ECOTOURISM AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (4 Credits)

Learning outcomes:

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to: Identify the essence of ecotourism; Describe criteria used to define ecotourism; Illustrate topics and issues important to ecotourism; Apply best practices of ecotourism.

Topics:

1. The nature of ecotourism;
2. The ecotourist;
3. Nature-based ecotourism; Sustainability 1: local participation and benefits;
4. Sustainability 2: conservation;
5. Learning;
6. The moral imperative;
7. Socio-cultural and ecological impacts of ecotourism;
8. Carrying Capacity;
9. Managing Visitor Use;
10. Economic impacts and marketing of ecotourism;
11. Development, governance, and policy;
12. Programme planning;
13. Ecotourism and protected areas: visitor management for sustainability;
14. The role of interpretation in achieving a sustainable future;
15. Linking conservation and communities: community benefits and social costs;
16. Site Visit;
17. Site Visit;
18. Ecotourism case studies;
19. Marketing ecotourism: meeting and shaping expectations and demands;
20. The Greening Market;
21. Opportunities in Marketing Ecotourism;
22. Climate change and ecotourism;
23. Climate change and ecotourism;
24. Impacts, potentials, and possibilities;
25. Impacts, potentials, and possibilities;
26. The nature of ecotourism;
27. Sustainability 2: conservation;
28. Managing Visitor Use;
29. Linking conservation and communities: community benefits and social costs;
30. Marketing ecotourism: meeting and shaping expectations and demands;
31. Climate change and ecotourism.