Traveling to other countries is an ideal way to come into contact with different cultures, see unique places and meet new people, but it is important to follow a series of guidelines when we travel, which guarantee care and respect for the environment, the culture of the area and the inhabitants themselves. And sometimes, tourism can cause damage to the place to which we travel, both to its inhabitants and to the environment. For this reason, in this Evidence Network article, we talk about how to do sustainable tourism.
Problems of current tourism and what is sustainable tourism
The World Tourism Organization (WTO), estimates that tourism is an activity that went from mobilizing about 2,000 million dollars in 1950 to 1.2 billion in 2015. In this period of time, international tourism went from about 25 million to almost 1,200 million. And these figures do not include national tourism (within the country), which is estimated at 6,000 million people.
Tourist activity generates wealth in the receiving place and is a great source of employment. However, on the other hand, it can also be a destructive activity. It is estimated that tourism activity produces up to 5% of global greenhouse emissions. Even if we take into account the energy used in hotels, transportation or hygiene products, it represents up to 12.5%.
For example, on the European continent, a tourist spends more water when on vacation and those who stay in luxury hotels, up to three times more. Other added factors are the waste produced in resorts and cruise ships, overfishing to meet the increased demand, loss of flora and fauna to build hotels or negative impacts on the culture of the community.
With the idea of counteracting this destructive tourism, the sustainable tourism alternativerespectful of the customs of the inhabitants and the environment of the community that welcomes us.
Tips for sustainable tourism or ecotourism
When traveling we can make a difference as consumers. Some tips on how to do sustainable tourism or ecotourism are the following:
- Take extreme precautions and comply with all conservation instructions for those monuments we visit. Many tourist places are the natural, cultural and architectural heritage of the sites we visit. In addition, they are a source of income, so it is essential to take care of them so that we can all enjoy them.
- Find out about the place or hotel where we are staying: for example, asking how they manage waste and water, if they source local groceries, if they have recycling policies or use technology instead of printed paper.
- Try to reduce the carbon footprint: the plane is the most harmful means of transport for the environment, so we can try to buy carbon credits for our trips.
- Buy local crafts instead of souvenirs industrial, in this way we also collaborate in fair trade in the area.
- Consume local products.
- Save on unnecessary electricity consumption. For example, you can save on electric heating or air conditioning.
Some examples of sustainable tourism
Gijon
The city of Gijón is a sustainable destination, certified in 2013 as a “Biosphere World Urban Destination” by the Sustainable Tourism Institute (ITR) and UNESCO.
Gijón is a city that offers numerous benefits to visitors and its inhabitants, such as various activities and museums, a great gastronomic variety, high quality of life and green landscapes. All this means that it has been awarded as the best destination in tourist quality by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism in 2012 and 2014.
Biohotel, Colombia
Biohotel is a sustainable hotel in Bogotá that has LEED certification. It offers accommodation, an event venue, bars, restaurant, laundry or parking. It has an infrastructure totally sustainable.
Feynan ecolodge
It’s a ecolodge in Jordan that promotes environmental conservation with minimal environmental impact and offers a great tourist experience. It was devised by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature and EcoHotels and has received several international awards.
Werfenweng
Werfenweng in a municipality in Austria where it is possible to enjoy sustainable and environmentally friendly mobility. In this place, we can enjoy traveling in electric vehicles, horse carts or low-emission vehicles.
Nautilus Lanzarote
It is an aparthotel adapted for people with reduced mobility. It has bathrooms that save water, use of recycled paper, recycled oil or photovoltaic fields.
Eco-friendly holiday villas
Located in the Maldives, it runs almost entirely on renewable energy. It has almost 6,000 square meters of self-cleaning solar panels. It also pays great attention to efficient water management, biodiversity and waste recycling.
If you want to read more articles similar to How to do sustainable tourismwe recommend that you enter our Tourism category.
