tourism can be very good for

21 reasons why tourism is important – the importance of tourism

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Tourism is important, more important than most people realise in fact!

The importance of tourism is demonstrated throughout the world. From the economic advantages that tourism brings to host communities to the enjoyment that tourism brings to the tourists themselves, there is no disputing the value of this industry.

The importance of tourism can be viewed from two perspectives: the tourism industry and the tourist. In this article I will explain how both the industry and the tourist benefit from the tourism industry and why it is so important on a global scale.

What is the importance of tourism?

Enhanced quality of life, ability to broaden way of thinking, educational value, ability to ‘escape’, rest and relaxation, enhanced wellbeing, who are tourism industry stakeholders, foreign exchange earnings, contribution to government revenues, employment generation, contribution to local economies, overall economy boost, preserving local culture, strengthening communities, provision of social services, commercialisation of culture and art, revitalisation of culture and art, preservation of heritage, empowering communities, protecting nature, the importance of tourism: political gains, why tourism is important: to conclude, the importance of tourism: further reading.

When many people think about the tourism industry they visualise only the front-line workers- the Holiday Representative, the Waiter, the Diving Instructor. But in reality, the tourism industry stretches much, much further than this.

As demonstrated in the infographic below, tourism is important in many different ways. The tourism industry is closely interconnected with a number of global industries and sectors ranging from trade to ecological conservation.

Why tourism is important to the tourist

When we discuss the importance of tourism it is often somewhat one-sided, taking into consideration predominantly those working in the industry and their connections.

However, the tourist is just as important, as without them there would be no tourism!

Below are just a few examples of the importance of tourism to the tourist:

Taking a holiday can greatly benefit a person’s quality of life. While different people have very different ideas of what makes a good holiday (there are more than 150 types of tourism after all!), a holiday does have the potential to enhance quality of life.

Travel is known to help broaden a person’s way of thinking. Travel introduces you to new experiences, new cultures and new ways of life.

Many people claim thatchy ‘find themselves’ while travelling.

One reason why tourism is important is education.The importance of tourism can be attributed to the educational value that it provides. Travellers and tourists can learn many things while undertaking a tourist experience, from tasting authentic local dishes to learning about the exotic animals that they may encounter.

Tourism provides the opportunity for escapism. Escapism can be good for the mind. It can help you to relax, which in turn often helps you to be more productive in the workplace and in every day life.

This is another way that the importance of tourism is demonstrated.

Rest and relaxation is very important. Taking time out for yourself helps you to be a happier, healthier person.

Having the opportunity for rest and relaxation in turn helps to enhance wellbeing.

Why tourism is important to stakeholders

There are many reasons why tourism is important to the people involved. There are many people who work either directly or indirectly with the tourism industry and who are therefore described as stakeholders. You can read more about tourism stakeholders and why they are important in this post- Stakeholders in tourism: Who are they and why do they matter?

The benefits of tourism are largely related to said stakeholders in some way or another. Below are some examples of how stakeholders benefit from tourism, organised by economic, social, environmental and political gains; demonstrating the importance of tourism.

The importance of tourism: Economic gains

Perhaps the most cited reason in reference to the importance of tourism is its economic value. Tourism can help economies to bring in money in a number of different ways. Below I have provided some examples of the positive economic impacts of tourism .

The importance of tourism is demonstrated through foreign exchange earnings. 

Tourism expenditures generate income to the host economy. The money that the country makes from tourism can then be reinvested in the economy. How a destination manages their finances differs around the world; some destinations may spend this money on growing their tourism industry further, some may spend this money on public services such as education or healthcare and some destinations suffer extreme corruption so nobody really knows where the money ends up! 

Some currencies are worth more than others and so some countries will target tourists from particular areas. Currencies that are strong are generally the most desirable currencies. This typically includes the British Pound, American, Australian and Singapore Dollar and the Euro . 

Tourism is one of the top five export categories for as many as 83% of countries and is a main source of foreign exchange earnings for at least 38% of countries.

The importance of tourism is also demonstrated through the money that is raised and contributed to government revenues. Tourism can help to raise money that it then invested elsewhere by the Government. There are two main ways that this money is accumulated. 

Direct contributions  are generated by taxes on incomes from tourism employment and tourism businesses and things such as departure taxes. 

According to the World Tourism Organisation , the direct contribution of Travel & Tourism to GDP in 2018 was $2,750.7billion (3.2% of GDP). This is forecast to rise by 3.6% to $2,849.2billion in 2019.

Indirect contributions  come from goods and services supplied to tourists which are not directly related to the tourism industry. 

There is also the income that is generated through  induced contributions . This accounts for money spent by the people who are employed in the tourism industry. This might include costs for housing, food, clothing and leisure Activities amongst others. This will all contribute to an increase in economic activity in the area where tourism is being developed. 

The importance of tourism can be demonstrated through employment generation.

The rapid expansion of international tourism has led to significant employment creation. From hotel managers to theme park operatives to cleaners, tourism creates many employment opportunities. Tourism supports some 7% of the world’s workers. 

There are two types of employment in the tourism industry: direct and indirect. 

Direct employment  includes jobs that are immediately associated with the tourism industry. This might include hotel staff, restaurant staff or taxi drivers, to name a few. 

Indirect employment includes jobs which are not technically based in the tourism industry, but are related to the tourism industry.

It is because of these indirect relationships, that it is very difficult to accurately measure the precise economic value of tourism, and some suggest that the actual economic benefits of tourism may be as high as double that of the recorded figures!

The importance of tourism can be further seen through the contributions to local economies.

All of the money raised, whether through formal or informal means, has the potential to contribute to the local economy. 

If  sustainable tourism  is demonstrated, money will be directed to areas that will benefit the local community most. There may be pro-poor tourism initiatives (tourism which is intended to help the poor) or  volunteer tourism  projects. The government may reinvest money towards public services and money earned by tourism employees will be spent in the local community. This is known as the multiplier effect. 

Tourism boosts the economy exponentially. This is partly because of the aforementioned jobs that tourism creates, but also because of the temporary addition to the consumer population that occurs when someone travels to a new place. Just think: when you travel, you’re spending money. You’re paying to stay in a hotel or hostel in a certain area – then you’re eating in local restaurants, using local public transport, buying souvenirs and ice cream and new flip flops. As a tourist, you are contributing to the global economy every time you book and take a trip.

For some towns, cities and even whole countries, the importance of tourism is greater than for other. In some cases, it is the main source of income. For example, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism accounts for almost 40% of the Maldives’ total GDP. In comparison, it’s less than 4% in the UK and even lower in the US! In the Seychelles the number is just over 26% while in the British Virgin Islands it is over 35% – so tourism is vastly important in these nations.

The importance of tourism: Social gains

The importance of tourism is not only recognised through economic factors, but there are also many positive social impacts of tourism that play an important part. Below I will outline some of the social gains from tourism.

It is the local culture that the tourists are often coming to visit and this is another way to demonstrate the importance of tourism.

Tourists visit Beijing to learn more about the Chinese Dynasties. Tourists visit Thailand to taste authentic Thai food. Tourists travel to Brazil to go to the Rio Carnival, to mention a few…

Many destinations will make a conserved effort to preserve and protect the local culture. This often contributes to the conservation and  sustainable management  of natural resources, the protection of local heritage, and a renaissance of indigenous cultures, cultural arts and crafts. 

The importance of tourism can also be demonstrated through the strengthening of communities.

Events and festivals of which local residents have been the primary participants and spectators are often rejuvenated and developed in response to tourist interest.

The jobs created by tourism can also be a great boost for the local community. Aside from the  economic impacts  created by enhanced employment prospects, people with jobs are happier and more social than those without a disposable income. 

Local people can also increase their influence on tourism development, as well as improve their job and earnings prospects, through tourism-related professional training and development of business and organisational skills.

The importance of tourism is shown through the provision of social services in the host community.

The tourism industry requires many facilities/ infrastructure to meet the needs of the tourist. This often means that many developments in an area as a result of tourism will be available for use by the locals also. 

Local people often gained new roads, new sewage systems, new playgrounds, bus services etc as a result of tourism. This can provide a great boost to their quality of life and is a great example of a positive social impact of tourism. 

Tourism can see rise to many commercial business, which can be a positive social impact of tourism. This helps to enhance the community spirit as people tend to have more disposable income as a result. 

These businesses may also promote the local cultures and arts. Museums, shows and galleries are fantastic way to showcase the local customs and traditions of a destination. This can help to promote/ preserve local traditions.

Some destinations will encourage local cultures and arts to be revitalised. This may be in the form of museum exhibitions, in the way that restaurants and shops are decorated and in the entertainment on offer, for example. 

This may help promote traditions that may have become distant. 

Another reason for the importance of tourism is the preservation of heritage. Many tourists will visit the destination especially to see its local heritage. It is for this reason that many destinations will make every effort to preserve its heritage. 

This could include putting restrictions in place or limiting tourist numbers, if necessary. This is often an example of careful  tourism planning  and sustainable tourism management. 

Tourism can, if managed well, empower communities. While it is important to consider the authenticity in tourism and take some things with a pinch of salt, know that tourism can empower communities.

Small villages in far off lands are able to profit from selling their handmade goods. This, in turn, puts food on the table. This leads to healthier families and more productivity and a happier population .

The importance of tourism: Environmental gains

Whilst most media coverage involving tourism and the environment tends to be negative, there are some positives that can come from it: demonstrating the importance of tourism once again.

Some people think that tourism is what kills nature. And while this could so easily be true, it is important to note that the tourism industry is and always has been a big voice when it comes to conservation and the protection of animals and nature. Tourism organisations and travel operators often run (and donate to) fundraisers. 

As well as this, visitors to certain areas can take part in activities that aim to sustain the local scenery. It’s something a bit different, too! You and your family can go on a beach clean up walk in Spain or do something similar in the UAE . There are a lot of ways in which tourism actually helps the environment, rather than hindering it!

Lastly, there is something to be said for the political gains that can be achieved through tourism.

The tourism industry can yield promising opportunities for international collaborations, partnerships and agreements, for example within the EU. This can have positive political impacts on the host country as well as the countries who choose to work with them.

Tourism is a remarkably important industry. As you can see, the tourism industry does not stand alone- it is closely interrelated with many other parts of society. Not only do entire countries often rely on the importance of tourism, but so do individual members of host communities and tourists.

If you are studying travel and tourism and are interested in learning more about the importance of tourism, I recommend you take a look at the following texts:

• An Introduction to Tourism : a comprehensive and authoritative introduction to all facets of tourism including: the history of tourism; factors influencing the tourism industry; tourism in developing countries; sustainable tourism; forecasting future trends.
• The Business of Tourism Management : an introduction to key aspects of tourism, and to the practice of managing a tourism business.
• Tourism Management: An Introduction : gives its reader a strong understanding of the dimensions of tourism, the industries of which it is comprised, the issues that affect its success, and the management of its impact on destination economies, environments and communities.

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Is it possible to be a ‘sustainable tourist’? 12 ways to make a positive impact on your travels

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After a period of plummeting tourism numbers during the pandemic, tourism is having a resurgence. This is good news for many workers and businesses, but it could be bad for the planet. Here is a selection of ways tourists can ensure that their holidays don’t harm the environment.

There are many positive aspects to tourism. Around two billion people travel each year for tourism purposes. Travel and tourism connect people and bring the world closer through shared experiences, cultural awareness and community building. It provides jobs, spurs regional development, and is a key driver for socio-economic progress.

However, there is often a downside; Many popular destinations are threatened by increasing pollution, environmental hazards, damage to heritage sites and overuse of resources. And that’s without factoring the pollution caused by travel to and from these destinations.

So, with that in mind here are some tips that will help you to enjoy your trip, and leave with the confidence that your favoured tourist destination will not be damaged by your presence, once you return home.

1. Ditch single-use plastics

Often used for less than 15 minutes, single-use plastic items can take more than 1,000 years to degrade. Many of us are switching to sustainable options in our daily lives, and we can take the same attitude when we’re on the road. By choosing reusable bottles and bags wherever you go, you can help ensure there is less plastic waste in the ocean and other habitats.

2. Be ‘water wise’

On the whole, tourists use far more water than local residents. With a growing number of places experiencing water scarcity, the choices you make can help ensure people have adequate access to water in the future. By foregoing a daily change of sheets and towels during hotel stays, we can save millions of litres of water each year.

3. Buy local

When you buy local, you help boost the local economy, benefit local communities, and help to reduce the destination’s carbon footprint from transporting the goods. This is also true at mealtimes, so enjoy fresh, locally grown produce every chance you get.

4. Use an ethical operator

Tour operations involve people, logistics, vendors, transportation and much more. Each link in the chain can impact the environment - positively or negatively. If you prefer to leave the planning to someone else, be sure to pick an operator that prioritizes the environment, uses resources efficiently and respects local culture.

5. ‘Please don’t feed the animals’

Sharing food with wildlife or getting close enough to do so increases the chances of spreading diseases like cold, flu and pneumonia from humans to animals. Also, when animals get used to receiving food from humans, their natural behaviours are altered, and they become dependent on people for survival. In some cases, it can also lead to human-animal conflict.

6. And don’t eat them either!

By creating the demand, consuming endangered or exotic animals leads to an increase in poaching, trafficking and exploitation of animals. Besides the harm done to the individual animal on your plate, irresponsible dining can contribute to the extinction of species already threatened by climate change and habitat loss. Keep this in mind when shopping for souvenirs as well, and steer clear of products made from endangered wildlife.

7. Share a ride

Transportation is a major contributor to the carbon footprint from tourism. Instead of private taxis, explore using public transportation like trains, buses and shared cabs. You can also ride a bicycle, which offers a convenient and cheaper way to explore and learn about a place.

8. Consider a homestay

Staying with a local resident or family is a nature-friendly option that allows you to get up close and personal with local culture and customs. Staying at local homestays can uplift communities by providing income while giving you a peek into different ways of life.

9. Do your homework

Before your travel, educate yourself about your destination. Doing so will allow you to better immerse yourself in local traditions and practices and appreciate things that might have gone unnoticed otherwise. With the right information, you can explore a destination in a more sensitive manner and surprise yourself with new adventures and discoveries.

10. Visit national parks and sanctuaries

Exploring nature and wildlife through national parks is an intimate way to learn about the animals and their ecosystems first hand. In some cases, your entrance fee supports conservation efforts that protect species and landscapes and preserve these natural spaces for future visitors to enjoy.

11. Don’t leave a trace

You can make a mark by not leaving a mark on your vacation destination. Put garbage in its place to avoid litter, and don’t remove or alter anything without permission. Let’s make sure we leave only soft footprints, and not the environmental kind.

12. Tell your friends

Now that you’re ready to travel in eco-friendly style, it’s time spread the word! Inform fellow travellers, friends and family about how sustainable tourism benefits local people by enhancing their livelihoods and well-being, and helps all of us by safeguarding our beautiful environment.

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Good tourism: a practical guide.

• October 1, 2021
• 12 Comments

A practical guide for good tourism

In its simplest definition, tourism is the activity of travelling and visiting different places. There are many benefits of tourism where it’s creating positive impact for the environment and local communities. However, when it’s not done right, tourism can cause significant disadvantages and a negative impact. That’s why, we need good tourism.

In this article

What is the role of tour operators, what are the negative impacts of tourism, what are the positive impacts of tourism, why do we need good tourism, what is good tourism, how do you implement good tourism in practice, move towards a future of good tourism.

Tourism is an industry that drives people to travel for leisure and fun. In particular, it’s a set of inter-connected activities of people while travelling to different places. Thus, the tourism industry consists of many industries that directly and indirectly provides products and services to tourists.

From tour operators, hotels and restaurants, to local fishing companies, constructors and local communities. Many industries, and with that people, are dependent of tourism for the survival of their business. The task of the tour operator is to:

• Facilitate and operate the tourism activities for travellers
• To map and advise on their trip
• Book the right accommodations and experiences
• Make the trip as comfortable and unique as possible
• To create a positive impact on the destination

Tourism is a sensitive industry that can bring problems and consequences to a destination. If tour operators don’t consider the well-being of local communities or the pressure on the environment, it will most likely have disadvantages on the destination.

Below list shows the main negative impacts of tourism on a destination. It shows us the importance of good tourism and the consequences if we don’t work and travel responsibly.

Negative impacts of tourism

• Overtourism and overcrowding
• Leakage to western companies
• Seasonal and poorly paid jobs
• Dependency of tourism
• Local prices increase
• Loss & exploitation of cultural identity
• Damage to environment
• Exploitation of wild animals
• Increased carbon emissions
• Commercialisation of culture
• Culture clashes
• Increased (plastic) pollution

Luckily, tourism can also bring many benefits and positive consequences to a destination. If tour operators work responsibly, they can directly contribute to the wellbeing of local communities, the environment and its wildlife and secure their future.

Below list shows the main positive impacts of tourism on a destination. If done right, tourism is in the position to create a better life for everyone on the destination, the traveller included.

Positive impacts of tourism

• Builds destinations’ image and brand
• Economic growth contributor
• Increased employment
• Training opportunities for locals
• Increased local spending
• Preservation of local culture
• Conservation of environment
• Protection of wild animals
• Developed infrastructure and facilities
• Greater demand for local food & crafts
• Cross-cultural interactions
• Environmental-friendly experiences

The tourism industry has great impact on (local) economies, and it leaves a large footprint on the environment. As shown above, tourism can cause significant negative impact on destinations, nature and local communities. As tourism industry, and especially tour operators, we have the responsibility to offer tourism that is responsible and benefits the destination.

Services and experiences that create a positive impact. Tourism that is done right, in a responsible way and that makes the world a better place. In the end it comes down to fair tourism where everyone involved is treated right.

From the traveller, to local guides, lodge owners, nature and wildlife. To move towards good tourism, the decision-making process needs to change. As tour operators, you’ll need to take into account people, planet and profit in tourism management and development.

The big question remains, what is good tourism? How can you ensure you’re creating tourism experiences that have a positive impact on the destination and are minimising the negative effects? We can call it sustainable tourism , responsible tourism, green tourism, eco-tourism or good tourism, in the end it all comes down to creating a futureproof tourism industry that does well for everyone.

To guide you in the process towards good tourism, you can use the triple bottom line model as guidance. This framework balances people, planet and profit and focuses on creating greater business value and a better world.

The People bottom line refers to respecting and benefitting local cultures and communities in a destination. Conserve their living and built cultural heritage and authentic values and contribute to equal opportunities and inter-cultural understanding.

The Planet bottom line refers to protecting natural areas and wildlife, supporting a viable natural environment. Make the best use of environmental resources in your experiences and help conserving natural heritage and biodiversity.

The Profit bottom line refers to ensuring fair long-term, profitable economic activities. Provide socio-economic benefits to all parties involved, offer stable and local employment opportunities, and prevent leakage by supporting the local economy .

The theoretical part of good tourism is clear. Take the triple bottom line into account in your tourism management and development process and focus on ensuring a futureproof tourism industry. But how does good tourism look like practically? What aspects are important and how do you implement them?

To make it easier and more accessible for you, we’ve created an overview of the key aspects of good tourism and how to implement them. Important to remember is that good tourism can be implemented in endless ways and that the list below is not the only right way. Good tourism is all about finding the right way for your own business, destination, local stakeholders and customers.

1. Travel off the beaten track

Overtourism has become a serious issue worldwide. Cities, beaches and heritage sites are overcrowded with travellers. Destroying it for both locals as other travellers. This impacts the image of the destination as well. To combat overtourism, the best solution is to spread the travellers. Take them off the beaten track to have more local people benefit from tourism, spare the environment and heritage sites, and offer more unique experiences.

2. Support the local economy

The tourism industry is a significant contributor to the economic growth of destinations. It allows an economy to develop a new form of income as it allows communities to diversify their sources of income and to not rely on a single one. However, to prevent leakage to western countries and businesses, make sure to spend your money locally and advise your customers to do the same. Purchase and book with local businesses and ensure fair prices at all times.

3. Create local employment opportunities

One of the most obvious examples of good tourism is that it creates jobs for local people. From tour guides , drivers, hotel maids to locals selling food or crafts. Work with local people and train and qualify them to be excellent in their job. They are responsible for good tourism on the ground and know the destination best. Provide them with fair wages and appropriate benefits.

4. Develop culture community-based tourism

By turning local culture into an authentic and meaningful experience, you are not only satisfying customers, you are also preserving this local culture. Use tourism to protect their cultural identity. Collaborate respectfully with local communities to avoid commercialisation. Give them means to keep their culture and traditions alive and relevant. Have travellers learn about their ancient local culture and facilitate cross-cultural interactions to create a win-win situation.

5. Raise awareness among travellers

To ensure that community-based tourism is developed and practiced well, it’s essential travellers are educated about the local destination, culture and local customs. They need to be informed about the do’s and don’ts, how to behave and how to dress. Avoiding cultural clashes is all about creating awareness among travellers. Use community-based tourism to broaden their mind and to truly interact with local communities in a respectful way.

6. Conserve natural assets and environment

The tourism industry puts strains on the local environment. It can cause damage with risks such as erosion, pollution, loss of natural habitats and overcrowded beaches. By conserving natural assets and environment, you are directly contributing to a futureproof tourism industry. Avoid damaging the environment by lowering your carbon footprint, contributing to protecting natural areas, paying official park fees and planting trees.

7. Ensure animal welfare

The use of animals in tourism is still common practice in the tourism industry. Unfortunately, the negative impact on animals is enormous. It thereby also puts pressure on animal welfare and conservation. Start to understand your animal footprint and operate accordingly in your business. This basically entails no experiences that involve captive wildlife or interaction with wild animals. Take responsibility for local animal welfare and set the right example!

8. Lower your carbon footprint

The carbon footprint of tourism is relatively large. Of all emissions worldwide, 5 to 8% is caused by the tourism industry. Tour operators are in the position to contribute to slowing down global warming by simply reducing their emissions . Start managing your carbon footprint and identify ways for your business to lowering and compensate CO2 emissions . Start with avoiding domestic flights and including public transport and zero-emission transport modes such as cycling and walking!

9. Say no to single-use plastic

Plastic can be found everywhere. In our oceans, wildlife and in nature. Tourism significantly contributes to the issue by using a lot of single-use plastic during trips and in accommodations. The industry increases litter and pollution in nature and therefore have the responsibility to reduce plastic throughout to avoid pollution. Make clients aware of the issue, offer refillable water bottles and prevent use of plastic bags. Awareness and education is key here.

The tourism industry has proven to have a massive impact on destinations, communities and the environment. It’s a sensitive industry where it can have both positive as negative impact, with all its consequences.

Tour operators have the opportunity and responsibility to move towards good tourism. To create experiences that benefit the destination, that provide a fair income for local communities and that protect the environment and wildlife. This is the future of tourism.

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Very thoughtful, just learnt a lot… looking forward to a total good tourism near future.

So do we Eloi!

very important courses that build your skills in the tourism industries even beyond,very pleased to attend this courses.

Thank you Shema!

Don’t forget that tourists choosing to stay in local neighborhoods should remember that their neighbors are not on vacation; they are in their homes. Staying in a neighborhood is a different experience from a hotel/motel and needs to be respected. If tourists are there to party and bring in a crowd, they should opt to stay in a commercial area.

I have really learnt alot and understood why good tourism sustainability is important. Thanks alot Anne & Rik

That’s great to hear Hilda, thank you for letting us know!

Very good insights, will implement the concepts learnt to become a better Tour operator

On my journey of practicing good tourism; and today i had a task to pick my kids from point A to point B but remembering the carbon car emissions i used the walking option to point A picked the kids to where my car was about 1km. Good tourism if practiced well, is a game changer to improving the quality of lives, rejuvenate nature and our environment at large! Thanks Team at GT for putting all this together!

This is a very thoughtful article. I like how issues are discussed and examples used. This is helping me understand more concepts.

Thanks Good Tourism Institute

Thank you Asuman for your positive feedback and we’re happy you’re enjoying our content!

Anne de Jong

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Tourism in the 2030 Agenda

The year 2015 has been a milestone for global development as governments have adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, along with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The bold agenda sets out a global framework to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and fix climate change until 2030. Building on the historic Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the ambitious set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 associated targets is people-centred, transformative, universal and integrated.

Harnessing tourism's benefits will be critical to achieving the sustainable development goals and implementing the post-2015 development agenda

Tourism has the potential to contribute, directly or indirectly, to all of the goals. In particular, it has been included as targets in Goals 8, 12 and 14 on inclusive and sustainable economic growth, sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and the sustainable use of oceans and marine resources, respectively.

Sustainable tourism is firmly positioned in the 2030 Agenda. Achieving this agenda, however, requires a clear implementation framework, adequate financing and investment in technology, infrastructure and human resources.

GOAL 1: NO POVERTY

GOAL 2: ZERO HUNGER

GOAL 3: GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

GOAL 4: QUALITY EDUCATION

GOAL 5: GENDER EQUALITY

GOAL 6: CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION

GOAL 7: AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY

GOAL 8: DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

GOAL 9: INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

GOAL 10: REDUCED INEQUALITIES

GOAL 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

GOAL 12: RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

GOAL 13: CLIMATE ACTION

GOAL 14: LIFE BELOW WATER

GOAL 15: LIFE ON LAND

GOAL 16: PEACE AND JUSTICE

GOAL 17: PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS

The impact of tourism: How can we all do this better?

John perrottet, beril benli.

Tourism is growing, and growing fast. After surpassing 1 billion international visitors in 2012, we are expecting 1.8 billion by 2030. Tourism is growing faster than the global economy and, for the first time, the statistics for 2015 are expected to show that there were more trips taken to the developing world than to the developed world. But what does this actually mean? Growth, on its own, is not enough. Destinations and their stakeholders are responsible for ensuring that growth is well-managed; that benefits are maximized; and that any negative externalities are minimized. This requires a continuous process of planning and management that evolves and that can be measured over time. For the World Bank Group, our clients and our development partners, this process of planning and management is a central interest. How can we help these processes to deliver more and better development impact? What kinds of interventions or types of assistance will deliver the best results? How do you define the best results – for whom? – and how do we measure them? Being able to demonstrate how the tourism sector contributes to the Bank Group’s twin goals of eliminating extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity is an imperative for all stakeholders. It’s relevant for national governments, sub-national state agencies, businesses (both multinationals and SMEs), multilateral development banks, NGOs, academics and think tanks. Moreover, it’s vital in helping guide future planning and development, gaining access to and applying for funding, and demonstrating progress to constituents at all levels.

Despite the great breadth and depth of existing impact information, however, serious concerns remain about the accuracy, complexity, gaps, comparability and sustainability of the types of the impact analyses that have been carried out. The Bank Group’s Sustainable Tourism Global Solutions Group recently convened a thought-leadership event in Washington to begin a preliminary discussion about how all stakeholders can come together to try and address some of the current shortcomings. During the “ Measuring for Impact in Touris m” event, we heard about a wide range of challenges for those working in this area and we began to map out the greatest gaps and issues. As Anabel Gonzalez, the Senior Director of the Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice, said at that conference: “We want to be better at monitoring and evaluating our impact, we want to learn from others, and we want to contribute more effectively to tourism development.  I believe these are goals most of you will share. We invite you to join this discussion – and be frank, open and provocative.”The findings can be found in our report, “ Towards More Effective Impact Measurement in the Tourism Sector: Observations and Key Issues ,” which highlights a number of priorities. Some of those challenges concern the availability, quality and consistency of data; the high cost of impact measurement for SMEs; the proliferation of different systems; issues of attribution; quantifying notions of “value”; and the ability to communicate effectively to a wide range of audiences. Some key areas for immediate follow-up and further analysis were also identified. They include:

• Exploring the theory of change by examining more closely the proposition  that, when tourism growth occurs, those living in extreme poverty benefit and by digging deeper into what tourism growth really means for the poor, especially in terms of employment. 
• Assessing the impact value of different types of tourism.
• Assessing and developing the role of technology for data collection, impact measurement and communication.
• Evaluating the use of training for better communication – including assessing what has been tried and what has worked and considering how it could be scaled up. 
• Analyzing the necessity and practicality of improving collaboration among various actors, and assessing the alignment of frameworks along with proposals for greater alignment.
• Developing ideas and proposals for the enhanced sharing and pooling of impact data.
• Developing ideas and proposals for greater inclusion of SMEs.
• Competitiveness
• Digital Development
• Urban Development

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Over seven million people visit "La Joconde," or the Mona Lisa, by Leonardo Da Vinci at the Louvre Museum in Paris each year.

Overtourism: too much of a good thing

The global tourism boom isn’t slowing down. What can travelers do to keep things in balance and aid in sustainability?

Reykjavík isn’t what it used to be. The Icelandic capital’s main shopping street, Laugavegur, now belongs to tourism. Shops bill themselves in English, not Icelandic: Icemart, Chuck Norris Grill, a “Woolcano” gift shop. A lone hardware store has survived the wave of touristification.

The term “ overtourism ”—too many tourists—has been moving from travel-industry jargon into the mainstream, propelled by such flash points as Venice , Amsterdam , and Barcelona , where exasperated locals unfurled “TOURIST GO HOME” banners in 2017.

The phenomenon is global and has even reached chilly, expensive Iceland—a relative newcomer to travelers’ bucket lists. Travel media have affixed the overtourism label not just to Reykjavík but to the whole country. So when I arrive after eight years away, I am apprehensive. How bad will it be? And how can travelers be part of the solution, not part of the problem? [Find amazing alternatives to destinations experiencing overtourism.]

I first explored Iceland as a recent college grad in 1973, entranced by vast scenery, the modern culture with its Old Norse language, and the in-your-face volcanic geology. I kept coming back, making my previous visit in 2010, right before the tourism boom. By 2017, Iceland was drawing over two million visitors annually—six times its national population.

The Blue Lagoon may be one of Iceland’s most popular attractions, but author Jonathan Tourtellot says it’s actually the one place in Iceland he’s not worried about. “It’s entirely artificial, well managed, handy to the airport, and expensive,” he says.

When does such a fast-rising tide become an unacceptable tsunami? For Icelanders who are not making money from tourism—and even for those who are—overtourism means disruption to their lives and their city. “The Reykjavík center is all hotels and Airbnbs now,” says my friend Ingibjörg Eliasdóttir. “Downtown is out of hand. Real estate prices have gone up so high that students can’t afford to live here anymore.”

The tourism flood would have arrived sooner or later. The number of international trips taken each year worldwide has gone from some 25 million in the 1950s, right before the commercial jet age began, to 1.3 billion in 2017. International arrivals are projected to reach a possible three billion by 2050. Yet the sights and places all these people visit remain the same size.

Causes of the tourism surge reportedly range from easier border crossings and cheap regional carriers to subsidized airline fuel and Airbnb, which increases a destination’s accommodations capacity. Look deeper, though, and you find three powerful trends. First, Earth’s population has nearly tripled since the 1950s, when mass tourism was just getting started. Second, affluence is growing even faster, with the world’s middle class expected to reach 4.2 billion by 2022. Third, technological changes from GPS and social media to wide-body jets and towering cruise ships carrying town-size populations have revolutionized travel.

I once complained to the CEO of a major cruise line about how each ship disgorges thousands of passengers into the confined medieval streets of Dubrovnik , Croatia . “Don’t people have a right to visit Dubrovnik?” he countered. Perhaps, but when people keep arriving in groups of 3,000, it profoundly changes a place.

Airlines can boost heavy traffic as well. Icelandair’s free-stopover offers put hundreds of tourists daily on the accessible Golden Circle route, which takes in the historic site of Thingvellir, the Gullfoss waterfall, and geothermal Geysir. The first two are large enough to handle several hundred visitors, but compact Geysir shows signs of overtourism—trash, overcrowding, and a tourist-trap sprawl mall right across the road.

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This fast-growing mass travel poses real threats to natural and cultural treasures. Wear and tear on fragile sites is one issue. So is cultural disruption for local people. And visitors receive a degraded experience. [Discover 6 ways to be a more sustainable traveler.]

Pressure for change comes less from tourists than from locals and preservationists. Officials in Barcelona, one of the world’s busiest cruise ports, have promised tighter controls on mass tourism, short-term apartment rentals, hotel development, and other challenges. Dubrovnik has plans to restrict the number of ships that can dock. Italy ’s Cinque Terre has put limits on hikers. Amsterdam is focusing on tourist redistribution techniques. In Asia , where tourism growth is rampant, governments have closed entire islands to allow recovery, such as on overbuilt Boracay in the Philippines and overtrodden Koh Tachai in Thailand . As for Iceland, the government has launched a Tourist Site Protection Fund, and Reykjavík has banned permits for new hotel construction downtown.

The low sun casts long shadows, revealing the magnitude of the crowd size around the Strokkur Geyser in Iceland.

Destination stakeholders are not the only ones who can take action. What can a smart traveler do?

Adopt a wise-travel mindset.

When you arrive in a place, you become part of that place. Where you go, what you do, how you spend, whom you talk to: It all makes a difference. Try to get out of the tourist bubble and see how locals live. Treat every purchase as a vote. In Iceland, María Reynisdóttir of the national tourism bureau suggests looking for the official quality label Vakinn when buying souvenirs or booking lodgings.

Avoid peak times.

Hit museums and sights early, before crowds arrive. Avoid peak seasons as well. [Visit the world's best museums.]

Stay in homes.

Booking an Airbnb listing with a friendly host can add depth to your stay, but avoid hosts who peddle multiple units bought just for short-term rentals. That practice can boost property values beyond what locals can afford.

Tell tourism authorities what you think. They worry about reputation. Post online reviews about whether you think the destination is doing a good job of managing tourism.

Earth is a big place, and much of it is still undervisited. In Iceland this past August, my wife and I headed north to see where a sign-posted route called the Arctic Coast Way will open in June 2019. Here, far from Reykjavík and well beyond the tour buses relentlessly plying Route 1, we drive past fjords touched by fingers of fog and mountainsides laced with waterfalls.

Just short of the Arctic Circle we stop at the Guest-house Gimbur, empty except for us. “Mid-August is the end of the season,” explains our hostess, Sjöfn Guðmundsdóttir. Relaxing in her hot tub, watching a lingering sunset at the southernmost reaches of the Arctic Ocean, I reflect on something else she said: “Slow tourism is my motto.” It can be yours too.

Related Topics

• SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
• HIGHWAYS AND ROADS

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Does Tourism Help or Harm? A Look at Economics, Ecology, and Neocolonialism

12/05/2021 by Kristin Addis 11 Comments

Hey friends, this has been a long time coming.

I started writing this article several times, beginning four years ago. And each time I’ve asked myself:

“Who am I to talk about this?

It’s too controversial. It’s weird coming from someone who is very much part of the global privileged. How is this going to come off. Am I just inviting scrutiny?”

And yet here we are.

Because as I’ve traveled to over 60 countries, in many cases staying a while and moving slowly, I’ve come to notice things that put my past self to shame, that make me realize I didn’t see my privilege for most of my life (and in many ways still don’t), that make me question if widespread colonization has ended at all. Most of all, I wonder if tourism is really good for people or not.

With 1.5 billion recorded global arrivals in 2019, causing tourism to outpace the global economy, now more than ever, we have to talk about the impacts it has on our world. Because as we so painfully learned in 2020, what happens in one corner of the world will, eventually, affect everyone. 

This post is the product of years of research — of all the times I started and stopped writing this, trying to tackle the question,

Does tourism help or harm?

Table of Contents

The Good of Tourism

Throughout my research, I’ve found countless examples of the good tourism has done. When manta ray and diving tourism outearns practices like dynamite fishing in Komodo, this preserves essential reef systems. When climate change hits arid places like Ethiopia, tourism provides a way of earning and living that doesn’t degrade the environment further, at least not directly. Tourism creates an economy that doesn’t depend on exploiting natural resources and manufacturing — when done right.

Job creation and poverty alleviation

In many places, tourism has trumped international aid in terms of wealth transfer from the rich directly to the poor. And let’s be honest, it’s a lot more empowering than aid and handouts.

Tourism, at least in 2012, was “either the number one or number two export earnings for 20 of the 48 least developed countries, including Tanzania and Samoa.”

According to UNESCO, sustainable tourism, which it defines as respecting “both local people and the traveler, cultural heritage and the environment” provides these benefits:

• Tourism can be directly taxed, creating the necessary funds for improving infrastructure, education, and health on the ground.
• Locally owned microenterprises run by the poor serve as a benefit, as tourists buy a wide variety of goods and services.
• Sustainable tourism leads to employment diversification on a local level, which reduces the vulnerability of the poor.
• The tourism industry employs a high proportion of individuals under 25. As a result, youth gain access to higher earnings and better opportunities through sustainable tourism.
• And tourism provides jobs to people with little to no formal training (via The Borgen Project ).

Wildlife preservation

In 2013 I sat in a small room on the island of Flores, Indonesia, while a proud dive master from my liveaboard shared that Komodo Island had been named a manta sanctuary. This followed the establishment of the first shark and ray sanctuary in the Coral Triangle the year prior by the government of Raja Ampat , another popular diving area in Indonesia.

Each year, the illegal wildlife trade is worth at least $23 billion. Many of these illegally harvested animal parts, both from mantas and African wildlife, are used in “medicinal” products abroad. 

The group Manta Watch and local dive operators were able to prove that a live manta ray is worth 2,000 times more than its value as a dead “medicinal product.” 

Wildlife tourism outpaces these earnings in many places around the world, providing good jobs for locals who would otherwise have fewer earning opportunities.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council , “while the travel tourism sector accounts for 10.4% of global GDP, wildlife tourism represents 3.9% of this figure, or $343.6 billion, a figure equivalent to the entire GDP of South Africa or Hong Kong. Of equal significance is the fact that around the world, 21.8 million jobs, or 6.8% of total jobs sustained by global travel and tourism in 2018, can be attributed to wildlife.”

For example, in Tanzania — home to the great wildebeest migration, Mount Kilimanjaro, the beaches of Zanzibar, and the ecologically rich and diverse Ngorongoro Crater — tourism accounts for over 11% of its GDP and employs roughly 2.3 million people. Protected areas equate to one-third of the country’s total area. Roughly 46% of international tourists to Tanzania experience a wildlife activity, and 26% enjoy a beach holiday.

We could fill the pages of book after book with examples like this, where tourism has helped preserve land, animals, and areas of historical significance for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

The rise of ecotourism

Wildlife-related tourism isn’t the only means of protecting the environment while providing jobs. The ecotourism sector is growing, and rapidly — at an estimated 5% year over year — driven mostly by millennial travelers.

But ecotourism is not just about washing fewer towels. It’s about providing experiences that complement the local community and ecology; providing opportunities that do not take money out of the community; keeping green practices in mind regarding energy, food sourcing, and tourism experiences; and empowering the local community to co-create tourism in ways that benefit them , not foreign interests.

According to Mandala Research , a women-run consultancy focused on corporate social responsibility, sustainability-minded tourists are more likely to stay in a destination longer, spend more money, and buy locally.

This type of travel experience isn’t always easy to find, but with a little extra research, they’re available all over the world (this is what we offer with our whale swim trip in French Polynesia).

Ecotourism is a way of providing travel experiences that have a minimal impact on the environment while empowering local people who may otherwise have to exploit natural resources to survive.

The question we always have to ask ourselves is, if not tourism, what else would these economies run on? The largest economic activities in the world are industrial manufacturing (32%) and chemical production (12%). By comparison, tourism is a much better alternative.

The advancement of women

Tourism provides one of the most essential opportunities for female empowerment, particularly in the developing world.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization , women make up the majority of the world’s tourism workforce.

That said, they’re often in the “lowest-paid and lowest-status jobs in tourism, and perform a large amount of unpaid work in family tourism businesses.”

But when women have choices, the birth rate goes down, putting less pressure on already diminishing natural resources. When women have more financial inclusion, more education, and more opportunities, society benefits.

According to the 2013-14 Education for All Global Monitoring Report , in Pakistan, working women with high levels of literacy skills earned 95% more than women with weak or no literacy skills, whereas the differential was only 33% among men. Educated women are empowered to take a greater economic role in their families and communities, and they tend to reinvest 90% of what they earn into their communities.

Tourism can empower women to step into leadership roles they deserve, like Maggie Duncan Simbeye, the first Tanzanian woman to own and operate her own tour company. Or like Natajia Miller, who runs the hotel and tour company I worked with in the Bahamas that her mother founded.

When we combine education, job opportunities in tourism, and making women the priority, we have a greater chance of positively impacting the communities we travel in, when done right.

But it’s not always done right, and we often have the good mixed in with the bad.

The Ugly of Tourism

For every example of the good the tourism does, we can often find a more crushing, visceral example of where it has done irreparable harm. We can’t only focus on the good, we have to confront the bad parts of tourism as well, the ugly parts that disenfranchise locals, degrade the environment, and perpetuate colonial norms, beginning with the crushing reality that most of the time, the money leaves.

Economic leakage

Continuing with my Indonesia examples, a few years ago I joined a liveaboard diving ship in Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia. This is regularly regarded as one of the best places to dive in the world, and I still remember it as one of my most amazing trips to date.

But the boat was foreign-owned, and the staff on the boat were not from Raja Ampat, but rather from other parts of Indonesia. I even heard the Javanese driver refer to the locals as “curly heads”, and found out later that there’s a genocide happening in West Papua . How did I visit and not even know? How is this not international news?

Little by little I realized that while we did buy fish from the local fishermen, and I bought a coconut from a local woman, most of the money spent by the foreigners on the ship did not remain in the area, or even in Indonesia. It hurts me to realize this, but it did not benefit the locals much, if at all.

My experience was not unique. A 2013 report from the UNWTO noted that just $5 of every $100 spent in a developing country stayed in that destination – this is known as economic leakage.

We live in a world that is becoming more and more globalized. It’s easy to become a Marriott member and always stay in Marriott-owned hotels, or to favor the Hilton because it’s familiar, or to stay in an Airbnb that is rented out by a foreigner, effectively driving up rent prices for locals.

The problem? Most of the money leaves the country, doing very little to empower locals while taxing their ecology, using their limited water resources, generating trash in places that are often ill-equipped to handle it, and more.

All-inclusive horrors

All inclusive vacations sound pretty good. You get all of your food, drinks, entertainment, and accommodation included for one price. Your hand is held from landing to takeoff and you don’t have to think about anything. These are common all over the Caribbean, and I was even hired to promote a Spanish-owned one in Mexico’s Riviera Maya and (accidentally) stayed in one in Cabo San Lucas this past October.

What I found strange about both is that Mexican food was never on the menu. It made me wonder how much had to be shipped in when so much could have been sourced locally. The property in Cabo also offered a “Mexican night” with stalls selling Mexican souvenirs instead of encouraging guests to visit a local market to get the real experience for much cheaper and with more direct wealth transfer to locals.

But this is typical. Most all-inclusive guests never leave the resort or spend money locally.

In a 2014 survey of 500,000 tourists by Tourism Concern , fewer than 20% of respondents who had been on an all inclusive regularly left the resort to visit other bars, restaurants or excursions.

But what about jobs for locals? The study additionally found that wages were often lower and working conditions worse at all inclusives where they conducted studies in Tenerife, Kenya, and Barbados.

The other issue is the rampant waste and bigger-is-better mentality at large, all-inclusive resorts. These are often major users of the power grid, major plastic waste contributors, and since everything is ‘free’, people often waste food at all-inclusive resorts more than they would at a restaurant or at home.

And where does this food come from? If you stay at a resort in Jamaica or the Bahamas, you’re eating food from Florida. It’s worth looking at what’s in the gift shop, too, because it’s typically brands from home that tourists trust and prefer, rather than local options.

The power of all inclusive hotels makes it difficult to mitigate these issues. In the Gambia , all inclusive hotels wield so much power that when the government tried to ban them, tour operators threatened to take their business elsewhere, enforcing the cycle of leakage.

Locals get priced out of their homes

Look at any beach destination and you’re likely to see that most of the best real estate is taken up by vacation homes and beachfront hotels.

Without laws that keep generational property within the family, property taxes make it difficult for locals to hold onto beachfront real estate, because it is based on the value of the land, which goes up with the increase in tourism and foreign investment.

This can be seen all over the world, where locals can no longer afford to live where they grew up.

From Barcelona to New York, New Zealand to Italy, the “Airbnb Effect” doesn’t just impact the developing world, but the places many tourists call home as well.

This is a bitter pill to swallow, because many of us turned to Airbnb for a more local experience than a hotel can offer, hoping that we were supporting locals this way. And maybe in the beginning we were.

Many locals in the places we love to travel do not want any tourism because for many, it has just made life harder and degraded the environment.

Environmental degradation

In 2019, Boracay in the Philippines had just reopened to tourism after 6 months of closure to clean up and allow natural areas to recover, but with new regulations.

The year prior, 1.7 million people had visited Boracay, one of 7000 islands in the Philippines. Tourism grew so quickly and without regulation in the years leading up to the closure, that sewage was pumped directly back out to the sea, overfishing decimated 90% of the coral reefs, and the mangroves that once provided a buffer for tropical storms were drained and built upon. Like many similar stories, locals were undercut by outsiders and watched helplessly as their island became a nightmare.

As many places like Boracay become famous and more accessible, and as tourism numbers swell worldwide, natural areas are receiving the kind of visitor influx that pushes them to the brink.

In the US National Park system, the most visited national park, the Great Smoky Mountains, received 12.1 million visitors in 2020 and overall national park visits topped 327 million in 2019 , up from 281 million in 1986 and 6 million in 1960, a mere two generations prior. This increased tourism leads to land degradation, air and noise pollution, littering, trampling and the alteration of fragile ecosystems .

In Thailand, 77% of the total of 238.4 square kilometers of coral reefs in all of Thailand’s waters have been devastated, according to Thon Thamrongnawasawat , deputy dean of the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University in Bangkok, who blames beachfront hotels, anchoring, and plastic rubbish dumping as the main causes.

Like the positive instances of land and habitat preservation noted earlier, we could fill the pages of books with examples like these as well.

Tourism contributes to climate change

While tourism provides earning opportunities in areas where climate change has made the usual ways of life more difficult, it also contributes to climate change. 

Emissions from tourism-related activities are estimated to contribute 7% to global emissions. According to UNWTO/ITF’s latest research , CO 2 emissions from tourism are forecast to increase at least by 25% by 2030. However, to reduce emissions in accordance with the Paris Accord, global emissions need to decrease by at least 7% per year throughout the next decade, which, globally, we are not on track for.

Realistically, travel makes up a small amount of global emissions, and even if everyone were to stop traveling, it would not be enough. It would also harm some of the world’s most vulnerable people and places who have come to rely on tourism, as we’ve seen in 2020.

Travel also helps people to see the degradation of the planet. Personally, I didn’t truly understand the urgency until traveling the world, and being told by every single person I talked to that they once had abundance that now is dwindling, from the sushi fish of Japan, to the animals of Southeast Asia, to the reliable seasons of Patagonia. Everywhere I go, the story is always the same: things are changing — and it is not for the better.

In many ways, traveling helps educate people about the world and its cultures and helps us to care more about what happens to it, because we have seen beyond our own borders. But is it enough? Is it too little too late?

Perpetuating colonial norms

Traveling along what they call the ‘banana pancake’ trail in Southeast Asia in my 20s was a defining part of my life. I met people from all over the world, but now that I think about it, I met them from all over the “white” world. I met them from privileged countries like my own where young people can save up and travel long-term because these countries are so much cheaper than our own.

I did stay in a lot of locally owned hostels and I did mostly eat food that I bought directly from street vendors, but when it comes down to it, I rarely met local travelers or got to engage with and hang out with Thai or Cambodian people. It happened from time to time and I relished the opportunity, but for the most part, it was in a service-oriented situation where we both played a role – the server and the customer.

But I’ll be honest with you, I hardly even noticed this. I didn’t think about the places where local people lived. I didn’t seek them out or wonder if they were much different than the accommodation that I was in, which was the most basic I have ever stayed in my life. And yet most of theirs is even more basic, often without running water.

I didn’t think about if my presence was good or bad.

But it started to click when I traveled to southern Africa for the first time in 2015. It clicked when safari camps could run thousands of dollars per night while black locals slept in corrugated metal shacks. How could there be so much wealth and so much lack of it present at the same time? It started to click when the black clerk helping us push a cart out of the grocery store in Namibia got the full pat down while the guard barely glanced at me. It clicked when one of the “activities” offered by a backpackers in Zambia was an afternoon “volunteering” with local kids. What were they really doing? Pimping kids out for tourist photos? 

Tourism and Neo-Colonialism

This is the point in the article where I have frequently stopped writing. Where I have questioned who I am to talk about this, and have been certain I would say or do something wrong, or that something I did in the past would suddenly not age well.

But the truth is we all have to look at the way that privilege and tourism go hand-in-hand, and the ways that we may have perpetuated it, been complicit in it, and benefitted from it.

Colonialism is not over

For me the wake up point was in a taxi in Uganda. It’s a long drive from the airport to Kampala, so the driver and I had a while to chat. He wanted me to give him pointers on how to marry a muzungu (white) woman. I asked him why that’s what he wanted, and he shared it would be his way to come up in the world.

Why wouldn’t this be his misconception? Most of the white people he’s seen his whole life have money. Even backpackers traveling on a shoe-string budget are comparatively privileged just for the ability to afford a plane ticket and time that is not spent in a relentless pursuit of earning a livable wage. And, realistically, most of the hotels and big businesses are still owned and run by former colonizers, whose profits exit the country. Working in these establishments requires learning English and adapting to western norms. I can see how it would be easy to feel like the only way to ascend is to be a part of the western world. 

Meanwhile stories about ‘Africa’ are too often about the white messiah who comes in to ‘help’, perpetuating the myth that ‘Africa’ needs saving and little white girls and boys can come in and fix it during a volunteer trip. Colonization is not over, it’s just economic now.

The words of Reni Eddo-Lodge in Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race , stand out: “Neutral is white. The default is white. Because we are born into an already written script that tells us what to expect from strangers due to their skin color, accents and social status, the whole of humanity is coded as white. Blackness, however, is considered the “other” and therefore to be suspected.” I see this play out in the way that I am treated as a white foreigner, in comparison to a local POC.

Much of the perpetual stereotypes of ‘Africa’ are that it is poor and dangerous, despite the fact that many countries on the continent are rich in both minerals and biodiversity.  Indeed, the kicker is that the current powerful status of the west could not have been built without Africa’s riches. 

Whether or not we participated in historical systems of colonialization, exploitation and apartheid, western tourists, interpreted as having money and power, benefit from the power structures that were built over centuries. 

The sexualization and exploitation of local women

If you travel much in Southeast Asia, particularly Chiang Mai in Thailand, you will start to notice a breed of tourist called the ‘sexpat’. Is it disgusting? Are they just lonely old men who fill a role? I don’t really know or care, I’m just disturbed that this is even a thing, aren’t you?

In the same way, imagery of grass skirts and coconut shells on smiling Hawaiian women beckoned visitors to the islands. ‘I’m here for your enjoyment, I’m here for the taking’ was the implication.

Bani Amor writes “POC bodies, cultures, and lands are the exotic dominion of the settler […] From the Black Mammy trope to that of the Singapore Girl, Spicy Latina, Pocahontas, and China Doll, women of color are deemed to exist to serve the whims of the white settler, whether that be sexual or domestic.”

She goes on to paraphrase Mary Fillmore, who wrote, ‘A tourist destination is where men of one class can enjoy the privileges of men of another class, and women can enjoy the privileges of men. Someone else will cook their meals, make their beds, clean their toilets,’

‘The tourist’s desire is usually to be indulged like a child…being free to indulge one’s appetite at will, to play all day’, adding, “and have someone else (spoiler alert: WOC) clean up the mess. These host communities end up playing the role of the Mother to the infantilized tourist. There’s nothing feminist about taking selfies with Maasai women struggling to hold onto their dignity in the face of exploitative tourist practices—that’s some colonial Mammy shit.”

Travel has often been a means of the west exploiting the rest, and we don’t have to look very far to see that little has changed over the last couple hundred years in that regard.

What Can Be Done?

I’m not on any kind of soapbox sharing this. I make mistakes all the time.

But awareness is half the battle.

When we travel, we vote with our dollars. There are many incredible people out there who are working to empower their own communities, and supporting them is, I think, our duty as travelers. 

Traveling independently or choosing tour operators who care about empowering locals and minimizing our environmental impact are important steps. It’s not to say that foreign owned companies can’t have a good impact, and the more pressure we put on them to be socially responsible, the more that they will have to comply.

But when I travel now, I actively look for options that are locally-owned, that are eco-conscious, and that are run by women. Even if I do stay in a fancy, foreign-owned resort, which I honestly love to do from time to time, I seek to balance it out with local options, too. 

It’s up to us how we really want the future of travel to be. Travel has the power to unite the world, to pull people out of poverty, and empower women to be entrepreneurs. Traveling also has the power to enforce colonial norms, “other”ize people, and take advantage of them and their homes.

We all have to be aware. We have to think about who benefits from the money we spend, and more importantly, who does not. Traveling responsibly can take an incredible amount of research, but it’s essential.

Because the thing about a globalized world that allows so many of us to travel, is that we are all interconnected. We share the same oceans, the same air, and the same planet. We all want to feel that we have a home, we all want to love, to feel safe, to be respected, to have access to clean water and food, to have enough for us and our families. The truth is that when one part of the chain is broken, the circle cannot be complete.

And as someone who encourages others to travel and whose life and livelihood have depended on travel for the better part of the last decade, I couldn’t pretend that these uncomfortable truths don’t exist anymore. Thanks for reading this far. I’d love to know your thoughts, too.

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About Kristin Addis

Kristin Addis is the founder and CEO of Be My Travel Muse, a resource for female travelers all around the world since 2012. She's traveled solo to over 65 countries and has brought over 150 women on her all-female adventure tours from Botswana to the Alaskan tundra.

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Sandra Candel says

12/06/2021 at 10:04 am

THANK YOU for starting this important conversation. As you write in your piece, raising awareness, and having awareness, is an enormous first step. Being inspired by this post, I will begin planning my future travels following your approach of looking for 3 key elements: locally-owned, eco-conscious, and run by women. Another excellent point is perpetuating colonial norms, neocolonialism, and the sexualization of women and children. I remember on a trip to an island in the Philippines, I witnessed in horror how an older man (that looked in his 60s-70s) was out and about buying things for a young boy (that looked no more than 7-8 y.o). I remember thinking “where is this boy’s mother and why is he allowed to venture alone and unsupervised with this older man?” (I mean this with no judgement to the mother, just out of genuine concern). I remember thinking that because it felt like “grooming” behavior. Of course, I don’t have proof that was the case but the whole scenario seemed “off” and I have learned to trust my gut instinct. I was horrified at the thought that indeed, something could be happening to this boy and I was just a bystander, unable to do anything. I still wonder to this day, “What can I do in a situation like that? Who do I contact? How do I make sure the vulnerable person in the situation is safe?”

All of this to say, thank you for writing this piece. It totally left an impression and a renewed desire to travel with more awareness of my impact on the places I visit.

Kristin says

12/06/2021 at 11:35 am

Seeing the sex tourism with minors in Southeast Asia disgusts me as well. It is a crime in most of those men’s home countries, but I think it’s hard to prove and to know what to do in order to bring it to the right people quickly enough to get something done. Would the police do anything? I wonder…

Lisa Tyerman says

12/06/2021 at 10:49 am

Thanks for doing the research and putting time and effort into this article Kristen. Well done. I would love tips on finding accommodations and even specific places to travel, activities, etc that would fall under “the good” of tourism.

12/06/2021 at 11:33 am

That’s something I’m still trying to figure out myself. In French Polynesia I could tell by people’s names. Sometimes a hotel will proudly display that they are locally owned or female owned, and I think that searching specifically for eco lodges are a good idea as well. Also booking tours with people who grew up in the area and mention that they are ecologically-minded. Sometimes, you don’t know until you show up, and I’d love to dig more into how to find these places as well.

12/06/2021 at 4:53 pm

This is an issue that has weighed upon me since I was an activist in college and kept me hesitant to travel. Kristin has for years inspired me and for sure others to travel the world in a way that benefits the area being traveled. These principles in this post are principles she has lived by to the best if her ability and it is hard to do so as it is not always cut and dry. I am so happy she has elucidated all these thoughts in this nice, straight to the point post. I am glad she had the courage to finish this because it needs to be said and she has the travel experience to back it up. Also, thanks for mentioning the genocide crisis in West Papua. The first step in addressing this is to raise awareness and with your large audience you have done a great service. That would be neat if there was a quick guide to women only, eco-conscious, locally owned businesses or accommodation around the world in each country. That was a great idea to strive for by the other commenter although sounds difficult although I would never underestimate BMTM.

Daniel Christianson says

12/12/2021 at 5:14 pm

And yet, here we are. Great article, nicely written. Many who approach this subject seem to heavily favor one side or the other, it’s nice to see it all laid out.

Even in my limited travels I have witnessed at least small examples of many of the points made here, and I’ve seen plenty of travelers who sadly, will never notice a single one of them. We do vote for the type of world we want with every choice of how we spend our money. This is especially true in the world of travel.

A week into my first trip out of the country I came to the conclusion that spending time in the small surf towns, staying in the private rooms at hostels and eating at the local shops was incredibly more appealing than anything resembling a big chain hotel or resort. At that time my decision had little to do being economically responsible and doing what was right for the local community, for me it was all about the class of people I was surrounding myself with. And I still make that choice today.

12/14/2021 at 12:41 pm

Yep I’m with you. Sometimes making the simpler, more chilled out choice is the choice that benefits people the most and gives you the best interactions. I love it when it can be easy!

Jessica says

12/26/2021 at 5:58 pm

Lots of food for thought here – thanks for taking the time and having the courage to write this!

12/28/2021 at 10:43 am

Thanks for reading!

05/03/2022 at 8:42 pm

BRAVE post. I just found your blog and I couldn’t agree more with what you’ve said here. It is really nice to find a travel blog that has some substance and goes beyond just pics of pretty white blondes in floppy hats in beautiful places.

05/04/2022 at 8:33 am

Thank you for reading! This post meant a lot to me and I hope more people see it <3

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Why are some countries more successful tourist destinations than others.

by ESSEC Knowledge Editor-in-chief , 04.10.12 Follow

With Peter O'Connor and Vincenzo Esposito Vinzi

Tourism can be very important to a country’s economy, particularly in less developed regions, where it can drive growth. Tourism also tends to have important impacts on the environment and society at large.

Many researchers have examined the consequences of tourism, but fewer have looked at the other side of the coin: the way economic, social and environmental factors can drive tourism – or hold it back. The few studies that have examined the issue have usually used the various factors to arrive at a ‘score’ reflecting a particular country’s attractiveness as a tourist destination.

We wanted to look at this topic more deeply – not just how economic, social and environmental factors affect tourism, but also how they affect each other, both positively and negatively. To do this, we used a mathematical technique called structural equation modelling, which uses a set of linear equations to analyse the relationships between a set of variables.

Choosing the variables

Building on the work of earlier researchers, we first developed a set of variables covering four aspects of a tourist destination: its economy, its infrastructure, its natural environment and its society.

To measure the economy, we used five variables: consumer price index, purchasing power parity, trade volume, foreign direct investment and industry value added. These reflect the way lower local prices or better exchange rates entice tourists to visit, and how a country’s tourism tends to benefit when its businesses are doing well.

To assess environmental issues affecting tourism, we used three measures: population density, carbon dioxide emissions and the number of environmental treaties ratified. The environment is important because people obviously prefer to visit places with unspoilt natural surroundings.

To analyse infrastructure, we used seven variables reflecting a country’s road network, sanitation standards, electricity supply, number of vehicles, Internet access, landline phone network and mobile phone network coverage. All these factors improve the tourism experience by providing easier travel, drinking water and better communication.

Finally, society in a tourist destination was reflected in variables covering education, life expectancy, ownership of TVs and PCs and newspaper readership. Social issues are relevant because local populations can react to tourism in different ways – embracing it or rejecting it.

Causal relationships

Having determined our variables, we tried to predict the most likely causal relationships between these four areas and tourism.

For example we thought that a strong economy could have both positive and negative effects: higher local prices could discourage visitors, but growth would develop infrastructure and improves society, both of which could help tourism indirectly. As infrastructure develops, tourism should increase – but the environment might suffer.

Similalrly social differences between tourists and their ‘hosts’ could either help or hinder tourism, depending on the local quality of life and people’s attitudes towards making sacrifices for the tourist dollar. Social progress could also affect the environment – the more ‘advanced’ the society, the more enlightened its attitudes towards sustainability. And the more pleasant the environment, the more the tourist industry is likely to benefit.

Improving the model

We tested our hypotheses using data for 162 countries. First, we tested and refined the data, and quickly discovered that there was too much overlap between our society and infrastructure concepts , so we combined them both under infrastructure. We found that electricity coverage was actually more relevant to the environment than to infrastructure, so we reassigned it. And three variables (population density, foreign direct investment and industry value added) were not significant, so we dropped them.

We ended up with a new, simpler model reflecting economy, infrastructure, environment and tourism that worked much better. When we analysed our data using this model, we found that some of our hypotheses were supported – but some were not.

Surprising results

According to our results, a better economy has no direct influence on tourism. This challenges the idea that lower local prices or favourable exchange rates encourage people to visit a destination.

However, the economy does have a direct, positive effect on both infrastructure and society – and these two factors, in turn, affect tourism. This is in line with the findings of earlier researchers, who found that better infrastructure encourages tourism. In fact, our model shows that infrastructure is the single most important factor – more than either the environment or the economy.

This finding challenges an earlier theory called ‘social exchange’, which argued that a more deprived society would be more willing to suffer some inconvenience in order to gain tourists’ business. In our model, the more developed the society, the more supportive it is of tourism.

We found that a well-developed infrastructure does indeed cause harm to the environment, as we expected. But a more developed society does not necessarily result in environmental improvements, and a better environment does not seem to drive more tourism either.

Real-world applications

Previous studies have looked at the way these areas affect tourism, without considering how they interact. Our study has taken a first step towards uncovering the causal relationships between the key factors affecting the tourism sector, and showing how they actually affect tourism. By using real-world data and subjecting it to rigorous analysis and refinement, we have shown how tourism can be investigated in a more scientific, empirical way.

Our study has many potential applications. Policymakers who are aiming to promote tourism in their respective countries can use it to make more informed decisions about allocating resources to different areas of development. For example, while higher local prices might be seen as negative, it’s important to realise that a stronger economy drives infrastructural and social improvements that indirectly encourage tourism.

Similarly e xternal trade is important, because it helps drive economic growth and infrastructure improvements. Electronic communications are key – they must keep pace with developing road networks in order to attract tourists. Finally, the levels of computer use, car ownership and newspaper readership are important, because they help society to develop, in the process becoming more welcoming and attractive to visitors from overseas.   

Further Reading:

" Structural Equation Modeling in Tourism Demand Forecasting: A Critical Review ", published in  Journal of Travel and Tourism Research.

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Perspectives

How Tourism Can Be Good for Coral Reefs

Data highlights opportunities for the tourism industry to support better conservation outcomes

April 25, 2017

View The Study

Coral reefs could be considered the poster child of nature-based tourism. People come specifically to visit the reefs themselves, to swim over shimmering gardens of coral amongst hordes of fish. But even if you aren’t snorkeling or diving on a reef, your tropical beach vacation was likely made possible by a coral reef.

The world’s coral reefs perform many essential roles. They are home to the fish that provide the food - and often livelihoods - for nearly 100 million people. They also act as barriers against the worst impacts of storms, protecting the beaches and the millions of people who live around and rely upon them. By modelling the economic contributions of coral reefs to global and local economies, this work can be used to persuade governments of the importance of investing in their protection.

Quote : Source: Mapping Ocean Wealth

The global economic value of coral reefs for tourism is $36 billion/year

Source: Mapping Ocean Wealth

In a  study published in the Journal of Marine Policy , The Nature Conservancy’s Mapping Ocean Wealth (MOW) initiative and partners, used an innovative combination of data-driven academic research and crowd-sourced and social media-related data to reveal that 70 million trips are supported by the world’s coral reefs each year, making these reefs a powerful engine for tourism.

In total, coral reefs represent an astonishing $36 billion a year in economic value to the world. Of that $36 billion, $19 billion represents actual “on-reef” tourism like diving, snorkeling, glass-bottom boating and wildlife watching on reefs themselves. The other $16 billion comes from “reef-adjacent” tourism, which encompasses everything from enjoying beautiful views and beaches, to local seafood, paddleboarding and other activities that are afforded by the sheltering effect of adjacent reefs.

There are more than 70 countries across the world that generate more than 1 million dollars per square mile.

In fact, there are more than 70 countries and territories across the world that have million dollar reefs—reefs that generate more than one million dollars per square kilometer. These reefs support businesses and people in the Florida Keys, Bahamas, Mexico, Indonesia, Australia, and Mauritius, to name a few. Demonstrating this value creates a powerful incentive for local businesses and governments to preserve these essential ecosystems.

The Conservancy’s  Atlas of Ocean Wealth , and the accompanying  interactive mapping tool , serves as a valuable resource for managers and decision makers to drill down to determine not just the location of coral reefs or other important natural assets, but how much they’re worth, in terms of their economic value as well as fish production, carbon storage and coastal protection values. By revealing where benefits are produced and at what level, the MOW maps and tools can help businesses fully understand and make new investments in protecting the natural systems that underpin their businesses.

The Methodology

Along with traditional data-driven academic research, and research from the emerging fields of crowd-sourced and social media-related data, a combination of tourism datasets that included hotel rooms, general photographs, underwater photographs, dive centers and dive site were used to render and improve crude national statistics, and also to cross-validate with independent datasets – for example, using hotel locations alongside number of photos taken in a location to independently show tourism spread at national levels, and using dive-sites and locations of underwater photographs to distinguish between tourism activities that take place directly on the reef (e.g., snorkeling, diving) versus tourism activities that indirectly benefit from the presence of coral reefs (e.g., enjoying pristine beaches, calm waters, and fresh seafood).

The data is available in the  mapping application , which allows users to view and compare economic and visitation values of coral reef tourism around the world. Users can also focus on specific geographies, such as Florida, the Bahamas, the Eastern Caribbean, and Micronesia, to view a more fine-scale distribution of values in these regions.

Armed with concrete information about the value of these important natural assets, the tourism industry can start to make more informed decisions about the management and conservation of the reefs they depend on—and thus become powerful allies in the conservation movement.

The concept of valuing nature isn’t a new one, but the detailed, targeted knowledge of the MOW initiative presents an opportunity for the travel and tourism industry to lead both in the private sector, institutionalizing the value of nature into business practices and corporate sustainability investments, and in the sustainability movement more broadly by capturing the business opportunities that exist when we realize that we need nature.

Quote : Dr. Robert Brumbaugh

It’s clear that the tourism industry depends on coral reefs. But now, more than ever, coral reefs are depending on the tourism industry."

Dr. Robert Brumbaugh

For those interested in learning more, or if you have questions or feedback, contact us at  [email protected] .

Atlas of Ocean Wealth

This Atlas represents the largest collection to date of the economic, social and cultural values of coastal and marine habitats globally. View Atlas

Mapping Ocean Wealth

Understanding in quantitative terms all that the ocean does for us today, so that we make smarter investments and decisions for the ocean of tomorrow. Visit Site

Recreation and Tourism Data Portal

Dig in to visualize and simplify global, regional and local ecosystem benefits for use in natural resource planning and policy decisions. Explore the Data

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Ecotourism 101: What is Ecotourism? The Good, The Bad, and Sustainable Ecotourism

I may earn income from affiliate links or partnerships in this post. I spend time to curate tours or products that align with my values. Thanks for supporting my work, at no additional cost to you.

Last updated on April 30th, 2024 at 08:04 pm

A re you curious about what ecotourism is, if it’s really as beneficial as it sounds, and how to ensure you’re engaging in sustainable ecotourism? Ecotourism is when we travel to vulnerable natural places to increase our understanding of the surrounding natural and cultural landscape while delivering equitable socio-economic benefits throughout the surrounding region. When conducted properly and aligned with these values, ecotourism can work toward preserving a region’s environmental conservation and cultural preservation while simultaneously improving the quality of life for those impacted by tourism. However, when models of ecotourism are put in place that don’t carefully consider the impacts of tourism and work to counter them, ecotourism can have adverse effects, such as contributing to the loss of biodiversity in a region and ultimately adding to the stresses that put these vulnerable regions at risk. 

Whether ecotourism can be a force for good or damaging in some of the world’s most sensitive environments is up to us, the travelers! It is up to us to be informed about how our behaviors and choices can impact natural places. That all starts with education surrounding the topic. Let’s dive into the nuances of ecotourism, the benefits and the negatives, what “good” ecotourism looks like in practice, and, most importantly, why sustainable ecotourism matters. By understanding how to identify sustainable ecotourism, you’ll become a more informed traveler doing your part to save travel and the protected natural areas we choose to visit.

This post was carefully curated based on personal experience, an MSc in biodiversity with a thesis covering biodiversity and tourism, and research based on government documents, case studies, and international conservation entities. Get to know me better to learn more about my expertise on this subject matter. 

Looking for more 101 guides to becoming a more responsible traveler? Start here!

• Agritourism 101
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What We’re Covering

What is Ecotourism

5 Requirements of Sustainable Ecotourism

Benefits and Negative Impacts

Real-life Examples

Tips to Plan an Ecotour

Discuss, Share, Engage

• Ecotourism happens in vulnerable communities and protected natural areas.
• Sustainable ecotourism engages the 3 pillars of sustainability: environmental , economic, and social benefits.
• Unsustainable ecotourism neglects 1-2 of the pillars resulting in negative implications for nature or locals.
• Nature-based tourism is often confused with ecotourism – learn how to spot the difference.
• Before engaging in ecotourism, ask yourself or the company you book how they benefit ALL three pillars.
• Often the best solution is to work directly with local tour groups or organizations.
• Ecotourism does not always mean ethical tourism.
• There is no perfect model of ecotourism. It is up to you to ensure you have a positive impact on vulnerable natural destinations.

What is Ecotourism?

One of the most common buzzwords in the sustainable travel industry is ‘ecotourism.’ Many travelers rely on this word being synonymous with environmentally friendly, ethical tourism. Others might be asking if ecotourism is as good as it says it is.  When ecotourism is executed sustainably – based on research and understanding of the impacts on the natural environment and with guidance from the local communities, then yes, it can be synonymous with ethical tourism. This type of “good” ecotourism is if you create a powerful positive force for environmental conservation and local community well-being.

On the other hand, unsustainable ecotourism, a model of tourism that happens with the best intentions but fails to involve the community or maintain checks and balances regarding the environmental impact of tourism, can be detrimental to both the natural and local communities.

Ecotourism is often conducted in protected natural areas surrounded by vulnerable communities such as nature reserves, national parks, wilderness areas, heritage sites, or natural monuments. In these incredibly culturally and ecologically sensitive communities, true ecotourism can do a lot of good, while failed models of ecotourism or tourism operating under the guise of ecotourism can have catastrophic impacts.  In these protected areas, ecotourism must contribute to environmental conservation and the alleviation of poverty or risk destroying the places we love as travelers. 

Sustainable Ecotourism

Sustainable ecotourism, or really just ecotourism as it was intended to be, is responsible travel to protected or vulnerable natural areas focusing on environmental conservation/education while sustaining local communities’ economic and social well-being. For ecotourism to be sustainable for generations to come, it must include all three pillars, or the triple bottom line, of sustainability, as seen in the infographic. It isn’t quite enough to have all three of these pillars included; they need to be somewhat balanced, ensuring that tourism develops in a way that doesn’t take too much of an environmental toll while infusing a lot of economic benefits into the economy.

Ideally, the economic development from ecotourism is equitable and able to sustain long-term job development and growth in the region while equally contributing to wildlife conversation and preserving cultural identity. It is normal to have one piece of the Venn Diagram to be slightly larger as true equilibrium is difficult and impossible, but each should grow at a rate that doesn’t create too much imbalance. When things get out of balance, or one circle takes priority over another, no matter the intentions, we begin to have unsustainable ecotourism.

Unsustainable Ecotourism

Unsustainable ecotourism may embody or prioritize only one or two pillars of sustainable ecotourism. This can happen for a variety of reasons.

• Tour operators and travel companies may conduct ecotours as a marketing ploy to get the attention of travelers looking for more environmentally friendly travel options. These operators may conduct businesses without fully understanding their impact on the natural environment or equitably distribute tourism’s benefits within their community. 
• Adventure companies or individual travelers may enjoy nature-based adventures while disregarding local communities.
• Others may seek to capitalize on the economic gain of nature-based tourism while exploiting nature.
• Culturally sensitive communities may alter their customs or traditional crafts to appeal to tourists, thus increasing their economic gain while degrading their culture.
• Perhaps a national park becomes so popular that the number of people visiting begins to have irreversible impacts on natural vegetation or wildlife.
• Other companies may lack adequate support and resources from their governments, communities, or foreign tour companies to meet well-intended goals.

These are all examples of unsustainable ecotourism, ultimately resulting in the problematic exploitation of natural resources or local communities. 

Nature-based tourism vs. ecotourism?

Many people use nature-based and ecotourism interchangeably, but they are not the same. Nature-based tourism is traveling to a natural landscape to enjoy nature. Ecotourism is visiting a place with the goal of contributing to conservation while benefitting the community for a positive impact. I consider the multi-day hikes in the European Alps nature-based, as I am just out for a hike to enjoy nature. If I were to hire a local guide in Peru to take me on a culturally infused hike to learn about nature and culture – then we start to cross into ecotourism.

The penguin tour I did in New Zealand is a great example of a sustainable eco-tour . We learned about the local conservation efforts of a penguin colony on the brink of extinction (environmental), supported a local farm and conservation group (economic), and had a high-quality social engagement learning about New Zealand’s connection to the environment (Social).

Mass Tourism vs Ecotourism? What is better?

When I first started on my journey toward embracing sustainable tourism, I automatically assumed that mass tourism = bad. Ecotourism = good. This is something I see across the board among travelers. However, many tourism academics disagree on this binary and highlight the nuances and importance of well-managed tourism development, whether eco or mass.

Their arguments hinge on the fact that mass tourism ultimately contains people in places that generally already have the infrastructure to support large groups of people. Imagine if we took the thousands of people staying at an all-inclusive Disney resort – a place with adequate infrastructure to handle these numbers and dropped them all at a small Peruvian rainforest eco-lodge. The small ecolodges set up for sustainable ecotourism and minimal crowds would be overwhelmed, and the environmental and cultural damage would be dramatic. There are also examples of how ecotourism can bring tourists into places previously undisturbed by tourists historically, and it is important to first understand and plan for potential impacts.

This isn’t to put mass or ecotourism into their boxes, but it highlights that there are examples of well-managed mass tourism in areas with infrastructure that are worth supporting. Just as there are examples of poorly managed ecotourism disturbing nature for the first time, it all comes down to how tourism is managed.

What do you think about this argument? Share in the comments!

Five Requirements of Sustainable Ecotourism

What else separates sustainable and unsustainable ecotourism? It’s not enough for ecotourism to vaguely target the three pillars of sustainability at free will. Carefully thought-out itineraries should be constructed before engaging in ecotourism. While there is situational and regional flexibility in how sustainable ecotourism plays out in real life, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed five minimum requirements, hitting all three pillars, that tourists and tour operators should address before engaging in ecotourism. We can use these guidelines to create a custom itinerary when visiting vulnerable natural communities or booking a tour operator.

1. Tourism should benefit environmental conservation

Tourism activities, development, and tour operators should safeguard the environment, conserve natural resources, protect ecosystems, and benefit biodiversity. Several key players need to work together to ensure this. Governments and land managers should ensure that proper scientific impact assessments are done prior to tourism development. Rules and regulations should be established so tour companies, guides, and tourists follow. Involving the community in conservation-based tourism is key.

For us travelers, environmental education is a key component of this. As you visit vulnerable areas, you should try to learn about local biodiversity and environmental concerns. Doing some research ahead of time allows you to align your behaviors in a way that doesn’t degrade the environment, and you can also hold tourism companies accountable for their actions if you are more informed.

Red Flags 

• Mass crowds, overdevelopment, and overtourism. Overdevelopment of the region surrounding a protected area to accommodate mass tourism may negatively impact nature. Many species are not confined to the protected natural zone, and over-development can damage migration and breeding patterns, increase water and air pollution, and increase erosion. Protected areas often have a limited capacity before ecosystem degradation may occur.
• Large tour buses or cruise ships drop large groups of people off in a protected region for a short amount of time.
• If a protected region is capitalizing on economic profit and bringing in as many guests as possible without sticking to a sustainable plan.
• Clear-cutting and ecosystem fragmentation to build large resorts
• Tour companies that allow you to touch, feed, or interact with wildlife

Actionable Steps

• Look for places with non-invasive infrastructure that keep you a safe distance from animals. Look for well-planned trails, viewing platforms/sky bridges, nature centers for education, etc.
• Find alternatives to nature’s hot spots, seeking out small-scale educational nature-based tourism.
• Visit places that minimize capacity with permits and quotas.
• Be willing to pay fees and fines that support sustainable infrastructure.
• Learn and follow all regional, local, and tribal etiquette before entering a protected area. 
• Support eco-lodges, regenerative hotels, and other low-impact options.
• Book small group tours or go alone and hire personal local guides to take you into nature on a designated trail.

Read a guest post by an ecologist from India about the do’s and don’ts for visiting national parks in India . This post highlights proper behavior to ensure that you, your local guide, the ecosystem, and the animals you see are safeguarded and protected. – A great example of sustainable ecotourism.

2. Safeguard the cultural and natural heritage of the region

Oftentimes, without even knowing it, we, as travelers, support the decline of a region’s cultural heritage. With the presence of tourism, locals may feel the pressure to please us with certain trinkets or displays that don’t align with their culture to put on a show. There are a few cruise shows in Alaska that are not traditional and are upsetting to certain elders as they have permanently altered traditions to appeal to Western tourists.

There are mindful ways we can learn about and support traditions by appreciating authentic experiences; for example, The Alaska Native Heritage Center is operated by Native stakeholders, and the art, song, dance, and cultural shows are true to the tribe’s heritage.

Unsustainable tourism booms at UNESCO sites such as Hoi An are notorious for contributing to tourism tourism-fiction. This means that culture becomes a commodity rather than part of the heritage. Some have described tourism’s impacts on Hoi An as leaving the city a husk of its former self and operating more like Disneyland than a place of important culture.

• Locals selling mass-produced or cheap trinkets, such as sunglasses, outside protected zones. Many of these people may have given up traditional crafts or lifestyles to get short-term benefits from tourism in the area because they have been exploited and excluded for economic benefits.
• International tour companies that host cultural shows in which traditional songs, dances, or clothing have been changed to appeal to foreigners.  
• Commodification of culture
• Invest in quality certified crafts work from master artisans – look for certifications.
• Seek out authentic cultural experiences from homestays or by learning from local guides.
• Visit Indigenous or locally-owned culture centers for an authentic educational song, dance, and cultural experience.  

3. Respect Indigenous Peoples and local communities rights

If there is one thing that can grind my gears, it’s when tourists have more rights than locals. When Glacier Bay National Park first opened to tourism many Indigenous groups were no longer allowed to use the land for subsistence hunting and gathering . Meanwhile, massive cruise ships pulled in and dumped their greywater. Efforts are being made to restore subsistence rights, and Indigenous tribes can now harvest certain things, but as it still stands, most cruise companies have more rights in that Bay than many Alaskans. While the Indigenous peoples of Alaska are left suffering the consequences of cruise impacts on their ancestral land, they are also excluded from tourism’s benefits, with multinational cruise companies making the most money.

But, it is not enough to consider Indigenous peoples and the surrounding communities impacted by tourism; they must be a key partner in tourism. Their consent and well-being regarding tourism in protected areas should come first. They should have a direct say in developing tourism while receiving equitable benefits.

• Areas that give tourists more rights than local or Indigenous Peoples. i.e., when people climbed Uluru on eco-excursions despite the wishes of Australia’s Aboriginal People.
• Tours that bring you into protected natural areas without providing ways to learn about local or Indigenous culture directly from the marginalized people. 

Actionable Steps 

• If Indigenous groups have been displaced from an area, take it upon yourself to enter the protected area as a guest respecting the traditional owners.
• Hire local guides or meet locals to engage in cultural exchange.
• Learn about tribal history, present, culture, and wishes.
• Perform a land acknowledgment.
• If an area is sacred to an Indigenous group and they ask you not to enter, reconsider your plans and find a viable alternative. 

4. Create viable, long-term economic operations in the region

The presence of a booming tourism industry looks great on paper in any region. But, if you dig deep, you’ll start to notice that maybe a lot of that money leaves the local destination and ends up in the pockets of large multinational companies. Or maybe locals don’t have access to year-round jobs that provide them with enough healthcare and healthy food because of boom-bust seasonal cycles. Ensuring local access to stable employment is important to reduce global poverty. Tourism jobs can’t only be seasonal jobs that exploit foreign workers. Locals should be interested in tourism jobs to reach management positions and receive benefits.

Many cite the economic benefits of tourism as the sole reason to develop tourism, but research shows that many locals aren’t interested in tourism jobs because of the lack of sustainable and beneficial long-term employment. When I was a tour guide in Alaska, I worked long hours during the summer months without long-term security, health care, or retirement benefits.

• Tourism leakage . Leakage happens when large international tour corporations or foreign-owned all-inclusive resorts profit off ecotourism while locals are forced deeper into poverty. Locals should be primarily profiting off tourism as they suffer any negative impacts. 
• Lack of local guides. Lack of locals in management or hospitality positions.
• Mass-over-tourism booms happening during a short seasonal window, resulting in an employment depression during the off-season.
• Foreign workers are imported for cheap labor exploitation or to make tourists comfortable.
• Support locally owned tour companies providing residents with stable year-round jobs, training, and income-earning opportunities. 
• Support local businesses and buy local products when traveling through vulnerable communities.
• Visit places during the shoulder or off-season to support a healthy year-round economy.
• Avoid booking with international tour companies and all-inclusive resorts unless they engage in the trip-bottom line. 

5. Create meaningful and high-quality visitor experiences

If you’re stepping out of a tour bus for that Instagram photo opportunity without learning about your destination, you are not having a meaningful or high-quality experience. Slow down and enjoy the lesser-known sights, and learn about the local food, nature, and people. These tourism experiences should be led by locals with a deep affinity for a region, allowing you to connect them to the place on an intimate level. Canada has a rigorous tour guide certification called interpretative guides. The guides aim to foster a deep and meaningful connections between the local people, places, and tourists. Tourists are more likely to care for their destination if they have a connection and understanding regarding why its protection is important.

• Tour busses that drop people off in a protected area to look around and snap a few photos and leave without offering educational information or ways to learn about the landscape.
• Violating local rules to gain access to a protected area for an Instagram photo.
• Engage in ecotourism that hinges on environmental education and cultural connection.
• Stay in a region longer than a bus stop or half a day.
• Book locally-owned accommodation, engaging in regenerative practices that educate you meaningfully.
• Please do it for more than the gram.

The Pros and Cons of Ecotourism

There is no perfect model of truly sustainable ecotourism. Even the most sustainable ecotourism models will have some negative implications, but the ultimate goal is to create a long-term sustainable plan that maximizes benefits and minimizes negative impacts .  As you can see the potential benefits are almost equal to any potential negative impacts. The key is understanding how your presence can have a positive or negative impact, and strive to check as many positives as possible. Ensure you are engaging in ecotourism that ticks positives in environmental, social, AND economic, otherwise, it is likely the negatives outweigh the positives of sustainable ecotourism. 

Does the Good Outweigh the Bad?

I went on an eco-tour to see brown bears in the wild in Alaska . We learned about brown bears from a distance and the Lake Clark National Park ecosystem (environmental) with a local company (economic) on a quality tour (social). However, they could have included more information about the region’s Indigenous culture (social). So, I did some of my own research, doing a land acknowledgment  and discovering the park’s true name is Qizhjeh Vena , meaning a place where people gather in the Dena’ina language. Despite a few shortcomings, I decided this ecotour had more positive than negative impacts especially since Indigenous Alaskans have access to the park. But this shows that not everything will be perfect. You can weigh your options and take personal actions outside of the tour to balance it out, such as independent research, donations, land acknowledgments, and buying high-quality souvenirs.

Ecotourism in Practice

We’ve covered a lot so far, but let’s review a few real examples of sustainable and unsustainable ecotourism in practice so you can better identify them.

Sustainable – Mountain Gorilla Trekking Ecotourism

Mountain gorilla treks in Uganda and DR Congo are great sustainable ecotourism models supported by local government, residents, and conservation groups. Uganda even has a conservation economy that prioritizes conservation as an economic value. Mountain gorillas are endangered in a vulnerable natural habitat surrounded by high-density rural farmers. A sustainable ecotourism model in the region protects both gorillas and includes the livelihood of residents.

Environmental: The presence of tourists deter poachers and encourage local governments to implement protection of the gorillas. Gorilla populations are increasing as a result of sustainable ecotourism. 

Economic: Locals are offered stable employment opportunities as guides, trackers, and anti-poaching guards. Many of them are ex-poachers, which reduces the poaching threat even more.  Over five years, US$428,000 was directly invested in Rwandan communities, helping locals build schools, enact locally-driven environmental projects, and aid food security.

Social : Cultural exchange between local guides and tourists enhances cultural and environmental education. Local guides can showcase years of local expertise and take pride in their culture and nature. Gorilla ecotourism has played a fundamental role in keeping the peace in Rwanda in a post-genocide landscape. 

Interested in learning more about ethical mountain gorilla treks? Kesi from Kesi to Fro created an awesome guest post detailing her first-hand experience seeing mountain gorillas in the wild. You can join her on a group trip to Uganda to work with local tour operators to support conservation, boost the local economy, and engage in cultural exchange. Learn more about sustainable gorilla trekking!

Unsustainable – Machu Picchu Ecotreks

Ecotourism in Machu Picchu has exploded over the last decade. Tourism in the region has grown unchecked, with international and local tour companies capitalizing on the economic benefit of a booming industry. However, tourism grew unsustainable, focusing primarily on the economy rather than the environment or social aspects. This is a prime example of when ecotourism turns into mass overtourism. 

Photo by Alan Hurt Jr. Unsplash

Environment: Mass development in the region surrounding Machu Picchu threatens South America’s last remaining pocket of the Andean cloud forest. Increased waste from humans adds to air and water pollution. Heavy foot traffic damages the fragile Paramo grasslands. Noise pollution contributed to the disappearance of the Andean condors from the region. Migrating and breeding patterns of threatened animals have changed.

Economic: Most workers and guides are left without work or stable year-round income during the off-season. Tourism leakage, where locals do not benefit as much as they should from tourism in the region, is problematic. 

Social: Portions of the city are sliding downhill, causing damage to a cultural and historical icon. Visitors have defaced, broken, and damaged parts of the city. An increase in cheaply made trinkets has caused a decline in local artisanal craftwork. Overall, the region has suffered a loss of cultural authenticity. The visitor experience has suffered greatly, too, with packed trails and long waits.  

*This does not mean that all Machu Picchu treks are bad. You can still visit, but be respectful as you visit, support local tour operators, respect permits, buy quality souvenirs, pay additional fees, and follow all instructions from your guide to minimize your impact. You should also consider other ways to learn about the region’s history or find an alternative hike.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Susanna • Sustainble Travel (@curiositysaves.travel)

Tips for Planning a Sustainable Ecotour

By now you should have a pretty good idea of what constitutes sustainable ecotourism and be able to identify if your next nature-based adventure checks some of these boxes, but here are my top tips to help you get started. 

Read Their About Page

You can tell a lot about a tour operator by looking at their “about” page. I always say the more details, the better. Tour companies, hotels, and excursions near vulnerable nature and communities should freely offer up a lot of detailed information about how they are hitting that triple bottom line. If any of the three pillars of sustainable ecotourism is missing from their mission statement or is not easily accessible online, that is your first major red flag. Browse the website to see how they support the environment, local economic development, and cultural conservation. 

Look for Greenwashing

There is the possibility that companies will engage in greenwashing, presenting information on their website that makes for a convincing sustainable ecotourism model. Some signs companies are greenwashing are when they offer vague information, make general statements about committing to sustainability without examples, or put customer satisfaction and fun at the center of their advertising rather than social impact. 

When in Doubt, Ask

I always recommend sending an email asking how they give back to the community, where your money goes, what local conservation efforts are, how they engage with local culture if they employ locals, etc.  The tour company should be able to respond with detailed statements of how they consider and benefit local communities, economic vitality, and conservation of the natural environment.

Check Their Business Model

Is sustainability part of their core mission, or is it an afterthought? Research shows that companies built around a sustainable business model prioritizing social, economic, and environmental benefits to the local community are more likely to be ethical in the long term. Companies that create a sustainable statement as an afterthought or in response to harmful behavior they are caught for are more likely to engage in damaging behavior. A great example of this is Carnival Cruises. Carnival has literal pages outlining their commitment to the environment, but this was created because a court ordered them and not necessarily because they wanted to do it from the goodness of their heart. Look for companies that were founded to create a positive impact. This information is often included in an origin story or about section.

Find the Owner

Who owns the company? Is it locally owned? Google the name of the owner. For example, many cruise lines and resorts appear to be small boutique companies, but they are owned by large international conglomerates. If in doubt, Google “Who owns X eco-resort.”

Look for certifications, read reviews, and the internet stalk them. Look for environmental warnings report cards, read comments on their social media, and dig up any information you can find.

Self Planning? Carefully Craft Your Itinerary

If you are self-planning carefully, identify each hotel and excursion operator to see how they engage in the triple-bottom line. Research environmental concerns in the area. For example – did you know you should clean your shoes in Hawai’i before entering protected natural areas?  Learn about Indigenous and local culture and history. Be aware of local etiquette for engaging in nature.

• Create a checklist and save it on your computer to help you identify sustainable ecotourism. Having this handy will help you identify sustainable ecotourism excursions that you can feel good supporting.
• What are some of your favorite sustainable eco-tour companies or excursions you’ve supported? Let us know in the comments so we can all learn about great companies around the world working toward helping local communities and protecting our environment.

Make sure you share this post so all your fellow travelers can discover the benefits of sustainable ecotourism and be able to identify the difference between sustainable and unsustainable ecotourism – so we can all do our part to save travel!

About the Author: Susanna Kelly-Shankar

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20 comments.

Eco-tourism may eventually turn into over-tourism. AFAIK Bhutan is the leader in eco-tourism and they have achieved so through active community participation and effective government regulation.

Thanks for writing the post.

Hi Pawan, Yes, ecotourism can quickly turn into over-tourism and it is the responsibility of the traveler to do their research and engage in sustainable ecotourism. That’s lovely you’re engaging the community! I wish you the best and hope I am able to visit Bhutan in the future!

This is so detailed! So much to think about and consider how we can do better during our travels. There’s always room to do better!!

I love how much ecotourism is starting to get attention. I think, especially for travelers, we love the earth and communities around the earth so much that it’s so important to learn how to connect responsibly and take care of it/each other

It really is important to learn about sustainable ecotourism and how to engage to be mindful of the environment. Thanks for reading.

This is alot of great information.

Thank you for such a thought provoking post. I learned a lot. You’ve given me much to think about. Thank you for all that you’ve invested in this post.

Thanks for sharing this insightful post on ecotourism. The way you broke down and explained everything was better than anything else I’ve read on the topic.

I love this! It’s so important to differentiate between nature-based tourism and eco tourism, and I feel like even I have been guilty of confusing thee two in the past. Definitely saving this and sharing!

It’s super confusing – and not always the fault of the traveler with greenwashing or companies that simply don’t know any better or lack resources to be sustainable. So, hopefully, this guide to ecotourism helps differentiate between nature-based tourism, sustainable and unsustainable ecotourism. Thanks for reading.

This is such a smart post. It’s well written and very compelling. It’s the kind of information I would gladly assign my environmental ed. students. Great job!

Oh let me know if you end up sharing it with some of your students. It is a great topic to learn about regarding the intersection of the environment and tourism.

For island destinations, the problem is often even more a concern. Islands belonging to countries with a mainland usually have tourism that’s developed from the mainland, with resorts being technically local but are really effectively like foreign owners since there’s often a distinct cultural difference between the two. After all, if the tourism collapses because the nature is gone, the resort investor just liquidates and goes back to the mainland, where they have their real homes. But the islanders are often tempted by the promises of employment by such resort developments, that sometimes they don’t query too hard which of the resorts are legit committed to them and which are insincere. It’s really bullying and it pisses me off.

That’s a great addition talking about islands with the mainland – that even though they are local there can still be problems. I know this likely happens in the Hawaiian islands. I agree with the bullying tactics. Sometimes the lure of money is so tempting for these places that they are pigeonholed into supporting sustainable tourism. In Alaska, one small Indigenous town simply asked a major cruise line to limit capacity during their drop-offs and within 2 days the cruise line said they would no longer dock there and take all their money. It was an all-or-nothing situation for people simply asking for larger cruise companies to engage in some sustainable behaviors. Thanks for sharing!

That’s a good hard look at an issue we are all struggling with. I’m going to keep all this in mind when booking my next trip.

Thanks for this insightful blog post! Love to read something different and outstanding! We really need to talk more about ecotourism!

this was so informative I didn’t realize there were so many aspects to eco tourism. Thanks for sharing

It is a great article about eco-tourism and sustainable tourism, you have explained everything in detail. It only teaches us how we can travel responsibly. Thanks for this valuable information.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, I really appreciate it. I hope you learned something new about sustainable ecotourism. Make sure you share it to pass along the message.

Very insightful article. Thank you so much.

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Ecotourism for a Better Future: How Travelers Can Make a Difference

By: Author Valerie Forgeard

Posted on Published: April 10, 2023  - Last updated: July 1, 2023

Categories Travel

Ecotourism is a rapidly growing form of sustainable tourism that is becoming increasingly popular, with travelers looking for meaningful and responsible ways to explore the world. By emphasizing nature-based experiences and supporting local communities, ecotourism seeks to minimize the negative impacts of mass tourism while maximizing benefits to the environment and local people.

Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or just beginning to explore the world, understanding ecotourism and its potential impacts can help you make more informed decisions about the travel experiences you seek.

Defining Ecotourism

Ecotourism is a form of tourism that focuses on conserving and appreciating nature and local culture. It’s based on the principles of responsible travel, which aim to minimize the negative impacts of tourism while maximizing benefits to the environment and local people. By definition, ecotourism must include activities that contribute to the conservation of natural resources and the well-being of local communities.

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) defines ecotourism as “responsible travel to natural areas that protect the environment, sustains the well-being of local people, and includes the provision of information and education” This definition emphasizes the importance of conservation and sustainability and the need for education and outreach so that tourists understand the significance of the places they visit.

One of the main characteristics of ecotourism is the focus on nature-based experiences. This includes hiking, bird watching, wildlife viewing, and visiting national parks or other protected areas. Ecotourism activities must be designed to minimize environmental impact and respect natural plant and animal habitats. This means ecotourists must adhere to strict rules of conduct, such as staying on designated trails, not disturbing wildlife, and avoiding using single-use plastic.

Another important aspect of ecotourism is supporting the local community. Ecotourism should bring economic benefits to local people and provide opportunities for cultural exchange. This can include staying in local accommodations, eating at local restaurants, and participating in cultural activities such as traditional dance performances or cooking classes. Ecotourism can help alleviate poverty and promote sustainable development by supporting local communities.

Ecotourism Can Have Several Benefits for the Environment and Local Communities

From an environmental perspective, ecotourism can help preserve biodiversity and protect natural habitats. It can also promote the sustainable use of natural resources, for example, by developing sustainable agriculture or renewable energy projects.

From a social perspective, ecotourism can benefit local communities economically and support cultural preservation. It can also provide opportunities for education and awareness raising, helping tourists better understand the importance of conservation and sustainable development.

In addition to these benefits, ecotourism can provide tourists with a unique and rewarding travel experience. By participating in nature-based activities and learning about local cultures, eco-tourists can better understand the natural world and the diversity of human experiences.

Overall, ecotourism is an important concept that promotes sustainable tourism and contributes to conservation and sustainable development. By prioritizing nature-based experiences and supporting local communities, ecotourism can help minimize the negative impacts of tourism while maximizing benefits to the environment and local people. Therefore, ecotourism is essential for promoting sustainable travel and protecting our planet for future generations.

Embracing Ecotourism for a Better Future

Ecotourism, a responsible approach to travel that emphasizes conservation and sustainability, is becoming an increasingly popular way to explore the natural world. Not only does it offer unique experiences in breathtaking locations, but it also provides an opportunity to learn about local ecosystems and cultures while reducing environmental impact. To take full advantage of this form of tourism, we must understand and follow the principles of sustainable travel.

The following core concepts ensure that our adventures are as environmentally friendly and culturally sensitive as possible:

• Choose eco-friendly flights and accommodations with environmental certifications or those committed to protecting resources.
• Support local communities: Visit local stores and buy goods from local artisans.
• Respect wildlife: Observe animals from a distance without disturbing or altering their behavior.
• Minimize waste: reduce single-use plastic by bringing reusable items such as water bottles, bags, utensils, etc., and recycle them when possible.
• Volunteer to protect the environment: During your trip, participate in projects that help restore habitats or preserve heritage sites.
• Choose sustainable souvenirs from local artisans to sustain traditional livelihoods and preserve ancient art forms.

Remember that your actions matter; even small steps toward more mindful behavior go a long way toward promoting ecological harmony.

Benefits For Local Communities

One of the essential benefits of ecotourism is the empowerment of communities. This form of tourism fosters a sense of pride and ownership in local communities by involving them in decision-making processes, conservation efforts, and management practices.

As a result, residents become more committed to protecting their environment and preserving their cultural heritage for future generations.

Ecotourism also paves the way for sustainable livelihoods by creating employment opportunities directly linked to environmental conservation. Locals can find work as tour guides, hotel employees, or artisans who create unique souvenirs from natural materials found in the area.

These jobs increase income and help people develop valuable skills to apply outside ecotourism.

The beauty of ecotourism lies in its ability to promote environmental awareness and inspire us with an unquenchable thirst for freedom – the freedom to roam untouched landscapes, connect deeply with nature, and live harmoniously with the diverse inhabitants of our planet.

By supporting community empowerment and promoting sustainable living through responsible travel choices, we ensure that this liberating feeling remains accessible not only to ourselves but to countless others who long to escape the confines of city life and experience the wild wonders of our world.

Environmental Conservation Efforts

As more and more people become aware of the devastating effects of climate change, there has been a surge of interest in environmental protection measures. Ecotourism plays a vital role in this movement, allowing travelers to experience nature firsthand while positively contributing to its conservation.

When we choose ecotourism destinations, we can support local communities working tirelessly on habitat restoration projects and other sustainable practices. Here are some ways ecotourism supports conservation:

• Sustainable use of resources: Many eco-friendly accommodations use renewable energy sources like solar power or wind turbines. This reduces their carbon footprint and helps combat climate change impact.  
• Habitat protection and restoration: When you visit an ecotourist destination, your money often goes directly towards preserving and rehabilitating natural habitats essential for wildlife survival.  
• Promoting awareness and education: Ecotourism encourages tourists to learn about pressing environmental issues facing our planet today. They come away from their trips as ambassadors who spread knowledge about these problems back home.

The true essence of travel isn’t just discovering new places but learning how each journey leaves indelible marks on us and our environment. It’s about making better choices with lasting positive effects rather than fleeting memories.

As responsible world citizens, ecotourism helps us preserve our planet’s beauty, diversity, and health for future generations. Next time you plan a trip, choose an eco-friendly destination where you can indulge your wanderlust while nurturing your love for Mother Earth.

Promoting Cultural Awareness

By immersing themselves in the local culture, travelers can better understand the environment and its importance to the people there. This, in turn, can lead to a greater appreciation and respect for the natural world.

Here are some ways ecotourism can promote cultural awareness:

Get Involved in Local Communities

Ecotourism often involves spending time in or visiting local communities. By interacting with local people, travelers can learn more about their culture, traditions, and way of life. This can include participating in local festivals, sampling traditional foods, or learning about local arts and crafts.

Support the Local Economy

Many ecotourism destinations are in rural or underdeveloped areas where tourism can provide much-needed revenue to local communities. By supporting local businesses, such as restaurants and stores, travelers can help promote economic growth and support the preservation of traditional ways of life.

Find Out About Local Conservation Efforts

Ecotourism often involves visiting areas that are ecologically or culturally significant. Learning about conservation efforts in these areas, you can better understand the importance of preserving the region’s natural environment and cultural heritage.

Use Local Guides

Local guides can provide valuable insight into the local culture and environment. They can help travelers understand the importance of the region they’re visiting and provide information about local customs, traditions, and beliefs. Using a local guide also provides employment opportunities for locals, helping to support the local economy.

Participate in Cultural Exchange Programs

many ecotourism organizations offer cultural exchange programs that allow travelers to live with local families and learn about their daily lives. This can be a unique opportunity to learn about the culture and traditions of the region and build lasting relationships with local people.

By promoting cultural awareness, ecotourism can help develop a tremendous respect for the environment and the people who live in it. By immersing themselves in the local culture, travelers can better understand nature and its importance to local people. Through these experiences, travelers become more aware of their environmental impact and better understand the need to protect it.

Economic Advantages Of Ecotourism

Ecotourism isn’t only an incredible way to experience and appreciate nature, but it also catalyzes economic growth. As travelers increasingly seek authentic experiences that allow them to connect with nature and local communities, ecotourism has become a powerful force for positive change in both developing and developed countries. This unique form of tourism offers far-reaching benefits beyond mere sightseeing by supporting conservation efforts, protecting cultural heritage sites, and favoring sustainable practices.

One of ecotourism’s most critical economic benefits is its potential for job creation. Local people can benefit directly from increased employment opportunities by working as tour guides, interpreters, or even managers in eco-lodges or other businesses that cater to environmentally conscious tourists. These new jobs impact the entire community as the additional income circulates through local stores, restaurants, and artisan businesses providing visitors goods and services.

This revenue stream helps to strengthen the economy from within while ensuring responsible stewardship of valuable resources such as wildlife habitat, pristine landscapes, and native cultures. The beauty of ecotourism is that it creates a symbiotic relationship between people’s desire for freedom and their responsibility to preserve the environment they’re exploring. Done right, this type of travel allows people to deepen their connection to nature while positively contributing to the local economy through responsible purchasing decisions.

Rather than depleting natural resources or exploiting vulnerable populations, ecotourism enables destinations worldwide to grow sustainably – building prosperous futures firmly rooted in respect for our planet’s precious gifts.

The Role Of Education In Ecotourism

Just as a seed needs water and sunlight to grow into a mighty tree, education is the foundation upon which ecotourism flourishes. The role of education in ecotourism cannot be understated; it serves as both an enriching catalyst for travelers and a means to empower local communities with sustainable learning opportunities.

• Education empowerment : Ecotourism provides tourists unique experiences that deepen their understanding of diverse cultures, ecosystems, and wildlife. This knowledge fosters an appreciation for our planet and encourages responsible travel practices that minimize negative impacts on nature and indigenous people.  
• Sustainable learning : Education is woven into every aspect of ecotourism – from guided tours led by knowledgeable locals who share stories passed down through generations to workshops where travelers can learn traditional crafts or cooking techniques. By educating visitors about the intricacies of these fragile environments, they become ambassadors for conservation and cultural preservation long after returning home.  
• Community development : When done right, ecotourism creates opportunities for economic growth within rural areas without compromising natural resources or cultural heritage. As more community members are trained in eco-friendly practices such as organic farming or waste management, their skills contribute to maintaining a healthy ecosystem while providing valuable income sources.  

The transformative power of education in ecotourism extends beyond mere awareness raising—it can potentially create lasting change across generations. With each new traveler immersing themselves in foreign landscapes and engaging authentically with local customs, we inch closer to bridging global divides and fostering deeper connections between humanity’s many facets.

Through this exchange of ideas and shared respect for our planet, we can unlock the boundless freedom within us all—while preserving Earth’s breathtaking beauty for future wanderlust-seekers to explore unblemished.

Wildlife Protection And Preservation

Ecotourism is a powerful ally in the fight against the extinction of endangered species. When travelers venture into pristine areas where responsible tourism is a priority, they learn firsthand the importance of protecting wildlife. Intimate encounters with these magnificent creatures create a deep connection between people and nature and inspire a desire to protect them for future generations.

An important aspect of ecotourism is restoring habitats and supporting local communities working to protect nature. Tourists contribute directly to projects that aim to preserve natural habitats and protect endangered species by visiting destinations that emphasize sustainability. This ensures their survival and helps maintain a balanced ecosystem that is essential to the health of our planet.

In addition, community-based initiatives provide economic incentives for locals who would otherwise resort to destructive activities such as poaching or logging.

When we embrace the transformative power of ecotourism, it becomes clear that every trip has the potential to have a lasting positive impact on people and the environment. By making conscious choices in exploring new horizons, we can create change that goes far beyond our adventures and provides a better future where endangered species once again thrive in thriving habitats restored by dedicated people worldwide.

Responsible Trip Planning

By planning your trip responsibly, you can minimize the negative impacts of tourism on the environment, local communities, and culture while maximizing the benefits to tourists and host communities.

Here are some tips for responsible travel planning:

• Look for hotels, resorts, lodges, or homestays that use environmentally friendly practices, such as using renewable energy sources, reducing water consumption, and supporting local conservation efforts.
• Support local businesses: Purchase goods and services from merchants, markets, and artisans during travel. Supporting local businesses helps the local economy, promotes cultural exchange, and preserves traditional practices. Plus, by supporting local businesses, you can reduce your carbon footprint by minimizing the need for transportation.
• Minimize waste: reduce the amount of waste you produce on your trip by taking reusable items such as water bottles, dishes, and bags. Avoid using single-use plastic and recycle whenever possible. You can also reduce food waste by ordering only what you need and taking leftovers.
• Use sustainable transportation: Choose environmentally friendly transportation such as bicycles, electric vehicles, or public transportation. If you must rent a car, opt for a fuel-efficient or hybrid vehicle. If you fly, look for airlines implementing sustainability practices such as carbon offset programs.
• Respect wildlife and nature: Be mindful of your environmental and wildlife impact. Follow applicable rules and guidelines for observing wildlife and don’t disturb or alter their natural behavior. Avoid touching, feeding, or getting too close to animals. Also, don’t remove flora or fauna from their natural habitats.
• Participate in conservation efforts: Projects that help restore habitats or preserve heritage sites. You can volunteer with local organizations or participate in guided tours incorporating conservation and sustainable practices.
• Educate yourself: before you leave on your trip, learn about the local culture, customs, and environmental issues. Learn about the history and significance of the places you plan to visit, and try to learn a few basic phrases in the local language. Understanding and respecting the local culture can give you a more meaningful and intense experience.

By making conscious choices about accommodations, transportation, activities, and behaviors, you can minimize the negative impacts of tourism while maximizing the benefits to the environment and local people. Remember that every action counts, and small behavioral changes can make a big difference in promoting sustainable and responsible travel.

Best Practices For Eco-Friendly Accommodations

Choosing eco-friendly accommodations is an essential aspect of responsible travel and ecotourism. By choosing accommodations committed to sustainability and environmental protection, you can minimize your impact on the environment while supporting businesses that share your values.

Here are some best practices for choosing eco-friendly accommodations:

• Look for certifications: Many hotels and resorts have environmental certifications demonstrating their commitment to sustainable practices. Examples include Green Globe, LEED certification, and EarthCheck. Find out which certifications are recognized in your destination.
• Check the hotel’s sustainability initiatives: does the hotel have a program to conserve water and energy, reduce waste, or support local communities? Check the hotel’s website or contact the staff to learn more.
• Pay attention to the hotel’s location: is it in a natural or sensitive area? If so, you must choose the accommodation that protects the environment and minimizes the impact on the surrounding ecosystems.
• Evaluate the hotel’s waste management: Find out about the hotel’s waste management, such as recycling programs and efforts to reduce single-use plastic. If you have concerns, bring your reusable items such as water bottles, straws, and utensils.
• Support local lodging: consider staying at hotels or bed and breakfasts in the region. These establishments often connect more closely to their surroundings and are more likely to support local conservation efforts.
• Use public transportation or walk: consider the location of your lodging about the activities you plan to do. If possible, choose lodging that is within walking or public transportation distance. This way, you can reduce your ecological footprint.
• Be aware of your electricity consumption: when staying in your room, turn off lights, air conditioning, and other electronic devices when you don’t need them. This way, you can save energy and reduce the hotel’s ecological footprint.

By following these best practices, you can ensure that your accommodations align with your values and support sustainable travel. Remember that every decision you make has an impact. When you choose eco-friendly lodging, you contribute to a healthier planet.

Low-Impact Transportation Options

As you embark on your eco-tourism adventure, consider eco-friendly transportation options at your destination. These alternative transportation methods reduce carbon emissions and allow for a more immersive experience of nature and local culture. Choosing eco-friendly transportation during your trip will signal environmental responsibility to locals and fellow travelers.

Some popular low-impact transportation options include:

• Biking: Pedal through scenic landscapes while exercising and reducing your carbon footprint.  
• Walking or hiking: Explore trails and pathways that reveal hidden gems often overlooked by motorized vehicles.  
• Public transportation such as buses or trains: Enjoy convenient travel around cities without adding extra pollution into the atmosphere.  
• Carpooling with other travelers or using electric cars: Share rides with eco-friendly companions, saving money while minimizing environmental impact.  

It’s important to remember that every little action helps preserve the essence of the ecotourism destinations we all want to visit. By choosing alternative modes of transportation, such as bicycling or public transit, or by choosing an eco-friendly ride-share, you show your commitment to sustainable tourism practices.

Supporting Local Businesses And Artisans

As we bike through the lush landscapes or sail along the pristine coasts using environmentally friendly transportation, let’s not forget another important aspect of ecotourism: supporting local businesses and artisans. In doing so, we contribute to the local economy and promote sustainable practices that help preserve the environment for future generations.

Supporting local entrepreneurship plays a vital role in promoting responsible tourism. When travelers choose to stay in the region, eat at a community-run restaurant, or join a tour with a local guide, they directly contribute to the growth of these small businesses. In addition, by working with locals, we gain valuable insights into their culture and traditions and create lasting connections.

Promoting artisans further strengthens this connection as visitors are immersed in traditional crafts – from pottery to weaving – preserving indigenous art forms that would otherwise be lost over time.

As you discover new destinations, try to support local businesses and artisans who work tirelessly to preserve their cultural heritage and protect their surroundings. This conscious decision won’t only positively impact the communities you visit. Still, it will enrich your travel experience by providing a unique learning and personal growth opportunities.

Let’s strive together for a more sustainable form of tourism that empowers individuals, nourishes our souls, and awakens in us an endless thirst for freedom and discovery!

Minimizing Waste And Resource Consumption

While waste generation is a significant environmental concern, the actual amount of waste generated from tourism activities worldwide is difficult to estimate accurately. However, it is widely recognized that sustainable practices are crucial to reducing the environmental impact of the tourism industry, including waste reduction and resource conservation.

One significant way travelers can contribute to this global issue is by adopting a zero-waste mindset during their trips and practicing minimalistic packing.

Zero-Waste Travel

Embracing a zero-waste approach means making conscious choices to minimize your environmental footprint while traveling. Examples include carrying reusable water bottles, using cloth bags instead of disposable plastic ones, and opting for eco-friendly toiletries like biodegradable soap or bamboo toothbrushes.

Minimalistic Packing

Traveling light frees you physically and mentally, encouraging mindful decision-making about what we truly need on our journeys. By selecting versatile clothing items that can be mixed and matched easily, avoiding overpacking unnecessary gadgets, and choosing multi-purpose accessories, you reduce your luggage’s weight and impact on the environment.

As more people embrace ecotourism principles like zero-waste travel and minimalistic packing, they will discover an enhanced sense of freedom that arises from leaving behind excess material possessions and placing value on experiences rather than things. Moreover, this shift in perspective fosters more profound connections with nature, allowing us to appreciate the beauty and fragility of our planet firsthand.

Ethical Wildlife Encounters

Ecotourism offers travelers a unique opportunity to experience wildlife in their natural habitat, but it’s essential to prioritize ethical wildlife encounters that respect both animals and ecosystems. Unfortunately, some travel activities exploit animals, and these activities have no place in responsible ecotourism.

Ethical wildlife encounters allow travelers to observe wildlife without harming or disturbing the animals or their environment. Such activities allow travelers to learn about wildlife behavior, ecology, and conservation while contributing to local economies and conservation efforts. Some examples of ethical wildlife encounters include bird watching, whale watching, and wildlife safaris.

When participating in ethical wildlife encounters, you must choose reputable tour operators prioritizing the animals’ welfare and their habitats. Reputable ecotourism operators should follow ethical guidelines that protect the animals from harm, ensure that their natural behavior isn’t disturbed, and maintain a safe distance from the animals. They should also be licensed and regulated by local authorities and adhere to international standards for ethical wildlife tourism.

Responsible wildlife encounters aren’t only beneficial for the animals but also the travelers. They provide an opportunity to connect with nature and develop a sense of appreciation and respect for the environment. However, it’s important to remember that the animals aren’t there for our entertainment and should be treated with the utmost respect and care.

One of the biggest challenges in ethical wildlife encounters is photography. Photography is essential for promoting conservation, but it can also disturb wildlife if not handled responsibly. Ethical photography is about respecting the space and behavior of the animals while still taking the perfect photo.

Below are some tips for photographing wildlife encounters ethically:

• Respect the animals’ natural behavior: avoid disturbing or altering their behavior to get a good photo.
• Keep a safe distance: Always keep a safe distance from the animals and never get too close to them.
• Avoid flash photography: Flash photography can disturb the animals and interrupt their natural behavior.  
• Be patient: wait for the right moment to take the picture, and don’t rush the process.  
• Don’t overcrowd: Avoid crowding the animals, which can cause them stress and anxiety.  
• Avoid taking selfies with animals: taking selfies with animals is never a good idea because it can endanger you and the animal.

Ethical wildlife encounters are an essential component of responsible ecotourism. These encounters allow travelers to connect with nature and promote conservation while respecting wildlife and their natural habitats. By choosing reputable ecotourism operators, ethical photography, and eco-friendly accommodations, travelers can help protect and preserve the environment and its inhabitants.

The Future Of Sustainable Travel

Sustainable travel has become increasingly important in the tourism industry as we recognize the impact of human activity on the environment. As more and more travelers recognize the importance of ecotourism, we can expect the trend toward responsible and sustainable travel practices to continue.

Governments and tour operator agencies worldwide have taken initiatives to introduce sustainable practices in the tourism industry, such as ecotourism certification programs, waste management systems, and renewable energy sources. These initiatives aim to reduce the negative impacts of tourism while supporting the local community and protecting natural resources.

Technology is also increasingly being used to support sustainable travel. For example, eco-friendly travel apps can help travelers find accommodations, sustainable tourism operators, and eco-friendly activities. The use of digital technologies for online bookings, virtual tours, and e-tickets has also helped reduce paper consumption, thereby reducing the travel industry’s carbon footprint.

Another aspect of sustainable travel is the promotion of responsible tourism. By participating in volunteer programs and choosing eco-friendly accommodations, travelers can contribute to local communities and support conservation. By purchasing souvenirs from local artisans, travelers can also support traditional crafts and promote the preservation of cultural heritage.

In summary, sustainable travel is the future of the ecological tourism industry. As the demand for eco-friendly travel increases, we can expect to see more sustainable tourism initiatives implemented, such as eco-certification programs and technology to support sustainable travel. It’s our responsibility as travelers to be conscious and minimize our impact on the environment. By adopting sustainable travel practices and promoting responsible tourism, we can help create a better and more sustainable future for the travel industry and our planet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ecotourism.

Ecotourism is a form of sustainable travel focusing on exploring natural environments while promoting conservation and responsible travel practices. It aims to minimize the negative impacts of tourism on the environment while also contributing to the economic development of local communities.

Why is ecotourism important?

Ecotourism is essential because it allows people to explore natural environments while supporting biodiversity conservation and promoting sustainable development. It also has the potential to provide economic benefits to local communities and contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage.

How does ecotourism benefit local communities?

Ecotourism can provide economic benefits to local communities through job creation, local business development, and support for cultural heritage. When done responsibly, ecotourism can help to empower local communities and provide sustainable economic opportunities.

What are some examples of ecotourism activities?

Examples of ecotourism activities include wildlife watching, hiking, kayaking, and cultural tours. These activities are designed to allow visitors to experience natural and cultural environments sustainably and responsibly.

How can travelers ensure they are engaging in responsible ecotourism?

Travelers can ensure they engage in responsible ecotourism by choosing eco-friendly accommodations, supporting local businesses, minimizing waste and resource consumption, and respecting wildlife and local cultures. It is also essential to seek out information on the impact of tourism on the environment and local communities and make informed choices based on this information.

Overtourism Effects: Positive and Negative Impacts for Sustainable Development

• Living reference work entry
• First Online: 02 October 2020
• Cite this living reference work entry

• Ivana Damnjanović 7  

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals ((ENUNSDG))

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Responsible tourism ; Tourism overcrowding ; Tourism-phobia ; Tourist-phobia

Definitions

Tourism today is paradoxically dominated by two opposite aspects: its sustainable character and overtourism. Since its creation by Skift in 2016 (Ali 2016 ), the term “overtourism” has been a buzzword in media and academic circles, although it may only be a new word for a problem discussed over the past three decades.

Overtourism is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon destructive to tourism resources and harmful to destination communities’ well-being through overcrowding and overuse (Center for Responsible Travel 2018 ; International Ecotourism Society 2019 ) as certain locations at times cannot withstand physical, ecological, social, economic, psychological, and/or political pressures of tourism (Peeters et al. 2018 ). Overtourism is predominantly a problem producing deteriorated quality of life of local communities (Responsible Tourism n.d. ; The International Ecotourism Society 2019 ; UNWTO 2018...

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Damnjanović, I. (2020). Overtourism Effects: Positive and Negative Impacts for Sustainable Development. In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A.M., Brandli, L., Lange Salvia, A., Wall, T. (eds) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71059-4_112-1

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How Tourism Can Protect Cultural Heritage

Written by Solimar International on August 3, 2021 . Posted in Uncategorized .

At Solimar, we value tourism for the economic and social development that it brings to communities all over the world. Protecting cultural heritage is one of our utmost priorities as well as a core development objective in all of our projects. When done right, building a strong tourism economy is a great way for local residents of any region to nurture their own cultural heritage and also provide meaningful educational experiences to visitors. Today’s travelers are looking for more than just pretty views and fancy dinners; they want the authenticity that comes from diving into an entirely new culture. From rural communities in Armenia to World Heritage Sites in Portugal , learn more about how tourism can protect cultural heritage. 

Community Building and Empowerment

One of the most impactful ways that tourism can protect cultural heritage is through community empowerment. This occurs when tourists are educated about the history and traditions of the local community, and in turn that community feels a stronger cohesion and sense of pride in that cultural history. Additionally, tourism based around cultural assets encourages locals to continue to pass on traditions and practices that are embedded in their history. The process of teaching other community members about these traditional methods creates a sense of unity through history. The feeling of community allyship is strengthened when tourists visit a place specifically to experience the culture. 

Having people from all over the world know about the importance of a community’s history and cultural heritage is something to be proud of, and community members will embrace their heritage more and more as that pride grows and spreads. In Atauro (a small island in Timor-Leste ), tourists are encouraged to visit the local arts and crafts markets . Rising popularity of the markets encourages locals to continue crafting and creating goods that reflect their culture. When tourists appreciate local markets such as these, it sparks pride in the community and allows them to continue doing work that is culturally significant. In order for this to occur, Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) and local governments must ensure that community stakeholders are present and involved in tourism development.

Tourism as a Cultural Teaching Tool

When looking at tourism as a tool to protect and inform cultural heritage, it can also be seen as a teaching tool. Tourism can be viewed as a process: money is exchanged, parts of a community are engaged through a tourist’s stay, and the tourist walks away with memories and feelings for the location. However, when the tourist is engaged with an itinerary that focuses on heritage tourism, the takeaways or “post-visit behaviors” are likely to be more significant. This is for two main reasons: 1) Someone who seeks out cultural heritage tourism is more likely to be motivated to learn something on their trip. (Check out this awesome study by Indonesia University of Education to learn more about what their study revealed) and  2) The nature of cultural heritage tourism allows for an extra layer of a destination to be revealed. 

For example, let’s say a tourist visits a beach to watch the sunset at a particular destination. They walk away with an impression of the beauty of the location. What if it was framed through cultural heritage? Instead of just watching the sunset, the tourist gets to watch the sunset while engaging in a traditional feast that honors the island and all that it gives and includes a local folktale of what the sunset means to local culture. Now, that sunset experience has more significance for the tourist whose motivations resided in seeking knowledge. A large part of tourism is the intentions that motivate tourist behavior, and engaging with cultural heritage tourism allows a tourist to expand their horizons and connect more deeply with the people and the destination.

UNESCO World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Toolkit

The universal recognition and classification for the world heritage sites were adopted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1972, originated in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Their mission is to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of the valuable cultural and natural heritage sites to humanity around the world, regardless of the boundary limitations. 

To help site managers, national/local authorities, local/international tourism industry, or even visitors and residents fully understand the essence of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and sustainable tourism, a toolkit is provided by the UNESCO with the holistic guideline for managing heritage sites in destinations. Step by step guidance from understanding, strategic planning, governance to stakeholder engagement are available on the website with real case studies are available on the website. 

Building on this work, Solimar recently launched its World Heritage Journeys of the Silk Road , a 10-week virtual training program for tourism and cultural heritage authorities in Central Asia. This program builds on the results from the sustainable tourism planning and management capacity building workshop that brought together tourism stakeholders from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The workshop introduced participants to UNESCO’s World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme and the tools necessary to conserve cultural and natural heritage of Outstanding Universal Value. This Virtual Training program will build on these learnings by reuniting World Heritage and tourism authorities from the participating countries to work together to learn how to better manage sustainable tourism, how to recover and prepare for the return of tourism in the era of COVID-19, and to develop a series of cross-border itineraries that are hosted on UNESCO sustainable tourism platform – World Heritage Journeys .

As a specialist consulting and marketing firm in sustainable tourism, it is always our mission to ensure that sustainability underlies everything we do. We must work to ensure that the cultural and natural resources are protected in the development process, which leads to the long-term success for destinations. By building a sustainable tourism environment, empowering local communities, and preserving cultural values and heritage boosts the understanding and collaboration between stakeholders in different sectors. Working with local communities, we can help more destinations realize how tourism can protect cultural heritage and cherish our shared history of place.

Interested in learning more about how your destination can improve its cultural heritage offerings? Contact us today .

This blog was written by Gabby Whittaker, Kevin Lewicki, and Kuanlin Lu in July 2021

Tags: cultural heritage , sustainable tourism , unesco

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Pros And Cons Of Ecotourism: What You Should Know

Who would refuse to spend their vacation in the open air , surrounded by mountain peaks or on the banks of a clear river? Ecotourism is currently one of the most popular solutions for a vacation. Spending a few days or weeks in such an environment without sacrificing any comfort is a dream for many people.  What exactly is ecotourism, and what are its benefits?

A person awakens strength and feels filled with energy as a result of communication with nature . Furthermore, such relaxation allows one to not only recharge one’s batteries but also spend unforgettable days with one’s closest friends and family.

Is Ecotourism Good or Bad?

Ecotourism is a relatively new trend that has emerged in recent years, but it has quickly established itself as an intriguing and appealing type of tourism. Green tourism appeals to people of all ages who want to live a healthy lifestyle and do not mind spending time in nature for health reasons.

Ecotourism is conditionally divided into three categories :

• Increasing scientific knowledge . When a person studies, conducts research and communicates with nature to gain new knowledge. This category includes field research and research conducted by experts, specialists, and students from higher education institutions.
• Contributing to recreation and general knowledge about nature . Many doctors advise patients to improve their health by visiting nature for therapeutic purposes . This category is appropriate for ethnographic trips, photo hunting, and studying some natural features;
• Increasing natural resources . People who visit nature hold events that help save natural resources . For example, travellers plant trees, help to recultivate soils, clean water from waste, etc.

The Goals of Environmental Tourism

Of course, ecotourism arose for a reason. It unites many goals, the most important of which is the preservation of the environment . The following are the primary goals of green tourism:

• Gaining knowledge about nature ;
• Interaction with and assistance to nature in resource conservation ;
• Increasing population literacy through visits to locations that highlight the traditions and characteristics of the local residents ;
• Keeping the environment clean. Tourists can visit different locations not only for recreation but also to help clean up the environment ;
• Improvement of ecotourism participants’ ecological culture .

As you can see, ecotourism is important not only for taking care of one’s own health, but also for protecting and caring for the environment in which one is located. It can be, for example, combining active recreation in the mountains with garbage collection from the rivers and surrounding territories.

Ecotourism, of course, benefits the traveller more than it harms them. All forms of recreation, however, have advantages and disadvantages .

What Are Some Pros About Ecotourism?

Spending more time in remote areas of nature is no longer only beneficial , but also fashionable . People are increasingly choosing to relax with their families on the grounds of nature reserves, forest grounds, or mountains rather than travelling to hot countries.

Because of their living conditions, it is often difficult to enjoy wildlife. A large portion of the population works day after day in the office, inhaling the smoke of factories and harmful gases emitted by automobiles before returning home. It is not surprising that many of them prefer privacy with nature after a long day at work .

The advantages of this type of recreation are self-evident. Ecotourism is popular among tourists because it allows them to spend time face-to-face with nature.

It is especially important for residents of large cities who often feel a lack of fresh air.

Let us take a look at the key advantages of ecotourism:

• Recreation away from the hustle and bustle of city life
• This type of journey is appropriate for both the elderly and children
• You will receive a slew of memorable moments , positive emotions, and impressions
• Each tour is always distinct and one-of-a-kind
• The opportunity to contribute to the conservation of wildlife’s integrity
• Knowledge of aboriginal culture and tradition
• This type of travel not only improves general well-being , but also helps to normalize several systems at once: nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory
• Nature and terrain research
• It is budget-friendly . It is simple to save money here because you do not need to spend money on spa treatments, hotel accommodations, and anything else that is typical of a vacation when staying at a resort
• This type of tourism improves the economic situation of local societies and contributes significantly to the development of a specific region .
• Attracting tourists to the ecological zone aids in the development of the region and provides employment for local residents
•  Promotion of health and wellness

What Are Some Cons Of Ecotourism?

There are also some disadvantages to ecotourism:

Absence of comfort and lodging conditions

People who are unprepared for life in the wilderness should avoid attempting ecotourism on the spur of the moment. Nature is beautiful. Nonetheless, spending weeks in the wilderness without hot water, a regular diet, or a good night’s sleep is not for everyone. As a result, your well-planned vacation can quickly turn into long-term torture.

Wild animals in their natural habitat

You should be prepared to interact with the animals if you go on a trip like this. Wild animals are unaccustomed to humans and may retaliate aggressively . So, hiring a guide is the best option in this case. A person who understands animal behaviour and has good navigation skills in the environment in which they live may be able to solve this problem.

Safety issues

Another significant disadvantage is the inaccessibility of all desired travel destinations . Every country has many reserves and parks that are spread out over large areas and are inaccessible to the general public . You must be able to recognize such areas where a tourist approach is safe . Contacting a special agency that will create a route for you and even find partners for the trip for a fee is the best option in this case.

To summarize, ecotourism is primarily a beneficial interaction between humans and nature . People can preserve and enrich natural resources, which is why ecotourism has become such a developed and interesting type of travelling.

Cover image: photo via pixhere

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What is overtourism and how can we overcome it? 

The issue of overtourism has become a major concern due to the surge in travel following the pandemic. Image:  Reuters/Manuel Silvestri (ITALY - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT)

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• Overtourism has once again become a concern, particularly after the rebound of international travel post-pandemic.
• Communities in popular destinations worldwide have expressed concerns over excess tourism on their doorstep.
• Here we outline the complexities of overtourism and the possible measures that can be taken to address the problem.

The term ‘overtourism’ has re-emerged as tourism recovery has surged around the globe. But already in 2019, angst over excessive tourism growth was so high that the UN World Tourism Organization called for “such growth to be managed responsibly so as to best seize the opportunities tourism can generate for communities around the world”.

This was especially evident in cities like Barcelona, where anti-tourism sentiment built up in response to pent-up frustration about rapid and unyielding tourism growth. Similar local frustration emerged in other famous cities, including Amsterdam , Venice , London , Kyoto and Dubrovnik .

While the pandemic was expected to usher in a new normal where responsible and sustainable travel would emerge, this shift was evidently short-lived, as demand surged in 2022 and 2023 after travel restrictions eased.

Have you read?

Ten principles for sustainable destinations: charting a new path forward for travel and tourism.

This has been witnessed over the recent Northern Hemisphere summer season, during which popular destinations heaved under the pressure of pent-up post-pandemic demand , with grassroots communities articulating over-tourism concerns.

Concerns over excess tourism have not only been seen in popular cities but also on the islands of Hawaii and Greece , beaches in Spain , national parks in the United States and Africa , and places off the beaten track like Japan ’s less explored regions.

What is overtourism?

The term overtourism was employed by Freya Petersen in 2001, who lamented the excesses of tourism development and governance deficits in the city of Pompei. Her sentiments are increasingly familiar among tourists in other top tourism destinations more than 20 years later.

Overtourism is more than a journalistic device to arouse host community anxiety or demonize tourists through anti-tourism activism. It is also more than simply being a question of management – although poor or lax governance most definitely accentuates the problem.

Governments at all levels must be decisive and firm about policy responses that control the nature of tourist demand and not merely give in to profits that flow from tourist expenditure and investment.

Overtourism is often oversimplified as being a problem of too many tourists. While that may well be an underlying symptom of excess, it fails to acknowledge the myriad factors at play.

In its simplest iteration, overtourism results from tourist demand exceeding the carrying capacity of host communities in a destination. Too often, the tourism supply chain stimulates demand, giving little thought to the capacity of destinations and the ripple effects on the well-being of local communities.

Overtourism is arguably a social phenomenon too. In China and India, two of the most populated countries where space is a premium, crowded places are socially accepted and overtourism concerns are rarely articulated, if at all. This suggests that cultural expectations of personal space and expectations of exclusivity differ.

We also tend not to associate ‘overtourism’ with Africa . But uncontrolled growth in tourist numbers is unsustainable anywhere, whether in an ancient European city or the savannah of a sub-Saharan context.

Overtourism must also have cultural drivers that are intensified when tourists' culture is at odds with that of host communities – this might manifest as breaching of public norms, irritating habits, unacceptable behaviours , place-based displacement and inconsiderate occupation of space.

The issue also comes about when the economic drivers of tourism mean that those who stand to benefit from growth are instead those who pay the price of it, particularly where gentrification and capital accumulation driven from outside results in local resident displacement and marginalization.

Overcoming overtourism excesses

Radical policy measures that break the overtourism cycle are becoming more common. For example, Amsterdam has moved to ban cruise ships by closing the city’s cruise terminal.

Tourism degrowth has long been posited as a remedy to overtourism. While simply cutting back on tourist numbers seems like a logical response, whether the economic trade-offs of fewer tourists will be tolerated is another thing altogether.

The Spanish island of Lanzarote moved to desaturate the island by calling the industry to focus on quality tourism rather than quantity. This shift to quality, or higher yielding, tourists has been mirrored in many other destinations, like Bali , for example.

Dispersing tourists outside hotspots is commonly seen as a means of dealing with too much tourism. However, whether sufficient interest to go off the beaten track can be stimulated might be an immoveable constraint, or simply result in problem shifting .

Demarketing destinations has been applied with varying degrees of success. However, whether it can address the underlying factors in the long run is questioned, particularly as social media influencers and travel writers continue to give attention to touristic hotspots. In France, asking visitors to avoid Mont Saint-Michelle and instead recommending they go elsewhere is evidence of this.

Introducing entry fees and gates to over-tourist places like Venice is another deterrent. This assumes visitors won’t object to paying and that revenues generated are spent on finding solutions rather than getting lost in authorities’ consolidated revenue.

Advocacy and awareness campaigns against overtourism have also been prominent, but whether appeals to tourists asking them to curb irresponsible behaviours have had any impact remains questionable as incidents continue —for example, the Palau Pledge and New Zealand’s Tiaki Promise appeal for more responsible behaviours.

Curtailing the use of the word overtourism is also posited – in the interest of avoiding the rise of moral panics and the swell of anti-tourism social movements, but pretending the phenomenon does not exist, or dwelling on semantics won’t solve the problem .

Solutions to address overtourism

The solutions to dealing adequately with the effects of overtourism are likely to be many and varied and must be tailored to the unique, relevant destination .

The tourism supply chain must also bear its fair share of responsibility. While popular destinations are understandably an easier sell, redirecting tourism beyond popular honeypots like urban heritage sites or overcrowded beaches needs greater impetus to avoid shifting the problem elsewhere.

Local authorities must exercise policy measures that establish capacity limits, then ensure they are upheld, and if not, be held responsible for their inaction .

Meanwhile, tourists themselves should take responsibility for their behaviour and decisions while travelling, as this can make a big difference to the impact on local residents .

Those investing in tourism should support initiatives that elevate local priorities and needs, and not simply exercise a model of maximum extraction for shareholders in the supply chain.

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National tourist offices and destination management organizations must support development that is nuanced and in tune with the local backdrop rather than simply mimicking mass-produced products and experiences.

The way tourist experiences are developed and shaped must be transformed to move away from outright consumerist fantasies to responsible consumption .

The overtourism problem will be solved through a clear-headed, collaborative and case-specific assessment of the many drivers in action. Finally, ignoring historical precedents that have led to the current predicament of overtourism and pinning this on oversimplified prescriptions abandons any chance of more sustainable and equitable tourism futures .

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Thomas L. Friedman

Israel and Saudi Arabia Are Trading Places

By Thomas L. Friedman

Opinion Columnist, reporting from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia and Israel are America’s two most important Middle East allies, and the Biden administration is deeply involved with both today, trying to forge a mutual defense treaty with Saudi Arabia and help Israel in its conflicts with Hamas and Iran. But the Biden team has run into an unprecedented situation with these two longtime partners that is creating a huge opportunity and a huge danger for America. It derives from the contrast in their internal politics.

To put it bluntly, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has put his country’s worst religious extremists in jail, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has put his country’s worst religious extremists in his cabinet.

And therein lies a tale.

M.B.S., with his laser focus on economic growth after several decades that he has described Saudi Arabia as having been “sleeping,” has unleashed the most important social revolution ever in the desert kingdom — and one that is sending shock waves around the Arab world. It has reached a point where the U.S. and Saudi Arabia are now putting the finishing touches on a formal alliance that could isolate Iran, curb China’s influence in the Middle East and peacefully inspire more positive change in this region than the U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan ever did militarily.

M.B.S.’s government did something appalling when it killed Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a liberal critic living in the United States, in Istanbul in 2018. M.B.S. has also done something none of his predecessors dared: break the stranglehold that the most conservative Islamists held over Saudi social and religious policy since 1979. This shift has proved so popular among so many Saudi women and young people that women’s participation in the work force jumped to 35 percent from 20 percent between 2018 and 2022, according to a report by the Atlantic Council , and is even higher today.

That is one of the most rapid social changes anywhere in the world. In Riyadh, you see its impact on the city’s streets, in its coffeehouses and in government and business offices. Saudi women aren’t just driving cars; they are driving change, in the diplomatic corps, in the biggest banks and in the recent Saudi women’s premier soccer league . M.B.S.’s radical new vision for his country is nowhere more manifest than in his publicly stated willingness to normalize diplomatic and economic relations with the Jewish state as part of a new mutual defense pact with the United States.

The crown prince wants as peaceful a region as possible, and a Saudi Arabia as secure from Iran as possible, so he can focus on making Saudi Arabia a diversified economic powerhouse.

That used to be Israel too. Alas, the tragedy of Israel under Netanyahu is that because he has been so desperate to gain and hold power to avoid possible jail time on corruption charges, he has created a governing coalition that has given unprecedented power to two far-right Jewish supremacists with authority in three ministries — defense, finance and national security — and prioritized a judicial coup before it did anything else. Netanyahu has also made unparalleled concessions to ultra-Orthodox rabbis, transferring enormous sums of money to their schools that often don’t teach math, English or civics and most of whose draft-age men refuse to serve in the army at all, let alone alongside women.

Of course, Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy and Israel is a democracy. M.B.S. can order changes that no Israeli prime minister can. Still, leaders in both have to gauge what will enable them to stay in power, and those instincts are driving Netanyahu to make Israel more like the worst of the old Saudi Arabia and M.B.S. to make Saudi Arabia more like the best of the old Israel.

The result of Netanyahu’s alliance with the far right is that Israel can’t take advantage of the tectonic shift in Saudi Arabia — with its offer to normalize relations with the Jewish state and open a road for Israel with the rest of the Muslim world — because doing so would require Israel to pursue a pathway with Palestinians to create two states for two indigenous peoples.

Moreover, without offering some horizon for a two-state solution with non-Hamas Palestinians, Israel can’t forge a permanent security alliance with the coalition of moderate Arab states that helped thwart the barrage of more than 300 drones and missiles that Iran fired at Israel on April 13 in response to Israel’s killing of a senior Iranian military commander and some of his subordinates in Syria. Those Arab states cannot afford to appear to be defending Israel indefinitely if Israel is not working to find moderate Palestinian partners to replace Israel’s control over Gaza and the West Bank.

In other words, Israel today cannot summon the coalitions it needs to thrive as a nation, because it would lead to the breakup of the governing coalition that Netanyahu needs to survive as a politician.

All of this is creating a huge headache for President Biden, who has done more to save the Israeli people from Hamas and Iran than any other American president but has been frustrated by an Israeli prime minister who is more interested in saving himself. Biden’s support for Netanyahu is now costing him politically and curtailing his ability to take full advantage of the changes in the Arabian Peninsula. It could also cost him re-election.

Since M.B.S. began dominating Saudi decision-making in 2016 — in the place of his ailing father, King Salman, Saudi Arabia has basically gone from an incubator of A.Q. — Al Qaeda — to an incubator of A.I.

Indeed, there is a lot of trouble these days between the two most reform-minded leaders in the Arab world: M.B.S. and M.B.Z., Mohammed bin Zayed, the ruler of the United Arab Emirates. But it is good trouble. It is an intense competition over who can partner fastest and deepest with the most important global companies driving A.I.

As the U.A.E.’s most important newspaper, The National, noted on Tuesday: “In the aftermath of Microsoft’s $1.5 billion investment in Abu Dhabi artificial intelligence and cloud company G42, the spotlight is now on the Middle East’s growing stature as a regional leader for global technology. The charge, led by the U.A.E. and Saudi Arabia, has attracted attention from the likes of Oracle, Google and Amazon and highlights increasing investor confidence in the region, with growing financial backing from, and relations with, the West.”

It is impossible to overstate the power of a nearby good example. When M.B.S. announced in 2018 that Saudi women could attend sporting events like men’s soccer games, Iranian women demanded the same from their ayatollahs. The ayatollahs were forced to relent after a 29-year-old Iranian woman charged with trying to attend a men’s soccer match died in September 2019 after setting herself on fire .

As one young Saudi official recently remarked to me, M.B.S. was able to sideline the religious extremists in the kingdom, without starting a civil war, by unleashing all the pent-up energy of young Saudis, who wanted to realize their full potential by being connected with all the cutting-edge global trends. So these youths just steamrolled the resistance from the roughly 30 percent of Saudis whom I’d describe as hyperconservative. (Saudi sources tell me that about 500 of the most extreme clerics have been locked up. M.B.S. is wisely still paying other very conservative government religious officials, like the religious police, but he has disempowered them — not without personal risk to himself.) Iran, by contrast, has unleashed the full brutality of its religious authorities to steamroll Iranian youths, who went into open civil war with the regime in September 2022 after an Iranian woman named Mahsa Amini died in police custody. She had been arrested for allegedly not properly covering herself in public.

That is why you get scenes like Iranian college students in 2020 refusing to walk on American and Israeli flags that the clerics painted on the ground at the gateways to their universities, or in April booing and honking horns at a soccer match when the regime demanded a moment of silence in honor of the Iranian military commanders killed by Israel. They see Iran’s religious dictators exploiting the Palestinian cause and Hamas to cover the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ brutality against Iran’s own youth.

This is in stark contrast with some of the U.S. college students now demonstrating who see Israel as the “colonial” aggressor and give Hamas a free pass, even though it murdered, kidnapped and raped Israelis on Oct. 7, triggering the massive Israeli bombardments that have killed tens of thousands of Gazan civilians, including thousands of children, with seeming indifference.

The key question for the Biden administration and the Saudis today is this: What to do next? The good news is that they are 90 percent done with the mutual defense treaty that they have drawn up, both sides tell me. But they still need to tie down a few key points. These include the precise ways in which the U.S. will control the civilian nuclear energy program that Saudi Arabia will get under the deal; whether the mutual defense component will be explicit, like that between the U.S. and Japan, or less formal, like the understanding between the U.S. and Taiwan; and a long-term commitment for Saudi Arabia to continue to price oil in U.S. dollars, not switch to the Chinese currency.

But the other part of the deal, which is seen as critical to winning support in Congress, is for Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel. That will happen only if Israel agrees to Riyadh’s terms: get out of Gaza, freeze the building of settlements in the West Bank and embark on a three- to five-year “pathway” to establish a Palestinian state in the occupied territories. That state would also be conditioned on the Palestinian Authority undertaking reforms to make it a governing body that Palestinians trust and see as legitimate and Israelis see as effective.

There are a lot of “ifs” and “provided thats” in this equation that seem most unlikely today. They might seem less so when the Gaza war ends and both Israelis and Palestinians add up the terrible costs of not having a permanent peaceful solution and contemplate whether they want more of the same or to make a radical departure.

It is clear to U.S. and Saudi officials that with Netanyahu having thrown in with the far right to stay in power, he’s highly unlikely to agree to any kind of Palestinian statehood that would lead his partners to topple him — unless his political survival dictates otherwise. As a result, the U.S. and the Saudis are considering finalizing the deal and taking it to Congress with the stated proviso that Saudi Arabia will normalize relations with Israel the minute Israel has a government ready to meet the Saudi-U.S. terms.

But no decision has been made. U.S. officials know that Israel is in such turmoil today, and with the whole world seemingly coming down on it, it is impossible to really get Israelis to consider the profound long-term political and economic benefits of normalized relations with Saudi Arabia, the world’s most influential Muslim nation and Arab nation.

Hopefully, though, if there can be a permanent end of fighting and a return of all Israelis taken hostage, Israel will hold new elections. And then — maybe, just maybe — the choice on the table for Israelis will not be Bibi or Bibi-lite, but Bibi or a credible pathway to peace with Saudi Arabia and the Palestinians.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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Thomas L. Friedman is the foreign affairs Opinion columnist. He joined the paper in 1981 and has won three Pulitzer Prizes. He is the author of seven books, including “From Beirut to Jerusalem,” which won the National Book Award. @ tomfriedman • Facebook