Eco-Tuscany: defining Ecotourism in Tuscany 

"Now I see the secret of making the best persons, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth". (Walt Whitman)

"Nature is ever at work building and pulling down, creating and destroying, keeping everything whirling and flowing, allowing no rest but in rhythmical motion, chasing everything in endless song out of one beautiful form into another". (John Muir) 

The lack of a commonly shared definition is one of the factors delaying the certification of a popular topic now widely accepted by most governments. . The lack of a standard terminology has resulted in a myriad of definitions, and this is why the term "ecotourism" seems to have a different meaning in different countries. Most definitions of ecotourism, however, convey the idea of a form of tourism that meets three criteria: • it provides the resources for conservation; • it generates meaningful community participation; • it is profitable and can sustain itself. These three components of ecotourism are inseparable. Having said that, ecotourism is not a commodity, it is a social process, and it is exceedingly difficult to assess or regulate successfully. If projects are to be regarded as ecotourism, they must include local participation and must help conservation efforts.

Tourism is both "the practice of travelling for pleasure" and "the business of providing tours and services for tourists." Consequently, it's relatively unimportant whether the clients call themselves "travellers" or "tourists."         ADVENTURE TOURISM A buzzword as troublesome as ecotourism is "adventure travel", which also means different things to different people. The latter involves certain physical risks, thus safety standards need to be evaluated quite thoroughly. The adventure travel market is said to be growing, but even that encompasses so many types of activities that the term remains vague to most participant if not to marketers and armchair travellers.   RESPONSIBLE TOURISM Responsible tourism draws attention to the fact that most tourism tends to be irresponsible. Local residents are either exploited or bent on exploiting tourists; natural and cultural heritage is often treated with disrespect by both sides. For the local and for the tourist alike, responsible tourism should mean treating others with the same respect as you treat your neighbour. When tourism operators speak of "destinations” they should instead speak of “becoming guests in someone else's home”.   SUSTAINABLE TOURISM The notion of "sustainable tourism" results from the ongoing discussion and debate around the notion of “sustainable development”. The best efforts have gone into developing strategies that promote natural resources in such a way as to enrich them for future generations, rather than deplete them. An additional challenge is represented by the idea of developing something the ambitious notion of "conscientious tourism" which aims at a deeper understanding of people and place. ALTERNATIVE TOURISM Tourist industry entrepreneurs often use concepts that travellers themselves do not use. One example is the notion of "alternative tourism" which distinguishes a niche from the more established market. Travellers will never ask for "alternative tourism" information, what they are asking for are holidays including adventure, fun, education, good foods, sceneries, sports, religion, gay and lesbian events, experiences with communities, etc. Travellers seek what they most enjoy. The problem with "alternative tourism" is that it defines itself by what it is not -- in this case, "traditional tourism." As travellers become more demanding, we expect a growth in niche markets that offer more than "traditional" tourism. ACCREDITATION Ecotouring Tuscany is moving to get proper accreditation from leading institutions in Ecotourism, such as EcoClub, The International Ecotourism Society and NEAP-Nature & Ecotourism Certification Program.