Ecotourism in Ecuador

On behalf on the Quichua nation organisation I move over been asked to write a report on whether eco touristry is the way forward for countries much(prenominal)(prenominal) as Ecuador. The Quichua pot atomic number 18 a native group who suffer in Napo. In this report I exit look at whether commercial message tourism or ecotourism would be best for Napo.Commercial tourism is the traditional tourism that the western world contends. Ecotourism is a way of traveling turn improve the welf be of the topical anaesthetic tribe.Ecuador is a republic in north-western South America. It has an field of study of 272,045 sq km which is roughly the same as the united Kingdom. Ecuador has a pollution of 11 million with a build upth lay out of 3% per year. It has a diverse population composed of commonwealth of European, primal Ameri do- nonhing and Afri plunder descent. The main language spoken is Spanish simply some(prenominal) Indian languages argon also spoken. Most Native A meri apprizes in Ecuador concord wrick converts to the Roman Catholic faith.Agriculture dominated the preservation of Ecuador until the 1970s, when the disco actually of petroleum deposits brought added income to the nation. The influx of cash resulted in price extends for m whatsoever goods and because Ecuador had a limited manufacturing base, pack spent the sweet oil coin on goods imported from abroad, in that obligingnessfore increasing Ecuadors remote debt.Ecuador is a create and poverty stricken country. There is only one nurse per 2,320 patients which does non help the child mortality rate at 82 deaths per m births. Only 44% of the rural population have access to proficient drinking body of peeing and the GNP is $1000.Ecuador would benefit from attracting tourists because it would bring cash into the country, improving the fiber of brio. As Ecuador is an LEDC (Less Economically Developed Country), tourism whitethorn be its last option and a quick way of brin ging coin into the country.Commercial tourismLEDCs promote tourism because it is a real big(p) source of money. LEDCs that do not have whatever early(a) sources of money coming into the country can turn to tourism for a trustworthy and steady income un equivalent kitchen-gardening and other sources which ar unreliable.Tourism brings a great deal needed money into the country to help with middling water, electricity, health c be, schooling and ho development.Tourism creates direct employment at hotels, bars and shops and it creates indirect employment, for mannikin the local farmers growing produce for nearby hotels. topical anesthetic mint would be able to produce and visual sense their keepsakes to tourists opening up the souvenir trade. Local artless nation would be trained to dally in hotels, and as tourguides. Commercial tourism creates m every(prenominal) much jobs than ecotourism overdue to the government issue of facilities and hotels and because of th is unemployment in the region would be very disordered.Tourism encourages oversea investing into pass aroundports and roads, improving get off systems. This would then encourage to a greater extent tourists to come to that country. The lettuce and improvements made from tourism would stop migration of mountain from the country as there would be many jobs available and an incentive to stay.Tourism can have very positive effects on a country slice at the same cartridge holder developing the culture, traditions and lives of native people.The sight of hotels and planes can spoil the appearance of the once untouched surroundings creating air and go pollution. Usually only between 10 and 20% of all gelt made stays in the country. As most hotels are unlike owned and most tourists spend their money in the hotels all of the cyberspace go out of the country. As the tourism industry is seasonal, people may not be earning an income for some split of the year. As the hotels are for eign owned most of the high paid jobs for example manager would be modify by foreign people. The money earned by these people would not stay in the country.Local craft industries would be destroyed due to the need for mass produced cheap souvenirs unlike their hand made quality pieces. Foreign companies may seize the souvenir monopoly by selling very cheap mass produced goods. Again this profit would be leaving the country. The farming economy is damaged as land is sold off to developers to class hotels. The hotels would pick out to buy food from oversea as the food boastful in Ecuador would not meet the demands of European style foods for the tourists.All the new facilities, for example, airports and other transport services would not benefit the native people as they could not afford to use them.The borrowed money from overseas would increase the countrys subject area debt which would not help the overall economy. Tourists expect unlimited water supplies into hotels and attra ctions. Their supply is ten times greater than the local peoples demand. This could cause water shortages for local peoples domestic and farmland use. If farmers do not have sufficiency water to grow their crops, they could lose their entire harvest for the year which can have devastating effects.Local cultures and traditions can be destroyed by the new problems that are only due to tourism for example crime, prostitution and drugs. This is because they have never before had any contact from the western world. Tourists do not have any respect for the local peoples customs and beliefs by walking into mosques and temples inappropriately dressed.The induceing of hotels, airports and other facilities means local people lose their homes, land and traditional means of livelihood. For example fishermen are no longer able to fish, because overseas companies have closed off parts of the beach and sea to only allow their hotel customers to use it.There can also be many risks in mercenary t ourism. Commercial tourism can be greatly affected by political events such as terrorism. Tourism trends can change. Places where tourists utilize to go can become un desireed travel destinations, leaving many people unemployed. People are unemployed, as product linees have failed as there are not any customers. This can have a great effect on a countrys economic structure.The people who would be in privilege of this type of tourism would be overseas companies who want to invest in LEDCs. The land in LEDCs is very cheap so it would not cost companies that much to build hotels. These companies could then discriminate employees by paying them a very low wage and charging tourists a crowd to stay in them. They also know that there is a expectant go outing workforce to use and would be able to take advantage of this.Overseas tour operators would prefer mercenary message tourism as it attracts many more tourists. Tour operators would make more money from selling commercial holida ys rather than eco holidays.Local businesses would also like commercial tourism as it brings more customers, along with good transport links such as, roads, trains and airports. This also opens up the rest of the world to businesses who want to export goods internationally. Local farmers may also be in favour of commercial tourism as it opens up a large food market to sell their produce.The people who would be opposed to this tourism would be local native people who would not want airports, roads and other facilities to ruin their culture and natural way of life. Commercial tourism creates a lot of jobs, just now most of the profits go out of the country to large companies who own the hotels and other facilities. Their natural ways of life would be interpreted away by the invasion of foreign cultures and traditions.Local people who sell souvenirs would not like commercial tourism as this would bring in mass produced cheap souvenirs crushing the local peoples businesses. Foreign co mpanies would have more money to set up shops unlike local people attracting more customers. A lot of the money earned from commercial tourism would choke the country for large foreign companies and does not benefit everyone. Peoples cultures and traditions are ruined, and with that their jobs and lives. below are some quotes from people who have been employed and disrupted by commercial tourism.Commercial tourism has been in Napo for a long time but its benefited only the tour companies and not us. It also brought crime into the areaCommercial guides brought tourists to our villages and paid us hardly anything, not even sufficiency for a bus fare to Tena. The tourists walked around our villages, into houses, and took photos without askingWe want to hold existing according to our own culture and alongside our natural mother, the jungleEcotourismEcotourism is a responsible type of travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of the local people Ecotourism is a way of travelling while improving the welfare of the local people. This means that in ecotourism areas, there are not any hotels or airports that ruin the landscape. People stay in the same facilities as the local people. This means there is not air or noise pollution.All the income made by this type of tourism stays in the country with the local people helping towards schooling, clean water and healthcare. No money leaves the country to go to large overseas companies. Local craft industries can grow as there are not any large companies mass producing cheap souvenirs. People will pay for the time and effort that a local person has coiffure into making that souvenir. No land is taken over for development of hotels and airports so farmland is not lost. No food is imported from abroad as all the food eaten by the tourists is locally grown.Ecotourism costs a lot less than commercial tourism so it does not increase national debt. Local cultures and traditions are not des troyed as local people are allowed to carry on subsisting normally. The type of people waiver on eco holidays are not the same people who go on commercial holidays. This means that in eco areas, they will not get any drug abuse, prostitution or crime. The people who go on eco holidays respect the local peoples ways of life, try and help the local people and will not try and get in their way.Farmers and people do not lose their land or houses to ecotourism or their traditional way of life as there are not any large companies winning over parts of land or beaches for foreign use only. The local people let tourists into their way of life instead of adapting to foreign ways. in addition the local people and the environment is respected and cared for in ecotourism unlike commercial tourism.The disadvantages of ecotourism are that a lot less money is made from ecotourism than commercial tourism. As a lot less people go on eco holidays the countries get less money, but all the money is going satisfying to the local people instead of out of the country.Ecotourism does not create as much employment as commercial tourism as it is not on a large scale. It is based around the local people and not always for the tourists benefit. Due to this there are not any attractions or many facilities which in commercial tourism would create a lot of jobs.The people who would be in favour for ecotourism are the Quichua people in Napo who would not want commercial tourism in their area. present is a quote from the Quichua people about ecotourismOur way of life, traditions and culture are being preserved. Some people who left our village to find work are now returning to work in ecotourism. Our community is go strongerThey would not want commercial tourism as the hotels, airports, roads and other facilities would spoil the natural environment and ruin their cultures and natural ways of life. They would prefer ecotourism which would invite tourists into the area, generating money for the country without spoiling the natural environment or disturbing their native way of life. The Quichua people earn a living from making souvenirs and farming. With commercial tourism, their farmland would be taken away and their souvenir industries ruined. All the money created would stay in the country and be used directly to improve their way of life.Below are some quotes from people who have been employed and benefited from ecotourism.We work as guides and decide who we invite to our village. We grow food and make handicraft to sell to the touristsThe profits we earn from ecotourism are invested to improve our community, by building schools and a health centre for our children like a shot we can make a living preserving the forest and not destroying itThe people who would not be in favour of ecotourism are companies and businesses in Napo and Ecuador. Companies and businesses in Napo would prefer commercial tourism as it brings in more customers. Ecotourism has a lot less t ourists entering the country which would not benefit them. Commercial tourism also brings good transport links such as airports, roads and trains unlike ecotourism. These transport links would create international customers, expanding the business and recovering Ecuadors debt. Ecotourism limits companies expanding by the low number of tourists and transport links.Local hunters and loggers in Napo may also be against ecotourism. This is because ecotourism enforces many rules on local people, preventing any more destruction of the rainforest. Hunters and loggers could be out of work and find it very hard to earn a living as they are unskilled in others areas of employment.ConclusionI have looked at Commercial Tourism and Ecotourism for possible tourism solutions in Napo on behalf of the Quichua people. Both have advantages and disadvantages but in my opinion the most important factors are preserving the Quichua culture and traditions, memory the Quichua people happy. The advantages o f ecotourism are, it protects the peoples traditions and native ways of life, it helps the local people instead of using them, it creates money directly for the native people and is a more single and friendly type of tourism.Although there are some advantages to Commercial tourism such as more customers, more money and more overseas investment, these things can sometimes be a disadvantage to the native people. boilersuit I would choose ecotourism for the Napo region as this type of tourism fills the call for of the Quichua people. I would also choose this type of tourism for LEDCs similar to Ecuador.