Ecotourism's promise of sustained environmental, social and economic gains makes it the preferred type of development for many interest groups. However, the diversity of so-called "ecotourism initiatives" in the country has raised questions about whether each project truly embodies the principles of sustainability, environmental sensitivity and respect for local peoples and cultures.
This paper looks into the current status of ecotourism initiatives in the Philippines and suggests a classification scheme or framework to be followed and adopted by the industry. Building on concepts first proposed by Acott, LaTrobe and Howard (1998) as well as Weaver (2001), the paper defines ecotourism as having three basic elements: a focus on the natural or cultural environment, an emphasis on learning, and a commitment to sustainability. The resulting framework describes ecotourism programs in terms of market scope (mass vs. niche) and intensity of tourist-environment interaction (active vs. passive). Small case studies of Philippine ecotourism offerings are used to illustrate the classification scheme. Implications for policy and for future research are then suggested.
