Ecotourism, third
edition
Although representing only a small percentage of international and domestic tourism, eco-
tourism, as a form of alternative tourism, continues to be a viable development option for
all countries around the world. Its appeal lies in the fact that ecotourism attempts to
safeguard human and ecological conditions, while at the same time activating economic
opportunities for individuals and communities.
Focusing on an array of economic, social and ecological inconsistencies that continue to
plague ecotourism in theory and practice, this third edition continues to examine the
evolution of ecotourism in reference to other related forms of tourism, impacts, conservation,
sustainability, education and interpretation, policy and governance and the ethical imperative
of ecotourism as these apply to the world’s greenest form of tourism.
This revised and updated edition of ecotourism provides a broad introduction, including:
● New information on the magnitude of the tourism industry, nature-based tourism,
wildlife tourism and the pros and cons of mass ecotourism.
● Revised chapters on development, economics, marketing, policy, ecotourism in practice
and biodiversity conservation.
● A section on governance models, ecotourism programmes, operators and guides,
interpretation, certification and ecolodge design.
● A discussion of ecotourism as an ethical or responsible form of tourism.
● Approximately 300 new references.
This critical overview of ecotourism is a useful reference for students, lecturers and
researchers. It includes a range of case studies, and considers the perspectives of many
adjacent fields, including geography, economics, business, philosophy, biology and envi-
ronmental studies.
David Fennell teaches and researches mainly in the areas of ecotourism and tourism ethics
at Brock University, St Catharines, Ontario, Canada. He is the founding Editor-in-Chief of
the Journal of Ecotourism, and is an active member on editorial boards of many academic
journals.
Ecotouri