Tourism can be sustainable if development meets the needs of tourists and local residents while protecting future opportunities. Ecotourism offers benefits for local residents, conservation, development and educationalexperiences. Ecotourism is a sustainable form of natural resource-based tourism.

While the terms are often used synonymously, their goals and impacts can be very different. “Ecotourism is altruistic,” says Mueller, who is president of R.E.I. Tours, based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. “Adventure travel insulates you from the local environment and then utilizes its resources.

Key Difference – Tourism vs Ecotourism Tourism is the activity of traveling to places for leisure. Ecotourism is a special category of tourism, which is concerned with the conservation of nature and sustaining the well-being of local people.

Ecotourism — low-impact travel to natural areas — might seem like an attractive option to visitors interested in pristine environments and local culture. Its benefits include an increased appreciation for nature and a stronger commitment to conservation.

Ecotourism generally possesses the following characteristics:

• Conscientious, low-impact visitor behavior.
• Sensitivity towards, and appreciation of, local cultures and biodiversity.
• Support for local conservation efforts.
• Sustainable benefits to local communities.
• Local participation in decision-making.

The negative environmental impacts of tourism are substantial. They include the depletion of local natural resources as well as pollution and waste problems. Tourism puts enormous stress on local land use, and can lead to soil erosion, increased pollution, natural habitat loss, and more pressure on endangered species.