Eco tourism & Madeira & Sofia's Place

Balcões in Ribeiro Frio (photo by Turismo de Portugal)

EcoTourism is sustainable tourism, conciliating innovation and tradition.

Sofia's Place owners embrace the principles of sustainable tourism, contributing to the conservation and interpretation of the natural heritage of Madeira's Archipelago. We advise our guests to take outdoor activities as we believe the knowledge of the species and their habitats helps protecting them. The island's unique landscape and natural patrimony deserve all our attention.

Sustainable tourism is tourism attempting to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate future employment for local people. It means ensuring that development brings a positive experience for local people, tourism companies and the tourists themselves.

The goal is to avoid tourism causing a great stress on remaining biologically diverse habitats such as the Laurissilva Forest of Madeira which are often used to support mass tourism.

Tourists who promote sustainable tourism are sensitive to these dangers and seek to protect tourist destinations, and to protect tourism as an industry. Sustainable tourists can reduce the impact of tourism in many ways, including:

- informing themselves of the culture, politics and economy of the communities visited;
- anticipating and respecting local cultures, expectations and assumptions;
- contributing to intercultural understanding and tolerance;
- supporting the integrity of local cultures by favoring businesses which conserve cultural heritage and traditional values;
- supporting local economies by purchasing local goods and participating with small, local businesses;
- conserving resources by seeking out businesses that are environmentally conscious, and by using the least possible amount of non - renewable energies.

UNESCO World Heritage
The world’s largest LAURISSILVA forest is located on the island of Madeira. In 1999 the 15,000 hectare indigenous ‘living relic’ was awarded the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site. It plays an important role in the ecological balance of Madeira thus sustaining the endemic flora and fauna.
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Related info:
NATURE & ADVENTURE in Madeira Islands
MADEIRA NATURE

text adapted from here