In the 1990, the world had seen about 435 million travellers in different destinations across the globe. The number rose to more than 1.4 billion in 2018, but the area of those locations stayed the same. As eco-conscious individuals striving for eco-friendly tourism, our responsibility starts right at the beginning. That is, choosing the dream holiday spot. To conserve the ecosystem of an ecotourism destination, one may have to start with writing it off their bucket-list altogether.
Tourism is often responsible for putting a strain on the natural resources of a place. Despite usage of sustainable alternatives to travel or food, the act of tourism itself puts insurmountable pressure on land and water use, increases pollution at a faster rate, and poses dangers to endangered species. With travel bloggers being easily accessible on social media, all the adventure loving people have formed a virtual hub where locations that are best left untouched have been getting increased attention. Eco-friendly tourism has, thus, attained a broader meaning: abstaining from certain tourist destinations for their own sake. Wondering which places to exclude from your list? Here are some:
Bali
The most attractive of the Indonesian cities, Bali is suffering at the hands of tourism in an ironical manner. The city is losing its authenticity, experiencing environmental degradation, sanitation issues, over-crowded destinations, water scarcity and expensive housing; but also dependant on tourism and was terribly hit with economic losses during the Covid-19 pandemic when the government put restrictions on international travel. Bali has changed with the introduction of nightclubs, bars and pizza joints of Kuta, golf courses more resembling French Rivierra or Cancun and more and more outside influence. The Balinese heritage is getting lost in appeasement of foreigners, and it is best not to visit it while the city reclaims stronger, sustainable income sources other than tourism.
Hawaii
A simple Internet search on Hawaii will directly take you to its pristine waters and lovely beaches, while the Native residents suffer at the hands of the tourism industry and travellers disrespectful to the Hawaiian culture and space. At present, Native Hawaiians comprise less than 10% population of the island. Since the last century, there has been a continuous development of housing and hotels. It is possible that the next generation will not be able to buy their own lands as the prices are driving people out of their homes they have lived in for centuries. A rebuilding of eco-friendly tourism industry from community perspective has been emphasised upon, as a result of the 1993 hurricane Iwa. Hawaii has even been called the “extinction capital of the world” for the amount of species that have gone extinct or are at the risk of it. The tourism sector is mostly foreign owned, and it is better to let the island recover from the environmental and cultural exploitation before flying into it.
Venice
Venezia, Italy, or popularly known by its English name, Venice, is sinking. Built on more than 100 small islands, its rich architecture does not have proper foundations. Though the people are acquainted with flooding and have proper systems for disaster warnings, the frequency of the floods have increased over the years. The Venetian residents have started leaving the city as tourists continue to visit and consume its resources. The recycling facilities, sewerage, transport and accommodation are under pressure. The number of tourists far outnumber the original population of the place. Locals are suffering with high living costs, overcrowded transport systems and poor environment, driving them out of there. For the prevention of Venice turning into a living museum with no actual residents, tourists must limit themselves to other forms of exploring it, like books and audio-visual media.
Machu Pichu, Santorini, Blue Lagoon, Himachal Pradesh and many more places are in the same condition: a compromised environment with locals bearing the brunt of over-tourism. In that case, eco-friendly tourism must consciously exclude such destinations to help them recover and flourish.
Also Read: 5 critical Climate Actions you can take right Now
