Ecotourism Article Review Example

The article, Ecotourism and the Challenges Confronting Indigenous Peoples: An Industry of Mixed Reviews was written by Johnston Alison in August 31, 2001. The article is about some of the challenges faced by indigenous people. Ecotourism is one of the most responsible ways of travelling to natural areas that are considered for environmental conservation and sustaining the wellbeing of the local people. Nonetheless, for one to grasp the concept, education and interpretation should suffice. Education in this case is inclusive of educating both the guests and staff. Ecotourism is said to be marketed via various names, nature or ethnic tourism to adventure travel (Alison, 2001). It is said to be of great benefit especially to the local community and people as well as the environment. Many governments consider ecotourism as a win-win method that can be of great importance in financing the protection of ecosystems that are considered to be threatened. It is considered to be one of the ways of making conservation profitable and to vary more questions that are seen to be contentious of equity and sustainability.
In 2002, the UN General Assembly declared that year to be an International Year of Ecotourism (IYE). IYE is said to be helpful to the government as well as private sector as a method for development that is sustainable and conservation of cultural and natural resources. Even though this is the case, governments stated at COP 4 in 1998 and COP 5 in 2000 that indigenous people are not seen to be agents of their own means of development but instead inactive targets for poverty alleviation. As a result, IYE activities should bypass the communities whose resources have been earmarked for development and have also promoted corporate concern in ecotourism as a productive market place.
Looking at the article and having provided the above summary, it is evident that the article is well organized by the way the arguments have been brought forward by the author and how he puts supportive background on the claims he puts forward. He uses primary sources by looking at the industry directly and secondary sources such as some sections of the industries constitution an example is article 8(j) of the CBD. When one looks at the paper in a more critical manner, you would notice that the author of the article has used facts in relations to the indigenous individuals. He has used first-hand information that is considered to have validity (Alison, 2001). In addition to this, the writer has used vocabulary that is most suitable for the message he intends to pass through to the readers as the tone he uses expresses what he really wants the readers to understand about the topic. Indigenous people face a lot of challenges of which it is difficult for them to live a normal life like that of the non-indigenous individuals. They are able to be heard by the government through NGOs with which they take their grievances so that they may be looked upon. The government has been at the forefront in regards to issues concerning the environment and it has been working towards ensuring that the environment is not destroyed. One of the most recent conventions in relations to tourism according to the article was hosted in Germany and it coordinated the development of international guidelines under the CBD. In conclusion, the indigenous people are treated as a generic topic rather than a distinct group of people whom have collective rights.

Reference

Alison, J. (2001). Ecotourism and the Challenges Confronting Indigenous Peoples: An Industry of Mixed Reviews (2nd ed., Vol. XVIII, p. 42). Ithaca: Akwe:kon Press, American Indian Program, Cornell University.