Ecuador ´s Oil Demons .
What Others Had to Say
NAT GEO NEWS
Ecuador’s oil legacy is indeed a tragic one. With modest benefits oozing down to the neediest yet with few seemingly lucrative alternatives, Ecuador faces some incredibly tough choices. However, with the growth of tourism and in particular ecotourism in the Ecuadorian Amazon, sustainable alternatives are in the ascendancy and warrant far greater attention.
The Huaorani Ecolodge is one such example. The Huaorani who make up the majority of the employees are not lying lazily on their hammocks but in fact contributing to the national economy by providing incredibly exciting and unique tourist adventures. The financial gains from receiving tourists in turn helps protect their forest homeland and their cultural integrity.
One successful project alone is no substitute for oil but the potential of ecotourism more broadly and its ability to open up new sustainable opportunities could be.
