Plan Your Next Trip Using Sustainable Tourism

By Rachel Cohen

It may be your dream to travel the world and visit every country. Now that is a great goal but the local and global impacts of tourism should not be forgotten.

Since the Corona Virus Pandemic, tourism has dropped significantly. But as we slowly are coming out on the other end 2.5 years later, tourism is beginning to pick back up. As it picks up it’s important to think about our habits regarding the tourism industry and how we can participate in sustainable tourism practices, and responsible tourism.

Environmental Impacts Of The Tourism Industry

As the world has begun to open back up we are reminded of the environmental impacts and negative impacts of tourism, such as flying, destruction of land to build resorts, and the removal of local residents. Flying has an extremely large carbon footprint where the entire aviation industry counts for 1.9% of all greenhouse gas emissions. The mass tourism we are seeing after Covid is contributing to these greenhouse gas emissions. The destruction of land and natural resources for resorts is an unsustainable practice. Destroying the land might have future economic gains for an area but at a large cost, such as displacing people and ruining essential ecological processes.

What Is Sustainable Tourism?

According to The World Tourism Organization, sustainable tourism is tourism that meets the needs of tourists and host regions at present while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future. Sustainable tourism aims for a tourist to think about the local communities, local culture, and environmental impacts of their time in the destination. Achieving sustainable tourism may seem like a daunting task, but there are always different ways to incorporate sustainable tourism practices into your travel.

Sustainable Tourism Versus Responsible Tourism

Before talking about what actions you can take to participate in sustainable tourism it should be noted there are other options, such as responsible tourism. Responsible tourism only relates to the specific actions and strategies that local communities, businesses, and tourism managers can take to minimize the impact of their tourism activities. 

Responsible tourism habits may be habits you already practice in your day-to-day life, such as using reusable like water bottles, not littering, and minimizing waste production. Other habits of responsible tourism include generating economic benefits for locals by buying from local communities rather than large businesses, appreciating local culture and cultural diversity, and minimizing the environmental impacts of tourism. The tourism industry can make this difficult, but with commitment to sustainable practices it is possible.

Promoting Sustainable Tourism Practices

The tourism industry is a massive sector of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) making up 10% of it. With such a big impact it’s important to think about how our actions are contributing, or not, to the places we visit from the lives of the local residents, the local culture, the use of natural resources to the local economy. With so many areas to consider it is important to promote sustainable tourism.

Some tips include taking the train over the plane as a train has a lower carbon footprint. You can also support businesses that have good sustainable tourism practices such as tour guides who have environmental awareness.

Sustainability Global Goals In The Tourism Sector

The World Tourism Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations. The organization works toward educating the tourist industry about responsible and sustainable tourism and universally accessible tourism. The work of The World Tourism Organization is deeply connected to the sustainable development goals of the United Nations environment program. The World Tourism Organization specifically works toward Sustainable Development Goals #8, 12, and 14 which focus on economic benefits, responsible consumption and production, and life below water. By practicing sustainable tourism, individuals can participate in these goals as well.

Benefits Of Sustainable Tourism

Sustainable tourism makes good economic sense. When the tourism industry participates in sustainable tourism, it’s possible to help support local communities by creating jobs. Tourism development typically happens in the more densely populated areas of the world, which can create extreme inequality among residents of a country. By participating in sustainable tourism and making it known there is a demand for “off the beaten path” experiences, local communities can be put on the map. This means that jobs come to the area to help support the tourism industry which in turn helps empower local communities and local populations to share the local culture.

Socio Cultural Aspects Of Sustainable Tourism

The socio cultural aspect of sustainable tourism is making sure that the international tourism you are partaking in is not disrupting the daily lives of the residents. Coming into a local town and taking pictures, staring, pointing, or making comments is not okay. Dressing immodestly in modest communities is not acceptable. This might make the local people feel uncomfortable in their own homes. Being responsible, respecting and appreciating the local people and culture is important to preserving the traditional culture of the land.

Eco-Tourism

Eco-tourism development is a new kind of tourist industry and falls under sustainable tourism development. Eco-tourism is tourism that is focused on highlighting the importance of maintaining essential ecological processes through highlighting more natural environments. For example, ICSD leads eco-tours around Israel, bringing participants to non traditional tourism destinations in order to bring awareness to Israel’s natural resources and beauty.

Sustainable Tourism Facilities: Fiji

Sustainable tourism does not only have to come from your actions but there are also resorts, hostels, hotels, and other tourist organizations that are practicing sustainable tourism. Six Sense Fiji is a resort that runs on 100% solar power, captures rainwater, and does not allow single-use plastic.

Sustainable Tourism Facilities: Columbia

Other places such as BIOHOTEL in Columbia is a LEED (Leader in Energy and Environmental Design) certified hotel that uses eco-friendly suppliers. Sustainable tourism does not have to be something that only you can do but choosing the right tourism destination and tourism activities makes it possible to always participate in sustainable tourism.

Sustainable Tourism and Religion

The Indonesian government has big plans for “sustainable tourism” on Flores Island. An article in ThinkGeoenergy describes Flores Island as “an island with natural wealth and high tourism potential, an Indonesian hidden treasure that needs to be honed.” Tourism development requires a lot of electricity, and to meet those energy needs, the Indonesian government is turning to the the abundant geothermal energy that is uniquely available in the region. “ThinkGeoenergy” explains how geothermal energy “is an environmentally friendly energy source, where geothermal drilling is carried out at a depth of 1,500 – 2,500 meters far below surface water sources commonly used by the community.”

This all sounds great, but with quite a bit of digging, another story emerges. UCA News reports that the residents of Wae Sano on Indonesia’s Flores island are not on board at all. Indonesian Bishop Siprianus Hormat explains how the locals feel “intimidated by the presence of military and police officers providing security at the site” and that they are very worried with the drilling point being “only 20 to 30 meters from the center of the village and 100 meters from a Catholic Church. Likewise, waste disposal is located in residential areas.” This project may be advertised as green and good for everyone, but Bishop Hormat argues on behalf of the indigenous locals that “the project is harmful to nature, clean water sources, air, agricultural land and also livestock.”

But then the plot thickens. A new article came out from UCA News just a few days later, updating the situation. While Bishop Hormat had initially spoken out strongly on behalf of the locals, over the next year, he changed his course 180 degrees:

The villagers initially felt their hopes were answered when in June last year, three months after being ordained, Bishop Hormat wrote to the president calling for the project to be scrapped. Community-based agriculture and tourism should be developed instead, he wrote.

However, unbeknown to the villagers, the bishop signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in October, purporting to seek a comprehensive solution to the row.

The MoU then became the basis for the formation of a joint team involving the diocese, the government and the company in charge of promoting the project among the community, which in turn led to the bishop writing to Widodo backing the project.

Bishop Hormat’s support for the villagers and their concerns and then turning against them is a sad development. But thankfully there are other advocates of the villagers that are helping this story come to light. UCA News explains how “criticism of the bishop over his move has emerged within the Church itself, with the Franciscans having declared their support for the villagers in social media posts in recent days.” This story illustrates the power of local indigenous people to work together with international religions like Catholicism to elevate their voice, but also the dangers of those international allies turning into enemies.

Seeing this story unfold and all its twists and turns is a cautionary tale. As we have seen again and again, religion can be an incredible force for good, but it can also be an incredible force for evil and corruption. Additionally, we can learn from this that if we are part of one of the world’s major religions, the most valuable contribution we can offer is not necessarily to teach, but even more so, to make space for those whose voices may otherwise not be heard.

May God bless us to work together for a more sustainable future, with truly sustainable tourism: visiting each other in peace and learning from the greatest sustainability experts of all time, our indigenous brothers and sisters.

* Featured image source