Instead, it goes to developed countries, where the tourists originated, giving
little economic protection to the forests. Profits leak back to the developed
nations through tour operators, plane tickets, foreign owned accommodations and
use of non-local supplies. The World Bank estimates that worldwide only 45
percent of tourism?s revenue reaches the host country.
In less developed areas, the percentage is often lower. One study of the
popular ecotourism destination of the Annapurna region of Nepal found that only
10 cents of every dollar spent stayed on the local economy. Within the
country, the money may end up in the large cities of in the hands of the
wealthy elite.
Tourist dollars should help to acquire and improve management of conservation
areas on which the tourism is based, but money from tourism does not often end
up with the agencies that manage these areas. In Costa Rica, the park service
does not earn enough money from its entrance fees to manage and protect its
numerous parks. Only 25% of it?s budget comes from fees; the other three
quarters must come from donations. Tourists often resent paying large sums of
money on entrance fees. Although these fees are only a small portion of the
money spent on a trip they can be the most important dollars spent in
protecting the resource because they go directly toward protecting the site.
The environmentalists and government officials play a vital part in the
protection of the Rainforests. Without them, all of the Rainforests would
probably be gone. (4)
In conclusion, the Rainforests, the lungs of the earth will be gone in just a
few years if the current rates of destruction continue. But luckily, there are
environmentalists there to protect the rainforest and potentially protecting
our lives. I say protecting our lives because in the past 100 years the earth?s
temperature has risen one degree Fahrenheit. This may sound small and
insignificant but it is very serious. Combined with global pollution from
cars, factories, etc. the depletion of the Rainforest has caused the level of
the earth?s air quality to lower, more arctic icebergs to melt causing water
levels to rise around the world causing more erosion and nameless other
effects.
If within 20 years, more is not being done estimates the rainforest action
network, our earth will begin to change into a hot planet, flaming with CO2,
with clouds made up of sulfuric acid, much like the planet Venus. (11) These
factors, in the advanced stage of Global Warming are what the earth is coming
to if something is not being done soon about the destruction of the tropical
Rainforests and various other types of pollution. The earth will become a
death trap for the human race unless we act now!