Courtesy of: EarthTalk®

Dear EarthTalk: What exactly constitutes "Eco-Travel" or "Eco-Tourism"? —Jeannette Peclet, Norwalk, CT

While tour operators and travel agents around the world may tout their trips as "eco-tours," environmentally conscious travelers take a variety of considerations into account when determining whether or not any given excursion qualifies as such. The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) defines eco-tourism as "travel to natural destinations that minimizes impact, builds environmental awareness, helps fund conservation, and respects and sustains local cultures while supporting human rights and democracy."

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), eco-tourism is defined as travel focused on "the observation and appreciation of nature as well as the traditional cultures prevailing in natural areas." UNEP emphasizes that eco-tours must contain educational features, be organized for small groups by locally-owned businesses, minimize negative impacts "upon the natural and socio-cultural environment," and support the protection of natural areas by generating income for the host communities to use in conserving and sustaining their natural and cultural resources.

This article appears in Apr 14-20, 2011.