Transcript Ecotourism

ECOTOURISM
Cultural, Environmental and Economic
Impacts of Ecotourism in Costa Rica
by
Irene, Larissa & Raynard
Ecotourism
“Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves
the environment and sustains the well-being of
local people.”
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History
• Man originally traveled in search of food
• Mid 20th century wildlife killed for sport in
Africa
• 1970 Kenya outlaws hunting and poaching
to preserve large mammals
• 1980’s mass ecotourism (name coined)
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Biophilia
• Harvard Biologist E. O. Wilson
– “We evolved from people who worked in
pastoral settings and interacted with other
species. This image is ingrained in our brains
and be seek it. When we harm life we harm
our well being.”
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Environmental Impacts
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Overcrowding
Overdevelopment
Recreational activities
Artificial Provisioning
Pollution
Infrastructure
Vehicles
Other
– Souvenir collection
– introduction of exotic plants and animals
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Tourist overcrowding
• Environmental stress, animals show
changes in behavior.
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Overdevelopment
• Excessive man-made structures.
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Recreational Activities
• Disturbance of wildlife particularly in
reference to feeding, breeding and resting
behaviors.
• Some disturbance effect competition with
natural predators.
• Vegetation damage and soil erosion.
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Artificial Provisioning
• Feeding by tourists results in
– behavior changes
– decreased self reliance
– danger to tourists
• Provision of water holes leads to an
unnatural concentration of wildlife and
vegetation damage.
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Pollution
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Mutilation of natural attraction.
Theft of plants for private gardens.
Disturbance of natural sounds
Degradation of natural scene
– danger to wildlife and hazards to tourists
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Infrastructure
• Roads, power lines, waste disposal all
cause
– habitat and vegetation loss
– decrease in water quality
– interference with ecosystem energy flow
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Vehicles
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Wildlife mortality
Soil and vegetation damage
Air pollution
Disturbance to wildlife
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Other
• Souvenir demands lead to removal of
natural attraction
• Introduction of exotic plants and animals
results in competition that disrupts natural
processes
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Solution? Travel Green
Take only photographs;
leave only footprints.
Cultural Impacts of Tourism
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Indian Ruins
Crafts
Art
Music
Local Culture
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Indian Ruins
• The Huetar Indians made beautiful
sculptures that were found hundreds of
years after they were made.
• The Catapa, Voto and Suerre tribes lived
in the north and the Cabecar and Bribri
lived in the south and the Terraba and
Boruca lived in the Diquis Valley and all
made sculptures found 1,000 years later.
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Huetar Indian Artifact
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Brunca Indian Artifact
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Pre-Columbian artifacts
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Quepo stone sphere
Granite
spheres’
function
unknown
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Crafts
• When purchasing artwork and crafts
support the work of local craft persons and
artisans to help keep cultural traditions
alive
• Remnants of Chorotega and Boruca pots,
weavings and carved wooden pieces are
displayed in the museums of San Jose
and Cartago
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Art
• Centuries ago natives made beautiful gold,
jade and ceramic figures and jewelry. They
also made perfectly round huge stones. No
one knows how they were made or why.
• Locals use everyday objects such as wagon
wheels and oxcarts to paint and display as
art.
• Costa Ricans love color and introduce it to
their daily lives when women wear layers of
colorful skirts and men wear brightly colored
shirts.
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The Oxcart
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Music
• Costa Rica has imported music & dance from
the West. They also keep alive native
entertainment.
– people from the region of Guanacaste still do a
dance accompanied by the music of the guitar
and marimba, a large xylophone.
• Costa Ricans love to dance and listen to
music. Instruments include the quijongo, a
drum made from animal skins; the ocarina, a
small wind instrument; and the jicaro, a
kernel filled gourd.
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Local Culture
• Holidays are very important to the Costa Rican
people. They celebrate
– Catholic holidays including Christmas and Easter
– Columbus Day (Oct 12)
– Central American Independence Day (Sept 15)
– celebrations of the harvest of their coffee crop
including an activity where bulls and men
participate in a hilarious, wild, free-for-all bullfight
in which no bull is ever killed or even severely
wounded.
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Local Culture
• Attend local cultural events. Your support
helps local performers preserve their
culture.
• Soccer is the most popular spectator
sport.
• Speaking to locals in their native language
will demonstrate your respect for local
culture.
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A Roman Catholic church
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Economic Impacts of Tourism
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Hotel and Lodges
Tour Companies
Restaurants
Souvenir Purchases
Access Fees
Frequent local venues
Promote “Green Tourism”
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Hotels & Lodges
• Choose locally-owned and operated
– lodges, hotels
– tour agencies and guides
– taxis, buses
– car rental agencies.
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Tour Companies
• Support local and international tour
companies and accommodations that
employ local people and purchase locallygrown foodstuffs.
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Restaurants
• Eat in local restaurants and shop in local
markets.
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Souvenirs
• Purchase souvenirs from local shops and
artisans
• When paying locals for goods or services,
offer a fair price if negotiating is an
acceptable practice
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Access Fees
• Pay access fees to protected sites, even
when voluntary
• Your money supports local efforts to
conserve those areas
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Local Venues
• Frequent local cultural events.
• Your money helps local artists and
performers and encourages preservation
of cultural heritage.
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Promote “Green Tourism”
• Fortunately, the negative economic effects
of tourism can be mitigated
• Through sensitive development practice
and the financial support of tourists, locals
in Costa Rica, among other places, are
participating in a sustainable tourist
economy
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Promote “Green Tourism”
• Ecotravelers can support vital efforts by
making informed travel choices.
– Spending wisely can
• help create better opportunities for local
businesses, farmers, and artisans,
• foster sustainable economic growth
• provide genuine benefit to the people in
vacation destinations
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