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Defining Ecotourism: Is the Flight Included?

The Bishop of London calls flying on holiday a symptom of sin.
The Bishop of London calls flying on holiday a symptom of sin.
On the Idealist blog, there’s a recent link to a story on World Changing about an ecotourism project in Patagonia, Chile, called Dos Margaritas. While the profile highlights a successful project, the comments tell a larger story about the ecotourism concept. World Changing readers replied to the post concerned about the vague definition of “ecotourism” and the lack of standardization and certification for ecotravel companies.
Disappointed with the use of “ecotourism” as a dubious marketing term, many people are interested in finding out real opportunities for responsible travel and avoiding the hype. Green Globe has developed an international ecotourism standard, which details 11 focus areas and performance standards for ecotravel operators. Even once meticulous standards are implemented globally, the question still remains: do ecotourists travel on jet planes? One commenter wondered how to reconcile “ecotourism” with airplane travel, which was qualified as a sin by a Church of England bishop.
Useful links from World Changing comments for further reading:
Planeta.com looks at the various definitions of ecotourism
Transition Abroad’s Responsible Travel Handbook 2006

26 August 2006 | 12.21pm (CEST) | posted by Marie | |
TAGS Economic Development & Globalization | Ethical Values & Responsibility | Education | Quality of Life & Prosperity | Religion & Spirituality | Media & Information | Energy & Natural Resources | Environment

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3 Responses to “Defining Ecotourism: Is the Flight Included?”

  1. Ron Mader Says:
    August 28th, 2006 at 1:03 pm

    “Is the flight included?” is a great question to ask. Thank you for summarizing the discussion so well.

    For more reading on the topic, I’d refer you to the Environmental Impact of Transportation Conference which reviewed this particular issue. Archives are online
    http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/tour/transportation.html

  2. ianmack Says:
    August 28th, 2006 at 5:32 pm

    here’s a company that let’s you purchase and get trees planted to offset your carbon from flying:

    http://treeflights.com

  3. Harold Huff Says:
    September 7th, 2006 at 11:11 pm

    What value is the site unseen or the sound unheard? We are part of the ecology of this world for better or worse.