The Golden Rules of Ecotourism: (provided by Conservation
International)
As a traveler, you will have an impact on the environment
and culture of the place you are visiting. Here are
some rules of thumb to make this impact positive!
Keep these Golden Rules in mind when you travel:
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Learn about your destination before
you get there. Read guidebooks, travel articles,
histories, and/or novels by local authors and pay
particular attention to customs such as greetings,
appropriate dress, eating behaviors, etc. Being
sensitive to these customs will increase local acceptance
of you as a tourist and enrich your trip.
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Follow established guidelines. Ask
your ecotour operator, guide and/or the local authorities
what their guidelines are for limiting tourism's
impact on the environment and local culture. Staying
on trails, packing up your trash, and remaining
set distances away from wildlife are a few ways
to minimize your impact in sensitive areas.
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Seek out and support locally-owned
businesses. Support local businesses during your
ecotravels to ensure maximum community and conservation
benefit from your tourist dollars
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ABC'S OF ECOTOURISM
