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A survey of ecotourism on islands in northwestern México

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2002

B.R. TERSHY ,
L. BOURILLÓN ,
L. METZLER  and
J. BARNES
B.R. TERSHY
Affiliation:
Island Conservation & Ecology Group, PO Box 141, Davenport, California 95017, USA Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA
L. BOURILLÓN
Affiliation:
Centro de Conservación y Aprovechamiento de los Recursos Naturales, ITESM-Campus Guaymas, AP 484, Guaymas, Sonora 85400, México
L. METZLER
Affiliation:
Prescott College, 220 Grove Ave, Prescott, Arizona 86301, USA
J. BARNES
Affiliation:
Prescott College, 220 Grove Ave, Prescott, Arizona 86301, USA
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Abstract

The >150 islands in north-western México are relatively pristine, but may easily be damaged by unregulated human use. Tourists visit many of these islands, but their numbers and impact are unknown. To examine some of the costs and benefits of ecotourism we sent a questionnaire to 42 ecotourism companies that visit islands in north-western México; 29 respondents reported that tourist days on these islands had increased at >7% yr-1, from <15 000 in 1986 to about 47 000 in 1993. Neither government regulation nor cost of trips were reported to be important impediments to tourism growth. In 1993, ecotourist organizations visiting islands reported spending US$3.7 million, none of which went directly to the protection and management of the islands. We provide several management options to increase the conservation benefits of ecotourism and minimize the negative impacts.

Keywords

Gulf of CaliforniaBaja Californiahuman useconservationmanagement
Type
Research Article
Information
Environmental Conservation , Volume 26 , Issue 3 , September 1999 , pp. 212 - 217
Copyright
© 1999 Foundation for Environmental Conservation

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