**1. Introduction**

Eco-cultural tourism stems from ecotourism, which has been supported by the United Nations since 2012 [1] in order to eradicate poverty, protect the environment and incorporate sustainable development. It recognises the importance of preserving and protecting biodiversity and natural areas, and of using them in a sustainable manner. It fosters entrepreneurship and development among local communities, and encourages tourists to preserve and respect natural and cultural heritage.

This development has been possible after numerous recommendations from the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). Member States were urged to adopt incentive ecotourism policies, emphasising the positive effects of the creation of revenue, employment and education. Since the start of the nineties, ecotourism has been worked on at regional conferences and global summits, and 2002 was named the International Year of Ecotourism.

The majority of ecotourism-related terms emerged from English-speaking media [2]: natural tourism, rural tourism, wilderness tourism, alternative tourism, environmental tourism, anthropological tourism, low impact tourism, travel with Mother Nature, adventure travel, jungle tourism, cultural tourism, ecotravel, green tourism, science tourism, soft adventure tourism, bio tourism, ethnic tourism, appropriate tourism, sustainable tourism, ecotripping, socially responsible tourism, ecoventures, nature vacations, wilderness tourism, and ethical travel. As a whole, they are related to responsible, respectful and honest tourism. It's educational because it offers information before, during and after the trip. It's interactive because it entails life experiences involving real contact and participation. It's democratic because the benefits it creates are equally distributed; it encourages the participation of rural communities and supports resource conservation.

The growth of ecotourism began in the eighties, notably because of the economic benefits of natural tourism. What is characteristic of ecotourism is that it is a tool for sustainable development [3] and it's categorised as an activity that mixes the excitement of travelling with caring for the environment. Its main goals are sustainability, preservation and participation of the local community.

With the modern tourist's demands and new trends, ecotourism is moving on to its next stage and is asserting itself as eco-cultural tourism. It binds searching for contact with nature with valuing cultural authenticity, environmental sustainability, new experiences and a higher number of trips with a shorter stay in each place. That is to say, it's created a symbiosis between natural tourism and cultural tourism, supported by sustainability and limitations on use, by small-scale activities and a high-quality tourism experience.

Eco-cultural tourism is a new form of tourism where the main goal is not to generate wealth, expropriate land and exploit resources of inhabitants and countries in order to benefit big companies. It's established itself within a new concept of tourism, both in socioeconomic terms and as a practical activity, that combines the conservation of natural and cultural sites with economic and recreational benefits through sustainable development, and improves the conditions of the recipient communities. The main motivation is observation, appreciation and contemplation as an experience within the natural and cultural environment.

**Table 1** shows the characteristics of eco-cultural tourism from its inception, together with the synergy of the United Nations resolution that emphasises poverty eradication and environmental protection through ecotourism. It's a small-scale and fundamentally emotional form of tourism that promotes sociocultural and traditional values and environmental awareness, and offers benefits both to rural and urban areas. It requires a platform and type of tourism planning that encourages local sustainable development, involving all tourism sectors. It's currently

**Birth of ecotourism:** It's born together with the synergy of the United Nations resolution (2012) that emphasises poverty eradication and environmental protection through ecotourism [1]. It's small-scale tourism, with small businesses, with a specific and limited quality production and it's fundamentally based on experiences

**It encourages:** Sociocultural and traditional values; environmental awareness; respect for the biosphere, local cultures and traditions; brings benefits to rural and urban communities; economic potential for public and private companies, as well as a high-quality tourism experience

**It requires:** A platform and local sustainable development involving all tourism sectors (touristic planning, carrying capacity); socioeconomic and environmental balance.

**233**

**Table 2.**

*Eco-Cultural Tourism: Sustainable Development and Promotion of Natural and Cultural Heritage*

unique due to how it responds to problems related to climate change and imbalances in economic globalisation that have led to dead end conventional and/or traditional

Once eco-cultural tourism has been contextualised and treated together with its goals, a Planning Model with alternative tourism and the development of Tourism Projects is incorporated. In addition to this, a comparative methodology will be used to analyse global and local tourism in countries from Asia, Europe and South America. This will be guided by the following hypothesis: eco-cultural tourism requires local sustainable planning, endorsed by all tourism agents, and led by the load capacity and economic and environmental balance (green economies and ideologies). In this way, eco-cultural tourism will respond to the problems of poverty and climate change through Tourism Projects, directed by government policies and

tourism. Tourism Development Projects offer a new path for tourism.

**2. Planning alternative tourism and tourism development projects**

ing heritage and the characteristics of the inhabiting communities.

cultural heritage

load capacity

*Planning and sustainable development model for eco-cultural tourism.*

Entertainment Policies)

1st Phase: preliminary study

Planning for alternative tourism and creating Tourism Development Projects in eco-cultural tourism is carried out in unique spaces that, generally, have received little impact from conventional and/or traditional tourism. They are concrete, different or special spaces that are distinguishable from others. They are easier to design, manage and carry out [4]. The tourism development projects are based on planning models that involve the participation of all agents: representatives, politicians, businessmen and women, neighbourhood associations, indigenous communities, environmental groups, etc. The entire population of the natural and cultural area is involved in economic and social sustainable development and can obtain income, employment, and material and cultural wellbeing. Therefore, all agents organise their own tourism model based on the available resources, the exist-

**Table 2** shows a Planning and Sustainable Development Model for Eco-cultural Tourism comprising three phases, that can be applied to natural, cultural and urban areas, and that includes the following types of tourism: interior tourism, ecotourism, cultural tourism, rural tourism, natural tourism, domestic tourism, national tourism, experiential tourism, adventure tourism, agrotourism and green tourism. The first phase known as the PRELIMINARY STUDY of the whole area, is derived

Planning, sustainable development and the promotion of nature and

World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) FAS model.

weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT)

2nd phase: planning and carrying out the tourism project Specifying and planning goals according to the model: Strengths,

3rd phase: implementing and evaluating the tourism project Implementing and managing the Tourism Project (Tourism and

Data (indicators, surveys, interviews), analysis and report according to the

Developing the Tourism Project based on sustainable development and the

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93897*

administrations.

Natural, cultural and urban

Original natural, cultural and

Natural, cultural and urban area to be planned

Natural, cultural and urban area consolidated

*Source: own compilation.*

areas

urban area

**It currently responds to:** problems related to climate change and imbalances in economic globalisation through Tourism Development Projects supported by government policies

*Source: own compilation.*

**Table 1.** *Characteristics of eco-cultural tourism.*

#### *Eco-Cultural Tourism: Sustainable Development and Promotion of Natural and Cultural Heritage DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93897*

unique due to how it responds to problems related to climate change and imbalances in economic globalisation that have led to dead end conventional and/or traditional tourism. Tourism Development Projects offer a new path for tourism.

Once eco-cultural tourism has been contextualised and treated together with its goals, a Planning Model with alternative tourism and the development of Tourism Projects is incorporated. In addition to this, a comparative methodology will be used to analyse global and local tourism in countries from Asia, Europe and South America. This will be guided by the following hypothesis: eco-cultural tourism requires local sustainable planning, endorsed by all tourism agents, and led by the load capacity and economic and environmental balance (green economies and ideologies). In this way, eco-cultural tourism will respond to the problems of poverty and climate change through Tourism Projects, directed by government policies and administrations.
