本科毕业论文外文翻译外文题目： In pursuit of ecotourism 出 处： Biodiversity and Conservation, 1996, Volume 5, Number 3, Pages 277-291 作 者： Harold Goodwin 原文：In pursuit of ecotourismHarold GoodwinCompeting definitions of ecotourismThe word ecotourism has been coined relatively recently and there remains no consensus about its meaning. Ecotourism has spread rapidly first because it has a number of different meanings and second because it has been extensively used opportunistically in marketing, 3 where the tag eco- has come to be synonymous with responsible consumerism. The tourism industry has been quick to exploit the marketing value of ecotourism, the more so since its meaning is unclear and there is no requirement for the operator to do more than alter the packaging. The ecotourist has been variously defined in terms of visitor behaviour and philosophy.The advertising appeals to and promotes these approaches. Ecotourism is a niche market for environmentally aware tourists who are interested in observing nature (Wheat, 1994), described by Steele (1993) as an economic process where rare and beautiful ecosystems are marketed internationally to attract visitors. Kelman put it bluntly a tour advertised as environmentally friendly can be just as suspect as many of the products tarted up with green packaging at your grocery store (Wight, 1994).The World Travel and Tourism Environment Research Centre in its 1993 World Travel and Environment Review defined ecotourism as tourism with the specific motive of enjoying wildlife or undeveloped natural areas (WTIERC, 1993), making no distinction between nature tourism and ecotourism. Others have also used ecotourism and nature tourism synonymously (Lindberg, 1991; Aylward and Freedman, 1992). Ceballos-Lascurains, 1987 definition has been used by others (Boo, 1990: Stewart and Sekartjakrarini, 1994):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 (both past and present) found in these areas. In these terms, nature-oriented tourism implies a scientific, aesthetic or philosophical approach to travel although the ecological tourist need not be a professional scientist, artist or philosopher. The main point is that the person who practices ecotourism has the opportunity of immersing himself/herself in nature in a manner generally not available in the urban environment. (quoted in Boo, 1990).Ziffer (1989) offered a definition which combined motivation, philosophy, conduct and economic benefit to conservation:Ecotourism: a form of tourism inspired primarily by the natural history of an area, including its indigenous cultures. The ecotourist visits relatively undeveloped areas in the spirit of appreciation, participation and sensitivity. The ecotourist practices a non-consumptive use of wildlife and natural resources and contributes to the visited area through labor or financial means aimed at directly benefiting the conservation of the site and the economic well-being of the local residents.The American based Ecotourism Society was founded in 1990 as a center for research,information and policies on developing ecologically sound tourism in natural areas around the world. The Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as:purposeful travel to natural areas to understand the culture and natural history of theenvironment, taking care not to alter the integrity of the ecosystem, while producing economicopportunities that make the conservation of natural resources beneficial to local people( Wood,1991 ).These definitions are broadly drawn, seeking to combine ecological and cultural tourism activities, often within frameworks which address philosophy and motivation.The US Office of Technology Assessment of the American Congress concluded that:While some ecotour operators are out simply to make a profit with little consideration of environmental and social issues, others are sensitive to these issues and may actively contribute to conservation projects/goals (U S OTA, 1993).They pointed out that there is a:wealth of literature . .which. addresses the nature and growth of ecotourism, its potential environmental and sociological impacts and planning and management issues . no definition of ecotourism has been universally accepted, data are commonly questionable, and much information and study is needed to assess the impact of nature travel (US OTA, 1993).Ecotourism is often defined prescriptively. Consider for example the National Eco-tourism Strategy published in 1994 by the Mexican Secretariat of Tourism in cooperation with the World Conservation Union (Table 2). It has developed a long list of characteristics of ecotourism which constitute a h