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DETAILS:
At one time, many ``exotic" locales were not considered an affordable leisure travel destination. Airlines, tour operators and hotels have joined together to change that by improving services to those particular destinations. They have kept a delicate balance between nature and luxury by bringing access and services to ``exotic' areas without upsetting the ecological beauty. The result has allowed areas such as Indonesia to cash in on the boom in eco-tourism and adventure travel -- a $20 billion a year industry. The industry is catering to the adventurers who want to experience the world in its most natural state, are environmentally conscious, and who don't necessarily want to ``rough it" or pay exorbitant prices.
Around the globe, eco-tourism is quickly becoming one of the most popular forms of vacationing. The typical eco-tourist, according to The Eco-tourism Society, has at least a college education, is between the ages of 35 and 54, earns over $40,000 per year and takes vacations at least one week in length.
Businesses are creating camps and eco-lodges, and natural resource managers are designing trails and tours. Most of the popular eco-travel destinations have fragile eco-systems, so it is important to maintain a careful balance between preservation and promotion -- "sustainable development" -- in order to ensure the long-term health of both the eco-systems and the tourism economies. Industry experts are optimistic, though, and they believe that finding a healthy balance is possible, thereby allowing countries to benefit economically from the preservation -- not exploitation -- of their natural resources.
SATELLITE NEWSFEED INCLUDES:
CUT-PIECE EXAMINING THE GROWING TREND OF ECO-TOURISM AND ADVENTURE TRAVEL among vacationers.
EXCLUSIVE SOUNDBITES WITH UNDERSEA EXPLORER JEAN-MICHEL COUSTEAU.
B-ROLL OF EXOTIC LOCATIONS; AN ADVENTURE TRAVEL EXCURSION; AND SCUBA DIVING FOOTAGE.
ADDITIONAL SOUNDBITES WITH MARTIN SUTTON, DIVE TRAVEL OPERATOR; DAN MARINO, SPOKESPERSON FOR SINGAPORE AIRLINES; AND RAINER H. SIGEL, PUBLISHER OF ASIAN DIVER MAGAZINE.
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