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Article Excerpt
1. Background
Sustainable development becomes more and more important as recognition of global and regional environmental problems grows. The concept of sustainable development in this article is based on a classical three-column model of the ecological, the economic and the social, including the political and institutional. All dimensions must be analyzed separately, before they can be put together into a whole concept. Sustainable development is also used in tourism to minimize the high impacts of mass tourism. For this reason alternatives in tourism have developed in recent years; for example ecotourism, which gives priority to ecological concerns.
Ecotourism is defined in this paper as A form of tourism with a low impact on nature and the environment. Within this concept people(themselves embedded in the natural environment) get educated about flora, fauna and culture.. A maximum number of twelve tourists should participate in ecotours, which should be guided by local people. The revenue generated should be used for the protection of nature, conservation of endangered species, told for the economic support of the local population. The tourists should be educated about the high significance of bio-diversity, the uniqueness of nature and a proper behaviour towards nature as well as the culture of the local population.
Classical and popular ecotourism differ in the size of groups participating in activities of tourism. Therefore both forms have different impacts on the environment. Popular tourism is practiced in most countries, including agencies in British Columbia. The nature of British Columbia is unique, offering the alpine mountains, massive forests, waterfalls and lakes as well as the culture of the First Nations. Therefore tourism is one of the biggest branches of trade. Unfortunately, in British Columbia ecotourism is almost unrealized. The economy depends on resources, but these are limited. For this reason, alternative incomes must be found. Ecotourism stresses the protection of nature with support of communities' economic and social welfare. However, present polities in British Columbia place ecology as well as the protection of nature protection behind economic aspects, and the government downloads its own responsibilities to burden the provincial population. Unfortunately, people participate in nature protection only passively.
This paper examines differences in perception between Canadian and German tourists in Wells Gray Provincial Park, one of numerous parks in British Columbia. The perception about parks and ecotourism in comparison of German and Canadian tourists will he analyzed and discussed. The author lived for five months in Canada to interview experts, the park management, tour operators, The Friends of Wells Gray Park, and people living around the park, as well as the tourists through questionnaires.
2. State of Current Knowledge
Environmental problems and the loss of nature now often lead to the protection of nature. Thus ecotourism is a growing industry, both internationally and in Canada. Ecotourism has evolved over the past twenty years. A wide range of literature, offering a vast array of different definitions (depending on individual interests) has been written on the topic. In the year 2000 Orams classified definitions of ecotourism in a higher and lower scale of human responsibility, but both offer a change of the direction from mass tourism towards nature-based tourism. In 1990 Boo examined ecotourism in five representative countries and evaluate economic and environmental impacts in two protected areas in each of the five countries. Ecotourism plays an important role in the preservation of natural areas and also for attracting political and financial support (Boo; Wall, 1993, 1999; Lopez-Espinosa). In 1997 Ellenberg related ecotourism to case studies about ecotourism as actually practiced, and in 1999 Fennell also defined different aspects and environments of ecotourism. In 1997 Weaver examined ecotourism prospects in an "atypical area," and analyzed constraints and opportunities for ecotourism in Saskatchewan.
Ecotourism is only one kind of alternative tourism. In 1992 Butler argued that alternative tourism is "the thin edge of the wedge" and is a good idea, like sustainable development. Many books try to describe and define sustainable development as such and sustainable development in tourism, but often they discuss the topic only in broad terms because they want to define sustainability as a whole, which is very difficult to do if it is not divided into different dimensions.
The year 2002 was the year of ecotourism. A discussion paper on the current state of ecotourism in Canada was developed at The World Ecotourism Summit field in Quebec City in May 2002 (Sian and Sipkens). Its main purpose was to set a preliminary agenda and recommendations for the development of ecotourism activities in the context of sustainable development (World Ecotourism Summit 65). The participants acknowledged that the sustainability of tourism should give priority to poverty alleviation and environmental protection in endangered ecosystems. Ecotourism is recognized as embracing the principles of sustainable tourism on the basis of specific concepts (World Ecotourism Summit 65). The next step involves implementing these principles in praxis, in British Columbia for example.
A few ecotourism operators have started their work, one involving whale watching on the Pacific coast. But in most national parks and other protected areas, including Wells Gray Provincial Park, ecotourism is just a theoretical term. Nelson argues that "Quite often parties use ecotourism and related terms but do not share a similar detailed understanding of what they mean nor of their cumulative effects on the environment or ecosystems" (Nelson, Butler, and Wall 145). People are divided into either environmentalists or developers who want to support their existing jobs. These different opinions and ethics lead to different uses of nature.
James Sterba interprets the non-anthropocentric--which denies the existence of inequality between humans and other species--and anthropocentric ethics--which support the belief that there is inequality (Pojman 262f.). A non-anthropocentric ethic would be a bio-centric ethic, supported by Paul Taylor (Pojman 228f.) Taylor describes four different rules of environmental ethics. It is interesting that critics discuss equality between human and other species while we have not yet managed to find equality within our own species. Peter Singer suggests we begin with the examination of the equality of different races and sex (Pojman 304f). However, because of our environmental problems, we cannot just examine the debate of equality of humans; we must also apply environmental ethics. Holmes Rolston III speaks of the values and duties of environmental ethics (Pojman 228f). Apart from scientific and cultural considerations of nature, environmental ethics should teach us about the importance of protecting nature.
Gauthier argues flint ecotourism promotes non-destructive, aesthetic, spiritual values, as well as providing a means of empowerment for disadvantaged groups. He believes it also provides humans with all economic and moral incentive...
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