Government and Community-based Ecotourism in Costa Rica, Brazil and Ecuador Open Access

Magnant, Chelsea Leah (2010)

Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/0g354g12b?locale=en
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Abstract

Abstract
Government and Community-based Ecotourism in Costa Rica, Brazil and Ecuador
By Chelsea L. Magnant


This paper explores the relationship between government and community-based ecotourism and the
effect of each on conservation goals. Using government and community-initiated cases from Costa
Rica, Brazil and Ecuador, this study examines ecotourism sites with varying degrees of government-
community collaboration. Data was collected from several scholarly studies, publications from
NGOs, special reports and site-specific sources. This study concludes that collaboration between the
government and community at a fairly high level is best for conservation success in ecotourism
ventures. When there is no partnership, communities alone are more successful in conservation
attempts than their government counterparts.

Table of Contents


TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 1
CHAPTER I: BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................ 5
MOTIVATIONS BEHIND ECOTOURISM ADOPTION.............................................................................. 5
ALTERNATIVE FOR ECOTOURISM: GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY-BASED ........................................ 8
VARIATION IN ECOTOURISM SUCCESS ....................................................................................................10
CHAPTER II: RESEARCH DESIGN .......................................................................................................13
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE - INITIATOR OF ECOTOURISM .......................................................................14
DEPENDENT VARIABLE - CONSERVATION SUCCESS ..............................................................................14
HYPOTHESES ............................................................................................................................................16
CASE SELECTION .....................................................................................................................................17
CHAPTER III: COSTA RICA ...................................................................................................................19
BACKGROUND ..........................................................................................................................................20
ECOTOURISM TODAY ...............................................................................................................................23
ECOTOURISM SITES .................................................................................................................................24
Tortuguero National Park ....................................................................................................................24
Asociación Comunal para el Manejo Forestal (ASCOMAFOR) .........................................................26
CHAPTER IV: BRAZIL ............................................................................................................................27
BACKGROUND ..........................................................................................................................................28
ECOTOURISM TODAY ...............................................................................................................................30
ECOTOURISM SITES .................................................................................................................................31
The Brazilian Sea Turtle Conservation Program (TAMAR) ................................................................31
Silves Association for Environmental and Cultural Preservation (ASPAC) ........................................32
CHAPTER V: GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS ..................................................................................................34
BACKGROUND ..........................................................................................................................................34
ECOTOURISM ...........................................................................................................................................37
THE GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS TODAY ..........................................................................................................38
CHAPTER VI: DISCUSSION OF HYPOTHESIS AND RESULTS .....................................................42
TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK - GOVERNMENT ..................................................................................42
ASOCIACIÓN COMUNAL PARA EL MANEJO FORESTAL (ASCOMAFOR) - COMMUNITY ....................44
THE BRAZILIAN SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION PROGRAM (TAMAR) - GOVERNMENT ......................45
SILVES ASSOCIATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION (ASPAC) -
COMMUNITY ............................................................................................................................................47
GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS - GOVERNMENT ...................................................................................................49
CHAPTER VII: CONCLUSIONS .............................................................................................................52
CONTRIBUTIONS ......................................................................................................................................56
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................................57


INDEX OF TABLES

TABLE 1: PREDICTED ECOTOURISM SUCCESS .................................................................................................16
TABLE 2: GROWTH OF TOURISM IN THE GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS (1980-2006) ..................................................38
TABLE 3: SUMMARY OF RESULTS ...................................................................................................................41


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