{"id":22446,"date":"2019-02-04T17:37:46","date_gmt":"2019-02-04T16:37:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecobnb.com\/blog\/?p=22446"},"modified":"2020-05-22T14:42:20","modified_gmt":"2020-05-22T12:42:20","slug":"colombia-ecotourism-overview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecobnb.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/colombia-ecotourism-overview\/","title":{"rendered":"An Overview of Ecotourism in Colombia"},"content":{"rendered":"

In many places, tourism<\/strong> has had serious negative consequences as the thoughtless consumption of tourists puts the natural and cultural aspects of an area at risk. Eco-tourism<\/strong> is an emerging type of tourism which fights against the exploitation of countries in the name of tourism. Colombia<\/strong> is an example of a country which is taking the lead in pushing for an ecologically aware lifestyle<\/strong> and tourist industry.<\/p>\n

Colombia<\/strong> is a top destination for nature tourism<\/strong> as it is the most bio-diverse country<\/strong> in the world per square meter. This is thanks to a large variety of climates, including rainforest<\/strong>, dry forest, moors, and glaciers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Colombia, tourism is the main driver behind job creation and foreign currency. Furthermore, its primary tourist appeal is nature and adventure travel, so it’s vital that steps are taken to protect the country’s natural beauty. The government and its tourism agency, ProColombia<\/em><\/strong>, have developed a code of conduct of sorts for tour operators to make sure there won’t be a negative impact on local communities<\/strong> and the environment.<\/p>\n

Ecotourism at Work in Colombia<\/h2>\n
\"Valle
Valle Del Cocora, Colombia, ph. by Dan Gold on Unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

One example of ecotourism at its best in Colombia is the operation of the Utria National Park<\/strong> in the department of Choc\u00f3<\/strong>. The area is extremely biodiverse<\/strong>, and home to some of the rarest birds<\/strong> on the planet. It is also culturally significant as its resident communities still follow many traditional customs. The number of tourists to the area more than doubled in 2016 due to the promotion of the site as an eco-tourism experience, usually focused on whale watching and bird watching<\/strong>. The national park also runs educational tours for local schools to impart on the younger generation the importance of preserving biodiversity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

According to Rita Leigh, travel blogger at Writemyx and Britstudent: \u201cNow that rural communities<\/strong> have seen that birdwatching is a viable economic alternative, people who previously hunted birds or caught them for the illegal pet trade are now tour guides, and ranches have stopped cutting down their trees to encourage birds to come to their properties, thereby assuring more visitors will come<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"birdwatching
Bird watching, ph. by Balaji Malliswamy, via unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

Another example of ecotourism in Colombia are the advances in Colombia towards a greener capital<\/strong>. It has recently built a bicycle path<\/strong> system throughout the city which is now world-renowned. Not only do these reduce emissions, but they also allow tourists to explore the city at a more leisurely and eco-friendly way. Bogota<\/strong> has also closed roads to cars on Sundays, which is almost unheard of in other major cities. Instead, on Sundays, you can find locals and tourists alike walking<\/strong>, skating, biking and dancing in the streets<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"La
La Candelaria, Bogot\u00e1, Colombia, ph. by Michael Bar\u00f3n on Unsplash<\/div><\/div>\n

There has also been a shift for farmers<\/strong> and growers towards ecotourism alternatives. A company called Ecodestinos<\/em><\/strong> is supporting former coca farmers who are now venturing into community tourism. The company is working with various rural communities on developing pharmaceutical products from local plants, offering food and farming tours, and running canoeing trips<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Get Involved in Ecotourism in Colombia<\/h2>\n
\"Rainforest
Rainforest in Colombia, ph. by pxhere.com<\/div><\/div>\n

If you’re interested in eco-friendly tourism and you want to get involved beyond exploring Colombia’s rich natural and cultural landscape, visitors can volunteer in eco-tourism. Martin Needham<\/strong>, an ecotourism writer at 1Day2write<\/em> and Australia2write<\/em>, suggests looking into “ethical placements which allow volunteers to get involved in conservation efforts and community initiatives. These placements include conservation, organic farming<\/strong>, and wildlife projects<\/strong>.<\/em>”<\/p>\n

If you don’t have time to volunteer on your travels, consider eco tours such as trekking<\/strong>,\u00a0camping and eco-friendly accommodations<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The number of international tourists to Colombia’s National Parks<\/strong> increased by more than a third in 2016. This is a sign that interest in ecotourism is growing and Colombia is a top destination for it.<\/p>\n

Cover image: ph. by EA via Pexels.com<\/em><\/p>\n

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The 10 most wonderful Hiking Trails in the world<\/a><\/h4>\n

What it means to live off-grid and 10 places to experience it<\/a><\/h4>\n

Defenders of the Earth: when saving the Planet could cost you your life<\/a><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In many places, tourism has had serious negative consequences as the thoughtless consumption of tourists puts the natural and cultural aspects of an area at risk. Eco-tourism is an emerging type of tourism which fights against the exploitation of countries in the name of tourism. Colombia is an example of a country which is taking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":101,"featured_media":22461,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[1208,1181,2337,25,225,73],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAn Overview of Ecotourism in Colombia - Ecobnb<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Colombia is a top destination for nature tourism as it is the most bio-diverse country in the world per square meter. 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