Ecotourism and Sustainability

Abstract

Written by a certified professional tour guide, this article analyzes the boom in ecotourism as an economic sector and its connection to the sustainable-development principles established in Colombian legislation. The author argues that local communities must actively participate in planning ecotourism projects, and presents growth data for Colombia's tourism sector, which reached 1.2% of GDP by the end of 2005. The text projects the Aburrá Valley as a potential leading national ecotourism destination by 2016, highlighting its offer of parks, natural reserves, and pre-Hispanic trails, concluding with a call for inter-institutional coordination to position Medellín as a competitive tourist destination.