Ecotourism has become popular because many people are aware of the damage occuring in many of the earth's most beautiful natural treasures. They want to make a positive change. It is time to search for ways that tourism can benefit the people at each destination and save endangered wildlife and plants, before it is too late.

Tourism, too often, doesn't bring economic benefit to the poorest people at a destination. Tourists arrive from rich countries, often very emotional about saving wildlife, such as spectacular elephants or sea otters. Sometimes, however, the local people feel differently. These wild animals might be eating their food crops or killing their sheep.

If their families are hungry, people living in the nature areas that we visit might be tempted to cut their trees for quick profit. They might sell their coral for jewelry, tropical fish for aquariums, colorful butterflies for artwork, and reptile skins for handbags to foreigners. It's hard to blame them for wanting to do that.

Ecotourism has the power, however, to offer a better alternative to such destructive practices. It can bring money, education, health care and better living standards to these villagers, farmers or fishermen. If local people are getting benefits by tourists coming to see their rainforest, for example, they may have a stronger reason to want to protect it for the future. Many traditional arts and crafts which have been dying out, are being revitalized too, because of tourism.

When tourists realize that they can learn much from the local people they meet, then they will often have a rich personal experience. One of the greatest gifts of tourism is when we can expand our own awareness of the natural world, participate in its well-being, and make friendships with people of other cultures. This means becoming an "active traveler," who thinks for him or herself, not a "passive tourist," who is led around.