Ecotourism

Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving visiting undisturbed natural areas, intended as a low-impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial (mass) tourism.

It has many purposes, such as to educate the traveler or to provide funds for ecological conservation,

This tourism can be a good thing or a bad thing for local people and the environment. It depends how responsible companies and individual tourists want to be.

Large numbers of tourists visiting villages and forests can damage the environment in many ways. Paths get destroyed, trees are cut down to provide wood for building or fuel, people leave rubbish, and the extra noise frightens local wildlife. Local people may start to work in the tourist industry, but not be paid fair wages. Also, a lot of the money from tourism goes to companies outside the area, so it doesn’t help local people.

However, money from ecotourism can help to protect areas where animals and plants are in danger, It can pay for nature conservation programmes, and the planting of trees. Ecotourism can help the economic development of local communities without damaging their traditional lifestyles. Simple ways to do this include using locally-owned hotels and restaurants and employing local people as guides or advisers.

If you are concerned about ecotourism, here are some questions to ask your tour operator.

· Do they use locally-owned businesses like hotels and restaurants ?

· Do they pay fair wages to all employees ?

· Do they offer training to local employees ?

· How do they manage the rubbish created by tourists ?

In many parts of the world, there are local projects to encourage ecotourism.

National parks and nature reserves in Costa Rica offer nature-based tours that are aimed at preserving the natural habitat and the local wildlife, including some endangered species.

In northern Australia, cultural tours of aboriginal Lands are very popular. This means more employment for the local inhabitants and a better understanding of their traditions.

In Nepal, some trekking companies give large amounts of money to community projects., such as building schools, buying the technology to use solar energy instead of wood for heating, and providing fresh water in villages.

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20. The work of a tour agent: making a virtual tour around the top places of interest in GB. (Tell about some of the most famous landmarks in Great Britain):

21. The work of a tour agent: making a virtual tour around the top places of interest in USA. (FOR EXAMPLE, Tell about the White House, the home and office of every US president.)

22. Eating out. National cuisines. – (French or Britain, Ukraine….)