Topics > Ecotourism does more … > PRO
Author: Debate_Guru

Ecotourism Does More Harm Than Good

PRO (4 arguments)

Define:

The Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the welfare of the local people

1. Ecotourism only hurts the environment
Warrant:

Look to our definition of ecotourism – “previously conserved areas”. So, human interaction can no possibly do better for the environment than humans not interfering with the environment. There is no way human interference in an ecosystem can possibly aid the environment more than leaving the environment alone. Think of ecotourism as an oilrig. An oilrig that has supposedly a “minimal impact” on the environment. So, people claim that this oilrig benefits the environment. But this a fallacy. What about an oil rig with absolutely no impact? Wouldn’t that be better? Of course it would. This no impact oilrig is no ecotourism. Ecotourism cannot possibly help the environment more than no human interference.
2. Ecotourism is not a way to protect the environment; it is a way for large companies to gain more profits
Warrant:

False ads and fake corporate “greenness” are all products of ecotourism. These companies only care about the $$. They would definitely rather get millions of $$ than to save a species

Evidence: A May 2009 poll taken by CNN showed that out of 1500 ecotourism companies, 85% of the companies didn’t even have a recycling program. This is sad. Even companies like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola have recycling programs, and they aren’t even tourist companies! Ecotourism don’t care about the environment. All they care about is the environment.
3. Ecotourism scars environments that should be protected
Warrant:

Humans change environments no matter how hard we try to keep them pristine. Feeding habits change for animals that live in these areas, bugs become adapted to humans. The animals become used to humans and are no longer in their natural state.

Tapanit National Park in Costa Rica has monkeys that before tourism were afraid of humans and shy around predators. After 10 years of tourism they went out into open spaces, unafraid of humans and were then hunted massively by humans and predators, nearly making them extinct all because of human interaction.
4. They will always be people who do not follow rules or conduct in ecotourism
Warrant:

We have nobody to constantly look over these people to make sure they do not ruin the environment. The people who watch them are the same people who don’t care about the environment and are willing to destroy the environment in order to reap in large profits. People by nature will make mistakes and break rules set by ecotourism.

 

There are not enough people to make sure that people don’t litter or even go off the trail. This alters the conditions of these places greatly. The only way to protect these previously conserved areas is to leave them alone, which is another way of saying conserve them.