Department of Tourism - Bhutan’s Post

 Brazil is ranked highest on their ecotourism index by Forbes Forbes Advisor has developed an ‘ecotourism index’ to help determine the best locations for environmentally-conscious holidaymakers, or ‘ecotourists’.  The index measured various factors, including the number of animal and plant species, and protected species per 10 kmsq, the percentage of protected landmass, the number of Unesco Natural Heritage Sites, the CO2 emissions per capita, and general environmental performance, like air quality. After analysing data on all these criteria, it was Brazil that ranked highest on their ecotourism index. https://lnkd.in/dSQH3Kms

🌍 Exploring 2023’s Top Ecotourism Articles: Insights and Innovations As we continue to explore and understand the multifaceted world of ecotourism, it’s exciting to share the most read articles from the Journal of Ecotourism over the last year. These pieces have garnered significant attention for their groundbreaking insights and innovative approaches: 1. “Prospects for nature-based tourism: identifying trends with commercial potential” by Jan Vidar Haukeland et al. (Published online: 21 Feb 2023). This article has captivated a wide audience with its forward-looking analysis of trends in nature-based tourism and their commercial potential. 2. “The impact of tourist visits on mountain gorilla behavior in Uganda” by Raquel Costa et al. (Published online: 19 Feb 2023). A critical examination of how tourism affects one of the world’s most iconic endangered species, offering essential insights for sustainable wildlife tourism. 3. “Sustainable visitor experience design in nature-based tourism: an introduction to the Special Issue” by Ante Mandić & Stephen F. McCool (Published online: 6 Mar 2023). This introductory editorial to a special issue has drawn significant attention for setting the stage for a deeper understanding of sustainable visitor experiences. 4. “The promise of posthumanism in wildlife ecotourism: a set of case studies of veterinarians’ role at wildlife rehabilitation centers in Costa Rica” by Bastian Thomsen et al. (Published online: 25 Jul 2023). This fascinating piece explores the innovative concept of posthumanism in wildlife ecotourism, particularly focusing on the role of veterinarians in wildlife rehabilitation. These articles represent the cutting-edge of research in ecotourism, offering diverse perspectives and new understandings that are essential for anyone interested in sustainable travel and nature conservation. 🔗 Explore these thought-provoking articles and more here: https://lnkd.in/d9XtEiQi Join us in advancing the knowledge and practice of ecotourism! #Ecotourism #SustainableTourism #Research #WildlifeConservation

Did you know that Brazil, our next The Transformational Travel Council’s Transcend Host Destination is world’s top ecotourism destination with the highest Ecotourism Index Score of 94.9/100? “Brazil is the most biodiverse country of all the destinations we researched, with over 43,000 various animal species, and plants. This is despite large-scale deforestation of the Amazon. Around 30% of Brazil’s landmass is currently protected. This includes eight UNESCO Natural World Heritage Sites.” Transcend’ 24 will take place in Bonito, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil (8-12th April 2024) - first ecotourism destination in the world to receive a carbon-neutral status from United Nations. Secure your space: https://lnkd.in/ez2Z6zyc So proud, Fundação de Turismo de Mato Grosso do Sul, Bruno Wendling, Gisele Abrahao, Douglas Simoes 💙 https://lnkd.in/eiUeWE3K

Responsible tourism has become much more attainable in recent years with many tour operators adopting sustainable and ethical practices. For World Elephant Day, learn from WTTC about how your tourism behavior can make a difference. http://spr.ly/6041PeG9U

[Future Trends in Nigerian Ecotourism & Wildlife Research] Ecotourism is defined as environmentally responsible travel to natural areas, conserving the environment. Conducting . . . https://lnkd.in/dZa9CDBY

Industry consensus agrees ecotourism is more focused on #ecological #conservation and #educating travellers on local environments and natural surroundings. The perception is that #ecotourism means sacrificing comfort or convenience in order to minimize impact. As we have seen it during our last event at thenine , not all travellers are willing to do that. Swimming with Dolphins and sharks is often defined as eco-tourism. But is it always #sustainable #tourism?? If our presence disturbs animals in their eco-system, and in the long term put them in danger, our impact on the environment is not minimal, and therefore, we cannot labelled this kind of tourism "sustainable tourism. And this, even if that tourism raises your awareness on the necessity to preserve #oceans ecosystems. The same goes when it comes to wildlife. So if you would like to live such an experience, minimize physical, social, behavioural, and psychological impacts by framing your stay around #conservation, #community, #culture and #commerce that benefits directly the ones who take care of the nature you came and see. Thank you to @Bianca Baulmer for pointing out this article to me. https://buff.ly/3rjiiTH #environment #planet #environmentalsustainability

For the past eight months, I’ve been living and working in a rural farming and fishing town in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. My life here so far has been wildly fulfilling, educational, and oftentimes humbling. Community-based resource management is something I’ve been passionate about for a long time. Living and working in places where many people depend on their immediate environment to meet their everyday needs has taught me a lot about the challenges and potential solutions related to resource management problems world-wide. As a Peace Corps coastal resource management volunteer, my mission is to help the local government with technical solutions to fisheries and conservation-related issues. This beautiful coastal community is heavily reliant on fishing as a primary source of livelihood and food security. However, growing populations and unsustainable fishing practices, coupled with a changing climate, have reduced local fish stocks and reef health in recent years, making fishing a much less reliable source of income. Recently, there have been several initiatives within the local government to bolster ecotourism with the goal of diversifying the local economy. There is particularly a lot of ecotourism potential related to scuba diving and snorkeling, as the nearby islands are rich with healthy corals and marine life. Through many ongoing discussions with fishing communities, we have recognized a desire among fishers to learn new skills related to tourism so that as the industry grows, they will be able to benefit.  My team within the local government is focused on capacitating fisherfolk with these ecotourism skills and improving tourism related infrastructure. The grant that we’ve been working on to fund these efforts through the Peace Corps and USAID covers a portion of the costs. However, the bulk of this project’s expenses will depend largely on fundraising from community partners and volunteer relationships. The money raised through this grant will go towards running a series of workshops with local experts to train fisherfolk on tourism skills, purchasing new equipment and materials for improving tourism-related infrastructure, and developing local ordinances to ensure long-term success for these efforts.   If you’re so inclined, your support can make a huge difference in our efforts to empower fishing communities through sustainable ecotourism—please consider making a donation today. https://lnkd.in/g8auxFEe Maraming salamat! (thank you very much) <3

Rare sightings of Indo-pacific humpback dolphins at Kurusadai Island. Visitors travelling from Rameswaram island( Kundakal) to Kurusadai island were lucky to see this wonderful group of dolphins. More than 5 different species of dolphin are found in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay. Ecotourism is operated by a community based organisation(CBO) named Eco-Development Committee under the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust(GoMBRT). Ecotourism is a form of responsible tourism and a kind of eco awareness. The Ecotourism is practices based on the carrying capacity of the site and prescription of the Management Plan. Most of the tourists are unaware of the wonderful marine biodiversity in the Gulf of Mannar. We are working in improving the Dolphin Habitat. The Rescue Reward system is introduced to incentivize the fishermen community to come forward and rescue the trapped animals. #oceandecade #dolphins #marinemammals #ocean IUCN UNESCO Ocean UNEP-WCMC WWF-India WWF