When ecotourists dream of good things in small packages, they might envision Ecuador. The South American nation of 13 million can boast slices of both the Andes and the Amazon, not to mention the Galápagos Islands. Now, Ecuador is taking steps to govern and promote the ecotourism sector. Among these initiatives is the development of a national certification program that, following the example of Costa Rica, will grant a green seal to ecotourism operators who meet certain criteria. The certification effort, begun jointly by the IUCN and the Ecuadorian Ecotourism Association (Asec), also involves government officials and local environmental and indigenous leaders. Diego Andrade Ubidia, Asec’s executive director, is a major player in this process and, like the head of any trade organization, an unrepentant booster. But he also acknowledges that unbridled ecotourism growth can harm both the environment and unsuspecting rural and indigenous communities. Andrade spoke recently with EcoAméricas correspondent Bill Hinchberger. [Log in to read more]

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