Ecotourism and Social Media Marketing

This assignment examines the potential of social media as a marketing tool for ecotourism. It argues that effective use of social media can broaden the reach of ecotourism destinations and attract global consumers. The document also emphasizes the importance of responsible management practices, including stakeholder engagement and regulatory measures, to ensure sustainable development in the ecotourism industry.

Running head: ISSUES IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM
Issues in Hospitality and Tourism
Name of the Students
Name of the University
Author’s Note

2ISSUES IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM
Table of Contents
1. Overview of the chosen issue:.....................................................................................................3
2. Critical analysis of the significance of chosen issue:..................................................................4
3. Recommendations:......................................................................................................................5
Reference List:.................................................................................................................................8

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1. Overview of the chosen issue:
With the gradual threats posed by global warming, the significance of eco tourism is
undeniable. Along with the appreciable growth in last few years in tourism sector, the growing
apprehension in maintaining the tourism sustainability is also a major concern. Some of the
major issues in the ecotourism sector have been identified. The key issues that have left a major
concern for maintaining the overall eco-tourism system are as follows:
 Tourism operators are not very much accustomed with the eco technology for managing the
spots. As per the principles of ecotourism, the visitors should not create any chaos while
travelling the place for maintaining ecological disciplines.
 Due to the establishment of industries and factories the scope of eco tourism is getting
decreased day by day. The tourist operators are unable to maintain a balance within
ecosystem (Coria and Calfucura 2012). As a result, natural creatures and instincts are getting
affected in being accustomed with the ecology. The rate of global warming as a result is
getting raised day by day.
 Tourism managers are facing challenges in maintaining sustainable tourism system,
maintaining respect on animal and human rights, restricting political instability, maintaining
sustainable corruption system and so on. The managers in dealing with the visitors of
different geographical boundaries and attitudes have to face major communication barriers
(Coria and Calfucura 2012). As a result, they have to face challenges in interacting with the
tourists while visiting the place.
 While visiting the place large numbers of tourists come together in the tourism spots. A
result, animals and creatures may get destructed in maintaining their regular life effectively.

4ISSUES IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM
The operators have to face innumerable challenges in controlling the wave of crowd so that
natural instincts do not get affected.
Another issue has also been identified within eco tourism industry that is related to
authenticity of social media marketing. It is observed that tourism authorities are misusing the
social media as their effective ways of marketing platform. By making effective social media
campaign the business executives intends to make awareness on the visitors on how they should
follow basic rules and regulations while travelling spots. For an example, visitors are instructed
not to use plastic on the spots in order to avoid environment pollution. Social media is the only
platform where the business operators can convey their messages. After making an effective
social media campaign, the business operators fail to drag the attention of travelers. While
visiting the place tourist guides do not impose to maintain those regulations properly. As a result,
environment is getting polluted day by day.
2. Critical analysis of the significance of chosen issue:
Bansal and aswinder (2013) stated that eco-tourism is one of the most significant
initiatives implemented in the tourism industry. After the invention of tourism industry, young
generation gets the platform for enhancing their career growth. Ecotourism primarily signifies
marketing the natural beauty and serene environment as a product. On one hand, the government
body can preserve natural resources for maintaining a balance on eco system. On the other hand,
the travel operators are getting a platform for flourishing their business wings in the tourism
market. However, after the emergence of eco tourism industry the business operators are facing
some of the major challenges. Due to the entrance of large number of visitors, the operators are
unable to manage and control the entire system. As opined by Zhang and Lei (2012), visitors

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tend to destroy natural instinct by disobeying the rules and regulations. In this kind of situation,
the travel operators have to face innumerable challenges in communicating with the visitors.
Language barrier and psychological barriers are one of the most significant reasons due
to which the operators are unable to interact with the visitors properly. As emphasized by
Satyanarayana et al. (2012), apart from controlling the wave of crowd the business operators
prevailing in eco tourism industry have to face more challenges. The repeated establishment of
industries ultimately fails to maintain an effective balance within ecology. Natural resources
cannot maintain their eco system properly due to the emission of Carbon dioxide. In this
situation, the business authority has to face innumerable challenges in maintaining an effective
life style. As emphasized by Spenceley (2012), tourism operators after establishing an
ecotourism space should think about the natural instincts on how they would be able to maintain
an effective ecological balance. The government should take an immediate step in this regard.
Government should not build up any industry where most of the eco tourism spots are there. In
order to draw the attention of international customers’ social media is the only platform where
visitors can get an in-depth overview about the spot.
3. Recommendations:
After identifying the issues, some of the major recommendations can be provided based
on which the business operators can render a development within ecotourism industry:
 Maintaining ecological balance:
Plantation of tress is one of the most effective ways of maintaining ecological balance. In
order to preserve the natural resources the tourism industry should focus on avoiding destruction
of trees. Industries can be developed outside of the ecotourism spots. As a result, animals and

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other natural creatures do not have to face challenges in maintaining ecological balance.
Therefore, the tourism operators can be recommended to maintain a serene environment so that
birds and animals can lead their life peacefully (Hunt et al. 2015). The primary purpose of
flourishing ecotourism sector within tourism industry is marketing the natural products. As a
result, the operators have to play the major role of responsibilities in preserving natural
resources.
 Enhancing the managing skill:
Tourism operators sometimes face difficulties fail to control the crowd of travelers in
peak season. As a result, travelers while visiting the pace tend to destroy natural resources
intentionally (Snyman 2013). In addition, visitors get deprived of receiving good services from
the travel operators due to their lack of management skills. However, it can be recommended that
guide and travel operators should have proper managing skills so that they can fulfill the needs
and demands of the clients.
 Gaining multi lingual flexibility:
Travelers are from various geographical boundaries and multi-cultural attitudes. In this
situation, travel operators have to face innumerable difficulties in communicating with the
visitors due to language barriers. The service providers failed to fulfill customers’ satisfaction
being unable to understand their needs and desires (Ramos and Prideaux 2014). In this situation,
the customers tend to show their reluctant attitude in visiting to ecotourism sectors. Therefore,
travel operators associated with ecotourism industry are recommended to receive a training and
development session for enhancing their communication skill. Rendering multi lingual flexibility

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may help the travel operators in dealing with the customers of different cultural and religious
backgrounds.
 Following animal and human rights:
Visitors while travelling the spots should maintain regulations and acts properly. They
should not irritate the birds and animals while visiting the place. In addition, they should take
care of natural resources as well. The responsibility of the travel operators on the other hand is to
maintain health and safety act within the business (Prud’homme and Raymond 2013). If a single
visitor has to face any kind of health issue at the spot, the service providers should give
necessary benefits and facilities to them. As a result, the travelers do not lose their hope in
visiting to the ecotourism spots.
 Preserving natural resources:
The primary purpose of rendering ecotourism is not only to enhance the tourism market
but also to preserve the natural resources. With the rhythm flow of globalization and industrial
revolution the rate of natural instincts are getting decreased day by day. In this situation, the
system of ecology is going to be misbalanced (Ramos and Prideaux 2014). Therefore, it can be
recommended to avoid in building industries on the tourism spot so that birds and animals can be
preserved for maintaining ecological balance.
 Using social media as an effective marketing platform:
The realm of social media is vast that is able to widen their horizon beyond going
regional areas. As a result, visitors belonging to multi-national countries can get an overview
about the spot and its environmental details. Social media marketing is successful enough in

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dragging the attention of global consumers as well. Therefore, it can be recommended to use
social media as one of the most effective platforms of marketing.
These particular recommendations can render an improvement on ecotourism industry. If
the business operators can improve their managerial skill while dealing with the visitors, they do
not have to face challenges in preserving the natural instincts. In addition, proper regulations and
acts are very helpful in controlling and managing the wave of visitors.

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Reference List:
Bansal, S.P. and aswinder Kumar, J., 2013. Ecotourism for Community Development: A
Stakeholder’s Perspective in. Creating a Sustainable Social Ecology Using Technology-driven
Solutions, p.88.
Chen, W.Y. and Jim, C.Y., 2012. Contingent valuation of ecotourism development in country
parks in the urban shadow. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World
Ecology, 19(1), pp.44-53.
Coria, J. and Calfucura, E., 2012. Ecotourism and the development of indigenous communities:
The good, the bad, and the ugly. Ecological Economics, 73, pp.47-55.
Hunt, C.A., Durham, W.H., Driscoll, L. and Honey, M., 2015. Can ecotourism deliver real
economic, social, and environmental benefits? A study of the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. Journal
of Sustainable Tourism, 23(3), pp.339-357.
Prud’homme, B. and Raymond, L., 2013. Sustainable development practices in the hospitality
industry: An empirical study of their impact on customer satisfaction and
intentions. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 34, pp.116-126.
Ramos, A.M. and Prideaux, B., 2014. Indigenous ecotourism in the Mayan rainforest of
Palenque: empowerment issues in sustainable development. Journal of Sustainable
Tourism, 22(3), pp.461-479.
Satyanarayana, B., Bhanderi, P., Debry, M., Maniatis, D., Foré, F., Badgie, D., Jammeh, K.,
Vanwing, T., Farcy, C., Koedam, N. and Dahdouh-Guebas, F., 2012. A socio-ecological

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assessment aiming at improved forest resource management and sustainable ecotourism
development in the mangroves of Tanbi Wetland National Park, The Gambia, West
Africa. Ambio, 41(5), pp.513-526.
Snyman, S., 2013. Household spending patterns and flow of ecotourism income into
communities around Liwonde National Park, Malawi. Development Southern Africa, 30(4-5),
pp.640-658.
Spenceley, A. ed., 2012. Responsible tourism: Critical issues for conservation and development.
Routledge.
Zhang, H. and Lei, S.L., 2012. A structural model of residents’ intention to participate in
ecotourism: The case of a wetland community. Tourism Management, 33(4), pp.916-925.