Experiencias de ecoturismo en Latinoamérica: un cambio hacia la Sostenibilidad

Abstract

Sustainable tourism recognizes that the future of the tourism sector depends on the protection of life in all its diversity, integrates economic and ecological concerns and its purposes are inserted within equity and social cohesion. This research analyzes the conceptions of ecotourism in Costa Rica, Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, recognized as countries with development in the dynamics of typology; to achieve this objective, the variables of the state agenda, contributions to development, lessons learned in the process and importance of the destinations and the developed planning models were addressed. Ecotourism for Latin America is considered as a commitment to the development of the regions and as an alternative to conventional international tourism, it is conceived from the position of benefit of local communities, the vision of responsible marketing, and pursues the offer of a client more committed to conservation and decisive contribution to the future. In the region there are agendas, planning and consolidated tourism products, the established guidelines obey to international models and agreements, constituting a process of traceability for the development of tourist activity in ecological zones. However, the dynamics and real spaces are not very sustainable or work in a partial way, leaving to the decision of the provider or the tourist practices mostly conventional. It should be noted that sustainable tourism development is not a destination reached, but rather a road to travel in Latin America