The Struggle For Sustainable Tourism

Part of the Series: Sustainable Tourism Collection

The People of Santa Lucia, a farming community on the slopes of the Andes, were forced to abandon their traditional way of life because of laws brought in to protect the cloud forest where they live.

THE ECO LODGE: Before, they were destroyers of the forest. Now, they have learned the skills of conservation and sustainability. They have built a lodge for tourists. It is a stunning place, a treasurehouse of bio-diversity.

MARKETING: But ecotourism is also a business. This is perhaps their biggest challenge, to MARKET themselves in a competitive tourism business.

A DROP IN THE OCEAN? Eco-tourism is seen as the model for sustainable tourism, but how can projects like this make a difference when so much of the rain forests is still being destroyed?