Principles of Ecotourism in Iwokrama Forest

Iwokrama believes that for a visitation activity to a specific area to be accurately labeled as ecotourism, the following 5 basic requirements must be met:

I. Support Conservation of Natural Resources

The founding principle of ecotourism was to find a way to increase tourism to areas of special natural value, beauty and interest in a way that contributed to the conservation of those areas. After all, without the nature - there is no nature-related tourism. Mechanisms must be established for revenues and profits generated by a successful ecotourism enterprise or industry to support conservation efforts.

II. Environmentally Sensitive

Careful consideration must be given to site selection and preparation; carrying capacity and limits of acceptable change; construction materials; energy production and consumption; water quality and usage; and waste generation and treatment. Construction projects should incorporate, whenever practical and possible, alternative energy, water and waste treatment systems into construction projects. Not only do they yield specific benefits to the project, but they can serve the educational mission of providing practical examples of the benefits of sustainable technologies.

III. Culturally Sensitive

Ecotourism must be sensitive to the traditions, needs, lifestyles and expectations of local communities. It must include local communities in the planning and implementation process, and involve them in the product and its management. It must generate new and appropriate economic opportunities and benefits, and it must never result in the denigration of local cultural traditions.

IV. Good Business Decisions and Management

Ecotourism initiatives need to be creative, attractive, and marketable, with realistic expectations for economic benefit. Thorough and conservative business plans, economic feasibility studies, marketing plans and financial projections are essential. It is important that the private business sector be included in ecotourism planning and implementation as well, as they bring valuable perspective and expertise to the process. It must be recognised that ecotourism is at its core a business enterprise with a higher social purpose. It is a customer-oriented, customer-driven business. If ecotourism development does not have a sound financial basis it will fail, and the opportunity for benefit will disappear.

V. Dedicated Educational Emphasis

Ecotourism is fundamentally about far more than destination development. The concept is predicated on visitors leaving the destination more cognisant of and sensitive to the conservation and resource management issues than when they arrived. In fact, this is part of what this kind of tourist is looking for - an interactive and often adventurous learning and entertainment experience that personally exposes them to an intimate cross-section of the destination.