Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of global economy and is considered an important source of income by many poor countries like Ecuador. On the other hand the increasing tourism leads to the destruction of living-spaces of many animal and plant species. The indigenous population does not make very big profits with tourism as opposed to the foreign organisers.

Ecological tourism is supposed to support the maintaining of the biological variety and to respect cultural differences as an ecologically and socially bearable tourism.
In reality, however, almost every touristic activity loosely connected to or taking place in nature comes under the disguise of "Eco-tourism". The genuine goal of "Eco-tourism" is far from that.

On January 28 2002 the United Nations declared the "Year of Eco-tourism". Critics fear a negative effect on biological variety without a clear definition of "Eco-tourism". The guide-lines, the realisation and the ecological and social effects of Eco-tourism in Ecuador will be discussed.