The emergence and development of ecotourism have gone through several stages.

1) embryonic stage: 1970s: ecotourism is just an untested concept.

At the end of 1960s and the beginning of 1970s, with the development of environmental movement, people began to examine the various influences of tourism environment and society, and began to explore how to use nature correctly and how to achieve the balance between tourism, protection and sustainable development. The research done in Kenya in 1970s (thresher, 198 1) proved that the economic benefits of wildlife tourism far exceeded that of hunting. Obviously, people's understanding of eco-tourism at that time was limited to the friendly use of the natural environment.

2) Initial development stage: 1980s: Eco-tourism as a business innovation.

In the 1980s, far-sighted tour operators saw that tourists were indifferent to old-fashioned tourist destinations. On the contrary, they are interested in new tourist destinations. Therefore, some tourism entrepreneurs rent or buy land from local people and build an ecological hut to provide tour guide services.

In developed countries, outdoor activities have become the first choice for annual weekend outings and two-week paid holidays. Entrepreneurs gradually realized the potential profits of eco-tourism, and eco-hotels and eco-tourism operators launched tourist routes to remote places for holidays.

Less-developed countries have also begun to realize that ecotourism can earn foreign exchange on the one hand, and it does less damage to the resources itself than other ways of resource utilization such as logging and agriculture. Eco-tourism can combine protection and development, meet the needs of tourists and improve local social welfare at the same time.

3) Rapid development stage: After 1990s, eco-tourism is a tool for protection and development.

With ecotourism taking root in some countries, local society began to realize that it brought them long-term survival opportunities, and found that ecotourism brought them wealth without negative effects. With more and more organizations, government departments, researchers, enterprises, local residents and non-governmental organizations participating in the practice and exploration of ecotourism, the concept of ecotourism is constantly clear and perfect, and various principles and frameworks are constantly established. On the basis of analyzing many successful or failed cases, people's understanding of ecotourism is getting deeper and deeper. 2002 is the "International Year of Ecotourism" designated by the United Nations. Various seminars and training activities have been held around the world for this purpose, and more in-depth explorations have been made in correctly understanding eco-tourism and exploring the rational development model of eco-tourism.