Travel responsibly
Make your next holiday a responsible one and you'll get more than just a suntan and some duty free shopping. Ecotourism makes sure that the money you spend while you're on holiday goes straight to the local community rather than to a large corporation.
The problem
There has been a great deal of press dedicated to the carbon emissions generated by air travel, but this is by no means the only negative impact tourism has on the environment.
Areas of great natural beauty are often some of the most fragile in the world. Unchecked tourism can put enormous pressure on these environments, leading to impacts such as soil erosion, increased pollution, habitat loss, strain on water supplies and heightened vulnerability to forest fires. Local populations are also often forced to compete with tourists for the use of critical resources.
Due to these environmental and sociological pressures, many areas of outstanding natural beauty are in danger of being spoiled. Unless we learn how to travel responsibly, the places we want to visit may soon no longer be worth the trip.
What you can do
Ecotourism is the art of travelling responsibly. The eco-tourist seeks to minimize their impact on the local environment and improve the well-being of the local people.
Responsible tourism means steering clear of large resorts and luxury hotels, and instead looking to travel in a way that avoids waste, supports indigenous culture and creates genuine economic opportunities for local communities.
How to do it
Unfortunately there is still no universally accepted accreditation for ecotourism, and the exact definition of the term is widely disputed. Many travel companies seeking to jump on the environmental band wagon label their holidays as ‘ecotourism’ when all it means is that the hotel has a nice view of some trees.
However, there are a few things you can do yourself to help ensure that you holiday in a responsible manner.
Most importantly, make sure you thoroughly prepare for your trip. Learn about the local history, culture and environment. Approaching travel with a desire to learn, rather than just observe, will help you get far more out of your visit.
Respect local traditions and be conscious of the resources that you use. Be aware of local eco-systems and the impact your activity is likely to have on them.
Support the host economy by using local transport, guides, restaurants and markets. Don’t eat at the tourist trap where they ship in beef burgers every day, get your food at one of the local market stalls. You’ll directly benefit the local economy – and eat something far tastier as well!
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