Ecotourism standards

As Ecotourism in Eastern Russia develops it is necessary to start thinking about ecotourism standards. This presents some challenges and opportunities. First of all, it is necessary to create ecotourism standards that are appropriate under the circumstances. All parties involved in ecotourism efforts in Eastern Russia agree that a significant part of establishing standards is establishing public grass roots education pushing from the ground up an awareness of conduct that can harm or protect the environment. Through this movement and with the cooperation of all concerned, ground rules can be established that make sense at this time and at this stage of development.

We urge our travelers when they join our programs to be aware that what they observe are stepping-stones to a brighter, more concerned attitude about nature and the interaction with native cultures. We hope our travelers share their ideas with our partners in a positive reinforcing way.

After all our research on the subject, we have established that the standards we find the most appropriate for this stage are those accepted by the WWF program "Linking tourism and conservation in the arctic"

1. Make tourism and Conservation compatible
2. Support the preservation of wilderness and biodiversity
3. Use natural resources in a sustainable way
4. Minimize consumption, waste and pollution
5. Respect local cultures
6. Respect historic and scientific sites
7. Communities should benefit from tourism
8. Trained staff are the key to responsible tourism
9. Make your trip an opportunity to learn about the destination and its people
10. Follow safety rules

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