Answer: Defining ecotourism has proven to be a difficult task and there are many different definitions to what ecotourism really is. It is more feasible to treat ecotourism as a spectrum with a variety of products rather than attempting to define ecotourism from a specific stance or product.
Ecotourism was first defined as travelling to relatively undisturbed or uncontaminated natural areas with the specific objective of studying, admiring and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals, as well as any existing cultural manifestations found in these areas. The International Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people”.
Honey (2008) defined ecotourism as travel to fragile, pristine and usually protected areas that strives to be low impact and often small scale and helps educate traveler; provides funds of conservation; directly benefits the economic development and political empowerment of local communities.