An Alternative View of Ecotourism with a Specific Reference to Turkey

Abstract

Ecotourism has become the focal point in a wide range of discussions and interests of private and public sectors, policy makers, academicians, researchers, local people, and environmentalists. Many scholars and researchers uphold the widely avowed idea that ecotourism is to use natural and cultural resources in a sustainable way and to enable economic development of the local people. Not every scholar and researcher shares this view because, from the beginning onwards, ecotourism has always been widely debated issue due to the discrepancies in the stated objectives and practices throughout the world. Especially, concepts such as poverty alleviation and stakeholder participation, contributions to local culture and life, and objectives of local, national, and international investors, hotel industry, tourism agencies, and state organizations have been heavily and critically scrutinized and debated. This chapter is designed to provide an alternative evaluation of, and a discussion on, the nature of ecotourism with a particular focus on Turkey.