“Ecotourism — Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education.” – The International Ecotourism Society.

At Invest SEA, we define ecotourism as environmentally sustainable —and educational — travel that explores the line where your everyday world ends, and nature begins. Ecotourism is about the environment making an impact on you, without you making an impact on the environment. By being immersed in nature, travelers come away more grounded, and enlightened, on the ecosystems we are all a part of.

Goals of Ecotourism:

• Prioritizes the well-being of the environment and inhabitants of the destination.
• Attracts travelers to locations where the central attractions are geological features.
• Reduces the carbon footprint of travel and stay, typically by avoiding long flights and hotel stays, opting instead for eco-friendly travel and local lodging.
• Educates visitors on the habitat and conservation efforts, bringing awareness, business, and donations to deserving causes and areas.

Investment Benefits of Ecotourism:

• Upward trends in the tourism industry project ecotourism to become a 333.8-billion-dollar industry by 2027.
• Travelers are seeking to support businesses that are helping conservation efforts and are reducing waste and pollution.
• Green-friendly businesses attract the right kind of employees. Millennials and Gen-Z want to work for companies engaged in ethical and sustainable business practices.
• Ecotourism promotes environment-friendly infrastructures to reduce the utilization of fossil fuels, preserve local plants and wildlife, and support the natural and cultural ecosystem.
• It emphasizes the value of accountable local authorities and people to demonstrate community demands of the environment.

2022 is an ideal time to invest in ecotourism; as travelers across the world get back on their feet and back to their voyages after two years of pandemic-related shutdowns, ecotourism strikes the perfect balance of expanding horizons and minimizing travel’s carbon footprint.