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ecotourism

American  
[ek-oh-toor-iz-uhm, ee-koh‑] / ˌɛk oʊˈtʊər ɪz əm, ˌi koʊ‑ /

noun

  1. tourism to places having unspoiled natural resources, with minimal impact on the environment being a primary concern.

ecotourism British  
/ ˈiːkəʊˌtʊərɪzəm /

noun

  1. tourism that is designed to contribute to the protection of the environment or at least minimize damage to it, often involving travel to areas of natural interest in developing countries or participation in environmental projects

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of ecotourism

1985–90; eco- + tourism

Vocabulary lists containing ecotourism

South America - Middle School

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South America - Introductory

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Central America and the Caribbean - Introductory

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

PaiPai Ecotourism Park near the northern port city of Ensenada draws cruise-ship visitors to its “Capybara Village,” completed last summer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

Ecotourism has other costs and benefits that weren't under consideration in this particular research.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2024

Ecotourism helps bolster the region’s environmental progress, but surging visitation — predominantly from metro Vancouver — can strain existing infrastructure.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 3, 2022

In 1990, Epler Wood founded the International Ecotourism Society, the first nonprofit dedicated to using eco-tourism to encourage sustainable development.

From Washington Post • Jul. 14, 2022

“We need to protect not only Kamchatka, but nature in Russia in general,” said Roman Korchigin, deputy director for Ecotourism and Education at the Kronotsky Reserve.

From New York Times • Oct. 7, 2019

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.