Introduction to Sustainable Tourism (Ecotourism) in Central America

摘要

This book provides an overview of the multiple issues involved in sustainableecotourism in Central America for all concerned stakeholders--government officials, protected area managers, local tourism operators, organized labor committees, and community representatives. The subjects discussed include: the status of both conservation and ecotourism in Central America; the goals of ecotourism and its impacts on natural resources; using tourism to subsidize natural resource conservation; the cultural and socioeconomic impacts of tourism; and planning for tourism development and developing systems for evaluating its impacts. A key element of the overall strategy involves the establishment of National Environmental Councils. The book also includes a bibliography, a list of contacts, national profiles of the status of ecotourism planning in Central America, and a list that ranks the desirability of native fauna for the tourist industry by marketing value and observation satisfaction.