Effecting positive change – an introduction

‘The future we want: Effecting positive change through ecotourism’ special issue is designed to engage theory to practice through innovation, programmatic application, and knowledge-based case studies. This is reflected in research focused on socio-economics of community development; the value of a systems approach to community and natural resources tourism relationships; and capacity building and training for facilitators of ecotourism (i.e. guides) and education of visitors through experiences. This issue supports the United Nations International Year of Sustainable Tourism Development through critical evaluation of systems approaches and strategies that improve ecotourism's effectiveness in attaining the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. It also attempts to document the extent to which ecotourism affects socio-ecological processes.

The contributions within this special issue emphasize the importance of systematic approaches to complex phenomena such as ecotourism. Duffy et al. explore agroecotourism and ecotourism principles by exploring interrelationships between agroecology and sustainable tourism development goals. Using the socialist nation of Cuba as a backdrop, they explore the complementary nature of agroectourism with ecotourism by utilizing the Community Capitals Framework (CCF). Their findings contribute to our understanding of mechanisms that improve health in its broadest sense thereby contributing to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals and enhancing our understanding of ecotourism's contribution to them.

Stone and Nyaupane also support CCF by exploring the complex relationship between ecotourism, protected areas, and community livelihoods within Chobe Enclave Conservation Trust. The focus of their research is understanding ecotourism's role in community capital dynamics, which includes decision making, financial benefits, and collaboration amongst tourism stakeholders. Their results reinforce the importance of accounting for the physical, cultural, social, political, economic, and ecological contexts in rural development. They highlight the benefit of using the CCF to reveal ecotourism's influence on community needs and functions of protected areas.

Snyman's contribution to this special issue elucidates the private sector's potential negative and positive impacts to socio-economic development. Through her research in South Africa, Snyman illustrates that while positive impact exist, they can be dependent on several factors, including the benefits enjoyed, which are often linked to direct employment within ecotourism. As a result, how employment is structured becomes a key factor in benefits sustained by the wider community. She also highlights structural components essential to engaging in successful private sector partnerships – which are important in community development and ecotourism.

Direct engagement of ecotourism experience facilitators (i.e. guides) and receivers (i.e. tourists) is critical to securing positive benefits from ecotourism. To ensure positive benefits from ecotourism in the future, Walker and Weiler introduce a model for developing a nationally accredited training program for whale encounters in the South Pacific. They do this by exploring the capacity for a training model to support pro-environmental perceptions of visitors engaged in the ecotourism activity itself. They reflect on the guide's role in ensuring sustainable management of the tourism experience and discuss how to develop ‘critically reflective guides’ who ‘facilitate positive change’ through their ‘understanding and knowledge regarding ecotourism and the guide's role in its local and global sustainability goals.’

Corral, Szteren, and Cassini's research addresses the need for policies and education that ensure minimal wildlife impacts. While visitors’ appreciation and empathy for protecting wildlife exists, they demonstrate the wide spectrum of behaviors that can cause negative impacts and ultimately negate the potential power of ecotourism to assist in conservation efforts. Concomitantly, Arze and Holladay's case study emphasizes the urgent need to increase education and training, which they argue will ensure support for and an increase in conservation. They also highlight the need for collaboration between the public and private sectors on conservation and livelihood management.

As the researchers in this special issue highlight, innovative approaches to visitor management, community engagement, and education must be utilized if ecotourism is to continue to enhance and contribute to conservation, support livelihoods and community needs, and address the complexities of economic development and natural resource conservation. They also recognize that positive change cannot take place without recognizing that ecotourism is dependent upon and a contributor to the ecosystems within which we operate, inclusive of communities (Dustin, Schwab, & Bricker, 2014).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.