ABSTRACT
This chapter proposes that, like all forms of tourism activity, the implications of ecotourism' will inevitably emerge from a complex blend of economic and social interactions between a destination with experiences to sell and a multi-faceted market with the resources to buy. Literature such as this leaves itself open to accusations of excessive attention to esoteric labelling and to commitment of excessive resources to the question of whether a given activity is or is not a legitimate example of ecotourism. Although there is an admirable element of highly responsible operating practice present in the way that New Zealand conducts its tourism relationships with the rest of the world, a significant number of unpalatable contradictions remain. The Ecotours New Zealand website notes that ecotourism opportunities available to visitors include bird watching, whale and other marine mammal watching, and hiking/tramping, with visitors invited to enjoy dolphins, penguins, seals and albatross in their natural habitat, and to try trekking, kayaking and biking'.
