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LINKING ECOTOURISM AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION: A CASE STUDY OF DOI INTHANON NATIONAL PARK, THAILAND

1998; Wiley; Volume: 19; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/j.1467-9493.1998.tb00259.x

1467-9493

Glen T. Hvenegaard, Philip Dearden,

Cruise Tourism Development and Management

ABSTRACT Ecotourism, or tourism that promotes conservation, does not occur in isolation, but as part of an interdependent system. Based on a case study at Doi Inthanon National Park, Thailand, this study outlines a conceptual framework for such a system, placing biodiversity conservation in the context of other major tourism components, including tourists, ecotourism infrastructure, protected areas and local people. In an interactive way, each component affects the conservation of biodiversity. Based on a tourist survey and participant observation, we examine the interrelationships among the key tourism components and potential changes over time. Several environmental, social, economic and educational effects illustrate the complex nature of the ecotourism‐conservation relationship. Recommendations to increase conservation benefits from ecotourism are provided.