Traveling is one of the best ways to broaden the mind, experience new things, and bring us out of our comfort zone enough to develop empathy and resiliency. While the COVID-19 pandemic prevented global travel, nations are once again opening their borders to visitors. So how can we be responsible tourists when it comes to preserving the places we’re visiting?
The Problem with Tourism
Overtourism is a relatively new term, but it refers to tourist destinations being so highly frequented by visitors that they wind up in disrepair. Imagine beaches full of trash, degraded coral reefs, and a lack of wildlife.
The environmental implications and drawbacks of tourism go beyond just local pollution—there’s also the global impact of increased carbon emissions. Transport accounts for one fifth of carbon emissions globally and it’s usually the highest section in our individual carbon footprints (especially flights!).
Over time, overtourism shifts the local landscape and economy to favor businesses that support the industry. The streets of Reykjavik in Iceland present their storefronts in English, while larger companies take coveted retail space on busy streets. Real estate is becoming more expensive, which pushes locals out of downtown areas. In the Bahamas, a taxi driver told me that everyone in school takes a tourism studies course to support the industry in their chosen professions. A tour guide in Peru told me he leaves his family in the mountains for months at a time so that he can earn enough guiding in Cusco, close to Machu Picchu. These experiences aren’t irregular, but rather reflect the ways communities are responding to an increase in tourism.
Tourism is altering all aspects of life in these popular destinations, at the pleasure of the privileged and the exploitation of locals. The massive influx of global populations to visit beautiful places will never stop (and it shouldn’t!), but how can we be more responsible tourists?
Sustainable Tourism
Promoting sustained economic growth and employment for all is one of the Sustainable Development Goals as put forth by the United Nations. The tourism industry is a key component of economic growth for many countries, and the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly reduced income opportunities for millions of people. As we shift towards a post-pandemic world, it’s crucial that we’re mindful of our tourism practices.
Like many terms accompanied by “sustainable”, sustainable tourism simply means that the practice of traveling and visiting a place is benefitting the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit while ensuring that those same practices can extend into the future without negative ramifications.
Hotels, eco-lodges, modes of transport, cultural experiences, and even entire countries all have specific practices to make tourism more sustainable. Bodhi Surf + Yoga is an experiential camp in Costa Rica where visitors participate in beach clean-ups and cultural immersions to better participate in the local community during their visit. Wavelength in Australia is the only tour service operated by marine biologists and takes steps for tourists to both enjoy and respect the Great Barrier Reef during snorkeling trips. Even the restriction of visitors to cultural sites is an example of sustainable tourism because it reduces the negative impact of people trodding through ruins by the thousands.
How to Be a Mindful Tourist
Here are some steps you can take to leave your destination better than how you found it.
Stay in a Home
Airbnb popularized sharing spare rooms or homes with travelers, and it’s actually a great way for locals to supplement their income and for you to experience living like a local. Other options include doing a work/stay program through an organization like Worldwide Opportunities for Organic Farming. By WWOOF’ing, you can experience local culture and give back to the local community by farming.
Get Off the Beaten Trail, Respectfully
Visiting the most frequented sites in a new country can be great for the visitor, but so is finding new places to explore! Even though some of these options might be harder to get to, you’ll have a much better experience there without having to elbow people aside or crop them out of your landscape photos. Plus, you’ll reduce the wear and tear on the natural landscape surrounding big tourist hotspots.
Check out sites like Atlas Obscura and Culture Trip to find unique detours on your next trip.
Support Local Businesses
I personally get upset seeing chain restaurants like McDonald’s and TGI Fridays when I travel internationally. Step away from the main drags of a new city and grab a bite at a locally owned, authentic restaurant. Not only is the food much better, but it also puts money directly into the hands of local communities and gives you a chance to step out of your comfort zone.
Go Green
Purchasing offsets for flights can be a controversial topic. Some believe that it incentivizes “bad behaviors”, but I don’t think travel is inherently bad to do. If you’re traveling, pay the extra dollars to offset your flight. It does make a difference in your personal ecological footprint and can help your trip become carbon neutral.
Single-use items are more prevalently used while traveling, so try to pack reusable water bottles to fill at airports (or sinks, depending on where you are), a collapsible coffee cup, and reusable silverware. If you’re traveling somewhere where the water isn’t potable, do some research to see if iodine tablets or a LifeStraw can provide enough filtration. Of course, there are exceptions, and if it’s a decision between a plastic bottle or your health, please take the plastic bottle and recycle it if you’re able!
Check for Certifications
If you’re choosing to go on a local excursion with a tour operator, look for any certifications that give credit to the practices used by these businesses. Wavelength Reef Cruises, for example, boasts numerous eco-certifications that prove their environmental commitments.
You may also see the familiar Rainforest Alliance certification for tour operators and eco-lodges, which ensures social and environmental sustainability considerations have been taken.
- What is COP26? Your Guide to the Largest Conference on Climate - November 9, 2021
- Climate Change and Mushrooms: Here’s How Fungi Can Save the Planet - September 14, 2021
- The Impact of Overtourism & Practicing Sustainable Tourism - June 10, 2021