Discrepancies between defined and actualized ecotourism: Bridging the gap between theory and reality

by Katrin Einarsdottir, Nelson H.H. Graburn, Gísli Pálsson

Ecotourism is a well-known term, but also an ambiguous word, misunderstood by tourists, tourism hosts and also academics. It has received expanding attention since it has become the quickest growing sector in the tourism industry. Literature published on ecotourism has spent much time and debate trying to define the term and pinpoint exactly what ecotourism is, theoretically. Many definitions have been proposed, ranging in complexity and preciseness, but none have been universally accepted. Much literature also exists on ecotourism case studies, but these have their own flaws since no one can really decide what ecotourism is or how it should look. A large gap exists between understanding and implementing true ecotourism, as well as understanding and experiencing what one believes to be ecotourism, but ‘true’ ecotourism is inevitably an impossible reality to many skeptics, both tourists and academics. However, this paper will still attempt to bridge the gap between ecotourism theory and reality by highlighting the discrepancies between them.

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 16, 2012