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Table of Contents
Introduction
Introduction
Tourism provides significant income for some people, communities, and even certain countries.
Problems of Tourism
Problems of Tourism
Historically and today, tourism brings many downsides including:
Overwhelming small communities that lack adequate infrastructure
Introducing disease and invasive species to delicate ecosystems
Trampling or overharvesting of certain species (even illegal poaching of endangered species to make souvenirs like jewelry or to feed to tourists)
A large ecological footprint as far as single use plastics, light pollution, noise pollution, water pollution, and transit emissions
Benefits of Tourism
Benefits of Tourism
Somewhat predictable income for communities and those in the tourism industry
Some of this money can be redirected as improvements for the community and protection of local ecosystems
Encourages a local sense of pride about local landmarks and eco-systems
Potential to educate visitors about the local history, culture, and ecosystems.
Problems with Tourism
Problems with Tourism
Transit Choices
Transit Choices
Flying & Cruises
Flying & Cruises
These are some of the top sources of tourism pollution. Cruises ships can belch out so much pollution that they can turn a small harbor's air into smog comparable to that of a large city. Similarly, flying by plane or helicopter will immediately make your emissions footprint spike, even if you otherwise live a low-impact lifestyle.
In addition to air pollution, these also produce noise and light pollution. Cruise ships and other sea-faring vessels also dump pollutants into the water including sewage, single-use plastic, and bilge waste. Vibrations from cruise ships and ferries have also been found to cause serious harm to aquatic creatures including reefs, marine mammals, and even plankton on which these ecosystem's food chains often rely.
Tourist Behaviors & Actions
Tourist Behaviors & Actions
Sun Screen
Sun Screen
While sunscreen is an important and effective way to protect against skin cancer, studies have found that sunscreen from tourists can harm corals, killing off their polyps and preventing reproduction within affected reefs.
Firefly Festivals & Tourism
Firefly Festivals & Tourism
These bring large crowds of tourists to delicate ecosystems. These tourists don't always understand the delicacy of these insects nor the environments that they live in. There is generally little understanding of the harm that camera flashes do at these vital times in the insect's reproductive cycle. As a result habitats are damaged, fire flies fail to find mates, and their numbers drop further.
Fireflies face extinction risk - and tourists are partly to blame "Firefly tourism is on the rise globally but scientists are warning it may contribute to risk of the insect's extinction." "...firefly tourism is often crucial to local economies and should not be banned." "Instead tour operators and tourists can develop eco-friendly practices." Article explains the problem and solutions.
Increased Roadkill & Boat Collisions
Increased Roadkill & Boat Collisions
This is a growing problem in places such as the Amazon rainforest where new roads are continuously springing up, dissecting critical ecosystems where animals don't know to avoid roads. More roads, and smaller ranges mean higher death counts for wildlife.
Solutions such as wildlife bridges, overpasses, and underpasses can help animals from the ultra-slow sloth, to human-shy elephants can safely move around without injury.
Marine spatial planning can help communities and businesses create wildlife-friendly routes that protect both people and wildlife.
Low-Impact Tourism
Low-Impact Tourism
Active Transit
Active Transit
If the place being visited has adequately safe and accessible active transit options such as safe sidewalks, bike lanes, greenbelts or greenways, then active transit is often a preferred mode of travel, allowing people to get to know the local culture, animals, plants and other interesting sights.
Hike & Bike
Hike & Bike
Bikes and similar transportation options such as trikes, recumbents, side cars, scooters, skate boards and skates can all be great ways to get around quietly, quickly, as well as fully immersed with your surroundings. Infrastructure such as safe sidewalks and bike infrastructure can help make these options not only easy to engage in, but compatible with daily community life.
Paddling & Rowing
Paddling & Rowing
Rowing or paddeling combines the benefits of active travel with "slow living" in this case, taking the time and being peaceful enough to enjoy the local scenery and wildlife.
Sailing
Sailing
Sailing is a faster option, but equally, if not more quiet than the average paddler or rower. Sailing may also be a more accessible option for those with health issues such as low mobility, strength, or energy.
Certification
Certification
You don't have to get certification for eco-friendly action or design, but it can help potential visitors determine which places are actually making efforts to help our planet, which might guide them make their travel decisions. Joining these programs generally costs some money, but the also tend to come with the benefit of concrete actions you can take (or have already taken), and guide you away from accidentally harming your local ecosystems.
SITES Certification "is for projects located on sites with or without buildings—ranging from parks to corporate campuses, botanic gardens to universities, and more. Explore certified projects."
The Certified Firefly Habitat Program "is a first of its kind certification program to address the issues leading to declining habitat for fireflies. Created by Ben Pfeiffer, founder of Firefly Conservation & Research, Ben will teach you how to curate your habitat so that it provides all of the elements needed for fireflies to establish an existing and growing population on your land. "
Programs & Projects
Programs & Projects
International
International
Wild Parrots Up Close "We visit feeding, roosting and nesting sites and watch the Parrots as they go about their daily routines observing the law of the jungle in not disturbing any of the wildlife.
We also visit conservation projects some of which are directly involved with particular parrot species whilst others are habitat or land projects.
By visiting these projects we are making a financial contribution towards these conservation projects which means anyone joining my trips will be helping to conserve the Parrots, other wildlife and habitats directly."World Parrot Trust "Ecotourism is an idea that has evolved in the 30 or so years since it was first established. It has gone from being an unregulated and somewhat unpredictable way for tourists to see wild places to, thanks to changing attitudes, a genuine approach to helping save wildlife and wild spaces. Now, ecotourism in most cases has become a responsible way to travel, to promote the conservation of natural areas and maintain the wellbeing of local peoples and animals. Community-based ecotourism companies work closely with local people, providing income and incentive to conserve the surrounding areas.
In the case of parrots, protecting the land can help to save them, as most depend on intact forests. The World Parrot Trust supports responsible ecotourism as a means to protect parrot habitat and populations throughout the world."
Africa
Africa
Tanzania
Tanzania
Authentic Indigenous Cultural Experiences in Tanzania - Visit Natives
Traditional Wildebeest Migration "Our goal is to stimulate tourism in remote places that need protection. We do this by filming the experiences and distributing the content globally."
UK
UK
Scotland
Alladale Wilderness Reserve This reserve is rewilding with reforestation and peatland restoration. They also have a Scottish wildcat and red squirrel revival programs.
North America
North America
USA
USA
Montana
American Prairie "Choose your own adventure. Although American Prairie is constantly expanding as we purchase new habitat, it's a place that you can already enjoy and explore."
Texas
Texas Prairie Wetlands Project (TPWP) "focus on harvested croplands, moist-soil areas, emergent wetlands and other created wetlands to increase biodiversity for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent species. In return, landowners sign a minimum-10-year wetland development agreement and commit to managing and maintaining the wetlands. TPWP works closely with rice producers to improve fields and infrastructure for water conservation, production and habitat management.
Each year, TPWP projects provide critical staging and wintering habitat for thousands of waterfowl, including white-fronted geese, snow geese, northern pintails, green- and blue-winged teal, gadwalls, northern shovelers and redheads. Resident fulvous and black-bellied whistling ducks, as well as mottled ducks, rely heavily on permanent and semi-permanent wetlands for nesting and brood rearing during the spring and summer.
Many landowners utilize TPWP projects for hunting leases and ecotourism. Many sites are also on rice farms, a declining agricultural entity along the Gulf Coast. By working with private landowners to increase and restore wetland habitats, water quality and water quantity an issue of great concern in Texas can be improved."
Organizations
Organizations
International
International
Wild Parrots Up Close "We visit feeding, roosting and nesting sites and watch the Parrots as they go about their daily routines observing the law of the jungle in not disturbing any of the wildlife.
We also visit conservation projects some of which are directly involved with particular parrot species whilst others are habitat or land projects.
By visiting these projects we are making a financial contribution towards these conservation projects which means anyone joining my trips will be helping to conserve the Parrots, other wildlife and habitats directly."World Parrot Trust "Ecotourism is an idea that has evolved in the 30 or so years since it was first established. It has gone from being an unregulated and somewhat unpredictable way for tourists to see wild places to, thanks to changing attitudes, a genuine approach to helping save wildlife and wild spaces. Now, ecotourism in most cases has become a responsible way to travel, to promote the conservation of natural areas and maintain the wellbeing of local peoples and animals. Community-based ecotourism companies work closely with local people, providing income and incentive to conserve the surrounding areas.
In the case of parrots, protecting the land can help to save them, as most depend on intact forests. The World Parrot Trust supports responsible ecotourism as a means to protect parrot habitat and populations throughout the world."
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