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This article presents information on the evolution of the book "Ecotourism." This book came to be written for three main reasons. The first of these was to address what might be considered "inconsistencies" in the philosophical basis of ecotourism and the development and implementation of ecotourism products in a wide variety of destinations. The author has written that ecotourism has reached a critical juncture in its evolution. She speaks graphically of instances where tourists endured swimming in water with human waste, guides capturing sloths and caiman for tourists to photograph, raw sewage openly dumped into the ocean, mother cheetahs killing their cubs to avoid the harassment of cheetah-chasing tourists and an ecotourism industry under-regulated with little hope for enforcement. Secondly it was taken to demonstrate the fact that there is a vast amount of ecotourism material that is currently available in the literature. Finally, a review of literature made it clear that few texts of this nature are currently available to help students in their understanding of the topic area. A significant body of literature cited in the book, especially in regard to tourism and recreation, falls outside the realm of ecotourism research.

This article presents information on ecotourism. As tourism takes its place as the world's largest industry, ecotourism has been identified as the fastest-growing segment of this dynamic global industry. Since the mid- to late 1980s ecotourism has become a major economic force for both developed and developing nations around the world. This book provides an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the key foundations, concepts and issues related to the subject, including: the foundations of ecotourism, tourism and ecotourism policy, the economics, marketing and management of ecotourism, the social and ecological impacts of tourism, the role of ethics in ecotourism and ecotourism and development.