What is Ecotourism?
To most non-environmentalists, the term "Ecotourism" is a fairly foreign phrase. In fact, the phrase was only coined 29 years ago, in July of 1983 by Hector Ceballos-Lascurain. Since then, ecotourism has experienced a boom in popularity. So much so, in fact, that it is currently the fastest growing sector of the tourism market. Ecotourism has a two pronged definition. First, it is a form of tourism that has very little impact on the environment. Second, it if tourism which focuses on interesting aspects of local ecology. Commonly, ecotours take tourists through facinating ecological areas such as rainforests, [enter] [enter] [enter], all while reducing the impact on the environment.
Top 10 Ecotourist Destinations
10 - Dubai
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/5/5/13551761/8965492.jpg?0)
Dubai, one of the major emirates of the UAE, is not widely known for its ecotourism. However, the government of Dubai is undertaking an effort to sustain and even increase marine diversity off the coasts of Dubai. There are many excellent marine life tours, as well as shipwreck explorations. The only problem? Dubai is not a cheap place to get to, or a cheap place to say.
9 - Antarctica
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/5/5/13551761/3607045.jpg?0)
Taking an Antarctic cruise can be a great way to experience the wonders of Antarctica without expending too much effort. Most cruises originate in southern Chile, and move on to explore some of the antarctic peninsula, where guests can see glaciers and icebergs from a reasonable distance. The only downside would be the cost (<7,000 $), and the lack of wildlife.
8 - Botswana
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/5/5/13551761/9637972.jpg?0)
Botswana, located in the south of Africa, is known for its grasslands and savannas. As such, it is a great place to go on a safari. On a Botswanan safari, you can see a huge variety of wildlife, including lechwe, antelopes, elephants, prairie dogs, as well as dozens of different types of monkeys. If you are planning a trip to Botswana, however, you should be prepared for a lot of heat and dust.
7 - Quebec
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/5/5/13551761/6082198.jpg?0)
Canada can be a great place to take boat tours, experiencing wildlife up-close, while still remaining fairly comfortable. Canada is also home to some of the most beautiful forests and mountains. Even better, these tours tend to be cheap and close to home for most Americans.
6 - Yellowstone
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/5/5/13551761/2799643.jpg?0)
Yellowstone is one of, if not the first government protected national park in the entire world. It is most widely known for its geysers, although that is not where Yellowstone shines brightest. The best way to experience Yellowstone is to take a multi-day, backcountry hike. During a hike, hikers will be treated to hundreds of different plant species, and the occasional encounter with smaller mammals and birds. Beware, though, Yellowstone is right in the middle of bear-country.
5 - Lacandon Jungle
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/5/5/13551761/384806480.jpg)
The Lacandon Jungle is a rainforest located on the southern region of the Yucatán Peninsula. It covers approximately 1.9 million hectares, and is one of the densest regions of biodiversity in all of mexico. It contains over 1,500 species of tress, as well as 25 % of all mexican mamal species. The rainforest also houses dozens of ruins from the Myan civilization. Taking a guided tour though those ruins is a great way not only to experican nature, but all some history of the Myan people.
4 - Iceland
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/5/5/13551761/498663950.jpg)
Iceland, which is known for its conservationist government and people, is also home to some wildlife and stunning scenic areas. In recent years, the government of Iceland has undertaken an effort to ensure that these resources are around for the forseeable future. However, they still encourage ecotourism. Taking hikes through some of the mountains of iceland is a great way to experience both the wildlife and scenic areas that Iceland has to offer.
3 - Glacier National Park
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/5/5/13551761/988125421.jpeg)
Glacier National Park known around the world for its stunning and informative nature hikes, which explore all the deep forests, mountain peaks, and water features that Glacier had to offer. During these hikes, hikers will often run into some of the local fauna. After a hike, many of the western lodges have informational seminars on topics such as biodiversity, sustainablity, and conservation.
2 - Madagascar
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/5/5/13551761/910106.jpg?0)
Islands, as Charles Darwin learned in the 1800's, are places of amazing bio-diversity. That is one reason why Madagascar is such an amazing place to go. While visiting, you can go on nature hikes, safaris, suba dives, and thousands of other exciting explorations into the huge bio-diversity of Madagascar.
1 - Amazon River
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/5/5/13551761/8789822.jpg?0)
Taking a boat tour of the Amazon River is the a great way to view the thousands of plant and animal species that inhabit the Amazon Rainforest, without actually putting yourself in the path of a panther.