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The tourism industry does not extract natural resources, while destroying the habitat. However its activities and infrastructure (hotels, roads, etc) may or may not have negative impacts over the environment. Nevertheless, tourism and especially ecotourism provides and opportunity to develop an industry that does not destroy the environment but in fact supports nature conservation.
Nature tourism is the industry segment with the highest rate of growth. It can best be defined as “tourism that consists in visiting natural areas with the aim to study, admire or enjoy the natural landscape, its wild species of flora and fauna as well as any cultural attraction that can be found in these areas.”
Nature tourism has shown in recent years annual growth rates between 25% and 30% in comparrison to an annual growth of 4% in the tourism industry in general (WTO). Nature tourism generates 7% of the spending in tourism on an internacional level and contributes a total of $US 223 billion.
Examples for nature tourism are:
Bird watching: The number of bird watchers was estimated to be only in the US a total of 65 million people, of which 24 million travel at least once a year. In 2001 a study estimated that here are 6.5 million people in the US being interested to visit Peru. 700,400 of these (10.3%) are bird watchers.
Whale watching: There is an estimated 10 million birdwatchers worldwide, spending every year more than 1.2 billion $US. Peru with 30 species of whales and dolphins being registered in our ocean and rainforest rivers could become a prime whale watching destination.
Scuba diving: According to the "1999 Travel Agent Planner" there are only in the US 3 million scuba divers, spending annually US$ 2.3 billion and do travel 2 to 4 times per year to diving destinations.
According to the Ecotourism Society 40% - 60% of the international tourists are interested in nature tourism and 20% - 40% of international tourist visit nature destinations.
Examples for other countries with an important nature tourism industry:
- Costa Ricas natural protected areas received in 1982 around 65,000 visitors, a number thta increased to 273,000 in 1991 (320 %). Nepal had 175,000 foreigners visiting its protected areas in 1982, a number that increased to 334,000 in 1991 (91 %). Ecuador had an increase in number of vistors in protected areas of 17 % between 1986 and 1998.
However, the label ”nature tourism” does not mean that the tourism activity itself would be sustainable or would be carried out taking a special care about the environment.
Contrary to this “ecotourism”, being a sub segment of nature tourism, is the strictest form of sustainable tourism. Ecotourism has been defined by the International Ecotourism Society as “responsible travel that aims to conserve the environment and improve the situation of the local population”. A study undertaken in seven major cities in the US and Canada identified 1995 a market of 13 700 000 people. 
We do use the word “ecotourism” according to the definition of the International Ecotourism Society, while we call other forms of tourism, that do not comply with these standards, nature tourism.
Sadly the term ecotourism has lately become a fashion word and only very few tourism operations that call themselves “ecotourism” are actually complying with the above cited definitions.
In order to be an ecotourism it is not enough to merely offer a visit to a natural area. It requires real corporative responsibility that aims for sustainable use of tourism resources.
Ecotourism must meet the following criteria: 
A ) The tourism operation must be designed and implemented in a way that creates minimum environmental impact.
B ) Tourism must contribute to the local economy and use where ever possible local services.
C ) Tourism must contribute financially to nature conservation.
D ) Tourism must be designed in order to educate visitors and local communities about the importance of nature conservation.
Mundo Azuls mission is to promote ecotourism development as a tool for economic development on a local level and as a conservation tool.
In order to learn about Mundo Azuls activities in the area of ecotourism development see the following topics:
Tourism study in Pisco/Paracas
Environmental impact of tourism on marine and shore birds
whale and dolphin watching
the role of natural protected areas in sustainable development