In this post we will talk a little about the negative effects of mass tourism, the importance of Sustainable Tourism and some tips for being a more conscious traveler anywhere in the world. Let's go?
The problems with mass tourism
We know that traveling is the best, right ?! Travel gives us the possibility to get to know new places, people and worldviews. We spent days idealizing that special trip, which brings us enormous satisfaction and more energy to carry on with our lives. But have you ever stopped to think about the impact of your vacation trip at the destination?
Tourism has become an activity that happens on a large scale and this mass tourism often has negative effects, affecting biodiversity and the cultural and social aspects of the local community. This is because standardized products for wide commercialization are generally not thought of responsibly. For example, trips to natural sights such as coral reefs, if carried out on a large scale irresponsibly, can wipe out the region's ecosystem. Just as the construction of resorts can damage the local economy and the large number of visitors to a destination can result in significant cultural losses.
The good news is that there are practices and alternatives for consciously traveling. As in other segments of our society, tourism is also going through a transition. Let's talk about sustainable tourism?
What is sustainable tourism?
Wll, we can also call it conscious tourism or responsible tourism. It is a tourism practice in which the proposed activities take into account the socioeconomic needs of the region and are concerned with preserving biodiversity, in addition to valuing cultural aspects.
There are some concepts that already work with this vision like the Community-Based Tourism (CBT), the Voluntourism and the ecotourism. They are more conscious ways of traveling, where experiences end up being much richer and more authentic, something that only a true and respectful contact with the place can provide. There's no going in crowded tourist spots, which often say nothing about the local reality and do not bring benefits to that community.
Sustainable tourism in Brazil has been growing mainly through initiatives such as the Braziliando and other agencies that promote experiences with communities across the country. In addition, travel bloggers and digital influencers who address the topic are also already aware of the importance of talking about ways to be a more conscious traveler. We recommend the blogs Janelas Abertas and Viajar Verde for anyone interested in reading more about that. Both promote sustainable tourism initiatives and practices in travel in Brazil and worldwide.
Tips to be a more conscious traveler anywhere:
- Prioritize accommodations close to the places you want to visit and direct flights to minimize carbon emissions.
- Consume local products and take typical handicrafts home, so you value culture and generate income for the local community.
- Respect the animals and avoid tours that promise interaction with them.
- Always have a reusable bottle and an ecobag to avoid using disposables.
- On walks in the nature, remember to take home only your garbage and never take stones, seeds and leaves to avoid imbalances in biodiversity.
- Respect the residents and local customs - we can learn a lot from other worldviews without trying to impose ours.
- Research a lot, always choose experiences and tours promoted by responsible companies.
We hope that the tips are useful, bring reflection and new possibilities for transformation through the incredible experience that is throwing yourself in the world. Do you have any more tips or know of any nice initiative that promotes sustainable tourism? Tell us in the comments!
See you on our next trip 🙂
