Introduction
Ecotourism is a concept first proposed by the IUCN World Conservation Congress in 1983. Ecotourism is based on the concept of sustainable development, which aims to protect the natural environment, promote local economic development, and improve tourists' travel experience. It is a concept that emphasizes respecting and protecting the ecological environment and conducting tourism activities in an eco-friendly way. Ecotourism is seen as an important way to achieve a win-win situation for both tourism and environmental protection.
An Example of ecotourism implementation
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is one of the most well-known areas for ecotourism and more than 25% of its territory is covered by national parks, wildlife reserves, and protected lands (Ecotourism Examples Around the World: The 10 Best Places to Visit A. . ., n.d.). This 25 percent of the land is protected by the state and will not be developed in the future. Costa Rica was one of the first countries to connect environmental protection and tourism and has been awarded more than once as the best ecotourism destination in the world. To protect local wildlife, Costa Rica was the first country in the Americas to ban hunting (Ecotourism in Costa Rica: The Ultimate Eco Travel Guide, 2019).
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve is where ecotourism practices are most impressive and strictest. These practices are not limited to restricting the number of tourists and private cars but also play a role in many ways with a focus on the community. A local community alliance focuses on sustainable development, provides guided tours for tourists, and ensures that any negative impact on the ecosystem is kept to a minimum. The cloud forest is not just a tourist attraction, but also a scientific research center: revenues from tourism are used for nature conservation projects, education, and community development (Rica, 2024). Due to the advocacy and efforts of the protection alliance, visitors of the cloud forest are generally environmentally conscious, sensitive to the biodiversity of the area, and want to get involved in protection during their trip (Rica, 2024).
Technological Innovation and Smart Ecotourism
Smartphones, AI, the Cloud, and IoT are among the intelligent technologies that have changed the tourism industry and have contributed to the development of smart ecotourism. In smart ecotourism, smart is conceptualized as the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enhance the visitor experience, improve destination management, and promote sustainable practices (Sarkar et al., 2019b). Smart tourism aims to ensure the quality of tourism services while protecting the natural environment and local communities. These new technologies can help manage visitor populations and monitor environmental values and metrics. For example, smart sensors can monitor wildlife habitats, and AI systems can reduce energy consumption (Zhang & Deng, 2024).
In addition, the principle of sustainable development needs to be taken into account when developing the infrastructure of attractions. Therefore, environmentally friendly technologies and green building technologies are very important. Attractions practicing ecotourism can be supplied with electricity from renewable sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal energy in order to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency (Zhang & Deng, 2024). R2R (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) is also a principle that needs to be considered in order to reduce waste.
Socioeconomic Impact
Ecotourism is a responsible way of tourism as it reduces unemployment and promotes economic growth. The environmentally friendly organizations and projects that come with ecotourism can provide employment opportunities for local residents, allowing local communities to become self-sufficient, and can also promote skills development within the tourism industry (Samal & Dash, 2022b). Part of the income received through ecotourism can continue to be used to protect the local environment, allowing the attraction to remain attractive for a long time. Additionally, ecotourism can attract the development of local start-ups and community organizations, as local artisans and small businesses can have the opportunity to diversify their economic prospects (Kiper, 2013).
Ecotourism also preserves socio-cultural authenticity, which means that it respects local history, customs, habits, etc. (Zhang & Deng, 2024). Ecotourism recognizes local communities as an important part and believes that communities should be involved in decision-making in tourism. When traditions and culture are incorporated into tourism, local artists and craftspeople can develop and it also makes for a better experience for tourists. When local people are involved in the management and work of the tourism industry, they are able to receive direct benefits from tourism.
Conclusion
The WTTC has predicted that global tourism will contribute a record $11.1 trillion to global GDP in 2024, or 10% of global GDP; in addition, the WTTC has predicted that tourism will contribute $16 trillion to global economic growth in 2034 (World Travel & Tourism Council, 2024). Even though tourism is a huge boost to the global economy, the negative impacts of tourism on communities and environments are still not negligible. Therefore, the development of ecotourism can create a balance between environmental protection and economic development. However, the concepts of ecotourism and smart ecotourism are still in their early stages and only a limited number of studies and evaluations are currently available. We need more research to analyze the possible negative impacts of ecotourism, such as economic pressure, and to make appropriate plans based on the community's situation.
Reference:
Ecotourism examples around the world: the 10 best places to visit a. . . (n.d.). https://www.worldpackers.com/articles/eco-tourism-examples
Ecotourism in Costa Rica: The Ultimate eco travel guide. (2019, May 9). Green Global Travel. https://greenglobaltravel.com/ecotourism-in-costa-rica/
Rica, A. T. C. (2024, February 27). How ecotourism contributes to Monteverde’s conservation efforts. Adventure Tours Costa Rica. https://www.adventuretourscostarica.com/blog/how-ecotourism-contributes-to-monteverdes-conservation-efforts
Zhang, Y., & Deng, B. (2024). Exploring the nexus of smart technologies and sustainable ecotourism: A systematic review. Heliyon, 10(11), e31996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31996
Sarkar, S. K., Toanoglou, M., & George, B. (2019b). The making of Data-Driven Sustainable smart city communities in holiday destinations. In Springer eBooks (pp. 273–296). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-08277-2_16
Kiper, T. (2013). Role of ecotourism in sustainable development. In InTech eBooks. https://doi.org/10.5772/55749
Samal, R., & Dash, M. (2022b). Ecotourism, biodiversity conservation and livelihoods: Understanding the convergence and divergence. International Journal of Geoheritage and Parks, 11(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgeop.2022.11.001
World Travel & Tourism Council. (2024, February 2). news-article. https://wttc.org/news-article/travel-and-tourism-set-to-break-all-records-in-2024-reveals-wttc