Course code MežZ5008
Credit points 4.50
Ecotourism Planning and Impacts
Total Hours in Course120
Number of hours for lectures32
Number of hours for seminars and practical classes16
Date of course confirmation08.11.2011
Responsible UnitInstitute of Forest Management
Course developer
Solveiga Luguza
Mg. silv.
Course abstract
This course covers ecotourism policy and planning within the broader context of general tourism policy and planning. Planning in site (attractions, natural areas, communities) and broader levels (national or regional). This course will provide students with an in-depth understanding of the impacts of ecotourism using the broad categorization of economic, environmental, and socio-cultural impacts.
Learning outcomes and their assessment
After the course student knows institutions and organizations related to ecotourism policy development in national, European and global level, has skills to describe principles of policy and planning of ecotourism, is able to justify and describe the various municipal and industrial impacts on the environment and is competent to provide recommendations for ecotourism planning.
Compulsory reading
1. Page S.J, Dowling R. K. Ecotourism. Harlow (England): Prentice Hall, 2002. 338 p.
2. Weaver D. Ecotourism. 2nd edition. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 2008. 360 p.
3. Ekotūrisma attīstības stratēģija. Rīga.: VARAM, 2001. 105 lpp.
4. Ecotourism in Latvia. Rīga: Latvijas institūts, 2001. 24 lpp.
Further reading
1. Mason P. Tourism Impacts, Planning and Management. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann, 2003. 406 p.
2. Buckley R. Ecotourism: principles and practices. Cambridge, Mass: CABI, 2009. 368 p.
3. The encyclopedia of ecotourism. Ed. by D. B. Weaver. Oxon (UK), New York (NY): CABI Publ., cop., 2001. 668 p.
Periodicals and other sources
1. Vides Vēstis. ISSN 1407-2939
2. Annals of Tourism Research. ISSN 0160-7383
3. Journal of Ecotourism. ISSN 1472-4049