ABSTRACT
In many countries, parks and protected areas have ‘become the cornerstone of tourism and recreation’ (Task Force on Economic Benefits of Protected Areas of the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) of IUCN, 1998: ix), and are a key attraction for ecotourists (Ceballos-Lasurain, 1996; Weaver, 1998; Honey, 1999). While the IUCN argues that ‘the link between protected areas and tourism is as old as the history of protected areas’ (Eagles et al., 2002: xv), the importance of this relationship has undoubtedly grown with continued growth in tourism, and, more specifically, in ecotourism. Tourism is often described as the world’s largest industry and, while a small component of this overall industry, ecotourism is believed to be one of the fastest growing sub-sectors (Weaver, 1999; The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), 2005).1
