WHY TOURISTS spoil THE locations THEY go to

updated 11/23/19 | November 23rd, 2019

Last summer, while I was living in Sweden, I satisfied up with travel writer Doug Lansky, the guy behind a number of around the world destination guides for rough Guides. We were speaking about travel (of course) as well as began going over the philosophical concern about whether, as traveler writers, we end up destroying the locations we like by sharing them with the world.

By composing about those off-the-beaten-track destinations, those bit regional restaurants, as well as peaceful parts of the city where you’re complimentary of tourists, do we inadvertently contribute to the demise as well as overdevelopment of these destinations?

When I think about this question, I believe about two things. First, I believe about Tony Wheeler, the creator of Lonely Planet, the person who quite much commercialized backpacking. He’s the person who turned the world onto Ko Phi Phi, which utilized to look like the left picture as well as now appears like the right:

Secondly, I keep in mind my own experience on Ko Lipe in Thailand (a tiny, out-of-the-way destination) as well as exactly how overdeveloped that island has ended up being in the last few years. Unfettered advancement has taken this small island as well as filled it with resorts as well as ruined coral reefs as drinking water needs to be pumped in from close-by islands to satisfy the needs.

And I believe about exactly how I always talk about Coral Bay, Australia — as well as other bit towns as well as restaurants around the world — with fantastic interest as well as encouragement. “Go there! They are terrific as well as crowd free,” I proclaim.

By driving people to the next “undiscovered” place, do I just spoil it? will I be that person who returns as well as says, “Man, this location utilized to be awesome 10 years ago.”

But, while not absolutely guiltless, I don’t believe travel writers are to blame when destinations ended up being congested destinations full of tourists as well as overpriced hotels. (And, these days, there are a great deal of aspects that go into overtourism. It’s a complex — as well as urgent — problem!)

After ten years of traveling the world, I’ve come to recognize that it’s the tourists themselves who spoil a destination.

And I don’t indicate that just since of the boost in visitors. I indicate that since tourists end up supporting unsustainable tourism practices, as well as that’s what truly destroys a place.

We just like locations to death.

Because, let’s deal with it, as a species, people are type of assholes.

We can talk about sustainability as well as overtourism all we want but, if people truly cared wouldn’t they stay in fewer Airbnbs, take fewer cruises, as well as try to prevent excursions as well as animal tourism?

And then what happens?

You see lots of locals who are shortsighted as well as begin building hotels, resorts, as well as services to try to money in on the current travel fad. as well as who can blame them? people requirement to eat, youngsters requirement to be sent to college, as well as money needs to be earned. The future is somebody else’s problem, right? as well as I can’t truly fault a great deal of people for that. I don’t agree keeping that technique of growth (not just in travel however in life in general), however exactly how do you tell somebody they can’t develop something to feed their family?

I keep in mind reading an post a few years back by Thomas Freidman from the new York Times speaking about the rainforest in Brazil. In an interview, a local activist stated that people requirement to eat, and, while a lot of comprehend the requirement to secure the forest, without any alternative, people are going to select food over protecting trees.

And it’s not just locals who do this.

Large corporations are available in as well as take full advantage of lax regulation, low wages, as well as corrupt officials. Greenwashing, the method of pretending you’re engaging in environmentally friendly actions, is extremely prevalent in travel.

(I believe lots of countries in the world, including my own, must enact stronger environmental legislations to assist curb extreme building as well as advancement to make sure people take a longer view.)

Development is good, however unfettered advancement is poor and, unfortunately, there’s as well much-unfettered advancement in tourism today.

But here’s why I put a great deal of blame on visitors: As a writer, it’s crucial for me to not only highlight destinations (Go here! It’s great!), however to likewise highlight obligation so future generations can benefit from the location as well as take pleasure in it. There are a great deal of fantastic environmental travel blogs out there, as well as while this site offers a lot more with the functional side of travel, I’ve talked about ruined locations before as well as the requirement for much better environmental security lots of times.

But, as tourists, we likewise have a obligation to the destination. If we regular operators, hotels, as well as services that are destructive — not only to the environment, however likewise to the regional economic climate — we can’t truly be shocked when we encounter mass advancement as well as “ruined,” overcrowded attractions.

How you spend your money is your vote for whether or not you accept what business do. You understand why business have jumped on the environment-friendly bandwagon? Money. Sure, some really care about the environment, however for 99% of them, it’s money.

People will pay a lot more money if they feel like they’re positively impacting the environment. Wal-Mart executives are quite open about the truth that they began selling environment-friendly as well as organic products since their clients were demanding it as well as there was money to be made.

I believe the exact same is true in travel.

We have a option in the vendors we use, the hotels we stay in, as well as the excursion operators we hire. Our dollars go extremely far in establishing countries, as well as the services there will modification if we demand it. begin demanding great environmental methods as well as unexpectedly you’ll discover them. If a lot more as well as a lot more people tell services that they want to see much better environmental practices, they’ll happen.

You’ve discovered a business underpaying or mistreating their regional staff? Or partaking in destructive practices? let them understand as well as utilize their competitors. There’s a great deal of info on the internet that can assist you discover a lot more about business to avoid:

Cruise Critic

Green worldwide travel Blog

National geographic eco-friendly Living Resources

I feel that lots of people, when provided the ideal information, will make the ideal choice. And, as a travel writer, I’d like to motivate people to make that ideal choice. That indicates looking up the environmental record of the hotel or resort you’re staying in, selecting a excursion business that is ecologically friendly, as well as avoiding destinations that are already overdeveloped. exactly how do you do that? A bit research study as well as typical sense.

But I can’t stop people from behaving terribly when they get to a destination. I can just push them in the ideal direction.

If we push locals to be eco-friendly, they will. If writers push travelers to be eco-friendly, perhaps they will. It’s a virtuous circle in which all of us contribute.

We all bear some responsibility, however those whose money supports the ruinous methods bear the most.

It’s not the volume of travel that matters, however exactly how that volume is handled. as well as we have a obligation to make sure that the volume we produce is well managed.

Or you might extremely well be the last person to see that destination in all of its splendor.
 

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Photo of Ko Phi Phi thanks to the traveling Canucks. It’s a fantastic blog; you must checked out it.