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What is eco-tourism?
ASEC and SmartVoyager Certification Program Redefine Ecotourism Wednesday, 26 March 2008 by Hannah Simon There is one word painted across the windows of travel agencies in La Mariscal, one word printed in countless advertisements for Galápagos cruises and one word that backpackers all over South America hear repeated constantly. That word is ‘ecotourism’ – but what does it really mean? Patricio Gaybor, executive director of the Asociacion Ecuatoriana de Ecoturismo (ASEC), is working with one of Ecuador’s leading conservation organisations, Conservación y Desarrollo. He aims to revolutionise how ecotourism operates with a certification program called SmartVoyager that is designed to develop sustainability criteria for the travel industry. “There aren’t many people that really know what
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ecotourism is,” Gaybor says. “Ecotourism is any type of tourism that takes the natural environment and local communities into consideration.” Developed in May 2000 by Conservación y Desarrollo, SmartVoyager’s certification process has just recently been extended to hotels and lodges on the Ecuadorian mainland. SmartVoyager was first launched to certify tour boats in the Galápagos Islands and is still the only environmental certification program in Ecuador. To become certified, a company must adhere to a list of principles such as promoting conservation of the environment and protecting natural resources. The company also must comply with employee policies like improving the socioeconomic welfare and quality of life of the workers and their families.
For green-friendly novices, words like ‘sustainable’ and ‘conservation’ might seem confusing. All associated with being environmentally friendly, these words are plastered across pamphlets for jungle cruises and Andes excursions. But what do they really mean? ecotourism: a form of tourism that strives to minimize ecological or other damage to areas visited for their natural or cultural interest sustainable: using natural resources without destroying the ecological balance of a particular area conservation: the keeping or protecting something from change, loss, or damage According to SmartVoyager’s website, “Certification is a powerful tool for the consumer who wants to know that their dollars are not contributing to the exploitation of the environment.” Similar to the environmental standards of SmartVoyager, ASEC offers travel operators the chance to become part of their ecotourism society, but first they must also comply with guidelines like respecting local communities and local cultures. While many tour agencies use the term
“ecotourism” to refer to respect for the environment, Gaybor says that it is extremely important not to forget about local communities. “You can talk about the problems of global warming or the loss of biodiversity in Ecuador, but there is also a lack of opportunities for local communities to get involved with tourism,” Gaybor says. Patio Andaluz, a hotel in Quito’s Old Town, is an example of a business that lacked participation with community members. After it was brought to their attention, Patio Andaluz organised food providers to buy locally produced fruits and vegetables, along with community handicrafts, “We want companies to be part of the solution,” Gaybor says. “We want to give them the idea that sustainable business can and will generate profits.” ASEC currently boasts 65 members in their society, organizsed into different groups: non-governmental organizations, universities and educational institutions, local communities, tour operators and travel agencies, hotels and lodges and individual people. “There are many advantages of becoming a member,” Gaybor says. “We are a world-recognised group and we have created a link between the consumers, the market and our members.” Founded 16 years ago at a time when travel companies and tourists were becoming worried about their impact on the environment, ASEC was the first tourism association in Ecuador. Their goal was to create a society to improve sustainable tourism and development. ASEC has been working with organizations like the Rainforest Alliance to promote certification in other countries and to create international criteria for sustainable tourism. “The idea is to harmonise all the certification programs in the world,” Gaybor says. “The main problem is that consumers don’t recognise a green label. We want to create a big movement to reach these consumers and raise awareness.” “With these regulations, we are trying to eliminate green washing,” Gaybor explains. Green washing, or the superficial claim that a business is following
environmentally sustainable policies has become popular with travel operators throughout Ecuador. With so many tourists and backpackers seeking ‘green’ travel options, ASEC and SmartVoyager offer a method to know whether or not a company is complying with strong environmental standards. “The philosophy is that after receiving certification, the company still has to continue being sustainable,” Gaybor says. Every two years, ASEC re-evaluates businesses to make sure they are keeping up with environmental standards. Travellers interested in checking out a company’s environmental reliability can ask questions like, “How is waste collected and managed on the tour?” “How does this company involve local communities or protect the natural environment surrounding these communities?” “What type of gasoline do the vehicles used on the tour use, and has the possibility of alternative energy been explored?” and “Does this company buy carbon-offsets to balance their environmental footprint?” When asked what kind of advice he would give to travellers, Gaybor says, “Look behind the services offered at a travel operator, look behind words like ‘ecotourism’ and see if the business is really providing a sustainable experience.”
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