Hannah Atkinson
Swanky spa resorts, open bars, temperatures that reach over 20° – who doesn’t love a holiday? A chance to relax, forget about work and drink copious amounts of alcohol – everything you do at home, just without the guilt. But for a lot of young people, traditional holidays come with a different type of guilt. One that first-class seats and seaside resorts cause instead of cure. Hannah Atkinson delivers the pros and cons of the rise in ‘ecotourism’ and whether or not we may even consider it all that ‘green’…
The tourism industry is one of the biggest in the world, with 1 in every 10 jobs accounted for by this sector. This type of growth, however, comes at a price. If the industry continues its current practices, its greenhouse gas emissions will have increased by 131% by 2050, causing further harm to our already damaged climate. Overcrowding, excessive water consumption, littering, and ‘touristification’ (the process by which an area becomes overrun by tourists and tourist attractions, pushing out the local people), all lurk beneath tourism’s shiny façade. But the negative impacts of tourism are becoming increasingly known, as the public peels off its saccharine mask and confronts its uncomfortable reality. We can’t continue like this.
With traditional tourism losing some of its appeal, ecotourism may be proffered as a ‘morally superior’ alternative.
So, what other options are there? With traditional tourism losing some of its appeal, ecotourism may be proffered as a ‘morally superior’ alternative. Defined by The International Ecotourism Society as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education”, ecotourism puts the people and places first. It often involves booking activities with companies offering ‘ecotourism activities’ and staying in locally owned accommodation to avoid the large chain corporations.
The greatest benefits of ecotourism are, of course, seen by nature. The industry can help to protect the natural environment, engaging tourists in environmental issues and ensuring tourist activities are done in a manner that’s sensitive to vulnerable habitats. Activities such as group hikes can provide an immersive nature experience, but in a way that minimises the impact left on the area being explored. Such activities can go further than simply not causing harm, however, as ecotourism industries can prevent the expansion of harmful industries such as logging, or provide a new source of income for conservation sites. This allows biodiversity in these areas to recover and grow.
Correctly managed, ecotourism can also be beneficial to the local community, providing a new source of income for the economy. There have been some signs of successful ecotourism ventures – in Costa Rica tourism in environmentally protected areas reduced poverty by almost two-thirds. Meanwhile, in Tambopata, Peru, ecotourism is the most profitable activity in the region. The incoming tourists bring with them money – money that is spent in the local area and thus fed back into the community. By utilising the natural beauty already on their doorstep, communities can generate the income central for their development.
Terms such as “eco-friendly” can be thrown around by companies to lure tourists in, often without any credible work behind it.
The ecotourism industry is not, however, without its flaws. Greenwashing is as rife here as in any other industry, sometimes to even more damaging effects. Terms such as “eco-friendly” can be thrown around by companies to lure tourists in, often without any credible work behind it. This helps companies attract customers, and allows the customers to feel good about themselves, but ultimately doesn’t help the environment they claim to be protecting. At best this greenwashing allows companies to lie and deceive, exploiting the environment not just for its resources but for its ad-worthy image. But in other cases, irresponsible management means that companies can cause harm to wildlife. Tourists can trample or harm vulnerable habitats, or cause a reduction in the fear responses of wild animals toward humans, leaving them vulnerable to poachers that exploit their confidence. Tourists may pay to witness the natural world, but it’s the natural world that pays the real price.
Without proper regulation, there is also the risk of the industry exploiting local communities for their own gain. Large corporations may dominate the ‘ecotourism’ industry and cut the local communities out of the picture, meaning they have no involvement with the activity happening on their land. Locals don’t have the opportunity to gain jobs from the business, meaning money made is sent back overseas without ever entering the local economy. The insufficiency of opportunities can be devastating for communities already struggling with poverty, preventing local people from escaping the cycle of poverty while tourists gallivant around their homes. It also undermines one of the key principles of ecotourism – protecting the well-being of local people – meaning the tourist activities are not only harmful but can also no longer be accurately described as the ethical adventure they claim to be.
Despite the issues with ecotourism, both present and potential, its fundamental ideals are ones all tourists could benefit from embracing. Responsible travel protects the planet, but it also provides the opportunity for personal growth and the embracing of new cultures. With appropriate research it can be possible to find companies who genuinely engage with environmental practices; considering what their claims are, whether they have evidence to back the claims up, and the potential impacts of the activities they offer can help to determine the legitimacy of the company. The industry has its strengths and weaknesses, but it also has the potential to move the tourism industry towards embracing sustainable practices, and perhaps a more eco-friendly (genuinely eco-friendly) future.
Hannah Atkinson
Featured image courtesy of Pedro Lastra via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of Angelo Pantazis via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
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