Latin-American Studies

Positive aspects  of Ordinary tourism include getting acquainted with different places
learning about different cultures and wide variety of chances of broadening our
understanding  from the world perspective. The disadvantages  associated with it are
cultural distortions where people coming from different parts of the world may leave
varied impressions on the people living in the tourist places and their impact may
dominate all the more if the tourist influx is high to a tourist spot. The entire tourist
spot no longer remains  a tourist location but turns out into a business center due to
rapid growth of small time businesses around that place.

Ecotourism means a type of tourism where the environment and the tourist benefit.
An eco tourist travels under the guidance of a naturalist to ecological places.
It is a pleasure to be a part of ecotourism because that educates a tourist  on
environment and helps in understanding the importance of protecting the
environment. And having access to environmentally protected areas is really  a
thrilling experience.

Let me share my views with you as a friend on Costa Rica as an ideal place for
ecotourism. Why Costa Rica has become an ideal example for this eco tourism is its
National Park System.. These park systems come under protected areas. Bird
watching ,Butterfly farms , hiking the eco lodges , all come under the purview of eco
tourism. It cannot be taken simply as a mere green-washing. It is genuine to its core.
The tourists get educated rightly in the ways of developing more eco friendly
attitudes, caring for their own environment when back home and more than these,
learn to respect nature. Coming to how it helps it enhances the flora and fauna and it
is a fact that scientists and conservationists from across the world are attracted to it.
Enhanced research activities help take research in biological fields to new heights.
Tourism has grown there as an industry ,boosting its economy in every sector. It has
turned tourists into environmentalists by way of educating them about environmental
protection.

It does educate the community members also in a way that helps them
become more eco conscious and the take pride in their natural wealth and effortlessly
take to ways of preserving and developing their environment , thus contributing in
their own way. I have seen the darker side of these also  that gave rise to several
social ills like gambling, black marketeering and the like. Not all people  of the
community agree to large areas of land being cordoned off in the name of protecting
natural parks. They stressed the need for harmony between natural parks, wild life and
the people who live there. In spite of the negative aspects or obstacles, which are
common in any country and need to be  removed through right political decisions, eco
tourism leads to sustainable growth of the community and the nation. The impact on
community is visible by the growth of the eco-friendly industries that cropped up. The
economy received a boost due to its people taking to more eco friendly businesses like
building butterfly farms, running horse riding agencies and other careers that are
associated with eco tourism. The high standard of living of Costa Ricas middle class,
their best health care services and public education systems are an illustration of the
impact of their attitude towards eco tourism. Its my opinion that it does not  give rise
to stereo types because of the existence of varied geographical conditions,  national
parks, bio diversity and natural wealth.. Eco-tourism to Costa Rica is marked by
creativity and panorama. International awareness to eco friendly projects has seen a
growth. Remember, it is Costa Ricas  extraordinary biodiversity and geographical
size give no way to stereo types in the long run.