assignment will consist of formulating a well written essay using the following article as support. You may write either an informational or argumentative essay consisting of 500 -750 words in APA format. The essay will be graded on the following parameters.

Essay should include:

• Introduction paragraph with a hook and a clear and concise thesis.
• At least 3 body paragraphs
• Use of paraphrasing throughout
• Use of at least one quotation
• Strong analysis of both paraphrasing and quotation
• Conclusion paragraph with reworded thesis.
• Include a reference page.
• Essay must be in APA format
• Essay must have correct grammar and mechanics.
• Plagiarism will not be accepted and will be an automatic failure.

Prompt: Is Ecotourism Healthy for the Environment?

Attached you will see an article to use for this assignment. No outside sources are needed. Just use this one article for this assignment.

the nationa parks of South Adnes and the Hentiayan Mountaint of south-central Asia. Such temote areat, which in centuries past could be reached only wis erduove oveland treke or dangerous ocesh voyages. are now eatly acoestible to travwient. due tagely to the popularisation of air teavel In order to ourb the physical impact of tourtam in those rogions, some govemments have contoversially considered placing cags on the arnual number of vavelers to certain destinasons Such propolals have secelved a great deal ef apport trom environtendiss throughoul the world, but have spaksd vehenech opposition teom privale businesses that fun ecotourism operafont in many parts of Latin America, Anrica and Asia. While both sides olaim to be acting in the name of environmental conservation, they advocate complotely d thenent approaches to protecting the world moet at-riek econysteme The ecotouriem indusatry's informal mantra has long been. "Take only photograghs, leave only footprints." Indeed, natirebased tavel is specitcally designed to have a low impact on the ecotyseme to which ecobourita are draan. In many parts of the world, wour cpevasors who specalae in ecotouritm take seps to reduce the monoum of pollution rourists generale by regulally removing trabh hom environmentaly tentilve areas, using vohicles powered by ateinative fuels or canping ovenight in tents instad of stayng in hotele. The ides, industy insides say, is to bring travelers ineo intinate contact with nature bul leave the envionment ewsentialy urtouched, so that future viaitos may enioy the same experience. Ancther key component of nature-based travi is abuiating the local popudatens who lwe in and arcund ecotcurism hoteposs In many cases, anayts say, pepuly ecotourisn destinations are located in developing counthes where poverty is tampart and there is litle economic epportunity for residents. Gren those circumstances, they suy ecotourim has been a huge boen for mary courbies in sul-Saharan Alica and soulbem Aoa. Underunowd goverrments in nose places have been able to use profts from nature-bssed tavel to develop heath-care and tansportation intastrocture and kind public ebucation, among other things. However, while suppoders say that the growng pocviarity of ecotounsm is a ponitve trend for the envixonment as wet as for ecotourists, tour opecators and hout countwies, others saly that the realify is not quite to simple. Frity, there have been more and more allegetions in recent years tha tee piotis earned by ecotouriam 1our opecators are not reimested int the loca communties, bul rather channeled abroad so the bask accourts of foreigs companies than own and operate lour outfis Secondly, there has beon some speculation among environmontal activists that many eoobouriom operations in the developing world ane not as ecologicaly thendy as they purport bo be. Athough tuch companies may claim to have a low environmental impact, there is no oversigh bocy in the ecocouram industy so ensure that those businesses are keeping their word, they sty. The ecotourism industry has stestautly defended tset ageinet chasges that it is redecting protos and engaging in environenedaly iresoonsble practices. Soch allegatons hwe apparenty not significardy atlected nasue-bused trewel. eoosourim operations contrye to enioy great succeos sound the world But at the same fime, shepticism arnong environmental experts about the ecological benefts of nature based vavel has abounded. And given the grim ervironmertal ouliosk in places lice the Gadagagos liands and other scolourisn hotspoti, quectont about the lang-berm environemeral wustainabiity of ecotouriem are ikely to persut, obserees aay. Should the number of viebors to emvironmerealy sensive areas of the word be limited in orcer so stave off further iand degradsson and pollison? Or should ecotourian tour companies continue io be thated as capable stewardi of at-isk. tour opeamon adhere to the ecolrieady pociples they promobe on their Web shes and in their travel brochures? Ecolociam advocates say that nature-bated travel is a key sector of the gobel fouriem induatry and greatly berefits the environment. Dy educating vavelers about the need for envaronnental conservaton, ecotourism provides an importave puelic senvice, they contend. Furthermore, moet tour operatore who apecialise in ecotourism do not damage senative econystems beckise those complries tollow speofic preckctions to minimize the impact of humans presence, proponeme say. For that reason, there is no need for a cuota system bo be implemerted for ecotourists. they corlend. Nature-based lourism is also importart because it is economicaly lucrative for poor developing courtries; ecolouram resula in the creation of new jobs and helpa inject money irto local economies, suppontens assert. For the most part, they say. pralas eamed by oootourtam tour operatoen are reinvected localy to help improve the otandard of Eving for locil nesiderite as well as ta fund contrued environmental contervation eflorts. While apportars concede thiat some ecotounam companies are zresponsibe, they insist that the vast msjonty of openatoes engage in moraly sound business practices. people are focking to ocotourtem hotapots to irheract with nature, they aay, human-induced iand degradution ia now rameant in many environmertaly seneteve aseas, placing endangered plant and animal bpecien at greaner thk ef extinction. In order to safeguavd al-isk ecosyateme ard poeserve thote areas for fulure generstiont, the number of ecotour ats mute be aharply curtalled, apponents insist In order to enture that ecotourism lour operators are commithd primarly to envionmental prenervahon, not pruis, sorme monitoe toer operators to eneure Bas they charnel most of their prutts into the lacal comenunity are ecgage in aculogicaly sustaruble busirest practices, opponenta say it the induatry has no oversight, nature besed buael eorparies ail eortinue to llout the defring prinsples of esobourtern. crition wam. Overview Ecotourism Soars in Popularity Far years, touriam-defined as travel for pleabure - has been the largest single oomponent of the plobal eoonamy. The tourism industry generatet several trilion dolars' worth of economic acthity every year, and cortinues to grow nadhy as of 2007. E is alse a huge employer in both the develeped and developirg wondn;, raugrly Bht of al jobe in the gobet econorty are tourism-related. [See 2007 Ac Drefaltw ot Yanous Forma of Trudiam. isidebaci] Since the mid-20th century, travelere have been visiting overseas deitinations in unprecedented numbers. Fror indtange in 1950, some 25 milion touriste traveled abroad, acoording to the Word Tourit Organamon. Bur by 2oo4, that fgure had skrocketed to 700 thilicn, and it is patijected so nse so soughly 1.5 bilion by the yeur 2000 During the pasa 15 yeads. ecohourists have comprised an incieanirg percertage of frose overseas thatelers. Athough the vast magority of so-caled mass touries gravitate to beach resorts and other tradional vacation destinatone, more and more travelers have decided to abandon the beach in tavor of something moce adverhitesome, toucational, ar beth. Acoording to industry anaysts, ecolouriam meets those criberia, withth has helped make nat are-bibed tavel one of the tassest-goaing segment of the global sourism induitry. Ecolourian has also proven to be fnarcialy lucrative for bour ogeraloci who caler to that apecilc type of tavel Varioun industry studes have levoabed that ecotourists tend 25 spend tor more miney an food, lodging avd actibes than their mass. touritm oounterparti. Foe that feason, obtervers say, nature-based four ogeratone have become ah ertemabonal gowth The booming popularity of ecotourism in the 1900 helped solidity penvoubly icolabed lociake, much as the Galagapos inlands gd South America's Amaton rain forest, at premier intemational tounst destrators. Avound the mond govermerta. aclaimed their commitment to ecolourism, and earmarked funde lor the spgrade of bunngorabon infrantruchurw ta acoommodate the increasing numbers of vatorn. By 180t. even iarge insemational organitatone Auch an the United Niationt Were advocating ecotourim. Fhal year, the UN. Economic and Social Counol petifoned mamben st the international bodys Gereral Assembly so supoot a messue that would aedcate an entre your to promotng eoctourith. The council eapiained that doing to not only wovld eper eobnamic devolopment in mpoverithed nationt. but alis would raise purile aw avenest about the pressing need for environmental oonservation in the devicioping world ocher teents around the word to educate the public abous naturebased tourism. One ot the part cowing achicvenents was the creation of the Quebec Declarason on Fectocism, a document outining shess for fhe promction mend derelopment of In the early 2000a, however, critiom of the rapidly expanding eoctouriem industry began so imourt. Many emvionmental activiste acserted that the inflis of wis tors to once-cemote parte of the world was enacting an enormous bil on the emironmert. They said that although ecotourists mighe have good intections, the mastive groath in their numbers was placing a nigrificart atrain on tragle oconystems by polluting the land, wuter and ait. Inbally, tourism induatry officiak tried to prevert the art-ecotouram movenent twom gathering akeam One def eacly Elashpoints in that battle look place in Spain's Baleakic lalands in 2001 . That year, the beal govemment affencted 10 inpose an "eco-tax' on tavelers to the istands. Lawinakers wanted to implenent the tax becaume during the preceding 30 years. louriem had wraked havee on the local envaronent. Al tands raised vie be tax were to be furmaked far quivormental retotason Howerer, upon learning of the proposed tax, esecutives in the globad tourisen industy lumed out in force. Dhey arpued that a tax on vistors to the Baleaic lalands would severely huat the kocal noonomy as fewer vieas movid come. Ater natifing a graat deal of presezee on the govverument, the bourism indutry prevaled, and the proponed tar mas wehdran. The Corporatization of Nature-Based Travel Foliowing the setakck in the Balearic lsanda, citici of nature-based hourian intensithes their ahort to raly aupoon tor their caube. They began waming that the ecotouriam industy was being overtsken by corponte interess and that action had to be taken to curtal the growth of ecotourism They noted thai in 2004, the nature-based tourisra industry aas erpanding three times as tant as the ovecall global toutiars industry, according to the World Fourism Organization. The rapid expansion of the ecuburam induatry meart that independently owned and run tour ogeratorl were being marginalaed by lugec, prota-hungy corporale tour operasorn who were leas ooncemed aith reapontible ervironmental akewardichip, they chagged Although thete wan ample tridenot hom variout ecotourism dectinations to eupport their daim, cribics focused an one of the wordf besidnown much deutinations, the Galapigos islands assiating in the modeuszabon of aiporte and seaports to tacilite travel to and from tew lalande. Nthough the acmpariea a00n, seaching nearfy 150.000 in 2006 Morant aorkers from the South American mainiahd-hired for law wages to help oonetuct lounut intraithucture and latar io solentith. The migrants wore "benging other species that can outcompele natives, " assented Muten Wimaluki, a bilogy protesoor at flinceten Universify in New Jersey. who warned that the Gaingagos ecotyuten win being thrown oft balance Further oontributing to the geoblem were rata that ackied in the isiandis wia suply ahigh; in their new ersionmert, they meproduced rapidhy and devoured the sane food souroes as native specles Concemed that the islands' ecivonments pooblems were spitaling oit of control. Viase Cawion, depaly drector et the Galapagos National Park, declared in July 2607 that action would thave to be taben. He did not call for eliminating touram altogother, but said that the number of ecotourias on the inlands aculd have to be maled buck mgnificarth in ordee to ensure the future enviranmental proaperity of the Galigagos. "We have to revise our touriom model and aim for feser tourists and higher revenues," Carrion assera. "We have ret aet a cap on toulists, but I think we should. "Obsenvers say that the emibonmental pecklems confronting the Gahapegos lalands mirror those being experenced in many other areas of the word Lie Camion, many eqvionnenta eftcials in cther popular ecolourism destinations are weighing the pros and cons of cubing the number of vistors in the nesr thure, to restore the health of the ecivronment Supporters Argue Ecotourism Benefits Environment Advocates of nature-based travel aly that ecotourism has had an enoumously posibve irflonon ch environmartal conservation in recent decadet. Snce ecotourism became popular in the eanly 1900s, they say, global awarecest of envronmental ibsues has grown subatartally. One of the reasons peopie are cumently paying more athention to eminonmertal inses in that ecotounats beoome educated on their tript. mpporters consend. Once they retum home, travelers thave their stories and experiences with friende and tamily, sparking thoee peoples interest an wel, proponerte ayy "A lot of what we do. is tak about our conservation peograns, our commurity imolvement programs - a iot of a has to do with guest education," saye John Lewh, whe num an eotouriam lodge in Costa Pica Many proponents of ecotourism reject charges that they engage in untuthinable environmenal practicet, avch an disposing of sewage incorrectly or poluting the land and air. Whle suppoters concede that a handhl of nature based tour operalors do not abide by the guiding prinoples of ecotourism, they assert that the vast majority of ecotourium companies are exbemely responsible as stewards of the environment. Many advocases of ecobourem ingist that a quota system for visitons should not be implemented. They say that for many impoverished regions of the world, ecotaurism profits reppesent one of the biggest sounces of breign revenue. Given those circumstances, resticting the number of visitors would depive local residents of their economic lielihoodr, supponers contend. Proponents aise assert that eountries blesed with shinning naturn enviranenects shocld be entied so une thoue areas as a source of income. "Progress is based on tounem," deciares Rocio Martinez, pesidect of the Galapagos lalanos. chamber of commerce on the. We should take advariage of our natiral environmert to reap the benetas of tounam. " Aegadeis of whether ecolourien operatons are corporately owned or run by bock rewidenas, protas eaned tom ninure: bosed tourism are rostinely recycled into nearby commanties, proponerte insint. Among other thingn they tay, fourit dollans heip hand public aducation, develop transortaton and heult-care infraatructure, and support mwionmertal conievaton progrims. Furthermote, backers say, residecte Wing in or arcund ecotourime deitinatoons benets hiom ecotouritm becaute the industry provides them wit teady, wel-paying jobe ruming toura, constructing tourat faclifes or stafling hoses and restaurantin In order to anoourage more ecotourism outfts to become anvironmentaly thendly, some supporters tiggest that suet operatoes be provided with incentives to promote sustainable nature basad travel Those hackers point to Brtiah Arwart PLC - a company that annually disvibutes "Tourism for Tomonow Awabi" to enwonmertally wustainable dour corroanies around the warld-as proot that the private sector cas heip bolster the public protle of responsble ecotounan comperies. Indeed. proponents say, recent recipients of the British Airways atwards have seen a notable increase in business actily. Dunid Bellarry, a well-konown Brtish environmertal activist, assets that providing awards to centain tour operators helps 2 um the spotight on tourism that doesnl cost the earth." Opponents Argue Ecotourism Does Not Benefit Environment Many ecotourism critics say they are not opposed io the concept of nature-besed trivel; in tact, they beleve that it is an admirable and effecove way to educite the public about the need for environmental conservation. However, ahut mawy critis oppose is the rale at which the ecolourism industry has expanded in recert years. Undortanately, they ary, the sheer magnitude of the ecotourism indusby in many ecoiogicaly winerable parts of the world is now poing a grave danger to the very environenert that ecotouriam was meant to protoct One of the main problems with nakare based tourism in recent years has been the involiement of foesignowned busirested and tour operaton whose main motive is caghuring tourist dollars. apponerta contend. Many corporibe fims that run tour operationa in top ecobsuriam deatinations actualy show disregard tor ematonmental aonnevighion by keaving tash behind, poliuting water sources and barlijoling ecologicaly destructive intrautructure proloch, critice charoe, tn the Galapaype Islands, such developmerks have threabened the cove identty of the reolon they oortend. "This plxce could tum ints ancher Disneptand," warns Fernands Ortiz, head of the kocal beanch of Conservaton irternational. economiet. While opponerts acknowledge that aome nakre-based isur coeratore do in fact recyole some of beer prifta into butiness inflatives thu have nothing ta do wht ecotouriam. "Tourierm proceede are not being realocited to the managermeth protecsed areat," asberts Osmany Sales, executive director of the Audubon Society in Belae, a populy ecctoulem dectinson in Cectral Amenca. Some crice say that regardess of eome ecoesuram comparied' aleged dedicabon to envionmental grevernation, mout ara simply interested in making money and ime else. "Poople tak about ecolourien but the fact is that the louriem indasty is atways locking for a quick buck," dveives Doug fhoces, owner of Hotel Parastieo del Cves in Merien Phodes asbs thir mayy nearby hotels in the area cabering to ecoburists do not dispose of their sewage and trash propeny. Amhough he assers. that ecotourits would likely have no objecticns io paying the bal for improved waste maragemert, Rhoded complina that mwy hosel eperasors simply lack the inhlative to make their tacibties more envecomectaly thendy, peitape beckise they as net wart to ifvest morey in tuch upgrades. "iris juat a mather of will." he eays. In the vew of mary oricit. the best ery to retolve the current emeironmental crisi faced by many ecolourim dentinatoni is could be maintined whle preserving nature enthusiats' aocese to flote arnat. Falure io guckly remouce the number of visitais in emvirormertaly tenstive ireas of the world covld inein that thote regione wath be destroged withil a few decases. criticis wam Finally, a few crics of ecelourism centend that natee-hased sourimm is not only enironthertaly deatructie. but euhualy oestructive at wel. Those opponevte say that the very presence of walty ecthoutate-who ohmen are not tamilia meh or Eritain' Lancaster University. Conclusion Ecotourism's Cloudy Future sed tourism is more popular thas ever, bul the controverby has shownino sign of dimirishung. Can the matusty manave? Around 1990, the time when "eootovism' frat ertered the popular iexicon, the Intemational Ecoburism Sociefy defined the term as "responeble travei bo natural areas that conserves the envionment and improves the welture of iocal people." But as the global ecotourism induatry has grown. many wonder, has it stayed tre io nh roon? Supponers insit that at han, and assert that nature-based buwei remwine the beat way to raice public awareness of the worlds an-risk environments, endangered plant and animal spechs and dainding netural tesources. Bur critics -who are equaly ecvitonments to preserve in the not-to-datant futire, ance they wil be ruined by overdevelopenent In the context at Danwinu theory of evolidon-which atates than only the Titeer species can urvivi-humane are unsovbledy one of the world's most powertul species, I not the moet powertul thamine have survived many diasic changes in the planefs natural environment largely due to thei intelectual power and mastory of whaponry. But while that power can be used to salegiavd and probect, it can abs be ised to ham. Accoideg to maxy obeervers of the cursert ecolourism debate. che of tee deop iranies of humans' ongorg eftod to preserve the worifs mout hagie ecosystems is that people-in ther nush Discussion Questions 1) in your opieion, should the nunber of ecotourists in centain plsces be resscted to prosect endangered plart and animal speciet? Why or nhy not? 2) Some cribs of nature-based bouriam cay that many ecobouram bur cperalors are unconcemed with the plight of poor residents who sometimes ive in or around popular ecosouriam destnatione. Those opponents charge that money-hungry ecotouilem companies do not share their peofts with local reeidents and inatead tum a blind eye to their poverty. Do you thinik scotouriam tour operators should be required by lew to invest some of thair profits into nearby communties? 3) In your opinion, how might humans best po about protecting endangered plant and snimal species? Should people be encouraged so tavel to at-rick envirenental areas, or should they be enoouraged to atay away? How do you thinik nearly 20 years ot ecotourim have atleched ecologicaly delicite parts of the world? 4) Ecotsurian vacatione enioy widespread popularity because they double as educational experiences in reaily, do you think, that ecotouriats gain iong dasting leseone about environmenal conservasion at a reeut their bipt? 5) Find the Calapagos hlandera a top ecotoursm destination-on a map of the Pacife Coesn is curiam tratfo in that part of the world was reduoed do you think the vealiy of the local ensionnert could be restored? in terms of the areas'a long-terem acologeal healh, 60 you thirk the regont aolation is a positve or negative atrocte? Additional Sources Adobonat intormuton about ecotsurimen can be bund in the folonivg sounces: Fennel, David Ecotouriam: An intoduction. Osford Eritan: Aoutiedge, 2003. Pattesson, Cavol. The Dusiness of Ecotounibm. Victoria, Britiah Columbia, Candda: Trafford Publishing, 2007. Keywords databases and omer putdicusiont Envivonmental conservation Quebec Declaradon on Eoctourim Galapegou lalande Endangered speoes bohal boutum noutry Nalye-baced travel is an importart oomponent of the gobal touriam industry. Ecotouram promotes erwironmertal awareness among travelers and does not damage sensilve ecotystems. since mont tour operators in those areas make envirunmental conservation a priorify and follow precations to minimize the inpact of thmans' presence. Furthemore. ratue-bassed vavel is luersthe for poor developing oountres: in result in the creason of hew jobs and helps inject thoney into local econcmies. OPPQAENTS ARQUE The growing popularity of ecolourism has placed mary ecologically sensitive tegions of the worid at heightiened risk of environmenta degradation. Due to the inceasing number of visitors to ecosouriem hotepote and the atsendarh development of tount intrattuctare-natura landbcapes are being damaged, droruptng the habhats of matangered piants and animale. Touriam to environmentaly fragle garte of the worid should be reitricted in orger fo preserve thoee regiont bor future generafons. Situated in the Pacic Ocean some 600 mies of the coast of South America, the holated Galapagon iaiands are a nature lover' paradise. It was there that 19th-oertury British nasualet Charles Darwin-aller obeerving the archipelago: shique wildite-began foemulating his row-tamous theery of evolubon. Todiy. the islands and their aumounding waters-part of the South American oountry of Eouador - are sta home to maty typed of plante and animais noe tound anyebere tise on the planet. For that reason, "ecotourists"--Lourista who manly want to commane with nature on their vacations - have thocked to the Galspagos lsiands in increasing numbers since the early 1900 s Howerer, in recent yeart, the popuiarify of the CWagagos islands as an ecobouriam destination has actualy threalened to permarenpy darnage the ialande' fragile ecosystem, obesrvers say. The presence of growing numbers of people hat dorupled the eating and masing habits of several endangored species, they bay, and the oorcinuction of tourat intrastructuie - Buch as roads and hoteis - has scarred the isiands' natural landocape and polined the air and water