The UN declared 2002 the International Year of Ecotourism, and the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Tourism Organisation held the World Ecotourism Summit in Quebec City, Canada.
More than 1,000 participants from 132 countries discussed ecotourism, and came up with the Quebec Declaration on Ecotourism: "Ecotourism embraces the principles of sustainable tourism, concerning the economic, social and environmental impacts of tourism. It also embraces the following specific principles, which distinguish it from the wider concept of sustainable tourism: contributes actively to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage; includes local and indigenous communities in its planning, development and operation, and contributes to their well-being; interprets the natural and cultural heritage of the destination to visitors; lends itself better to independent travellers, as well as to tours for small-size groups."