Ecotourism
The development of the concept of ecotourism is closely linked to the improvement of humanistic principles in society. In general, humanity has always thought of respecting natural areas and preserving the environment’s heritage, but only in recent decades, this trend becomes particularly visible. Due to a large number of professional opinions on the definition of ecotourism, it is not easy to give a single definition that could satisfy all existing principles of this direction. Even if one looks at educational materials, it is not difficult to notice that the authors give more than seven different versions of ecotourism. On the one hand, such ambiguity is confusing, but at the same time, multiplicity allows for a broader view of the phenomenon of ecotourism.
It is worth noting that Discovery Voyage is an excellent example of ecotourism. The organizers offer its guests not only to use the transport services to get to the incredible ecosystem of Prince William Sound but also allows investment in the local area (“Eco-friendly Cruising,” n.d.). Specifically, guests before and after their trip are accommodated in Anchorage’s local city, which improves the economy. The company’s primary emphasis is on sustainable travel, so the welcome web page invites the reader to calculate the trip’s potential emissions and choose the best option. Discovery Voyage offer should be considered ecotourism, as, by the most universal definition, proposed by TIAC, ecotourism is a segment of tourism aimed at opening up new natural areas for travelers, preserving the integrity, and promoting the development of local communities (Goeldner & Ritchie, 2011). As is clear from the definition, clients using the organization’s services are committed to preserving the cultural and traditional heritage of local people and nature. In addition to meeting these requirements, the organizers promote projects to prevent a valuable ecosystem’s carbon emissions and water pollution.
Sustainable Tourism
Meanwhile, Discovery Voyage is also an example of sustainable tourism, since ecotourism is a division of this form of travel. Above all, it is worth confidently operating in terms: according to the textbook definitions, “ecotourism is a segment of sustainable tourism […]” (Goeldner & Ritchie, 2011, p. 386). Indeed, the company’s offers to visit Prince William Sound encourage the use of ecotourism or carbon offsets and stimulate the development of local communities, which makes this type of “ecological.” It is necessary to recognize that both concepts are essentially the same type of activity — active care for the environment. Nevertheless, sustainable tourism is a broader concept and does not necessarily include visits to natural areas, but surely aims to ensure the “sustainability” of ecological systems. Thus, Discovery Voyage can be considered sustainable for several reasons at once. First, the organizers guarantee that the design of the ship is made in such a way as to exclude the pollution of valuable Alaska water resources. Second, the company has schemes to offset carbon emissions and maintain water purity. These programs allow for a long-term perspective, as it is technically impossible to achieve a reduction in carbon residue or crystal water purity “right now.” Third, Discovery Voyage implements the travel of tourists to valuable and unique natural areas, provided the integrity is preserved, which is the principle of sustainable development. Finally, the crew recommends guests to abandon unnecessary materials on board for the necessary luggage, taking only the most necessary.
It is fair to say that sustainable tourism can easily be confused with ecotourism, justified by the general idea of terms. However, as a broader species, sustainable tourism entails greater responsibility on the part of both the service provider and clients. Most often, this type of tourism includes responsible environmental management, waste management, hiring local people as employees, and fostering a culture of sustainable development. However, its website does not fully cover the factors described above, although it claims that ships are subject to annual inspections, including waste management expertise.
References
Eco-friendly Cruising. (n.d.). Discovery Voyage. 2020, Web.
Goeldner, C., & Ritchie, J. (2011). Tourism: Principles, practices, philosophies (12th Ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.