Abstract
The article considers the prerequisites for the formation of ideas about the problem of preserving the environment and the development of ecological ethics, which led to the emergence of a new type oftourism – ecological. Ecological tourism is a visit to natural sites and ecosystems by tourists for the purpose of acquaintance with them, as well as rare and endangered species, without disrupting the integrityand natural properties of habitats. Like other areas of the modern economy, tourism actively uses natural resources, and its activities generate a variety of waste, thereby exacerbating not only environmental,but also social, cultural and other problems. To solve this imbalance can responsible tourism, which is a concept of tourism development based on the principles of economic, social and environmentalresponsibility, which implies responsible attitude to the challenges of increasing sustainability based on the formation of a balance of consumption and production in tourism. Ecological tourism is focused onecology and preservation of the environment, but in order to achieve the sustainability of territory it has to be developed in accordance with the principles of responsible tourism, i.e. within the planning anddevelopment, except the environment, the interests of the local community and economic prospects are also taken into account. Therefore, ecological tourism is one of the directions of responsible tourism.