目前生态旅游的研究已经从概念理论探讨转入可行性实践的判别中。上世纪90年代后期开始出现了许多对生态旅游及其目的地进行评价及论证的研究,生态旅游影响研究成为主流。
本文介绍了国内外生态旅游评价研究的基本状况、所取得的成果以及存在的问题和困难,并在借鉴他人研究成果的基础上提出了"生态旅游程度(Ecotdegree)"及"生态旅游等级"两个概念。前者指生态旅游目的地在经营过程中所能体现出的生态(Eco)思想、观念及行为的程度;后者则将生态旅游目的地划分为四个等级:自然旅游,一级生态旅游,二级生态旅游及高级生态旅游。文章将"生态旅游程度"作为评价的总目标,在系统分析的基础上,设置了相应的八大类指标体系,并从理论上探讨了具体的评价方法。

In the short time since the term "ecotourism" was first used in the English-language academic literature by Romeril(1995), this sector has emerged as a major focus of attention within the industry and the field of tourism studies.People first understood it as a type of travels. But gradually, more and more functions and significance have been granted to it which has made it not only a tourist mode but an industry and a school of environmental philosophic thoughts that is integrated closely with the notion of sustainable developmentTherefore, people fall into a dilemma as what and where can be developed as an eco-tourist destination.The paper tries to figure out a way to define the ecotourism based on drawing on experiences from other nations and areas. Applying the systematic methods in analyzing the composition of ecotourism destinations, the author sets up two concepts" ecotourism hierarchy" and "ecodegree". Based on these concepts, groups of index are put forward, which can be used to apply to define and evaluated the different types of ecotourism destination theoretically. According to the present situation in ecotourism, the paper divides the ecotourism and its destinations into four layers, which help people avoid the dilemma of defining the ecotourism and also can supply some implication in managing practice. It is the initiative work to apply the ecotourism accreditation in China.