A Practical Guide to Good Practice for Tropical Forest-Based Tours
Citation
Charters, T. & Saxon, E. (n.d.). A Practical Guide to Good Practice for Tropical Forest-Based Tours. Rainforest Alliance
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Summary
Tropical forests are some of the most biologically diverse areas on Earth, harboring many of the
world’s plant and animal species and providing important ecological services such as climate
regulation. They are also home to hundreds of millions of people who live in or near tropical forest
areas, and the pressure to develop these areas, particularly in developing countries, is intense.
The beauty and “wildness” of tropical forests are highly attractive to the growing nature-based
tourism sector, and capitalizing on this attraction is one way to contribute to the conservation of
these valuable ecosystems. Appropriately managed tourism can be an important way to provide
sustainable economic development and employment in these areas while still conserving their
natural value. Yet, poorly planned or implemented tours to tropical forests can also have a significant
negative impact. The operational and managerial decisions of tour operators and other
tourism professionals in tropical forest areas will have an important effect on whether tourism
can be a sustainable form of economic development in these ecosystems.
This Guide to Good Practice, the latest in a series to help the tourism sector integrate sustainability
into its business, was developed through a collaborative process by the United Nations
Environmental Programme, the Tour Operators’ Initiative for Sustainable Development, Rainforest
Alliance, Conservation International and their partners. It is meant to be a key resource for tour
operators to assess their own business activities, and those of their suppliers and colleagues, in
order to identify areas of good performance and areas where they can take measures to improve
sustainability.
We invite you to read this guide and to work with us in promoting sustainable tourism development
that benefits the tropical forest environment, its people and your business.
Keywords
tropical forest, tourism, visitor education, infrastructure, communities, wildlife, vehicles, recreation
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