GUIDE FOR GOOD ECOTOURISM PRACTICES IN PROTECTED AREAS

Ecotourism is an activity that combines a passion for travel with concern for the environment. Experts who have dealt with the subject suggest that the objectives of ecotourism are sustainability, conservation and the participation of the local community. They also attribute to ecotourism the capacity to achieve the objectives of sustainable development in regions with ecotourism potential. Its growth since the 1980s is due to the economic benefits it provides as nature tourism. This economic incentive, perhaps more than its principles, has given rise to the expansion of this type of "ecological" activity. Some promote it as a solution to the shortage of budget for protected areas, others see it as a basic element of economic growth. Ecotourism is not adequately understood, being used as a marketing strategy because of its prefix "eco".