Amazon Interactive
The Ecotourism Game
Build a new tourist lodge
Tourists praisethe new lodge as clean and comfortable. A few complain about the generatornoise at night, but most are willing to give up the sounds of the nightforest for electric lights and ceiling fans. The cultural performances aregiven in a building specially designed for them, complete with a lightingand sound system.
Tourism has replaced agriculture as the main economic activityin the community. Most Quichua still work in their fields, but only to growfood for household consumption and a bit more to sell. Most of their timeis spent cooking and cleaning for tourists. Most enjoy the camaraderie ofthis work, since they can spend more time together than they could whenthey worked in the fields.
The type of tourist who comes to the communityhas changed. No longer the young adventurer, tourists are older now andless interested in personal contact with the Quichua. Few speak Spanishanyway. Most simply want to photograph the older men in traditional grassskirts and feed the pet toucan in the garden. They applaud the culturalprogram but never ask whether these traditions are maintained outside ofthe tourism project
The Quichua have noticed the change in the tourists, and theyno longer look forward to tourist visits as they once did. Tourism is theirjob now. They try to do it well, but they give it no more thought once theday is over. They are making more money than ever. Several people have purchasedtelevisions and VCRs, renting videos every week when they take the canoeinto the nearest town. Almost everyone has at least a radio now, if nota stereo. Every house has music playing.
Fortunately, few tourists notice. Most rarely leave the touristcompound to walk in the rainforest, preferring instead to stay by the newpool at the lodge.
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| Though tourism is profitable, most Quichua continue to tend to their crops.The need for rich soil leads many of your neighbors to clear half a hectarefor new crops. However, deforestation is held at a minimum due to the ecotourismproject. | Tourism has become a strong and reliable source of income, doubling theannual income for most Quichua. Most people can even afford to send theirchildren to school in the provincial capital. |
Congratulations!
The ecotourism project is widely considered a success. SomeQuichua regret the way that the community now is focused on tourist servicesrather than traditional Quichua activities, or at least demonstrating traditionalQuichua activities to tourists. Other regrets are those that come with progressin any form: the children speak Spanish more than Quichua, the old knowledgeof the rainforest is not being passed down to new generations.
But you have avoided the mistakes made by other Quichua communitieswith their ecotourism projects. You have helped preserve Pangayacu's remainingrainforest and ensured the survival of the community.
This game is based on research into a Quichua ecotourism project in Río Blanco, Ecuador. Learn more about it in at Ecotourism Research and Other Adventures
