Desert Conservation and Management: Ecotourism

Deserts display unique natural and cultural heritage that is increasingly threatened by unsustainable human activities. Ecotourism has a potential to preserve the desert biome while enhancing local livelihoods and cultures. In general, deserts provide possibilities and constraints to develop ecotourism and support local communities and conservation efforts, but both benefits and costs of ecotourism should be considered when developing tourist activities. Thus, the various impacts of ecotourism need to be managed in respects with the specificities of desert contexts. Ultimately, desert ecotourism can help achieving the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations.