Ecotourism in Appalachia : marketing the mountains / Al Fritsch and Kristin Johannsen.

ISBN:

9780813159225

Title:

Author:

Fritsch, Albert J.

Personal Author:

Fritsch, Albert J.

Publication Information:

Physical Description:

1 online resource (324 pages)

General Note:

2. Ecotourism reduces nature to a commodity with a price tag.

Contents:

Cover; Half-title; Title; Copyright; Contents; Acknowledgments; Introduction; 1. The World's Biggest Industry: The Rising Star of Tourism; The Old World: From Pilgrimage to Pleasure Tour; The New World: Natural Wonders; You Are Here: The Rise of Mass Tourism; The Spiraling Scope of Travel; A Look Inside the Tourist Machine; ""Hosts"" and ""Guests""; Room to Grow; 2. Mountain Mist: Appalachian Tourism Today; Appalachia's Drawing Cards; Natural Attractions and Outdoor Activities; Popular Tourist Attractions; Scenic Views; Hospitality; Accessibility; Economic Benefits-and Leakage.

Tourism and Appalachia's EnvironmentAir Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise Pollution; Litter and Garbage; Chemical Pollution; Wildlife and Wildflower Resources; Energy Waste; Sprawl; Visual Pollution; Light Pollution; Vibrational Pollution; Other Forms of Environmental Damage; Comparative Environmental Impacts of Recreational Activities; Tourism and Appalachian Culture; Factors Leading to the Erosion of Culture; 3. On the Wrong Track: ORV Tourism in Kentucky; The Situation; Outline of an ATV Environmental Assessment; Environmental Impacts; Land Disturbance; Air Pollution; Water Pollution.

Endangered and Threatened SpeciesNoise pollution; Litter; Behavior; Safety Issues; The Economics of ATVs; Controlling ATV Tourism; Research and Monitoring; Publicity; Obstruction; Education; Organizing; Enforcement; Consumer Advocacy; Regulation; Future Legal Routes; Commercial Zones for ATVs?; Reflections; 4. Going Green: Ecotourism as an Emerging Experience; Where Did Ecotourism Come from?; Selling Nature Tourism; Motivations for Tourism, and Motivations for Ecotourism; Nature Travel to Exotic Places; The Major Players in Ecotourism; How Green Is It? The Problem of Certification.

Who Are the Ecotourists Today?5. Lessons for Appalachia 1: Ecotourism in Developing Countries; Tourism Takes Off in Nepal; Tourism and Nepal's Environment; Taming Tourism; Social Impacts; Dependence on Tourism; Belize: Mother Nature's Theme Park?; In the Lap of Luxury; Bungle in the Jungle; Future Prospects; What Can Appalachia Learn?; 6. Lessons for Appalachia 2: Nature Tourism in the U.S.; Trouble in Paradise?; The History of the ""Fiftieth State""; By Leaps and Bounds; Nature As Commodity; Tourism Out of Control; Aloha for Sale; Questions for Appalachia; Way Up North; The Last Frontier.

Who Owns Nature?Balancing Demands-Hunters, Ecotourists, and Subsistence; Taking Control of Tourism; From Alaska to Appalachia; Learning from the Wider World; 7. The Bottom Line: Ecotourism's Balance Sheet; On the Plus Side: Benefits to the Tourist; Economic Benefits to the Destination; Environmental Benefits; The Downside: Flaws in the Current Practice of Ecotourism; Environmental Impacts; Economic Leakage; Ecotourism-An Elitist Trend; Inescapable Contradictions; 1. Ecotourism, like all present-day forms of tourism, dependsheavily on the petroleum economy.

Local Note:

eBooks on EBSCOhost

Subject Term:

Ecotourism -- Appalachian Mountains.

Added Author:

Johannsen, Kristin, 1957-

Format:

Electronic Resources

Electronic Access:

Click here to view

Publication Date:

2015

Publication Information:

Available:*

Shelf Number	Material Type	Copy	Shelf Location	Status
917.40068 23	1:E-BOOK	1	1:ONLINE	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Tourism is the world's largest industry, and ecotourism is rapidly emerging as its fastest growing segment. As interest in nature travel increases, so does concern for conservation of the environment and the well-being of local peoples and cultures. Appalachia seems an ideal destination for ecotourists, with its rugged mountains, uniquely diverse forests, wild rivers, and lively arts culture. And ecotourism promises much for the region: protecting the environment while bringing income to disadvantaged communities. But can these promises be kept? Ecotourism in Appalachia examines both the potential and the threats that tourism holds for Central Appalachia. The authors draw lessons from destinations that have suffered from the "tourist trap syndrome," including Nepal and Hawaii. They conclude that only carefully regulated and locally controlled tourism can play a positive role in Appalachia's economic development.

Author Notes

Al Fritsch , founder of Appalachia-Science in the Public Interest, is the author of several books. Kristin Johannsen is a freelance writer specializing in travel and environmental issues.

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

The central Appalachian states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina have a lot to offer tourists: nature treks, farmhouse bed-and-breakfasts, birding, historical hikes and more. Yet many of these attractions are not environmentally friendly. In this volume, environmental activist Fritsch and environmental writer Johannsen urge local communities to gain control of their own finances and local governments to regulate tourism business practices so that the region's resources will no longer be exploited by visitors. The authors encourage "responsible tourism," exposing abusive practices and offering steps to change them. Encompassing history, economics and culture, and using examples of other tourism areas such as Hawaii and Alaska, Fritsch and Johannsen lay out a comprehensive, if sometimes dense, treatise on the importance of fostering green tourism. Their volume is sure to intrigue land developers, business owners and anyone working in the Appalachian tourism industry. 24 b&w photos. (Jan.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Choice Review

Fritsch (director, Appalachia-Science in the Public Interest) and Johannsen (freelance writer) provide a realistic assessment of ecotourism for the Appalachian region, with an attempt to engage citizens in the debate about the role of ecotourism in the region's sustainable future. The book's ten chapters flow logically, beginning with a global view of the tourism industry and a survey of tourism in the Appalachian region, followed by elaborate illustrations of successes and failures of tourism development from such diverse places as Belize, Hawaii, and Nepal. Two contrasting visions of tourism in 2020 are then portrayed for the region and, as environmentalists, the authors advocate for the greener alternative. Recognizing the limits of ecotourism, the authors suggest looking beyond ecotourism and propose several alternative forms of tourism for the region, including educational travel, roots tourism, and agri-tourism. This well-written book contributes to the active debate about the sustainability of tourism/ecotourism and will serve well as assigned reading or a case study in advanced-level undergraduate or graduate courses in tourism, ecotourism, or regional planning and development fields. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. Public, academic, and professional library collections. Y.-F. Leung North Carolina State University