ABSTRACT
Rainforests are a significant focus of the world’s biodiversity conservation because of their species richness (DeFries et al., 2005). Conservation strategies for rainforests rely on protected areas, such as national parks and World Heritage Areas, to protect remaining habitats and species. Protected areas are also recognised as important tourist attractions (Ceballos-Lascurain, 1996). Ecotourism is the primary mode of tourism in protected areas, and relies on an undisturbed environment as an important part of the ecotourism experience (Mowforth and Munt, 2003; Chan and Baum, 2007). Revenues gained from the ecotourism industry play an important role for biodiversity conservation (Gössling, 1999). This means that both ecotourism and biodiversity conservation can be mutually beneficial: ecotourism depends on the quality of the protected area environment as a prime attraction for tourists, and in turn, ecotourism serves as a powerful incentive for conservation, and as a revenue generator for protected areas.
