Why Tourists

Why Tourists -

Last summer, while I live, the places Ruin Visit (and what to do about it) in Sweden, I met with travel writer Doug Lansky, the man behind several worldwide destination guides for Rough Guides. We talked about traveling (of course) and began to discuss the philosophical question of whether, as travelers writers, we end up destroying the places we love by sharing with the world.

The off-the letter -beaten-track destinations that small restaurants and quiet parts of the town where you are free of tourists, we can with death and sprawl these objectives inadvertently contribute about those?

When I examine this question, I think of two things. First, I think about Tony Wheeler, founder of Lonely Planet, the man who pretty much commercialized backpacking. He is the man who turned the world on Ko Phi Phi, used to look like the left image and now looks like right:

Secondly, I remember my own experience on Ko Lipe in Thailand is (a small, out-of-the-way goal) and how overdeveloped become in recent years this island. And I think, as I always talk about Coral Bay, Australia - and other small towns and restaurants around the world -. With great enthusiasm and encouragement

of people to the next "undiscovered" take place, I can only ruining it? Will I be the guy who says, and again: "Man, this place used to be cool 10 years ago."

However, while not entirely blameless, I do not travel writers are to blame if they places crowded destinations full of tourists and overpriced hotels.

What a goal tourists are actually ruined.

and I do not just mean that the increase in visitors due. I mean that because tourists unsustainable tourism practices support at the end, and that is what really destroyed a place.

We just love Places to death.

I've seen way too many locals who are short-sighted to attempt the construction of hotels, resorts and companies to cash in on the latest fad travel. And who can blame them? must eat People, children must be sent to school, and the money must be earned. The future is someone else's problem, is not it? And I can not really complain about a lot of people for this logic. I do not agree with it, but how do you tell someone they can not build anything to feed their families? (I think many countries in the world, including my own, should more stringent environmental laws enacted excessive building and development to curb, to ensure people have a longer term.)

I remember me reading an article by Thomas Friedman of the New York Times talking about the rainforest in Brazil. In an interview, a local activist that people need to eat, and while some understand the need to the forest to protect without alternative food on the people will choose to protect trees.

And it is not only the locals do it.

Big companies come and take full advantage of lax regulation, take low wages, and corrupt officials. Greenwashing, the practice of pretending to engage in eco-friendly measures, is very widely used in travel.

development is good, but unhindered development is bad, and unfortunately there is too much unhindered development in tourism today.

but say that I blame still mostly tourists. I think as a writer, it is important for me not only mark targets (go here! It's great!) But also stress can responsibility so future generations will benefit from the location and enjoy it. There are a lot of great environment are travel blogs, and while this page offers more with the practical side of travel, I have ruined places before and often spoke the need for better environmental protection.

But tourists we also have a responsibility to the goal. This is where consumer choice and the power really come to us. If we frequent hotels and services that are destructive operators - not only for the environment but also for the local economy - we surprise can not be real if we and "ruined" mass development crowded attractions encounter

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How you spend your money for your voice, if you accept what companies do. You know why companies have jumped on the eco-train? Money. Sure, some care really about the environment, but also for 99% of them, it's money. People will pay more money if they interfere with the feeling that they are the environment positively. Wal-Mart executives are quite open about the fact that they began selling eco-friendly and organic products, because their customers demanded it and there was money to be made.

I think the same thing in travel is true. We have a choice in the vendors we use, the hotels we stay in, and the tour operators we provide. Our dollars go very far in the developing countries, and the company will change when we call. Start calling good environmental practices, and suddenly you will find them. If more and more people, the companies say that they want to see a better environmental practices, they will happen. You have a company underpaying or mistreating their employees found locally? Or partaking in destructive practices? Let them know and use their competitors. There are a lot of online information that you know can help more companies to avoid:

Responsible Travel Report
Green Travel Resource
Green Global Travel Blog
National Geographic Green Living resources

I think a lot of people, the right information, if given, to make the right choice. And as a travel writer, I would like to encourage people to make the right choice. This means looking to the environmental performance of the hotel or resort you stay in, choose a tour company that is environmentally friendly, and avoiding destinations that are already overdeveloped. How you do that? A little research and common sense.

We go to these places, because they are beautiful. We will probably never come back, but if we do, we do not want the magic still be there? Do not we want our children and grandchildren to enjoy these places?

We all bear some responsibility, but those whose money supports the ruinous way contribute most.

It is not the volume of travel, but which counts as the volume handled. And we have a responsibility to ensure that the volume we provide is well run. Or you could very well be the last person to see this target in all its glory.

Image of Ko Phi Phi thanks to travel Canucks. It's a great blog; You should read it. I am happy to announce that they are now our regular contributors to family travel for this website.

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