Reflections on the Connotations of Ecotourism  

作　　者：Zhang Meng Yuan Jun Wu Zhengzheng 

机构地区：[1]Faculty of International Tourism, Macao University of Science and Technology, Macao, China [2]Normal College, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Guangdong 518060, China [3]College of Cultur＇al Heritage, Northwest University, Xi＇an Shaanxi 710069, china

出　　处：《Chinese Journal of Population,Resources and Environment》2009年第2期67-70,共4页中国人口·资源与环境（英文版）

基　　金：supported by National Natural Science Foundation (Grant No.90102013)

摘　　要：As the most desirable option for sustainable development of tourism industry, ecotourism still suffers from lack of a clear-cut and widely accepted definition, posing many risks and threats in its practices. Based on collection and collation of various concepts and explanations of ecotourism both at home and abroad, this paper reflects on the current connotations of ecotourism in terms of four aspects, namely, objects of ecotourism, ecotourists, nature of ecotourism as well as the relationship between ecotourism and communities. In-depth analysis was performed in an effort to revise the misinterpretation of ecotourism and provide implications for ecotourism initiatives. The main conclusions and fruits of this article include： 1） The objects of eeotourism should go beyond natural, pristine, or even only primitive natural areas to including cultural resources together with their natural context which also deserve preservation. 2） Tourism operators, compared to tourists, have more leverage and hence should shoulder more responsibilities for conservation. 3） Ecotourism should serve as a principle to guide tourism initiatives towards sustainability, rather than merely a special tour package. 4） The theoretic foundation was laid for community participation in ecotourism.As the most desirable option for sustainable development of tourism industry, ecotourism still suffers from lack of a clear-cut and widely accepted definition, posing many risks and threats in its practices. Based on collection and collation of various concepts and explanations of ecotourism both at home and abroad, this paper reflects on the current connotations of ecotourism in terms of four aspects, namely, objects of ecotourism, ecotourists, nature of ecotourism as well as the relationship between ecotourism and communities. In-depth analysis was performed in an effort to revise the misinterpretation of ecotourism and provide implications for ecotourism initiatives. The main conclusions and fruits of this article include: 1) The objects of ecotourism should go beyond natural, pristine, or even only primitive natural areas to including cultural resources together with their natural context which also deserve preservation. 2) Tourism operators, compared to tourists, have more leverage and hence should shoulder more responsibilities for conservation. 3) Ecotourism should serve as a principle to guide tourism initiatives towards sustainability, rather than merely a special tour package. 4) The theoretic foundation was laid for community participation in ecotourism.

关 键 词：ECOTOURISM connotations EXTERNALITY 

分 类 号：F590.7[经济管理—旅游管理] F590[经济管理—产业经济]