Editing Ecotourism (section)

== Impact on indigenous people and indigenous land ==
Valorization of the Indigenous territories can be important for designation as a [[protected area]], which can deter threats such as [[deforestation]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01241071/document |title=The Sustainability Challenges of Indigenous Territories in Amazonia}}</ref> Ecotourism can help bring in revenue for Indigenous peoples.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/251609201 |doi=10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.10.024|title=Ecotourism and the development of indigenous communities: The good, the bad, and the ugly |year=2012 |last1=Coria |first1=Jessica |last2=Calfucura |first2=Enrique |journal=[[Ecological Economics]] |volume=73 |pages=47–55|bibcode=2012EcoEc..73...47C }}</ref>

However, there needs to be a proper business plan and organizational structure, which helps to ensure that the generated money from ecotourism indeed flows towards the Indigenous peoples themselves, and the protection of the Indigenous territory.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44520978 | jstor=44520978 | title=Indigenous ecotourism in the Amazon: A case study of 'Casa Matsiguenka' in Manu National Park, Peru | last1=Ohl-Schacherer | first1=Julia | last2=Mannigel | first2=Elke | last3=Kirkby | first3=Chris | last4=Shepard | first4=Glenn H. | last5=Yu | first5=Douglas W. | journal=Environmental Conservation | date=2008 | volume=35 | issue=1 | pages=14–25 | doi=10.1017/S0376892908004517 | doi-broken-date=1 November 2024 | s2cid=85169102 }}</ref> Debates around ecotourism focus on how profits off of Indigenous lands are enjoyed by international tourist companies, who do not share back with the people to whom those lands belong. Ecotourism offers a tourist-appealing experience of the landscape and environment, one that is different from the experience of the residents; it commodifies the lives of Indigenous people and their land which is not fair to its inhabitants.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Coria |first1=Jessica |last2=Calfucura |first2=Enrique |date=January 2012 |title=Ecotourism and the development of indigenous communities: The good, the bad, and the ugly |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.10.024 |journal=Ecological Economics |volume=73 |pages=47–55 |doi=10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.10.024 |bibcode=2012EcoEc..73...47C |issn=0921-8009}}</ref>

[[Indigenous territory (disambiguation)|Indigenous territories]]<!--intentional link to DAB page--> are managed by governmental services (i.e. [[Fundação Nacional do Índio|FUNAI in Brazil]],<ref>[https://news.mongabay.com/2020/06/a-bid-to-legitimize-invasions-of-brazils-indigenous-lands-faces-a-court-challenge/ A bid to legitimize invasions of Brazil's indigenous lands faces a court challenge]</ref> ...) and these governmental services can thus decide whether or not to implement ecotourism in these Indigenous territories.

Ecotourism can also bring in [[employment]] to the local people (which may be Indigenous people). Protected areas for instance require park rangers, and staff to maintain and operate the ecolodges and accommodation used by tourists. Also, the traditional culture can act as a tourist attraction, and can create a source of revenue by asking payment for the showing of [[Performer|performances]] (i.e., traditional dance, ...)<ref>[https://www.rainforest.com.au/traditional-aboriginal-dances/ Traditional aboriginal dances]</ref><ref>[https://northernterritory.com/things-to-do/art-and-culture/aboriginal-culture/aboriginal-music-and-dance Traditional aboriginal dances]</ref> Ecotourism can also help mitigate deforestation that happens when local residents, under economic stress, clear lands and create smallholder plots to grow cash crops.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Zwane |first=Alix Peterson |date=September 2007 |title=Does poverty constrain deforestation? Econometric evidence from Peru |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jdeveco.2005.11.007 |journal=Journal of Development Economics |volume=84 |issue=1 |pages=330–349 |doi=10.1016/j.jdeveco.2005.11.007 |issn=0304-3878}}</ref> Such land clearing hurts the environment. Ecotourism can be a sustainable and job-creating alternative for local populations.

Depending on how protected areas are set up and handled, it can lead to local people losing their homes, usually with no compensation.<ref name="Kamuaro2007"/> Pushing people onto marginal lands with harsh climates, poor soils, lack of water, and infested with livestock and disease does little to enhance livelihoods even when a proportion of ecotourism profits are directed back into the community. Harsh survival realities and deprivation of traditional use of land and natural resources by local people can occur. Local Indigenous people may also feel strong resentment towards the change, especially if tourism has been allowed to develop with virtually no controls. Without sufficient control mechanisms, too many lodges may be built, and tourist vehicles may drive off-track and harass the wildlife. Vehicle use may [[erosion|erode]] and [[land degradation|degrade the land]].<ref name="Kamuaro2007"/>

There is a longstanding failure by the Peruvian government to acknowledge and protect Indigenous lands, and therefore the Indigenous peoples have been forced to protect their own land. The land has a better chance of staying safe and free from deforestation if the people who care about the land are the ones maintaining it.<ref>{{Citation |last=Warf |first=Barney |title=Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas |date=2010 |url=https://sk.sagepub.com/reference/geography/n624.xml |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Geography |pages=1558–1561 |place=Thousand Oaks |publisher=SAGE Publications, Inc. |doi=10.4135/9781412939591.n624 |isbn=9781412956970 |access-date=2022-05-12}}</ref>