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中文5255字毕业设计(论文)英文翻译课题名称院系专业旅游管理专业班级姓名学号指导老师2012年5月10日ReflectionsontheConnotationsofEcotourismAbstract:Asthemostdesirableoptionforsustainabledevelop-mentoftourismindustry,ecotourismstillsuffersfromlackofaclear-cutandwidelyaccepteddefinition,posingmanyrisksandthreatsinitspractices.Basedoncollectionandcollationofvariousconceptsandexplanationsofecotourismbothathomeandabroad,thispaperreflectsonthecurrentconnotationsofecotourismintermsoffouraspects,namely,objectsofecotour-ism,ecotourists,natureofecotourismaswellastherelation-shipbetweenecotourismandcommunities.In-depthanalysiswasperformedinanefforttorevisethemisinterpretationofecotourismandprovideimplicationsforecotourisminitiatives.Themainconclusionsandfruitsofthisarticleinclude:1)Theobjectsofecotourismshouldgobeyondnatural,pristine,orevenonlyprimitivenaturalareastoincludingculturalresourcestogetherwiththeirnaturalcontextwhichalsodeservepreser-vation.2)Tourismoperators,comparedtotourists,havemoreleverageandhenceshouldshouldermoreresponsibilitiesforconservation.3)Ecotourismshouldserveasaprincipletoguidetourisminitiativestowardssustainability,ratherthanmerelyaspecialtourpackage.4)Thetheoreticfoundationwaslaidforcommunityparticipationinecotourism.Keywords:ecotourism,connotations,externality1ConceptsandconnotationsofecotourismControversyhasalwaysexistedoverthedefinitionandessenceofecotourismsincetheformalintroductionofthetermbyCeballos-Lascurainaroundtwodecadesago.ChineseexpertsLuandWang(2001)listedaltogether73expressionsofthistermintheirpublicationTheStudyofEcotourism,someestimatesthattherehavealreadybeenatleast100definitionsofecotourism.Hereareseveraldefini-tionsofconsiderableinfluence.Asthefirstpersontousethetermofecotourism,Ceballos-Lascurain(1991)initiallydefineditas‘travelingtorelativelyundisturbedoruncon-taminatedareaswiththespecificobjectiveofstudying,admiring,andenjoyingthesceneryanditswildplantsandanimals,aswellasanyexistingculturalmanifestations(bothpastandpresent)foundintheseareas…’.TheUnitedStatesEcotourismSociety(BlangyandWood,1992)gavetheshort-estpossiblebutalsocomprehensivedefinitiontoecotourism,‘Responsibletravelthatconservestheenvironmentandsus-tainsthewell-beingoflocalpeople’.Black(1996)definedecotourisminsuchawayas‘Anexperiencewithafocusonthenaturaland/orculturalenvironment,anecologicallysustainableactivity,anactivitywithapredominanteducativeandinterpretiveprogram,andanactivitythatcontributestolocalcommunitygroupsandprojectsandtotheconservationofthesurroundingenvironment’.IUCN’sCNPPA(Ceballos-Lascurain,1996)proceedingfromtheirowntenet,definedecotourismas‘Environmentallyresponsibletravelandvisitationtorelativelyundisturbednaturalareas,inordertoenjoyandappreciatenature(andanyaccompanyingcul-turalfeatures-bothpastandpresent)thatpromotesconser-vation,haslowvisitorimpact,andprovidesforbeneficiallyactivesocio-economicinvolvementoflocalpopulations’.Ceballos-Lascurain(1998)refinedhisinitialdefinitionbyarguingthatecotourismshouldbe‘Anenvironmentallyresponsiblemodeoftourism,whichentailstravelingtoorvisitingnaturalareaswithoutcausingdisturbanceinordertoenjoy,appreciateandstudythenaturalattractions(landscapeandwildlife)oftheseareas;aswellasanyculturalexpres-sions(pastorpresent)viaaprocessthatpromotesconserva-tion,hasalowenvironmentalandculturalimpact,encour-agesactiveparticipationandsocioeconomicallybenefitsthelocalpopulation’.FinallyHoney(1999)definedecotourismas‘Traveltofragile,pristineandusuallyprotectedareasthatstrivestobelowimpactand(usually)smallscale.Ithelpseducatethetraveler,providesfundsforconservation,directlybenefitstheeconomicdevelopmentandpoliticalempowermentoflocalcommunities,andfostersrespectfordifferentculturesandforhumanrights’.Itcanbefoundthat,fromtheaforementioneddefinitions,astimewenton,theconceptsofecotourismhavecontinu-ouslybeenbroadenedandtheconnotationsenriched.Tosumup,thepresentconnotationsofecotourismmainlyincludethefollowingcontents:(1)objectsofecotourism:naturalareas,aswellasecosystemfeaturingco-existencebetweenmanandnature;(2)subjectsofecotourism:thosewhotravelinaresponsibleformandshoulderobligationsforenvironmentalprotectionandsocialadvanceindestinationareas;(3)natureofecotourism:anewandspecialtypeoftourismproducts;(4)functionofecotourism:performingenvironmentaleducationfortravelers,improvingtheirenvironmentaloutlookandex-ertingeffectontheirwayoflife;facilitatingtheparticipationofthelocalresidents,andupgradingtheirstandardofliving.2DoubtsoverconnotationsofecotourismOwingtothelackofaclear-cutandgenerallyaccepteddefinitionandthesubjectiveextensionoftheconcept,thetermofecotourismhaslongbeenabused,misleadingthedecisionmaking,planningandmanagementinecotourisminitiatives.Asaresult,theaccuracyoftheconnotationsofecotourismshouldbeexaminedandanalyzedtoaddressthecomplexityofeco-tourismandtheproblemsinecotourismdevelopmentinChina.2.1DoubtsoverobjectsofecotourismAmongalmostallthedefinitionsofecotourism,theobjectsofecotourismaregenerallyconfinedtonaturaltour-ismresources,especiallynaturalareaswithsoundecologicenvironmentwhichhaveonlyslightly