Top Spots For Southeast Asian Ecotourism
Rebecca Ruiz, 03.10.08, 6:00 PM ET
Inspired by Southeast Asia's natural beauty and rich culture, many
travelers are showing an interest in the area's alternative "eco"
vacations, like the one offered in the Thai National Forests.
Participants on this $2,300, 10-day tour (airfare and two nights' stay
in Bangkok not included) receive an intensive education in regional
ecology and conservation efforts, which range from using biogas to
discourage logging and creating communal farms to decrease poaching.
Highlights include trips to the Erawan, Budo Sungai-Padi and Khao Yai
national parks, where tropical birds, elephants and Asiatic tigers
live.
It's one of many luring travelers to the region. As travel to
Southeast Asia continues to rise--an estimated 60.4 million tourists
visited the region in 2007--many visitors are foregoing traditional
packages and chain hotels and instead discovering the nascent
ecotourism market.
In Depth: Top Spots For Southeast Asian Ecotourism
Ecotourism is broadly defined as "responsible" or "ethical" travel
during which tourists try their best to minimize environmental impact
and ensure their spending and presence benefits the local community.
This niche market has grown steadily in recent years.
While it's difficult to estimate the region's share of this growth,
experts say that examples like a solar-powered lodge in Sumatra,
Indonesia, and a conservation-focused tour of the Sukau rainforest in
Malaysia are indicative of a growing trend to provide tourists in
Southeast Asia with culturally sensitive and environmentally friendly
vacations.
"Some of [these countries]," says Ayako Ezaki, director of
communications for the International Ecotourism Society, "have taken
advantage of the natural and cultural heritage they have to develop
tourism. They've highlighted those beauties and attracted tourists."
Enlightening Excursions
Though the market in Southeast Asia is still growing, there are
several countries in the region that offer ecotourism options,
including Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Visitors to northern Laos, for example, can stay at the Boat Landing
Guest House, an eco-lodge certified by Green Globe, a company that
rigorously evaluates a hotel's environmental practices. Guests at the
riverside bungalows can rest assured the lodge is working to reduce
its solid waste through recycling and composting. Tourists can spend
their time trekking, rafting and biking in the nearby protected
forests.
On a trip through the Sukau Rainforest in Malaysia, where the
landscape features jungles, paddy fields and rivers, tourists will
learn about local turtle conservation efforts and stay at the 20-room
Sukau Rainforest eco-lodge where the water is heated with solar power
and "p*****" have been built into the land to accommodate elephant
migration in the area. The lodge charges one dollar extra per
international adult guest and uses it to fund projects like wildlife
rehabilitation and tree planting.
Travelers worried about their carbon footprints can try a two-week
trip to Cambodia, for which the tour operator can purchase carbon
offsets. Highlights include visits to Angkor Wat, a 12th-century
temple, and the Royal Palace, as well as the knowledge that the
economic and environmental impact on communities is closely
monitored.
A range of policies and practices like these are im****tant, according
to Dr. Eric Crystal, a lecturer at University of California, Berkeley,
who has researched the positive and negative consequences of tourism
in Southeast Asia.
"Tourism has brought a lot of good and bad things," Crystal says. But
people can also be very conscious, he says, of what they can put back.
What To Know Before You Go
Though "ecotourism" is a vague term to most consumers, Andy Drumm, a
senior ecotourism specialist at the Nature Conservancy, says there are
specific components to look for in a vacation marketed with the word.
Where the environment is concerned, Drumm says tourists should ask
whether or not a tour operator or hotel is certified and incor****ates
sustainable energy practices like solar power or water conservation.
Companies should also make clear exactly how they contribute to local
communities. Volunteer time, financial contributions or donations of
needed materials can be effective depending on the location. If a
company doesn't comment on these issues or doesn't respond to
questions, chances are they may be "greenwa****ng"--just using the
"eco-" term as a marketing tool.
"You don't want to turn your vacation time into labor," he says of
researching ecotourism travel options, "but you have to be pretty
determined."
Awareness of one's impact often helps convince travelers to explore so-
called ethical measures. At the Komodo National Park in Indonesia, for
instance, independent travelers contribute about $100 to the local
economy, whereas those on a package tour spend half that and those who
arrive via a cruise ****p have a local impact of only three cents. With
this knowledge, a tourist might decide against a cruise and instead
book local alternatives and buy keepsakes from native artisans.
"The im****tant thing to note," says Ezaki, "is that when you say
'ecotourism,' it's not just about one particular group of companies
you can travel with. It's about doing everything possible to make your
experience more sustainable and more responsible."
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