In his ethnography Made in Madagascar: Sapphires, Ecotourism, and the Global Bazaar, Walsh brings to light the issues of globalization, exploitation, and authenticity on a regional and global scale. Walsh utilizes Madagascar as a case study to demonstrate the clashing effects of conservation and consumption in the realm of ecotourism and ecological interactions. He draws on various sociopolitical, cultural, and economic factors, as well as historical events, to extend his observations and research to broader relevant discussions of cross-cultural exchange, social organization, environmental anthropology, and neoliberalism. As I read Walsh’s book, I found the paradox of implementing ecotourism and promoting “natural wonders” quite fascinating.
In the last chapters of the book, Walsh identifies ecotourism as a potential major driving force in the region’s economy and a major contributor to the effects on the surrounding environment. On the surface, ecotourism provides several economic and environmental benefits. For example, the tourism industry generates more employment, revenues, and income as it creates a steady demand and growth for more industries and commercial activities. As a result of an increased influx of visitors and their participation in tourist attractions, both primary and secondary sectors of the economy improve. In ecotourism, positive environmental impacts include better protection of the surrounding environment that humans interact with, and it may benefit local communities by providing access to resources that promote sustainability and conservation. Although these factors may illustrate the advantages of integrating ecotourism into a region’s economy, if we were to “zoom in” as Walsh puts it, the dilemmas that arise over time in the ecotourism industry can be quite detrimental. Ecotourism can be problematic as it puts enormous stress on the local environment, which may lead to increased pollution, habitat loss, and soil degradation. Additionally, the profits made from ecotourism only directly benefit particular groups, such as tour agencies and lodging industries. Such changes brought by globalization and the desire to achieve a balance between economic development and land conservation affect different individuals and communities in different ways. Walsh effectively captures these ideas, and presents it through several perspectives in his book.