[INFORMATIVE] The benefits of sustainable tourism

The benefits of sustainable tourism

Written by: Stefania Jaramillo

Tourism, as defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica is “the act and process of spending time away from home in pursuit of recreation, relaxation, and pleasure, while making use of the commercial provision of services” (Walton, 2024, para. 1). When the word ‘tourism’ comes to mind, we often think about enjoyment, leisure, and entertainment, without considering the widespread environmental degradation this practice brings. Uncontrolled conventional tourism can lead to deforestation, pollution, and reduced amount of natural resources, as this is what the establishment and maintenance of infrastructure to support the tourists, such as hotels and roads, require. Tourism can also cause overconsumption of local resources, excess water use, and increased waste. However, a new phenomenon has originated from the concerns of many people regarding the negative environmental impact traditional tourism has on the environment. This is the idea of traveling without strongly compromising the planet’s resources while also valuing the communities that host the tourists. This is sustainable tourism.

This practice aims to minimize the negative impacts of travel, and it is becoming more than just a trend of the twenty-first century. This form of tourism will change the way we explore the world, and it was even recognized by the UN as one of the means for achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda. Sustainable tourism is not just based on the preservation of ecosystems, but the preservation of socio-cultural heritage as well.

Nevertheless, many people believe the common misconception that sustainable tourism is limited to nature-based activities and destinations (for example, sleeping in a tent in the middle of a desert), when this is not all that this type of travel is about. It involves making responsible decisions that have positive effects on the communities and ecosystems that are being visited, and there are many ways to do this. For example, heading towards a new destination with protected areas or national parks, staying in hotels that use renewable energies, and are aware of the conservation of natural resources, or even instead of a hotel accommodating with a family or locals who could show you traditional gastronomy, traditions, music, etc, are great examples of sustainable tourism.

Sustainable travel has many benefits, for both the tourists and the community that is being visited, for example:

- Helping to preserve the environment
As previously mentioned, choosing sustainable tourism instead of traveling the traditional way can bring several benefits to the environment. This form of travel promotes an efficient use of resources such as energy and water, which are used in mass quantities at conventional hotels. This way of mindfully using these resources can encourage travelers to think about reducing their use of them to ensure their long-term availability.

Several sustainable tourism practices also indirectly support conservation efforts to maintain protected areas and the flora and fauna that live in them healthy and use the profits gained by the visitors to ensure the well-being of many species.

- Discovering new beautiful vacation destinations
One of the key benefits of sustainable travel is that it encourages tourists to visit nearby, uncrowded areas instead of the most popular and far away vacation locations to avoid overcrowding and the massive use of natural resources in a single area. If you decide to favor reachable destinations, preferably reaching them by a clean mode of transport, you may come across beautiful places you may have never seen before. For example, there is a region in the southwest of France called New Aquitaine. Several lodgings prioritize low waste production and reasonable use of water and energy. This region is just five hours away from Paris in a car ride.


La Rayonnement campsite in New Aquitaine
(Regional Tourism Board, 2022)

- Getting to know new cultures and traditions
Sustainable tourism doesn’t only encourage interactions with nature, but also with local communities. Having contact with new cultures, traditions, gastronomy, music or learning about different lifestyles is key to building a more tolerant and inclusive society. Sustainable tourism focuses on preserving these practices and getting to know them might as well provide a unique experience for travelers.

- Supporting local economies
Visiting unknown places and getting to know new communities directly encourages tourists to buy locally-made products (such as souvenirs), attend cultural performances, try local foods, etc. All these things directly support local businesses economically and encourage communities to maintain their cultural heritage for other people to get to know it.

- Ensuring the long-term viability of tourism
Lastly, sustainable tourism is a way to ensure that resources are preserved for future generations, and they can still carry out activities like traveling. This way of travel protects the natural and cultural resources the tourism industry depends on. Using resources responsibly means that destinations can still remain functional and will not have to close because of the pressure mass tourism puts on the environment.

This practice focuses more on long-term stability rather than short-term profits, which is key to guaranteeing that in the future, traveling is still an option and not just a distant memory.

In conclusion, as the tourism industry continues to grow, adopting sustainable practices will no longer be an option or a trend, it will be a necessity to make sure that our planet can sustain its ecosystems, its natural resources and the cultural heritage of several communities can still thrive.


Sources:
The 9 Destinations Where to Practice Sustainable Tourism in 2021 !, ethik-and-trips.com/en/blog/the-9-destinations-where-to-practice-sustainable-tourism-in-2021-some-bonuses.

“Conserving Culture and Cultural Heritage through Inclusive and Sustainable Development.” CORDIS, 23 Feb. 2024, cordis.europa.eu/article/id/449507-cultural-tourism.

“Environmental Impacts of Tourism.” Environmental Impacts of Tourism, www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/envi/one.html.

“A Practical Guide to Sustainable Tourism for Real Travelers and Not Just Tourists.” Sustainable Tourism: What It’s and How Do It | Enel Green Power, 16 Feb. 2024, www.enelgreenpower.com/learning-hub/gigawhat/search-articles/articles/2024/02/sustainable-tourism.

Rariel. “What Is Sustainable Tourism?” GSTC, 20 July 2024, www.gstcouncil.org/what-is-sustainable-tourism/?lang=es.

“Sustainable Tourism in Nouvelle-Aquitaine : A Selection of " Good Practice " Implemented by Regional Tourism Stakeholders - Espace Professionnels Nouvelle.” Aquitaine, www.crt-nouvelle-aquitaine.com/en/News/Sustainable-Tourism-in-Nouvelle-Aquitaine-a-selection-of-good-practice-implemented-by-regional-tourism-stakeholders.

“Tourism.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 13 Aug. 2024, www.britannica.com/topic/tourism.