At the time as the new saving grace for the environment, because it worked with it, not against it, ecotourism first appeared on the global stage in 1992. The reputation of ecotourism has also taken a hard hit when it has been hijacked by unscrupulous operators exploiting both the environment and the travelers who are readily willing to pay over the odds to indulge in identifiably 'green trips', the more exotic the better.
Consequently, it is not easy to be clear on what exactly constitutes 'ecotourism; and hence environmentally-friendly operators, venues or even accommodation