7 Facts of Global Ecotourism Could Boost Indonesia Ecotourism

Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago where is 17,000 islands spread over 4,000 km along the equator. There is various landscape pattern with more natural and cultural diversity than any other countries in Southeast Asia. Two seasons run every year: rainy season falls from September throughout January and dry season from February to August. Sun shining almost year around presents life for paddy, green forest, and pristine coastal plants. These plants grow on the world's best fertile soils.

The environment needs to be conserved and managed to improve the well-being of its residents. Tourism could maximize the benefits of nature to local communities, minimizes negative social or environmental impacts, and helps local people conserve fragile cultures, habitats, and species. It is responsible for tourism including Ecotourism.

Definitely, ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people (The International Ecotourism Society, 1990). Ecotourism in Indonesia has developed to grab the growing opportunity in the future. Referring to Global Ecotourism fact was published by The International Ecotourism Society, the following are the size of Global Ecotourism that, I think, could boost Indonesia Ecotourism:

1. Beginning in the 1990s, ecotourism has been growing 20% - 34% per year
2. In 2004, ecotourism/nature tourism was growing globally 3 times faster than the tourism industry as a whole
3. Nature tourism is growing at 10%-12% per annum in the international market
4. Sun-and-sand resort tourism has now “matured as a market” and its growth is projected to remain flat. In contrast, “experiential” tourism—which encompasses ecotourism, nature, heritage, cultural, and soft adventure tourism, as well as sub-sectors such as rural and community tourism—is among the sectors expected to grow most quickly over the next two decades
5. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Conservation International have indicated that most of tourism’s expansion is occurring in and around the world’s remaining natural areas
6. Sustainable tourism could grow to 25% of the world’s travel market within six years, taking the value of the sector to £250 billion (US$473.6 billion) a year
7. Analysts predict growth in eco-resorts and hotels, and a boom in nature tourism — a sector already growing at 20% a year — and suggest early converts to sustainable tourism will make market gains.

At the end, the following are some ecotourism destinations in Indonesia that would be recommended:

List of the Park:
1. Tangkahan, Gunung Leuser
2. Kerinci Seblat
3. Way Kambas
4. Siberut
5. Bukit Tigapuluh
6. Bukit Barisan Selatan
7. Ujung Kulon
8. Halimun Salak
9. Bedogol, Gunung Gede Pangrango
10. Karimun Jawa
11. Bromo Tengger Semeru
12. Baluran
13. Alas Purwo
14. Tanjung Puting
15. Kutai National Park
16. Bukit Baka Bukit Raya
17. Bali Barat
18. Wakatobi
19. Bunaken
20. Gunung Rinjani
21. Komodo
22. Togean Island

Village Tourism:
1. Candirejo, Borobudur
2. Cinangneng, Bogor
3. Sibetan, Bali
4. Nusa Ceningan, Bali

Other Conservation Area:
1. Seribu Island
2. Derawan Island
3. Raja Ampat Island

Image Source : Darril Gurin / Corbis