Open Letter To Tourists: Ecotourism and Economic Development

Dear Tourists,

As a Malagasy person, I appreciate the chance to write an open letter
to you. I would like to thank all of you, from my heart, for choosing
to visit Madagascar. We know that Madagascar is a small island which
has exciting places, friendly people, a perfect climate and rich
biodiversity.

The activity of ecotourism is mainly developed in the protected areas
like the National Parks and Natural Reserves in my country. Most
people in the world think that ecotourism in protected areas can bring
economic benefits as it provides outside incomes and local
employment—as well as developing local activities.

We want to achieve the maximum economical improvement. So, we wish to
increase the number of visitors that come to Madagascar. We wish to
encourage you to visit the endemic plants and animals—as we know they
attract many visitors. All of the species here are providing benefits
to our economy for local people and improving the economy of the
country. Many of the plants and animals are needed for scientific
research. In addition we would like to give you an opportunity to
stay here as long as you with—we would like to increase the period of
your stay. We can create special events like festivals, carnivals and
erecting a royal mast. We have also excellent guides and services in
our country who will welcome you in a friendly way. We hope that when
you come it improves the economy of our country.

Ecotourism has the goals of improving the lives of the local people
and protecting the local environment. We hope to look after the
natural habitats. Responsible ecotourism consists of programs that
decrease the negative aspects of conventional tourism on the
environment and develop the culture of the local people. Therefore,
in addition to the evaluation environmental and cultural factors, an
integral part of ecotourism is the promotion of recycling, energy
efficiency, water conservation and the creation of economic
opportunities for the local economy.

I close my letter to you all and I wish that you will have good
economic partnerships that lead to economical improvements in my
country. I can't forget to thank you gain for your contributions
towards my country. Thank you for your visit and your time.

Best Regards,

Crisanthe