TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

Eco-tourism or ethical travel is the latest catch-phrase in the travel industry, but what does it really mean? And are you going to get the vacation you think you're going to get? Though the term is tossed around a lot, it doesn't always mean the same thing.

Ideally, most people think of eco-tourism as something that will minimize any environmental impact from your trip. That can include a hotel that uses renewable energy or does extensive composting. I could also mean a resort that uses no pesticides or chemicals in the outdoor gardens.

In many cases, tour companies will offer "eco-tours" which are really just vacations with a lot of outdoor time in natural surroundings. Vacations with hikes, wilderness explorations or outdoor sports could be labeled like this. Nothing wrong with an outdoor holiday, but it might not be as environmentally-friendly as you expect.