Ecotourism Gaining Popularity

Ecotourism is catching on and there’s more than one way to “green” your vacation. You can either visit a location with unspoiled natural beauty. Or you can take steps to minimize a regular vacation’s impact on the environment.

When you see it from this angle, it’s obvious why a million tourists flock each year to the Buffalo National River every year. But park rangers say it isn’t just their park that’s getting attention. The great outdoors are calling, nationwide.

“I think people are appreciating the planet more, and they come out and in nature they can enjoy the awe-inspiring beauty of it and it helps them release from their daily grind at work,” notes Shane Lind, a park ranger at the Buffalo National River in northwest Arkansas.

Another part of ecotourism is education. And the Buffalo National Park does its part to make sure people understand exactly what they’re looking at, and more importantly, how to best preserve it.

“As I feel we are caretakers of these natural areas and through education and interpretive programs, we hope to instill in our visitors how important it is for them to be partners with us,” says Lind.

Less natural destinations are also making every attempt to go green. Hotels are asking customers to help them cut down on water use by washing towels and sheets less frequently. And one travel agent who recently made a trip to the Caribbean reports some very innovative methods of conservation.

“There is a place for her to insert her keycard and that activates all of the plugs, all of the lights, so that she can use the lights, the plugs, her hairdryer, etc. when she leaves the room, it automatically shuts off,” says travel agent Libby Castellanos.

Even though those are just small steps, those in the travel business say it looks like going green is catching on. There’s even a Green Hotels Association. And those measures may just be inspiring travelers as well.