Ecotourism services and the guide.
Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2024 7:22 am
Ecotourism is a booming tourist activity, where the visitor's motivation is the observation, learning, interpretation and respectful enjoyment of the natural spaces that a place offers, while contributing to its protection and conservation without generating negative impacts on the environment.
This type of tourism is attracted by natural resources and cultural heritage , promoting the conservation of these spaces and respect for local communities.
Spain, destination for Ecotourism
Spain is the country in the European Union with the largest land area contributed to the Natura 2000 Network, the European ecological network of biodiversity conservation areas and the main instrument for the conservation of the natural spaces found there. This is why more and more visitors choose our country as an ecotourism destination, in search of a way of travelling linked to the discovery of local essences, tranquillity and encounter with nature. Traveler magazine indicates that three out of ten international tourists who visited Spain in 2021 took part in nature and ecotourism.
But what characterises these destinations? It is the presence of natural spaces, many of them protected, as the main attraction. In this sense, Spain is one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in Europe, with 16 national parks that represent very different landscapes and ecosystems: volcanic, high mountains, with spectacular beaches, maritime and jungle. The natural values that these natural spaces possess are associated with cultural values, such as ethnography, crafts and traditional trades. To highlight them, activities are promoted whose purpose is the interpretation and knowledge of natural resources, contributing to the conservation of the destination's natural spaces through a sustainable ecotourism experience.
Group of ecotourists walking through a forest
Advantages of Ecotourism
One of the advantages of the development of ecotourism is the deseasonalisation of tourism in Spain, which is mainly based on sun and beach. The rise in uses and activities related to nature tourism allows for jobs in the sector to be recorded throughout the year, a trend that has increased after the Covid-19 pandemic, when ecotourists were looking for natural, safe and uncrowded destinations. At the same time, ecotourism is an opportunity for employment and income for rural and sparsely populated communities, contributing to local development.
Promoting ecotourism allows the urban population to be aware of and learn about the protected areas of our country, to value the rich natural and cultural heritage that we possess, as well as the great diversity of values and benefits associated with these spaces. Education and knowledge are a tool for the conservation of biodiversity.
The protection of natural resources.
Ecotourism is committed to the value of natural resources and their protection. To protect natural resources, research and scientific knowledge are required to obtain information about species, habitats, ecosystems, etc. It is the Administration, at all levels, that guarantees the adequate protection and management of natural resources, in addition to facilitating communication and promoting the participation of society by encouraging them to develop values that benefit the protection of these resources.
Through territorial planning instruments called the Natural Resources Management Plan (PORN) and the Master Plan for Use and Management (PRUG), the protection of the following is managed:
Water resources : water uses and demands, quality of surface and groundwater, infrastructure or hydrological planning.
The soil : as a support for the environment where human activities are generated, due to its productive nature or support for the development of vegetation, including agricultural activities.
Flora and fauna : biodiversity, species conservation and recovery centres, conservation plans.
Protected areas : making nature conservation compatible with the orderly use of natural resources and economic development.
The forest environment : one of the most precious natural resources for society and which is exposed to significant threats, such as forest fires or pests.
Coastal areas : diverse, unique, productive ecosystems with great demographic dynamism.
Geodiversity : the geological wealth that gives rise to a diversity of rocks, minerals, shapes and unique landscapes in the territory.
The ecotourism services offered in a territory will depend on the profile of the visitors, since this determines the concerns and preferences sought in the tourist destination. It is important that tour operators take these profiles into account when planning activities and ecotours to satisfy the demand for this type of tourism by creating basic or specialized packages based on their characteristics.
Foreign ecotourists generally come from European countries and seek to enrich their kuwait phone numbers experiences. Some are the so-called “twitchers” or seekers of rarities in birdlife and request local guides with a lot of experience to accompany them on their ecotours. On the other hand, national ecotourists prefer the combination of nature and socializing, as well as an interest in the gastronomic offer.
In order to adapt ecotourism services, it is also important to offer specific tourism products for those seeking to learn in detail about the biodiversity of greatest ecological value and best preserved in natural spaces.
In any case, the best way to practice ecotourism is with a local guide who is able to show and transmit to the visitor experiences that they would not be able to capture on their own, to show hidden landscapes, advise on local products and raise awareness about the protection and conservation of natural and cultural heritage.
Do you want to train in Ecotourism? The Ecotourism course will allow you to acquire the basic fundamentals of the ecotourism phenomenon, the techniques for its planning, the profile of the ecotourist, learn about the protection of natural resources and the economic aspects of ecotourism projects.
This type of tourism is attracted by natural resources and cultural heritage , promoting the conservation of these spaces and respect for local communities.
Spain, destination for Ecotourism
Spain is the country in the European Union with the largest land area contributed to the Natura 2000 Network, the European ecological network of biodiversity conservation areas and the main instrument for the conservation of the natural spaces found there. This is why more and more visitors choose our country as an ecotourism destination, in search of a way of travelling linked to the discovery of local essences, tranquillity and encounter with nature. Traveler magazine indicates that three out of ten international tourists who visited Spain in 2021 took part in nature and ecotourism.
But what characterises these destinations? It is the presence of natural spaces, many of them protected, as the main attraction. In this sense, Spain is one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in Europe, with 16 national parks that represent very different landscapes and ecosystems: volcanic, high mountains, with spectacular beaches, maritime and jungle. The natural values that these natural spaces possess are associated with cultural values, such as ethnography, crafts and traditional trades. To highlight them, activities are promoted whose purpose is the interpretation and knowledge of natural resources, contributing to the conservation of the destination's natural spaces through a sustainable ecotourism experience.
Group of ecotourists walking through a forest
Advantages of Ecotourism
One of the advantages of the development of ecotourism is the deseasonalisation of tourism in Spain, which is mainly based on sun and beach. The rise in uses and activities related to nature tourism allows for jobs in the sector to be recorded throughout the year, a trend that has increased after the Covid-19 pandemic, when ecotourists were looking for natural, safe and uncrowded destinations. At the same time, ecotourism is an opportunity for employment and income for rural and sparsely populated communities, contributing to local development.
Promoting ecotourism allows the urban population to be aware of and learn about the protected areas of our country, to value the rich natural and cultural heritage that we possess, as well as the great diversity of values and benefits associated with these spaces. Education and knowledge are a tool for the conservation of biodiversity.
The protection of natural resources.
Ecotourism is committed to the value of natural resources and their protection. To protect natural resources, research and scientific knowledge are required to obtain information about species, habitats, ecosystems, etc. It is the Administration, at all levels, that guarantees the adequate protection and management of natural resources, in addition to facilitating communication and promoting the participation of society by encouraging them to develop values that benefit the protection of these resources.
Through territorial planning instruments called the Natural Resources Management Plan (PORN) and the Master Plan for Use and Management (PRUG), the protection of the following is managed:
Water resources : water uses and demands, quality of surface and groundwater, infrastructure or hydrological planning.
The soil : as a support for the environment where human activities are generated, due to its productive nature or support for the development of vegetation, including agricultural activities.
Flora and fauna : biodiversity, species conservation and recovery centres, conservation plans.
Protected areas : making nature conservation compatible with the orderly use of natural resources and economic development.
The forest environment : one of the most precious natural resources for society and which is exposed to significant threats, such as forest fires or pests.
Coastal areas : diverse, unique, productive ecosystems with great demographic dynamism.
Geodiversity : the geological wealth that gives rise to a diversity of rocks, minerals, shapes and unique landscapes in the territory.
The ecotourism services offered in a territory will depend on the profile of the visitors, since this determines the concerns and preferences sought in the tourist destination. It is important that tour operators take these profiles into account when planning activities and ecotours to satisfy the demand for this type of tourism by creating basic or specialized packages based on their characteristics.
Foreign ecotourists generally come from European countries and seek to enrich their kuwait phone numbers experiences. Some are the so-called “twitchers” or seekers of rarities in birdlife and request local guides with a lot of experience to accompany them on their ecotours. On the other hand, national ecotourists prefer the combination of nature and socializing, as well as an interest in the gastronomic offer.
In order to adapt ecotourism services, it is also important to offer specific tourism products for those seeking to learn in detail about the biodiversity of greatest ecological value and best preserved in natural spaces.
In any case, the best way to practice ecotourism is with a local guide who is able to show and transmit to the visitor experiences that they would not be able to capture on their own, to show hidden landscapes, advise on local products and raise awareness about the protection and conservation of natural and cultural heritage.
Do you want to train in Ecotourism? The Ecotourism course will allow you to acquire the basic fundamentals of the ecotourism phenomenon, the techniques for its planning, the profile of the ecotourist, learn about the protection of natural resources and the economic aspects of ecotourism projects.