Ecotourism is the fastest growing sector in the tourism industry business today, and is still without a standard industry definition. In the analysis of ecotourism, I would like to look at the following areas: (1) varying definitions, principles, and marketing of ecotourism, (2) distinguishing between ecotourism and tourism, (3) trying to draw some conceptual links between ecotourism and other areas of recreation and conservation, and (4) the future of ecotourism as it relates to Texas and wildlife and fisheries management.
             The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), founded in 1990, is the largest and oldest ecotourism organization in the world. TIES' defines ecotourism as the responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of local people. Another definition: Ecotourism is an increasingly popular form of tourism in which tourists seek out wild and scenic areas such as rainforests or mountains for an active and educational trip. Another NGO defines ecotourism as low-impact tourism, based on appreciation of the environment and where a conscious effort is made to re-invest an adequate proportion of revenues in conservation of the resource upon which it is based. It is environmentally-sustainable tourism. A natural extension of this definition is ensuring benefits flows to the local people. Another more detail attempt to define ecotourism by (Fennell 2000) is by the way the action conforms to certain principles of ecotourism: (1) it occurs in a unique natural resource, (2) it attracts a unique clientele, (3) it is a responsible use of natural resources, (4) it provides for economic support for resource conservation, (5) it provides for economic advantages over other uses, and (6) it directs economic assistance to the local economy. Fennell defines ecotourism as humanity's most ecologically sound form of tourism. Ecotourism is said to be more biocentric in nature (But...