Labeling ecotourism as 'non-consumptive' and contrasting it with direct uses of wildlife through activities such as hunting is common practice among organizations and academics primarily concerned with conservation. We interrogate this binary opposition by questioning the assumptions underlying it, namely that 'the direct consumption of wildlife' (i) does not occur in ecotourism; (ii) is incompatible with ecotourism; (iii) is the primary concern; and (iv) is inferior to ecotourism as both a conservation and development strategy. Based on a review of the relevant theoretical and case-study based literature, as well as our own research, we argue that categorizing ecotourism as 'non-consumptive' is not only inaccurate, but also has consequences for both environments and people. We suggest ways in which ecotourism can be re-conceptualized in order to better achieve its goals of conserving both nature and culture, and of contributing to both conservation and development.