Eco-Time Line

Thirty years ago ecotourism was just an idea. Now it's going mainstream. The term "ecotourism" and the ideas behind it emerged almost simultaneously in Africa and the Americas. Here are some highlights of the first 30 years. Text by Costas Christ

1978
Early attempts to link tourism and community conservation in Amboseli are led by Kenyan biologist David Western.

1980
Costa Rica Expeditions president Michael Kaye tells the Tico Times that "tourism should contribute to rather than exploit the land."

1985
New York developer Stanley Selengut creates Maho Bay Camp, a prototype eco-resort in the U.S. Virgin Islands, using low-impact tents and elevated walkways.

1990
PBS airs Megan Epler Wood's documentary The Environmental Tourist. The conservationist-filmmaker then founds The International Ecotourism Society (TIES).

1991
TIES holds its inaugural board meeting, and "ecotourism" is officially defined.

1992
CCAfrica opens Phinda Mountain Lodge. The company's mantra: "Care for the land, care for the people, care for the animals."

1994
Australia commits $10 million toward developing a national ecotourism strategy.

1995
Delegates from 30 countries gather in Costa Rica to create international standards for ecolodges.

2002
The United Nations declares this the International Year of Ecotourism.

2005
The First Conference on Ecotourism in the U.S. is held in Bar Harbor, Maine.

2007
Calls increase for ecotourism standards across the mainstream travel industry.

-Article sourced from here-

Ed's note: Also check out the Wild Asia's 2008 Responsible Tourism Award