Is eco-tourism really Eco-Friendly?
There is a trend in travel, which has taken a lot of steam in recent years. This trend is called eco-tourism. Since the environment important people has become in the last decade - and especially so in the last few years - Companies around the world are trying to cash in on the willingness of people a lot of money in the name of environmental protection spending. Much of it is greenwashing though, or insincere and exaggerated attempts are seen "green". The travel industry has been this trend not become immune and many companies its environmental performance in an effort to tout to lure customers and a positive picture.
You have to wonder, however, just how environmentally friendly is eco-tourism? Eco-tourism is defined as:
Connecting conservation, communities and sustainable travel. This means that those who should implement and participate in responsible tourism activities follow the following ecotourism principles: minimizing the impact, build environmental and cultural awareness and respect, provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts, provide direct financial benefits for conservation, financial benefits and empowerment for local people, and increase the sensitivity of the countries political, environmental and social climate.
But how many companies really that live up to host? How much of it is really greenwashing? If I put a number on it, and I will, I would say at least 70% of it is simply greenwashing. The Marriott or other places could waste on its commitment to reduce the. Through the use of recycled toilet paper and low-flow shower heads, but they have huge mega hotels speak The nature of the hotel means that they never be truly environmentally friendly, unless they build the place from scratch. And most of their customers do not set up with higher prices to the cost of capital to help offset the modernization to be environmentally friendly. You may cancel your carbon emissions with Qantas offset but, if you really want your footprint to reduce, you would not fly. And if you reserve the most environmentally friendly hotels and tours, they are also the most expensive. Obviously Ecotourism is only for the rich.
companies tout how they are going green to save the environment, but they are developed only incremental changes to feel good. Few companies make capital investments to really change their business model, particularly those who. In the tourism industry It is easier to change toilet paper as change how you design your future hotels. I doubt many cruises have 100% gray water systems.
And the commitment to local cultures? With the exception of a few tour operators, rarely look at companies that are trying to help the local communities in any significant way. They work great tours with underpaid local staff and export a lot of money in the central, rather than leaving it in the local economy. Ask. Most of the carriers on the Inca Trail, as they are treated, and you will find no positive response Just because they hire local staff does not mean they are "giving back" to the community to grow.
Eco-tours marketed as low impact, environmental and community-friendly way to see the world. See Amazon or Patagonia without any major impact on the environment to make. See Antarctica without making impact. Tourists come to know a little about the local culture, and then left, satisfied with the knowledge that they "helped" the environment. But the reality is that large companies that will take you, make you feel good, and take all the profits back home.
I see promise and hope in sustainable tourism . For me, this is different from eco-tourism. Ecotourism hurt me on the environment is not and a little education, but sustainable tourism is about life and growing with the environment and local cultures. You do not find with the big companies this. You can change a light bulb and reduce waste, but would you really want a note sustained?
Sustainable tourism requires new thinking, and you usually find this with small operators. These operators change their business structure, so as to have minimal impact on the environment as possible. Buy local products, local services, treat their employees well, use few resources and are eager to help the environment rebuild and educate tourists.
This is a promising site for eco-tourism trend. By participating in local initiatives, the only good, feel better the environment instead of a Greenwashed Tour, wear more to protect essentially about the environment. I believe that the eco-tourism trend is here to stay and that is certainly a good thing. But for them to have a much greater impact, there must be a focus not only on "with less toilet paper", but also on a sustainable, local initiatives that help companies to grow and heal the environment.
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