"Sustainable ecotourism practices in nature-based destinations: a study of ecolodges in the Peruvian rainforest"

Abstract

"This paper examines the challenges, environmental impacts, and adaptive strategies faced by ecolodge owners in the Peruvian Amazon in the context of government support, socio-political instability, management capabilities and environmental impact. While ecolodges have the potential to promote conservation and local development, the Amazon region suffers from weak public policies, insufficient tourism promotion, and high levels of informality, which undermine sustainability efforts. Socio-political conflicts such as the COVID-19 pandemic, political instability, and global crises like the Russia-Ukraine war have exacerbated operational difficulties, resulting in business closures, increased informality, and environmental degradation. Through a mixed-methods approach, combining 24 in-depth interviews and a structured survey, this study reveals how ecolodge managers have implemented resilience strategies such as inter-business cooperation, digital transformation, product diversification, and scientific tourism to attract national and international markets. However, persistent obstacles such as high costs for sustainability certifications, fragile governance, poor infrastructure, and unregulated tourism limit long-term viability and contribute to ecosystem degradation. The findings underscore the need for targeted public policies that promote formalization, strengthen environmental governance, and integrate sustainable tourism into national recovery strategies, ensuring that ecolodges can balance ecological protection with financial resilience in volatile contexts. © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group."