With a global climate crisis and climate anxiety on the rise, many travel lovers must take a step back to review their approach to travel. With new climate obstacles emerging, a new form of tourism has also been gaining popularity: ecotourism.
Traditional tourism is characterised by being beneficial to the traveller and the traveller alone, and having detrimental effects on the environment and communities exposed to mass tourism. The tourism industry is now having to make changes due to environmental and weather insecurities. Tourism became largely popular after the Industrial Revolution, but it led to increased amounts of pollution, deforestation, species loss, and global warming. Increased developments to accommodate the growing amount of tourists in big cities have also led to the displacement of locals and increased property prices.
Ecotourism is the practice of travelling responsibly and promotes sustainability for both the environment and communities. It ensures that tourists have little impact on the area they are visiting and conserves the local culture and communities through social and behavioural efforts. By taking part in ecotourism, tourist can boost the local economies of the communities they are visiting and minimise the physical and social impact they have during their time away. In short, ecotourism promotes eco-friendly practices. But how can we do it?
Simply researching what accommodation you will stay in during your travels is considered ecotourism. Choosing to stay somewhere with a low carbon footprint and practising eco-friendly routines, such as being plastic-free, is a great way to ensure your travels benefit you and the environment. Take a reusable water bottle while you are out and opt for public transport instead of driving somewhere yourself. Supporting local businesses is a great way to help local economies grow, and eating from local independent restaurants is one of the best ways to experience a different culture. When tourists expect to find traces of their own culture in various areas, other cultures’ cultural and social landscapes change to accommodate Western standards. Thus, understanding locals’ social and political beliefs and showing respect is essential.
Taking part in ecotourism can be an experience in itself. Why not try a homestay and live with locals who can show you the surrounding areas and culture? Homestays are a fantastic way to immerse yourself in a new environment and gain experiences you never would have in traditional tourism. Travelling within your home country is another sustainable way to boost your economy, save on travel fares, and gain further appreciation for your country.
Overall, the fundamental element of ecotourism is education. Educating yourself and others helps promote ecotourism by improving general cultural and environmental awareness. If the population ignores the current climate crisis and continues to engage in traditional forms of tourism, the entire tourism industry will suffer. Ecotourism will allow tourists to continue doing what they love in future years and enable the environment to flourish simultaneously. Tourism needs to be beneficial for all for it to continue benefitting all.
Words by Jessica Fotheringham
Featured image courtesy of Vicky Hincks via Unsplash. No changes have been made to this image. Image license found here.