Can travel really be sustainable? The answer is yes it can be. We declare it must be! In the article “Sustainable Tourism: A long the road” by Samuel Wich (2020), we discuss what actions can we do to make sustainable tourism happen and the definition of sustainable tourism.
Sustainable travel information stated, “Travel brings us up close to some of our planet’s most stunning natural wonders and connects us with cultures around the globe. It also has the power to change places and the lives of the people who live there – for better or worse”.
(Sustainable Travel Information, 2019)
This quote has nailed everybody’s attention; it means that the ways we travel have impacted to the sustainability of our earth. What can we do to protect our planet according to sustainable tourism? What can government and we do to make sustainable tourism happen?
Ecotourism is an important movement that grew hugely in the 1980s, just as tourism was transforming from micro business to mass takeover levels and it is on the stage of extensive development. According to the definition of eco-tourism, an authentic experiencer is type of traveler that would mostly enjoy eco-friendly tours, as these travelers are eco conscious, ethical and open minded for new things. Eco-tourism is mainly focused on preserving nature and wild animals, one of the main ideas that authentic travelers may able travel without negative impact on the surroundings nature. It is paramount that we as well as every other group of stakeholders ensure that the tourist of the future gets to enjoy the same experiences as us today. The effect in which tourism has upon our environment cannot be taken for granted”. According to the United Nations, sustainability is defined as activities that “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”” Sustainable tourism in turn can be defined as “actions by individuals, operators, and legislators that aim at reducing or stopping the negative impact of commercial tourism activities on the eco-systems in which they take place”; according to Samuel Wich (2020). In order to limit the effect tourism has on our ecosystem, the importance of the industry being protected, must be understood as the stakeholders harvesting and exploiting such natural resources have the most to lose from its depletion; “they directly depend on its longevity”. Investments in this niche tourism benefits all stake holders of now; we the people, the government and the industries, as well as stakeholders of the future; travelers and tourists to come.
Like many other buzzwords used in marketing today such as “green” or “eco-friendly”, it is feared that the word sustainability, “has lost its true meaning”. It is noted that many companies that “praise themselves for 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as a sustainable development” are rather contradictory in themselves. According to Samuel Wich(2020), “Diminished harm does not equal an increased benefit to future generations thus, businesses that have not eradicated every unethical and harmful substance from their supply chain and daily operations cannot truly claim to be sustainable. Instead, current “green” transformations in the tourism industry are to be understood as steps in the right direction rather than the final solution to sustainability”.
Quite easily, simple steps can be taken in order to ensure the reduction of our impact on the ecosystem as we travel both by tourists and organizations involved. In order to curb the impacts of tourism on the eco-system, “tourists can travel off-season in order to reduce over tourism, reduce littering and even picking up trash and always staying within boundaries while companies may reduce resources used to deliver services and products to customers, get rid of single-use materials and most importantly, encourage all clients to do the same”.
Governments of particular tourism destinations play crucial role in supporting sustainable tourism in their countries. They have to keep in balance between economic growth and sustainability, especially in countries where economic prosperity mainly depends on tourism. Every tourism destination has its own limit of carrying capacity, which is the maximum ability of hosting tourists. Closing or limiting access to tourism destination sites is not all that governments are doing to counter over tourism and increase sustainability in their countries and cities. In 2019, theauthority of Amsterdam imposed strict restrictions on private rental platforms, such as AirBnB. Nowadays, homeowners are only allowed to sublet their apartments via such platforms for up to 30 days per year. The city has also fines for minor offenses such as drinking alcohol or urinating in public have also been raised in an attempt to get tourists to behave better. Cities such as Berlin, Barcelona, Lisbon and Venice face similar problems and are taking measures to the same effect. One of the main goals of governments is to educate their citizen how to be eco conscious and how to practice eco-tourism in their countries. In September 2020 there will be a compulsory environmental education focused on climate change and sustainable development in Italy which will have a huge positive effect on the development of sustainable tourism in the future.
To sum up, the idea of sustainable tourism and the concept of sustainable development are interrelated because its mainpurposes are to maintain the sustainability on the earth. This is an initiative to promote tourism without damaging the environment. Also, sustainable tourism is not a one-way street. Everyone who is involved, undoubtedly benefit from one way or another.
(Wall, G. and Mathieson, A.,2006, 15).
”Sustainable development requires a long-term perspective that works towards equity between people, and between people and other inhabitants of the planet”.
This means that everyone need to develop a strategy to preserve the environments they live in so that the human impact thereupon is minimised and the places that are amazing to see today will still be amazing for generations to come. Let’s join together and support ecotourism.
Total words:977
References
Mack K. (n. d.). Ecotourism, Ethical & Sustainable.https://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/responsible-tourism/travel-guide/ecotourism
Polovitz Nickerson, N., Kerr, P., & Murray, W.C. (2014).Snapshots: An introduction to Tourism (6th ed.). Pearson.
Sustainable Travel Information.(2019). https://sustainabletravel.org/
UNWTO. (n.d.). Sustainable Development.https://www.unwto.org/sustainable-development
Wall, G. and Mathieson, A., 2006. Tourism: Change, Impacts and Opportunities. Harlow: Pearson Education.
Wich S. (2020, March 4). Sustainable Tourism: A Long Road Ahead. https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4097313.html