Asia-Pacific and Africa Ecotourism Market Size, Share

The Asia-Pacific and Africa ecotourism market size was valued at $64,417.9 million in 2021, and is projected to reach $150,908.3 million by 2027, registering a CAGR of 14.0% from 2022 to 2027.

Ecotourism is a form of travel that puts a great emphasis on maintaining and preserving the nature. This form of tourism comes under the concept of sustainable tourism, which aims to minimize negative impact on the natural ecosystem. Ecotourism involves travelling to remote and pristine destinations where the fauna, flora, and cultural heritage are the center of attractions.

In the face of worrisome scientific certainty and public statements about the unsustainable status of the environment, an increasing number of industrial stakeholders in Asia-Pacific have focused on sustainability in recent years. By adopting westernized efforts for sustainable environment, leading industry players are devoting substantial time and money to develop eco-friendly hotels, despite high short-term development costs and a low return on investment (ROI). Leaders in Asia-Pacific’s tourism sector such as Rickshaw Travel Group and G Adventures are effectively identifying new possibilities in social and environmental challenges to develop new Asia-Pacific and Africa ecotourism market opportunities, corporate strategies, and creative alliances. According to a travel business poll, almost 70% of tourists prefer a sustainable stay, and nearly 80% of passengers aim to stay at least once in environmental or green housing. Thus, in the next years, mutually beneficial cooperation between travel agencies and engaged partners will be critical in creating and integrating a better and smoother consumer experience.

The development of travel and tourism to exotic locations has demonstrated substantial global resilience, as visitor are exhibiting interest in visiting unique and remote destinations for mental detoxification in the post-pandemic period. Botswana, Kenya, Cambodia, and Nepal are the most popular distinctive eco-tourism locations in the Asia-Pacific and Africa. According to Nepal's Department of Immigration, the nation had a 280% rise in tourists in May 2022 compared to May 2021.

In May 2022, a total of 53,608 visitor visited, with 58,384 arriving in April 2022. Similarly, Kenya's 2021 tourist arrivals increased by 52.3%, with 870,465 tourists visiting in 2021, up from 567,848 in 2020. Furthermore, in recent years, Ethiopia has fared satisfactorily by focusing on specialized markets in contrast to the country’s historical, ecological, and cultural tourist advantages. Travelers visiting third-world nations have been drawn by wildlife tourism, birding, coral reefs, and pristine undisturbed natural regions such as the Amazon rainforest.

Presently, technology is a requirement to ensure that numerous processes are carried out efficiently, and the tourism sector is no exception. Technology has always been a boon to the travel and hospitality industries. Technology is challenging the traditional business with the introduction of web-based reservations and the application of AI and IoT in operating improvements. Online hotel conglomerates and metasearch engines, for instance, have substantially engaged in big data analytics to generate analytics-driven commercial decisions. Furthermore, the usage of Artificial Intelligence in virtual assistants has been employed to provide a seamless client experience. Travel merchants, practitioners, and government agencies are progressively embracing mobile technologies. Mobile technology presents organizations with new potential and obstacles in attracting consumers' attention, conveying market information, and engaging groups. As a result, recognizing mobile applications as a new marketing platform is critical for travel providers and practitioners. Asia-Pacific and Africa ecotourism market demand is mainly driven by the adoption of technological advancements by the service providers in the market which is expected to proliferate the market growth during the forecast years.

However, Infrastructure is a critical component of the tourist industry, and it plays an important role in its development and evolution. The lack of sufficient infrastructure poses a serious concern since it discourages tourists from visiting the tourist attraction. Inadequate support infrastructure at ecotourism destinations, such as insufficient air, train, or road access to diverse ecotourism locations in poor and underdeveloped countries, is a major barrier to the growth of the ecotourism sector. Furthermore, the lack of available housing and the scarcity of quality and hygienic restaurants, dining establishments, and hotels impedes the expansion of the eco-tourism business, particularly in developing countries. Furthermore, the monopoly of privately owned agencies, the presence of touts along with a scarcity of qualified and trained tourist guides, heightens the potential for tourist exploitation. The government's lack of attempts to develop suitable infrastructure inhibits investors from proceeding with investments, limiting the overall growth of the tourist industry.

Tourism with sustainability and minimal impact on the environment is another major hurdle that the stakeholders face in the ecotourism market. Noise pollution, overpopulation, trash contamination, fire hazards, and the introduction of non-native species, to mention a few are the significant environmental consequences with direct repercussions for natural habitats and ecosystems. Ecotourism, especially on a big scale, necessitates the construction of hotels, food outlets, and other required infrastructures, which necessitates the excavation of the surroundings and the relocation of locals to make room for the new infrastructures. The introduction of any foreign element to these delicate ecosystems disrupts natural processes. For instance, the presence of humans can scare off prey resulting in disruption of hunting patterns for predators. In addition, high number of tourists can lead to habitat loss & soil erosion, and additional stress on the environment to accommodate more people.

Sustainable tourism has grown in popularity and demand over the last few decades. As a result of the paradigm shift in consumer behavior, there is a greater emphasis on sustainability, which is pushing changes in tourist promotion and marketing, as well as product creation. Public-private partnerships that subsidize air links to isolated tourist areas, improve transportation capabilities, and ease of access result in market development, creating profitable prospects for local players. There are several examples of the government collaborating with business entities to improve the fortunes of destinations. For instance, the Karani Game Reserve in Mozambique was undergoing natural ecosystem devastation as a result of an increase in illicit poaching during the COVID-19 outbreak. The government entered into public-private partnerships, allowing international NGOs such as USAID and the World Bank to provide assistance, and the introduction of private investors, which is expected to improve the wildlife park's condition.

Segment Review

The Asia-Pacific and Africa ecotourism market is segmented on the basis of age group, sales channel, traveler type, type, service visitor, spending, and region. Based on age group, the market is bifurcated into generation X, generation Y, and generation Z. On the basis of sales channel, the Asia-Pacific and Africa ecotourism market size is studied across travel agents, tour operator, and direct. Based on traveler type, it is bifurcated into solo, group, and family. Based on service the Asia-Pacific and Africa market is segmented into travel, accommodation, and activities. On the basis type, the market is studied across type (wildlife, nature, marine, agro-tourism, eco-treks, eco-activities), Based on visitor, spending, and region, the market is segmented by domestic & international and budget, mid-range, & high-end, and Asia-Pacific & Africa respectively.

On the basis of age group, the global ecotourism market is studied across generation X, generation Y, and generation Z. The generation Y segment or millennial leads in terms of market share owing to the greater population of the category in the world; however, the generation Z segment is likely to gain Asia-Pacific and Africa ecotourism market share in the upcoming years at a CAGR of 14.0%.