The wide wide word of ecotourism: many environmentally conscious visitors want to travel Alaska without leaving a mark on the land.

• Author: Pardes, Joan

Ecotourism--the word itself conjures up a variety of images. For some, ecotourism is an offshoot of the 1960s where people claimed to be living off the land in San Francisco and other locations throughout urban America. For others, it's a way of operating a tourism business that connects people to some of the most wild, scenic and fascinating areas in the world while walking softly on the land in an effort to leave no trace--not even a footprint--behind. Regardless of what you may think of ecotourism, it's been happening here in Alaska for decades and at the dawn of the 21st century, ecotourism companies are a formidable segment of the state's tourism industry. And with the lion's share of the planet's wilderness located in the Last Frontier and an increasing number of businesses using these resources to conduct tours, Alaska's ecotourism businesses might be poised for a growth spurt.

WHAT IS ECOTOURISM?

For some, ecotourism may be perceived as a catchall phrase that can be seen as a marketing ploy. For Kirk Hoessle, president of Alaska Wildland Tours, a company established in 1977 that currently offers a variety of tours through out the state, ecotourism is a blueprint or a long-range business plan.

"Ecotourism is more about an operating philosophy than a marketing concept. It's recognizing that Alaska's natural assets are part and parcel of making our business work," said Hoessle, who is a founding member, former president and advisor to the Alaska Wilderness Recreation Tourism Association (AWRTA)--an organization comprised of Alaska's ecotourism businesses. "The parks, refuges and natural habitats are one of our business assets and we need to advocate for their protection so we can continue to offer peak nature experiences.

"There's this notion that Alaska's protected areas are locked up and unusable and that's not true," said Hoessle from his office in Girdwood that employs 60 seasonal employees and a dozen staffers year-round. "Many of Alaska's ecotourism companies have permits to these areas and we're using them and using them wisely. Alaska's vast protected areas are a huge asset to the state--like oil and fisheries--and people from all over the world are coming to see them.

"You can put the environment first and still be profitable," he added. "There are enough passengers to make it work."

ECOTOURISM: ALASKA HISTORY

One can argue that Jack London was an ecotourist and John Muir certainly was the granddaddy of Alaska's ecotravelers...