Ecotourism and indigenous stewardship – A Luxury Travel Blog : A Luxury Travel Blog

Ecotourism is generally hailed as the best form of tourism for environmentally conscious travelers. When the idea of a retreat into nature complete with wildlife observation and beautiful amenities is sold to customers, it is certainly easy to see why this may be preferable to other forms of tourism. Hence, it makes perfect sense that people are eager to choose this option. However, it is not always a straightforward issue given the track record of exploitation by foreign interests. It is best weighed on a case by case basis because this industry has the potential to become another means to marginalize indigenous cultures unintentionally.

The exception are community-led initiatives. When local indigenous communities band together to create sustainable ecotourism ventures, then both the land and indigenous stewards can benefit. There are good examples of successful communities, like the Kichwa Añangu people in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Twenty years…