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ecosystems via introduction of potentially Invasive alien species. This leaves experts to question if tourism

does more harm than good especially to the most remote biodiverse hotspots on the planet like the Galapagos

Islands. “As the nature tourism and outdoor recreation sector continues to grow, so will the need for effective

and long-lasting biosecurity interventions to limit the potential damage” (Simpson, 2015). This quote clearly

emphasizes the dilemma and struggle currently occupying the minds of experts and biodiversity sympathizers

across the globe.

Based on the multidimensional and numerous definitions of invasive species that exist, it is difficult to

determine whether humans, let alone tourists should be included in such a category. However, tourists are

very similar to invasive species in many aspects. Most fundamentally they are organisms that are not local to

an environment and cause negative effects on native species. Although humans don’t fit some of the more

nuanced definitions of an invasive species it is widely agreed that humans have had “the most transformative

and negative impact on the planet” (“Are We An Invasive Species”, 2017). In 1999 a group of scientists were

gathered at a convention for the IUCN. Every scientist in attendance agreed that humans are not only an

invasive species, but one of the worst if not the worst invasive species on the planet. While the IUCN

determined that they would not officially categorize humans as an invasive species, it is not insignificant that

a convention of experts on the topic would consider humans to be an invasive species (“Are We An Invasive

Species”, 2017). While many people have tried to create a concrete definition of what an invasive species is,

the complexities surrounding such a definition remain elusive. There is no question that humans qualify under

the dimension of invasive species that analyzes negative impact. It is the other dimensions and aspects of

general definitions that evade certainty when it comes to determining if humans, and tourists could be

considered an invasive species. Species are invasive for many different reasons and to different extents, and

recognizing this is important to conservation efforts (“Are We An Invasive Species”, 2017).

One of the reasons the IUCN decided that humans do not meet the qualifications of an invasive species

is that the relocation must be aided or facilitated by humans. Many people argue this point, that to be invasive

a species must be introduced either intentionally or unintentionally, which implies there is a larger factor

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