Ecotourism : a mechanism for selling the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity? : scoping the issues

Abstract

Ecotourism is promoted as an economic incentive for the conservation and sustainable use of aspects of biodiversity by a number of International Conservation Organisations. Under the Convention on Biological Diversity the New Zealand Government has an obligation to consider the promotion of incentives to protect biodiversity. This study highlights a variety of issues relating to the concept of ecotourism, and the ecotourism industry in New Zealand, which will need to be considered if ecotourism is to provide an incentive for the conservation and sustainable use of aspects of biodiversity.

The lack of a definitive definition and fundamental goals of the ecotourism concept, and consequently the lack of restrictions concerning the use of the term has meant that term ecotourism has been adopted by a wide range of nature based tourism operators in New Zealand. This study highlights a lack of coordination between public agencies involved in the industry and a lack in integration of environmental goals. Recommendations for improving coordination and integration between public agencies in the industry are provided. These recommendations provide a means of increasing the potential for ecotourism to provide an economically and socially sound mechanism for the conservation and sustainable use of aspects of biodiversity.