what is the difference between sustainable tourism and ecotourism?
there is no difference really, they are both mistaken concepts. no person needs to be a tourist anymore with such a vast array of media options to view and virtual experience anything the world has to offer. Tourism by its very nature is a self serving beast, we go somewhere because we want to and can afford to, simply for our own enjoyment. Now i’m not against that, i love my holidays totally and feel like i earned them, but, to call it eco or sustainable is just putting a guilt gloss over the fact that to go somewhere near or far just because you can is not justifiable. Put a climate change spin on it though and the operators can charge more and the "tourist" feels less guilty. Its all a bit crass i think.
Sustainable tourism, tourism which does not lead to the degradation and therefore spoilage of a holiday destination and its local society is an umbrella term under which ecotourism is categorised, i.e. ecotourism is a form of sustainable tourism, indeed it is in theory the most sustainable form of tourism, with focus being on minimum impact tourism which is in harmony with the social and environmental sensitivities of an area. In fact ecotourism goes beyond even that, look online for a full definition although there are many.
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Ecotourism is tourism with an ecological theme or purpose, but may not necessarily be sustainable. One might fly a jet (and emit tons of carbon) to go see an endangered species of penguin.
Sustainable tourism would be travel which has minimal ecological impact, perhaps without "ecology" being the purpose of the trip. A bicycle trip across Europe might use *no* fossil fuels, but the purpose of the trip would be to "see Europe".
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there is no difference really, they are both mistaken concepts. no person needs to be a tourist anymore with such a vast array of media options to view and virtual experience anything the world has to offer. Tourism by its very nature is a self serving beast, we go somewhere because we want to and can afford to, simply for our own enjoyment. Now i’m not against that, i love my holidays totally and feel like i earned them, but, to call it eco or sustainable is just putting a guilt gloss over the fact that to go somewhere near or far just because you can is not justifiable. Put a climate change spin on it though and the operators can charge more and the "tourist" feels less guilty. Its all a bit crass i think.
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Just finished an environmental degree but i also drive a sportscar and i’m planning my next holiday, its not hypocrasy, just real life.