Green Travel Operators in Central America
Central America was one of the first regions to be adopted by specialists in green travel. In fact, the very term ecotourism was coined by a Mexican environmentalist to describe the importance of not overdeveloping coastal wetlands. Conventional wisdom dictated that new marinas would attract large numbers of American tourists. In fact, it was shown that more people wanted to travel to see the local wildlife than would use the marinas. What's more, they spent more to support the local rural economy, providing jobs and preserving the natural environment.
The realisation that there was a considerable demand for environmental travel led to a large number of new travel companies springing up, claiming to offer environmentally-friendly ecotourism. Your difficulty as a responsible traveller is to distinguish the genuine from the hype. How can you tell that a company promising sustainable tourism is actually as green as it claims? Greenstop provide the answer. We assess all companies who wish to be featured on this site for their environmental credentials, rating them such things as the environmental impact of their resort, sympathetic dealings with the local people and sustainability of their operations.
Ecotourism in Belize
"You have to see it to Belize it". Just ten years ago Belize's barrier reef was declared a world heritage site and the country started gearing up for a surge in green tourism. In that short time, Belize has become a key ecotourism detination of Central America. From swimming among the seal life in the Gulf of Mexico to trekking through the mountainous tropical rain forest in search of exotic wildlife.
As a narrow neck of land joining the two large continents of North and South America, the region is home to over 900 species of mammals, birds and reptiles. With few mineral resources, Belize and its neighbours have to make the most of the living environment. Exploiting these natural resources in traditional ways such as logging, trapping and fishing is a very short term solution. Conservation of the ecosystem as a resource for holidaymakers interested in environmental travel can assure the long-term future of the rainforest and its indigenous peoples. Ecotourism can provide a revenue stream to support the sustainable management and protection of the land.
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