Although the origins of the term ‘ecotourism’ are not entirely clear, one of the first to use it appears to have been Hetzer (1965), who identified four ‘pillars’ or principles of responsible tourism: minimizing environmental impacts, respecting host cultures, maximizing the benefits to local people, and maximizing tourist satisfaction. The first of these was held to be the most distinguishing characteristic of ‘ecological tourism (“EcoTourism”)’ (Fennell, 1998). Other early references to ecotourism are found in Miller’s (1978) work on national park planning for ecodevelopment in Latin America, and documentation produced by Environment Canada in relation to a set of road-based ‘ecotours’ they developed from the mid-1970s through to the early 1980s. Each tour focused on a different ecological zone found along the corridor of the Trans-Canada highway, with an information pack available to aid interpretation (Source: Encyclopedia of Ecotourism).
Ecotourism or Sustainable Environment Friendly Tourism
