III. Aims

Ecotourism in Toledo will be evaluated in respect of the following questions, which are formulated according to the principles outlined in Section II (literature review). The criteria to which ecotourism is evaluated, and the relevance of those criteria, are outlined below:

• Are negative impacts on the environment minimized? If the environment is not being maintained, then that resource base for ecotourism is being destroyed. Furthermore, does ecotourism contribute to the conservation and support of protected areas?

• Does ecotourism provide economic benefits for the host community? The local community must have an incentive to support the ecotourism business and preserve the environment upon which the tourist product is based.

• Are negative socio-cultural impacts upon the host community minimized? Any social tensions that result, or perceived socio-cultural problems attributed to tourism, will result in a lack of support for local ecotourism. Local support for tourism requires that the host community is not antagonized by its presence. Furthermore, any socio-cultural degradation caused by tourism will erode a different resource base – the indigenous people and their traditional culture.

• Does ecotourism involve education amongst both the local community and the tourists? Appropriate education will assist in the maintenance of the resource base of ecotourism.

• Does ecotourism maximize the early and long-term participation of local people in the tourism industry and the decision making process that determines the kind and amount of tourism that should occur? The local population must participate in the decision making process if it is to receive their whole-hearted support. The local population should actively participate in the tourism industry if they are to benefit from its presence. The first three criteria will often be dependent upon the level of local participation.

All of these five criteria are inter-related. Adherence to the criteria is necessary if tourism’s long-term sustainability is not to be jeopardized. Each of the sections VI – X addresses these criteria in turn.

Adventure tours and Ecotourism in Ecuador at Piedra Blanca