Ecotourism can provide an incentive for local people to preserve the environment in order to attract more visitors, but sometimes development is done with little planning for long-term environmental impacts. On a small island in the Caribbean, a local group is considering opening a resort for ecotourism. If they wish to build a sustainable and ecofriendly business, what should be the next steps in their plan? A. Investigate the ecological impacts and gather evidence on which to base their decisions
B. Hire an agent to locate a suitable property and start developing infrastructure
C. Market the development to investors and explain ecotourism to them to raise money for the resort
D. Determine what types of activities the resort will offer and hire staff

The next steps in their plan should be to (Investigate the ecological impacts and gather evidence on which to base their decisions). The correct option is A.

Explanation:

ECOTOURISM is defined as the visitation of individuals (tourist) to natural areas that conserve the environment and sustains the well-being of the local people. It has to do with the interaction of the biotic components of the natural environment by tourists. This has the advantage of providing an incentive for the local inhabitants but can cause a long term negative environmental impact of not properly planned.

Conservation of these natural resources improves the quality of lives. It enables the inhabitants to live in a clean and healthy environment (eco-friendly). To set up a tourism center, certain rules and regulations needs to be met in order to avoid endangering both the biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem. Therefore these local groups should investigate the ecological impacts and gather evidence on which to base their decisions. This would help conclude if a particular selected environment is conducive.