Not traveling is not the solution to responsible tourism

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Some of the world's most popular tourist destinations hang in a delicate balance. People visit them to enjoy the beautiful nature and rich cultures they offer. However, travel threatens the destinations that people come to admire. It can strain local environments and resources, cause loss of biodiversity and culture, and create an unfair distribution of income that leaves locals unable to live where they work. Still, not traveling is not the solution to responsible tourism, according to Triple Pundit . Traveling responsibly is the answer The travel and tourism industry produces between 8 and 11 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to estimates by the World Travel and Tourism Council, an industry group that represents travel companies. But despite the challenges involved, with a little effort, vacations can support healthy ecosystems and improve the lives of the communities they visit. The travel and tourism industry is still recovering from the pandemic. Still, it was responsible for 7.6 percent of global gross domestic product and 22 million new jobs last year, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

In the industry accounted for more than 10 percent of global GDP and employed more than 10 percent of the global workforce. The sector is expected to return to 80 to 95 percent of pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year, according to estimates from the United Nations World Tourism Organization. However, to sustain this industry in the long term, this recovery must be accompanied by greater inclusion, sustainability and resilience, wrote , Secretary General of the organization, in his analysis. He is not the only one asking for a change. A growing number of Belgium Phone Number List travelers are taking action. In a 2022 survey by booking platform Kind Traveler, 98 percent of respondents said it is important for their dollars to have a positive impact on the places they visit. What does it mean to travel responsibly? Responsible travel could be understood as trips that have a net positive impact on the environment, the economy and the people who live there. Supporting communities is at the heart of this idea and has the potential to improve quality of life in the long term. "You can't have responsible travel unless you take into account the needs, wants, challenges and interests of a community, of a destination," said Wesley Espinosa, executive director of the Center for Responsible Travel, a nonprofit organization.



That works to improve the positive impact of tourism. In this context, responsible travel begins with research, according to Espinosa. Just as travelers scour blogs and booking platforms to find the best airfares, restaurants and Instagram-worthy spots, traveling responsibly should take into account the entire trip, from choosing flights, finding property accommodations local, to the knowledge of the people who live there. Reaching out to nonprofits is one way to learn how communities want and need support, she suggests. “When you do that research beforehand, you understand what the development landscape of that nonprofit or local community is,” Espinosa said. «And you begin to understand the problems. Not [the problems] you see in the main headlines, but you start to understand the problems that are important to local people. And when you understand the issues important to local people, you are more likely to engage more efficiently, find local businesses, distribute your money and travel in a way that is truly beneficial to the community.” However, it also mentions that not all responsibility falls on the traveler.