Tourists diving with whale sharks in Oslob, Philippines
Map of Marine Protected Areas
Ecotourism, the act of environmentally responsible travel and visitation to different areas of nature has long been criticized for being counterintuitive due to its nature of being environmentally insensitive as a result of international tourism. Oftentimes, ecotourism is conducted in natural areas such as nature reserves, parks, wilderness areas, and marine protected areas. Recent studies evaluating the effects of ecotourism in Marine Protected Areas suggest that ecotourism has a positive effect on marine governance in addition to improving local attitudes to marine conservation. Ultimately, this begs the question of whether or not the benefits of ecotourism can outweigh its negative consequences attributed to travel.
A study conducted by the University of Victoria in Canada evaluated three locations in the Philippines (Oslob, Donsol, and Pintuyan) offering tourists the opportunity to swim with sharks. Interviews with locals revealed that inappropriate behaviours in the form of violence against the whale sharks were considered the norm within the area. However, after having the opportunity to interact with the sharks in a hands-on tourist experience, the same locals reported they felt more inclined to protect the sharks, citing that incidences of hitting the sharks with stones, paddles, and dynamites had decreased. Additionally, locals expressed a stronger sense of community with the marine life overall as they were able to foster emotional connections with the whale sharks. From a government perspective, the topic of ecotourism becomes highly relevant when the significance of tourism is analysed in smaller island states as tourism plays a large role in determining economic growth, employment, and social development. Given the importance of tourism in the social and government infrastructures in countries that rely on tourism–and ecotourism as a result, government bodies are more inclined to take environmental precautions as a large fraction of the travel and tourism industry is driven by nature tourism. In the EU Blue Economy Report published in 2021, coastal tourism alone was the biggest sector in terms of both gross profit and employment.
Although there is the belief that ecotourism is synonymous with environmentally conscious and ethical tourism, this is only true when it is conducted based on research and incorporates insight from local communities. This indicates that without the necessary precautions, the positive intent behind ecotourism can be overtaken by the desire for profit. For example, travel companies may utilize marketing schemes that advertise environmentally conscious practices in an attempt to appeal to tourists. Alternatively, a protected area can potentially increase in popularity as a result of ecotourism activities, thereby having irreversible impacts on wildlife. An example of this can be observed when whale watching becomes more prioritized as a tourism activity rather than an opportunity for locals to learn more about the mammals. Disruptive behaviours such as loud noises can potentially cause distress to whales as they are sensitive to loud noises.
Despite ecotourism having the potential to foster a closer relationship with marine life and nature in addition to forcing government systems to prioritize nature and marine life conservation, it appears as though the prospect of ecotourism can be easily shifted into a marketing ploy at the expense of Marine Protected Areas. Conversely, if ecotourism placed a stronger emphasis on local travel, followed ethical regulations, and maintained facilities that actively minimized carbon emissions, while promoting genuine connections between people and nature, it may be a useful tool as we collectively work towards being more conscious of our actions on the earth.