Ecotourism in Appalachia : marketing the mountains /

Fritsch (director, Appalachia-Science in the Public Interest) and Johannsen (freelance writer) provide a realistic assessment of ecotourism for the Appalachian region, with an attempt to engage citizens in the debate about the role of ecotourism in the region's sustainable future. The book's ten chapters flow logically, beginning with a global view of the tourism industry and a survey of tourism in the Appalachian region, followed by elaborate illustrations of successes and failures of tourism development from such diverse places as Belize, Hawaii, and Nepal. Two contrasting visions of tourism in 2020 are then portrayed for the region and, as environmentalists, the authors advocate for the greener alternative. Recognizing the limits of ecotourism, the authors suggest looking beyond ecotourism and propose several alternative forms of tourism for the region, including educational travel, roots tourism, and agri-tourism. This well-written book contributes to the active debate about the sustainability of tourism/ecotourism and will serve well as assigned reading or a case study in advanced-level undergraduate or graduate courses in tourism, ecotourism, or regional planning and development fields. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. Public, academic, and professional library collections. Y.-F. Leung North Carolina State University

The central Appalachian states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina have a lot to offer tourists: nature treks, farmhouse bed-and-breakfasts, birding, historical hikes and more. Yet many of these attractions are not environmentally friendly. In this volume, environmental activist Fritsch and environmental writer Johannsen urge local communities to gain control of their own finances and local governments to regulate tourism business practices so that the region's resources will no longer be exploited by visitors. The authors encourage "responsible tourism," exposing abusive practices and offering steps to change them. Encompassing history, economics and culture, and using examples of other tourism areas such as Hawaii and Alaska, Fritsch and Johannsen lay out a comprehensive, if sometimes dense, treatise on the importance of fostering green tourism. Their volume is sure to intrigue land developers, business owners and anyone working in the Appalachian tourism industry. 24 b&w photos. (Jan.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.