Ecotourism in British Columbia : theory and practice

Ecotourism is a concept of admirable ideals, but has lacked a mechanism to relate these ideals from theory to practice. This thesis provides such a mechanism to identify ecotourism in practice. This was achieved by: Assessing the concept of ecotourism as a form of sustainable development. Identifying 'key elements' which constitute ecotourism in theory, and relating them to practice in British Columbia. Deciding if ecotourism exists in British Columbia Reviewing and assessing the actions and initiatives of administration toward sustainable development (and potentially ecotourism) in British Columbia. A review of sustainable development and ecotourism from a theoretical perspective provide a model for assessing the implementation of sustainable tourism development initiatives in British Columbia. It also provides a basis from which to assess the ecotourism concept. For ecotourism, the ideals and features that are used (o describe the concept are collectively identified. These are termed ecotourisms 'key elements'. They are divided into three categories, firstly a participant perspective which involves assessment of motivation, intensity, education, participation; and behaviour, secondly an operational perspective of environmentally sensitive management, and thirdly administrative requirements of a planned and protected operating environment The 'key elements' are used to analyse a selection of nature based tourism operations from the High Country and Vancouver Island Tourism Regions of British Columbia. The 'key element' method of analysis is found to be effective for identifying ecotourism in practice. However a decisive 'key element' is considered to be a protected operating environment. While administrative initiatives in British Columbia to improve protection of operating environments are comprehensive, the traditional resource extraction industries of the province present a challenge that tourism has difficulty competing against. The strategy to meet this challenge rests in the Tourism Ministry gaining a legislative mandate in resource management. This thesis concludes that the success of this strategy is largely dependent on unified and effective lobbying from the tourism industry as a whole to the government, and more generally on a cooperative environment between all government administrations that utilise the natural resources of the Province