'Ecotourism' outlines the phenomenon of Ecotourism; its sources and its development as a concept.

Conservation issues are now at the forefront of public opinion - Nature is calling us to its wilds and we are responding in droves. The decline of natural rainforests, loss of endangered species, global warming and land degradation have galvanised public support for conservation. The interest in Ecotourism and nature-orientated tourism has coincided with this worldwide concern

Using relevant case studies, 'Ecotourism' examines the potential positive social and environmental benefits of Ecotourism and is ideal for both students of tourism and practitioners within the tourism industry.

'Ecotourism' will also be of interest to environmental groups, land managers, academics and planners. Indeed anyone interested in examining what Ecotourism is and how it may hold the potential to solve or at least mitigate several of the great problems of our age. An example being arguably the greatest of these dilemmas: to satisfy human needs for employment, income and economic development, while at the same time protecting the environment.

Stephen Wearing and John Neil are both lecturers at the School of Tourism Studies, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.

International examples

Contains mix of academic and practitioner writing