Travel is an ever-changing industry, one that is perpetually evolving and morphing based on the wants and needs of tourists. Trends come and go in travel about as quickly as the weather in an Alaskan rainforest can change. While some trends are leaves on the wind, others are here to stay and it is the job of the industry to figure out what's what. In the case of ecotourism, that is a growing trend that seems to be here to stay, particularly in North America.
Ecotourism is the practice of focusing on the environment in travel plans. This does mean going to green to an extent and minimizing the pollution footprint of tourism as much as possible. But the focus of the ecotourism movement is more on experiencing the environment in as natural and authentic a way as possible. This means traveling to see wildlife, wander through the wilderness, and take time to actually understand the culture of the place you're visiting.
This has become a major trend in North America, particularly in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Forecasted increases in ecotourism are a little over 12%, which is slightly higher than the worldwide projections of over 11%. This number is hard to ignore as double digits growth in any aspect of tourism means millions, if not billions, of dollars for the impacted nations.
All three countries have long histories of protecting nature, though some administrations are more active in this regard than others. National parks and preserves across North America have seen drastic increases in what is hopefully responsible usage. On top of that, more and more people are making plans to see amazing natural events, such as the Monarch Butterfly Migration in Mexico. Embracing ecotourism will likely be a key economic motivator in each country.