Canadians are blessed with a country that still retains much of its unspoiled natural wilderness. With many crystal clear lakes and massive tracks of forestland, vacationers and outdoor enthusiasts have been flocking for years to Central Ontario's resort areas seeking a holiday destination that offers a variety of attractions and activities in a beautiful wilderness setting. Today, many Canadian's are becoming aware of the effect they have on the environment, and they are making a conscious effort to reduce the impact they have on the environment and protect their natural heritage. Canadians, who have always had a close relationship with the land, are choosing to leave a "smaller footprint" while enjoying a green vacation. As a result, eco-vacations have become a popular alternative for the environmentally conscious traveller. Eco-tourism, a term that has been around for a couple of decades, began to gain world recognition when it first started in relatively unknown vacation destinations areas such as Costa Rica. Costa Rica began promoting eco-tourism to set themselves apart from other sun and sand vacation spots, hoping to attract tourists to an area that had plenty of natural charm and unspoilt wilderness. Clearly they had picked up on a trend whose time had come. Eco-tourism has made Costa Rica an extremely popular vacation destination today for both the die-hard environmentalist and the average tourist. The ecological impact of flying to far-away exotic locations around the world is something that is often left un-addressed in international eco-tourism. For a true environmental vacation, accommodating closer to home is a far more environmentally friendly option. For the many vacationers who are really concerned about the impact their actions have on the environment, bioregional eco-tourism is the perfect alternative. For the residents of Southern Ontario, several fabulous eco-friendly destinations have made their mark with tourists. Surrounded by the best that nature has to offer, and just a short, fuel conserving drive away, these eco-friendly Ontario vacations are desirable to many. In the popular resort area of Haliburton Ontario, eco-friendly tourism has been around for quite some time. With its abundance of lakes and streams, as well as hiking, cross-country skiing and cycling trails, Haliburton has always had its share of outdoor sports enthusiasts and people who simply enjoy the serenity and natural beauty of this rugged lake-filled area. Additionally, since the Haliburton/Minden tourist region is home to Algonquin Provincial Park and the Haliburton Forest & Wildlife Preserve, while only being a short two-hour drive from Metropolitan Toronto, many people are flocking to this area as being one of the greatest getaways for an eco-friendly vacation within a short drive. Additionally, the strong stance that these Ontario resorts and lodges hold, is not only appealing to tourists and locals alike, but it also shows that having an eco-friendly resort doesn't require corners to be cut or for the accommodations to be lacking. Rather, these resorts are capitalizing on their beautiful surroundings and have been observing positive environmental practises for many years. Many resort owners understand that it makes sense to be an environmentally friendly resort. Nature-based tourism depends on a healthy environment, and therefore promoting environmental awareness and responsibility should be a top priority for anyone in the tourist industry. Ontario resort eco-friendly vacations are on the rise because many tourists are using this region as a way to get back to nature. Since some of the resorts even offer a variety of non-motorized activities such as cycling, canoeing, fishing, and hiking, guests understand that protecting the environment and taking an eco-friendly vacation can be filled with activities, luxurious accommodations, all while still taking pleasure in the clean clear lake, tranquil forests, and fresh country air. Tourists return home feeling relaxed and rejuvenated, all while making an effort to minimize their footprint on the environment. In Canada today, much of the multi-billion dollar tourist industry is based on getting back to nature and eco-tourism activities. Since nature-based tourism depends on a healthy environment, resort operations and tourist-based attractions have even more incentive to offer low-impact ecological experiences based on environmentally positive principles. With more and more people concerned about the health of our planet, both eco-friendly and conventional tourism operators can play an important role by being environmentally responsible and running their business in a sustainable fashion.
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