http://www.jimmys-adventures.net/adventure-tourism/
Responsible Or Destructive Tourism
An important leisure activity is recreation. It has a rejuvenating effect on one’s body and mind. This is important for healthy living amidst the stressful modern life. Some of the recreational activities that are popular these days are skiing, snowboarding, bungee jumping, sky diving, hang gliding, canyoning, rock climbing, adventure tourism, backpacking, ecotourism and motor sport. Traveling to the pristine, but fragile, areas is ecotourism. There are two ways ecotourism is practiced. Appreciating nature and learning from its varied life forms as well as the cultures that are embedded in nature is one kind of ecotourism. This requires a deep sensitivity and social consciousness. Reflection on the ecological impact of human activities on nature while appreciating nature is central to it. That is why this is also called responsible ecotourism. The second type of ecotourism has commercial interest at its heart where nature preserves is just another commodity for profit making. Unfortunately, ecotourism continues to be dominated by this category of enterprise.
Neither ecology nor local cultures are the concern for the indiscriminate ecotourism that is practiced. Ecotourism is just a marketing tool. These rich natural habitats are the location for resorts, hotels and lodges with all its luxuries and wasteful lifestyle. These ecologically sensitive areas are neither the focus of conservation nor respect. The ecology deteriorates and the forests degrade when such infrastructure is established in the name of ecotourism. The more is the waste that is generated when more are the facilities. More visitors mean more pollution and generation of garbage. The tourists who frequent such facilities are also not aware or concerned about the impact their visit have on ecology with their lifestyle in such facilities.
In contrast to this type of tourism is the responsible ecotourism which is typically carried out singly or in small groups. They carry with them as little as possible and only just their survival needs. These include first aid kit, flashlight, utensils, personal care products and map amongst others. The most important is the camping tent and the sleeping bag. Camping tents come in different sizes suited for different seasons. There are camping tents manufactured by many companies such as MSR Hubba Hubba Tent and Marmot Aeros Tent, and many more designs from Black Diamond, Eureka, Kelty and Sierra.
Normally camping is considered to be responsible tourism. There is a minimal negative impact on nature. The campers give adequate attention to recycling, energy efficiency and water conservation. They also make sure that the economic benefits accrue to local communities.
Adrenaline Queenstown