“Ecology” and “lucrative investment” are rarely muttered in the same sentence. And yet, according to a recent article in the New York Times, potential profits from eco-tourism are starting to turn heads amongst tourism officials in some of the world’s more remote regions.
Inspired by places like Costa Rica, more than 48 countries worldwide have initiated national programs to embrace the eco-conscious traveler with hopes of cashing in on this rapidly growing niche.
The eco-tourism buzzword has also caught on in the Kyoto-unfriendly United States where the travel industry is targeting some 58 million travelers who claim, according to a study by the Travel Industry Association of America, that they are willing to pay a little more to support hotels and tour operators who help preserve the environment.
But how can you tell in advance which hotels are likely to place that nice little note in your bathroom asking that you reuse the towels to help conserve water? Well, the Rainforest Alliance is working on it. Next month they will launch www.eco-index.org/tourism. The site will allow travelers to search a database of hotels and tour operators to locate those that have been certified eco-friendly.