What is “Eco-Tourism” Anyway?
Travel Blog • Michael Yessis • 02.15.02 | 2:37 PM ET
That question and related issues were discussed recently in an engaging online chat hosted by Worldwatch Institute, a Washington D.C.-based research organization that focuses on global environmental and resource issues. Lisa Mastny, who has written about tourism and sustainable development, weighed in: “The real problem is that the phrase ‘eco-tourism’ has essentially become meaningless….It’s become little more than a marketing tool, and is increasingly deceptive for tourists who may think they are ‘doing the right thing’ when they may not be. This is why I am very encouraged by ongoing efforts to create an universal standard for eco-tourism and to certify those operators and hotels that meet it.”