ABSTRACT
Ecotourism development is a means to earn income from natural resources without depleting the resources and therein has been linked to conservation programs since the 1980s. In those cases where tourism is merged with conservation, the conservation scientists and program managers may encourage ecotourism as a means to support conservation objectives, thereby taking the first step in promoting tourism to the area. However, the legitimacy of the ecotourism project rests largely on the integration with conservation science (Cousins, Evans, & Sadler, 2009). The scope and widespread nature of these activities within economically developing nations (EDNs) suggests that an in-depth study of the policies and practices within research tourism is warranted.
