Amazon Interactive
The Ecotourism Game
Pay all the proceeds to the Quichua
Without money for maintenance and improvements, the touristfacilities begin to decay. Tourists notice that the rainforest is encroachingon the tourist compound but few say anything, since they expected fairlysimple and rough accommodations.
Meanwhile, the people of Pangayacu are making more money fromecotourism than they ever did from agriculture. At first they are cautiouswith the money, spending it on long-delayed essentials like clothing andtools. Within a few months, however, nearly everyone has new clothes andhas replaced their thatch roof with one made of tin. Some of the more adventurousmembers begin buying radios, stereos, and electronic watches and games.
Tourists look unhappy with the new wealth of the community.Some complain that the Quichua here are no longer authentic--they don'tlook like Amazon Indians anymore. Word spreads quickly. Tourists begin seekingout indigenous communities deeper in the Amazon. The ecotourism projectbegins to decline.
When it becomes obvious that tourism is no longer viable,the people of the community abandon the project and return to their fields.Few saved any money frm the brief ecotourism bonanza and almost everyonehas to clear more forest to plant the crops necessary to make a living.
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| Most Quichua clear a few hectares of primary forest to plant coffee andrice for the market. Less than 10% of the land remains in rainforest. | As income from tourism drops, the Quichua focus on agriculture to maintaintheir standard of living. |
This is the end of the ecotourism game.
Would you like to see what happens if you splitthe proceeds between the Quichua and the ecotourism project?
