. Many benefits accompany ecotourism, one of them being educating those involved in different aspects of the surrounding natural environment and also creating mass awareness of the importance of conserving the environment.
What Is Sustainable Tourism?
Sustainable tourism is tourism that has more economical benefits and mainly majors itself on the preservation and conservation of wildlife, with more positive than negative effects on the environment.
There are many advantages of sustainable tourism. Some of these include encouraging the development of cultures of different communities, increasing mass awareness about the conservation of the environment, and ensuring effective utilization of the available natural resources.
Other advantages of sustainable tourism;
- Encourages the use of the available natural resources sparingly during the creation of goods and services.
- Improves the tourism sector by encouraging more tourist visitations into a country.
- Encourages the use of the available local resources to boost production.
- Creates unity among people by bringing them together.
- Ensures protection and conservation of wildlife.
- Ensures smooth running of tourism activities across the country.
Aims of sustainable tourism;
- To create employment opportunities for the unemployed.
- To promote the growth of the economy of a country.
- To promote the development of the environment
- To create a sense of cultural heritage for different communities.
- Create a united society and eliminate disunity among different people.
- To eliminate misuse of public funds and natural resources.
- To prevent any emerging acts of pollution of the environment.
There are several types of sustainable tourism. These are;
- Ecological tourism (Ecotourism)
- Rural tourism
- Community tourism
- Agritourism
- Soft tourism
As earlier mentioned, sustainable tourism may have its disadvantages, for example, causing a leakage in the economy and destruction to nature. However, the effect of these disadvantages is minimal as compared to the advantages.
What Are The Main Areas Of Focus In Ecotourism?
It can also be termed ecological tourism. Ecotourism focuses on education, preservation, and conservation of the natural environment and protection of culture. The main aim of ecotourism is to promote a sense of responsibility, especially in tourism activities.
In general, ecotourism majorly deals with issues relating to the environment and its factors, and it is closely related to sustainable tourism. It ensures that awareness is created among many people to minimize the negative effects brought about by tourism and its related activities.
Several principles are behind ecotourism. These may include the following;
- Boosting the economy through the resources acquired.
- Establish more international relations.
- Improve infrastructural development.
- Create awareness.
- Fight for human rights.
Additional information: Ecotourism is one of the main reasons contributing to community development. Members of the community can get educated about how to use the available resources sparingly to bring about successful development through public participation from all the members.
Who Protects Animals In Africa?
Animals play a very important role in the environment. Africa is ranked top among the continents with the most species of animals that are endangered. These are the times animals are believed to be on the road to extinction if not well cared for by different wildlife conservation denominations.
Animals in Africa are protected by the African Wildlife Foundation. This is the body that ensures all forms of wildlife are heavily guarded against dangers such as poaching activity from poachers and also other illegal groups of people that kill wild animals for their benefit.
Some other functions of the African Wildlife Foundation include; taking lawful action against all illegal activities against wildlife, managing wildlife across Africa and the whole world in general, implementing policies aimed at protecting wild animals, and ensuring efficient environmental conservation.
Various reasons explain why animals are important. Here are some of the importances of animals;
- They provide companionship.
- They provide security, such as the dog.
- Some animal products are useful in producing certain products, for example, leather.
- They are a source of food.
- Some can be used as a means of transport.
- They help in agriculture, for example, through pollination.
- They create a balance in the environment.
Other denominations are in charge of protecting animals apart from the African Wildlife Foundation. In Kenya, for example, the Kenya Wildlife Service is in charge of ensuring wildlife is protected and well taken care of. Other denominations include the African foundation, The Tanzanian Welfare and Protection of Animals of Africa Foundation.
How Does Ecotourism Help Africa?
Ecotourism is one of the factors that make Africa attractive and make it a major tourist, with many people from across the world visiting to explore the natural environment. Ecotourism helps Africa by ensuring the conservation and preservation of wildlife and the environment.
Many benefits accompany ecotourism not only in the continent of Africa but also in the entire world in general. Ecotourism creates many employment opportunities for the local unemployed people. It is also key to the economic and cultural development of different countries and minimizes all negative effects of tourism on the environment. Tourists also get the best experience from ecotourism and hence keep on making visits bringing in more foreign exchange which is of more benefit to the economy of every country.
Ecotourism also makes sure that awareness is created among many people about the environment, especially its conservation and also the growth of the tourism sector. Through ecotourism people also get to value and respect each other’s norms and cultures, which promotes unity among them and unity in the whole nation in general.
Other benefits of ecotourism to Africa:
- Ecological development.
- Educates about different climate changes.
- Increasing people’s value for wildlife.
Additional information: Too many African nations, ecotourism is the key to the development experienced therein, especially from the tourists that bring in foreign money. Without ecotourism, therefore, the world would have been a difficult place to live in as it accounts for much of the development of a country.