STUDY ON SUSTAINABILITY OF ECO-TOURISM IN FUTAE DISTRICT, ITSUWA TOWN, AMAKUSA CITY

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a growing movement to promote regional development by making the most of local resources, one of which is Eco-tourism. Eco-tourism is expected to be promoted as an important policy that simultaneously realizes environmental conservation, tourism promotion, and regional revitalization. The purpose of this study is to gain knowledge on sustainability of Eco-tourism by focusing on a dolphin-watching project in the Futae district, Itsuwa Town, Amakusa City. Therefore, we conducted an interview survey of dolphin-watching operators and fishermen, organized the transition of their relationship with local resources, and analyzed their value recognition of local resources. As a result, it is clear that sustainability of Eco-tourism has been revealed to be the continuation of a mutual understanding between resource utilisers, who have maintained loose links and a sense of shared value recognition and co-prosperity towards local resources.