Travel enriches people’s lives because exploring a new place and learning about other people’s cultural traditions broadens their horizons. Tourism can create jobs and income for underserved groups like rural communities and women. This is especially evident in developing countries like Cambodia, the Philippines, and Indonesia, where this industry brings much-needed revenues that help the economy.
While tourism has many benefits, it can also have adverse consequences. Any student or professional tasked to research this issue and write my paper will realize that the travel industry and wanderlust concept is not always glitz and glam. The mass influx of foreign visitors and rapid infrastructure developments to accommodate Western ideals can potentially spark hostility in host communities and contribute to the loss of cultural traditions. Residents tend to feel marginalized, especially when the ones who reap the profits are the big businesses.
Moreover, they feel as if their opinions are unheard and feel the glaring income inequality when they see visitors spending with abandon. Disrespectful visitors, such as disruptive drunk tourists, also tend to spark conflicts. On top of that, heritage sites are at risk and may end up degraded and littered with more trash, especially when there’s overcrowding during the peak of travel season. Fortunately, sustainable tourism is a slower and more gentle kind of travel. Learn more about how this brand of tourism can benefit communities.
The Goals of Sustainable Tourism
Sustainable tourism’s primary goal is to protect the environment while being explored by foreign guests. This practice also encompasses empowering locals and promoting development without compromising their cultural heritage. Proponents of this concept believe that tourism must prioritize the following ideals:
- Being respectful of unique traditions and customs
- Engage in activities that are inclusive of communities
- Authenticity to cultural heritage is the priority
- Create decent jobs with correct wages
- Pay attention to the environmental impact
- Aspire to build resilience in communities
The Benefits of Sustainable Tourism
Sustainable tourism should be the norm and not a mere afterthought. This starts by acknowledging that although travel is enjoyable, it has the power to harm the local population and environment. That’s why green travel can make a big difference, especially when tourists are conditioned to make educated choices with their destination’s best interests at the forefront.
Eco-travel is a responsible approach to impact the local economy, environment, and society positively. With a conscious effort to minimize pollution and other disruptive behavior, sustainable tourists contribute to the conservation of destinations and the protection of the welfare of residents. Check out the benefits of sustainable tourism below:
1. Heps Circulate More Money in the Economy
This type of travel prompts inclusivity and support for local communities. Hence, more tourist currency goes directly into the pockets of the residents, who spend it in their community markets. As a result, more funds circulate in the local community, encouraging new businesses to set up, creating more jobs, and reducing poverty.
2. Provides Many Ancillary Opportunities for the Locals
Sustainable travel strengthens underserved communities and provides opportunities for women, minorities like indigenous groups, and rural folk. For example, women can craft and sell souvenirs as an alternative income source. And with that, they can afford to send kids to school and get better access to healthcare. With more jobs like this, residents don’t need to leave their villages to look for jobs in big cities.
3. Protects the Local Environment Against Degradation
This type of holiday encourages travelers to make more mindful choices and be more responsible when they visit different countries. At the same time, locals are made aware of how they should preserve and protect their environment and wildlife. This has beneficial impacts like less trash, improved water supply, and reduced irresponsible activities like poaching and illegal trading.
4. Voices are Heard in Inclusive Planning and Development
Since sustainable travel raises community awareness, this could lead the local government to create more natural parks and increase funding for conservation. Residents are encouraged to join tourism planning, where their opinions are heard. This is one way for tourism companies to address community needs when developing new projects. It’s also an avenue where companies can help maximize community benefits by partnering with small businesses.
5. Promotion of Community-Based Projects That Preserve Heritage
Sustainable tourism helps communities market their unique customs, like traditional dances, ancestral practices, traditional outfits, and homegrown products like handicrafts. At the same time, respectful tour companies promote and showcase authentic traditions that instill pride in the community. Although eco-travel may come with some form of commercialization, the revenues can help protect and provide funding for the preservation of cultural sites.
6. Encourages Tolerance and Peaceful Coexistence Amidst Diversity
Since green travel encourages foreigners to understand unique cultures, it promotes tolerance of diverse cultural practices. This encourages acceptance and peaceful coexistence. Moreover, the interaction between foreigners and natives could encourage literacy and expand the horizons of both groups. For example, children can quickly grasp English when they interact with visitors, and at the same time, the latter can also learn authentic practices.
Travel Responsibly and Be a More Culturally-Aware Traveler
Travel is part of many people’s lives, so there must be a conscious effort to become a more culturally-aware traveler who respects the communities and their traditions. When people go on a holiday with others in mind, this can enhance the travel experience because they are more intentional in choosing authentic practices that don’t harm others. Those who wish to travel this way can create a positive impact on the local community by doing the following:
- Read Ahead: Research the history and customs of intended destinations and find hometown projects to support.
- Reduce Waste: Avoid single-use plastic bottles and straws. Bring an eco-bag and reusable canteen to reduce waste.
- Clean Up: Tourists must clean up after themselves. It would also help to support cleanup drives like beach cleanups that preserve marine life.
- Local Interaction: Tourists must interact with residents and engage in appropriate behavior.
Every travel destination may be different, but it’s crucial to implement sustainable tourism practices equally. People must make it a point to be mindful of their environment and be respectful of others. Any vacation destination is someone’s home. Hence, visitors must treat the place as they would their own home.
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