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negative consequences. Invasive species will be defined, their effects on an unsuspecting ecosystem compared

to that of growing impact tourists and corporations with intent on further developing the amazon for leisure

and profit, despite the harmful results it may entice. Finally, the analysis of Peru’s management of

conservation and protective policies will determine if what is suspected is true. Are tourists a new and

dangerous invasive species?

Ecotourism is defined as travel to natural areas to admire, study, or enjoy wild nature in a way that

contributes to its conservation and to the wellbeing of local people. The goal of which is to bring about

economic and job creating benefits such as the building and maintenance of hotels, raising conservation of

wildlife incentives via collection of consumer fees, and encouraging interaction between local and foreign

groups. While these are all admirable goals that not only provide a safe and self-sustaining support of

conservation methods, but also increases national revenue for the country of Peru, which in recent years was

suffering from inflation and instability, ecotourism isn’t quite as cut and dry. The potential problems of

ecotourism include the negative impact of visitors on wildlife and local communities, mass tourism operators

benefiting financially in lieu of local PA (Protected Area) inhabitants, and the challenges of economically

self-sustaining conservation. (Kirby et al., 2010) As this paper focuses on the impact of ecotourism in the

Peruvian jungle and its consequential effects, first it is important to review how it is introduced, maintained,

and financially calculated. Peru receives roughly 800,000 tourists per year, as calculated in Torres-Sovero et

al.’s 2012 survey in tourist satisfaction. Covering 13.9% of national territory, Peru has 61 National Protected

Areas (NPAs), 13 of which generate income from ecotourism. It has been recorded that 7 out of 10 tourists,

that visit this extremely biodiverse country travel to at least 1 NPA seeking new experiences and adventure.

95% of this national revenue that comes from ecotourism is collected from the most visited NPAs; Machu

Picchu Sanctuary, Manu National Park, Paracas National Reserve, and Tambopata National Reserve. Manu

and Tambopata are both located in the Peruvian Amazon, an excursion and profiting opportunity that has been

booming in Peruvian economics since the mid 1990’s. 37 ecotourism establishments in Tambopata, consisting

of bed-jungle lodges, bed-research and education centers, and family run businesses, with an additional

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