The negatives associated with travelling typically centre around the impacts to the environment. In fact, tourism accounts for 8% of the world’s carbon emissions. Whether boarding the plane, taking an uber to a landmark or getting a take away meal, every action counts.
With the ability of travel to impact everything from the broader environment to the individual livelihoods of locals, making strides towards eco-tourism is incredibly important. Otherwise, natural landscapes, local flora and fauna and everyday individuals will be disadvantaged.
While the notion of a eco-tourism and sustainable travel might be foreign to some, green travel can be both simple and seamless. With destinations around the world both practising and preaching eco-tourism and sustainable activities you don’t have to abandon the notion of pursuing exciting adventures in order to travel green.
What is Eco-Tourism?
At its core, eco-tourism is all about responsible travel. This responsible travel should be to areas that actively work to conserve their natural environment, all while promoting the well-being of the local people.
Another part of responsible travel encompasses taking part in nature based activities where understanding of natural and cultural values is promoted and encouraged. This is because, with education, people can be encouraged to better look after key natural resources.
Key principles of eco-tourism and sustainable activities include:
Minimising physical, social, behavioural and psychological impacts
Building both environmental and cultural awareness
Providing positive experiences for all
Providing financing towards continued conservation
Raising awareness of individual countries’ broader environmental and social climates
These principles work together to ensure that eco-tourism provides travellers and tourist destinations with benefits. For example, one of the overarching benefits of eco-tourism is the fact that, by promoting responsible resource use, pollution and waste is drastically reduced.
When travellers subscribe to these sustainable travel principles, the local economy and ecosystems are improved. With travellers making a concerted effort to limit plastic use or reduce energy consumption, the local ecosystem can be protected both now and in the future.
For travellers, there are profound benefits to conservation tourism. Everything from the local economy to sustainable development is promoted. For example, by supporting local communities, tourists can actually create more job opportunities for locals.
In addition to this, by participating in sustainable travel activities, you will often pay an entry fee or something similar. These funds go directly towards further conservation projects that will benefit the local people, flora and fauna.
Above all else, eco-tourism provides travellers with an opportunity to immerse fully into a different culture, all of which offers perspective and education. By having this importance outlined, sustainability can be achieved in both travel and everyday life.
Eco-Tourism Around the World
With the importance of eco-tourism so paramount to protecting the environment both now and in the future, continents around the world are increasingly employing their own unique blends of eco-tourism, creating once in a lifetime highlights for travellers.
Africa
From Kenya and Tanzania to Rwanda, each country has their own brand of eco-tourism that is enticing travellers from around the world to come and visit.
The number one attraction in Rwanda is of course the gorillas. With 10 habituated gorilla families open to tourists at the Volcanoes National Park, trekking permits are limited to 80 each day to meet strict conservation regulations so that the animals are not overburdened. Additionally revenue collected by tourists is directed towards the local communities and surrounding parkland, all of which helps Rwanda adhere to key eco-tourism principles.
One of the best eco-tourism destinations in the world is Kenya. Ecotourism Kenya is an organisation that works to provide support and examples of best practice to Kenyan tourism companies. All of which ensures that destination promotion and sustainability are at the core of activities like safaris and mountain hikes.
From Mount Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania is a natural wonderland. So that tourists can respectfully and responsibly explore these destinations, guided services are provided. These services adhere to principles such as embracing solar power and rejecting charcoal use. They also direct accrued income to helping local tribes send their children to school.
Asia
Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, these are some of the top destinations in the world. Luckily, they are also great green travel destinations!
In the northern part of Indonesia’s Sumatra, travellers will find one of the most bio-diverse places in the world, the Gunung Leuser National Park, which is complete with the Sumatran tiger and the second largest concentration of orangutans in the world.
With over 110 national parks and protected areas, practising eco-tourism in Thailand will quickly become second nature. From weekly beach cleans to rehabilitation programs for animals like gibbons, Thailand celebrates the best of the natural world.
Home to one of National Geographic’s Unique Lodges of the World, Malaysia works to practise and promote green tourism and green living. Located in Sabah, the Sukau Rainforest Lodge utilises everything from rainwater to used cooking oil to subsist.
Europe
Tourist hotspots France, Italy and Iceland offer much more than iconic and historic landmarks. In fact, they are also some of the most sustainable travel destinations in the world.
One of the last untouched destinations on earth, Iceland is a natural paradise. Think fjords and lava fields, geothermal lagoons and of course, waterfalls. All of these natural landscapes means that there is no shortage of sustainable activities for tourists to engage in.
While France is often associated with the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, head out to the countryside to see this country truly come to life. From staying in eco lodges to strolling through Bordeaux vineyards, embracing the natural is seamless in France.
Known as a veritable cultural hub, travellers are often surprised to learn that Italy is home to half of the plant species and almost a third of all animal species in Europe! So, put down that slice of pizza, embrace the notion of a slow food culture and adopt sustainable initiatives such as touring smaller towns that denote the impact of tourism on people and nature.
North America
Preaching natural wonders and conservation tourism, North American countries ranging from Costa Rica and Mexico to Jamaica are peak spots for those looking to embrace green travel.
In Costa Rica you will find a relatively small country where over a quarter of the land is dedicated to housing parks, nature reserves and conservation based efforts. This, coupled with the variety of ecosystems means that eco-tourist activities are vast and varied.
From biosphere reserves in the Chihuahua Desert and the cave complexes of the Grutas de Garcia to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Oaxaca, the terrain in Mexico is almost crying out to be explored, whether you like adventures on dry land or on the water.
Referred to as the top eco-tourism destination in the Caribbean, Jamaica has a wealth of opportunities for travellers looking to explore a location without harming the overall ecosystem. Places like Black River and the Martha Brae River invite travellers to relax and indulge in Jamaica’s natural beauty with elements of conservation tourism front of mind.
South America
As far as eco-tourist destinations go, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil are ranked highly when it comes to countries embracing sustainable travel.
In Ecuador you have the Galapagos which is a group of islands that were actually deemed as the inaugural UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the Galapagos, humans play second fiddle to a natural landscape that reigns supreme. Able to be explored by foot, bike or boat, these islands are home to both new species of animals and old friends like iguanas and penguins.
With mountainous landscapes, endangered species and archaeological sites, visitors to Peru need to adopt the mindset of respecting mother nature. The waterways and lakes, along with the hiking trails are fragile ecosystems, that’s why guided tours are a must.
Eco-tourism in Brazil is all about travellers immersing themselves in their natural surroundings such as the Amazon Rainforest. As a vital area of forest and wetlands, sustainability is at the fore when it comes to the Amazon with protection in place against everything from uncontrolled cattle roaming to unrestrained extraction.
Oceania
In Oceania visitors will find some of the best natural landscapes in the world. In Australia, places like the Great Barrier Reef receive all of the hype. However, spots such as the Mornington Peninsula, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island more than pull their weight.
In Port Douglas, along with the Great Barrier Reef you will find the Daintree Rainforest where exploration promotes sustainability. On Lord Howe Island, the number of visitors is capped at 400 at any one time to prevent overcrowding. While Norfolk Island and the Mornington Peninsula have worked hard to implement initiatives such as farm to table cuisine.
New Zealand is also a big drawcard when it comes to green travel. With approximately 20% of the country’s land a designated national park, forest or wildlife reserve, steps are taken to protect and preserve local landscapes and inhabitants. With fjords, mountains and parkland aplenty, you can mountain bike, dip into a thermal pool or spot kiwis all in one day.
Sustainable Activities for Travellers
Eco-tourism is all about getting out into nature and having experiences. The emphasis is on experience as this breeds understanding and respect for places and ecosystems. All of which is essential when it comes to changing behaviours.
Sustainable activities include but are not limited to:
- Wildlife tours
- Conservation projects
- White water rafting
- Ziplining
- Hiking
- Sailing
- Diving
- Cycling
- Trekking through national parks
One of the main ways that sustainable activities contribute to eco-tourism is by reducing emissions. When you are walking through rainforests or diving into the ocean, you are not expending valuable resources like you would driving a car or shopping for new clothes.
Another key aspect to sustainable activities is the fact that they also double as education opportunities. A lot of sustainable activities are led by local guides. These guides are able to impart information that is historically and culturally important.
In addition to this, paying for tours from guides often results in revenue being injected back into the environment, whether that be the national park or wildlife reserve. This means that your money is directly covering the maintenance costs of keeping the environment thriving.
Tips for Eco-Friendly Travel
There are both small and large steps you can take to travel with eco-friendly habits in mind. While these changes might be a little different than what you are used to, they in no way take away from the overall travel experience.
One such change to make is embracing the idea of slow travel. Flying has the largest carbon impact of any travel related activity. With this in mind, opt for trains and even boats where you can. If this is not practical, book a nonstop flight. This is important as 25% of aircraft emissions stem from the takeoff and landing processes. If you can limit stopovers, you are limiting your environmental impact.
Along with modes of travel you should also look into what you are packing when you travel. Rather than filling a suitcase with clothes that can only be worn once before needing washing, opt for ethically produced and sustainable gear. This way your laundry habits won’t overburden your travel destination’s local community and their water supply.
Speaking of water, whether staying in a hotel or an air bnb type arrangement, conserving water is paramount. This can be achieved by taking short showers instead of filling up the bathtub. Also, implement common practices such as turning off the tap while brushing teeth. If staying in a hotel, make sure to make the bed and hang your towels up so that housekeeping doesn't provide you with a fresh set every day of your stay.
Further to the point of staying in hotels, always look out for green options. Some hotels will have a policy surrounding green practices. These practices can range from the installation of solar power and energy efficient lighting to rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling.
Above all else, a great tip is to simply support the local community, this is true whether you are just passing through or are intending to stay for an extended period. Support for locals can be shown by using things like reusable water bottles, frequenting venues owned by locals and using tour operators that direct their revenue towards sustaining local operations.
Challenges and the Future of Eco-Tourism
While eco-tourism is an incredibly beneficial notion that has positively impacted countries and their associated ecosystems around the world, there are some challenges that need to be considered.
For example, any travel to such environments does have the potential to degrade the ecosystem and disrupt the environment. With increased foot traffic comes increased demands on the local population. More visitors means more demand in terms of food and drink. It also means more air, land and noise pollution as visitors make their way to different parts of the world.
It’s also important to consider that there are situations where locals may be relocated in order to build hotels and the like to house this increased foot traffic in the name of tourism dollars. Not only may residents be forced to leave, but key natural elements such as trees may be removed as new accommodation locations are constructed.
In light of these challenges and combined with a need to further the positive impact of green travel, future trends for eco-tourism are already emerging. With a focus on the future, more practices can be put in place to try and lessen the impact of any perceived challenges.
With this in mind, the future of eco-tourism seems centred around embracing different types of accommodation such as treehouses, tents and tiny homes and in turn, moving away from hotels where emissions can easily add up.
With more knowledge around carbon emissions comes greater understanding and a willingness to try and offset footprints. This is why flight credits and tree planting programs are also becoming commonplace.
Above all else, the future of eco-tourism is directly correlated with increased education and awareness. At the end of the day, travel is only sustainable if the local community and all that it entails are not harmed. With greater education, sustainability principles can be adapted and adopted.
Embracing eco-tourism
Travel is one of life’s great adventures. There is no feeling quite like walking down new streets, having new adventures, chatting with people from different cultures or standing next to some of the world’s most photographed landmarks.
However, underneath these great experiences is the very real fact that, when you travel without principles of eco-tourism at the forefront, the local ecosystem, people, flora and fauna are negatively impacted.
With the extent of these impacts able to, in some circumstances, be quite far reaching, travelling with sustainability at the fore is vitally important. This way, people, places and natural life can continue to prosper.
While it’s undoubtedly confronting to think about the negative impact your travel could be having on a location, the solution is quite simple. By switching out common travel practices for eco-friendly alternatives, travel can be a positive experience for everyone.
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