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7 Effective Ways to Promote Sustainable Tourism

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Marikay Paul
7 Effective Ways to Promote Sustainable Tourism

Sustainable Tourism stands on three pillars: Protecting our environment (reduce, reuse, recycle), Preserving our heritage (restoring historic buildings, and protecting endangered species), and supporting community-based initiatives and tourism (both socially and economically, by buying local artifacts as souvenirs from local artists). A balance must be established between these three pillars for long-lasting sustainability.


7 Effective Ways to Save Our Planet When Vacationing


Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

The EPA report mentioned that airplanes alone accounted for 9% of greenhouse gas emissions. You can reduce this amount by avoiding planes or, if it's necessary, booking non-stop flights and traveling in economy class. Hence, while booking cheap flights to your desired destination, use public transport, or hop on a bicycle to roam around the city, book an eco-friendly hotel, turn off the AC, reduce food waste, buy souvenirs from local artifacts, avoid buying items that were somehow associated with illegal trade. For example, furniture made of rosewood is popular in South Asia, but you need to understand that rosewood is a rare wood, and governments and local authorities are trying to protect them from illegal trade.


Support Local Business

Though locally made crafts are expensive, buying from local businessmen can help the community thrive and boost the region's economy. This little act helps increase employment to local youth and supports the local handcrafts and their material providers. It is an excellent sustainable tourism example.


Say No to Illegal Trades and Wildlife Products

Sometimes locals sell products made from protected flora and fauna and animal skin, fur, or poached ivory and horn. If you buy such animal or wood products, you are directly encouraging the traders to continue their illegal activities.


Protecting endangered species, rare orchids and wood, environment, habitats, and biodiversity is a fundamental part of sustainable tourism. It's your moral responsibility towards the planet to discourage illegal trade by boycotting businesses associated with illegal trades.


Say No to Plastic

Only 9% of plastics can be reused, and the rest end up in landfills and oceans, harming our biodiversity. Plastics are non-degradable and stay for thousands of years, endangering species.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (a collection of marine debris in the North Pacific) is covered with gazillions of plastic bottles and bags that will jeopardize the marine ecosystem.

There are several alternatives to plastic. Instead of buying plastic bottles, bring your bottle, get your bag and deny plastic bags while pursuing street markets and shops. New Jersey too is facing the same chaos created by the tourists. Hence, if you are booking cheap flights to New Jersey, then pledge not to use plastic or plastic-made products during your trip.This way, you can cut back on plastic waste.


Go Green

It takes just a few simple steps to go green while traveling to a new place. From hopping on public transport to living in an eco-friendly hotel, you can contribute to saving our environment. You can turn off the air-conditioner, switch off the lights, and use other electronic gadgets when not using it. Stay in a hotel that has recycling programs.


Choose Sustainable Alternatives in Island or Coastal Destinations

Beach vacations or Island holidays are the new travel trend. It gained momentum because it allows you to connect with nature and the ocean closely.

The economy of beach towns and islands depends on tourism, and hence, to accommodate and offer exciting activities, several developments are being made in these areas. Several coastal forests were ripped off to pave the way for developments. These forests protect the coastal regions from typhoons and soil erosion, and so do the mangroves.

For example, several tour operators or resorts offer tourists the opportunity to explore marine life. Unfortunately, this act is damaging the marine ecosystem. When tourists touch, pollute or break off parts of coral reefs, it fights back, and in the process, the corals expel algae from itself, and it starts bleaching, eventually leading to its death.

Coastal development is a significant threat to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, which lost half of its coral cover due to human intrusion.

The local governments of coastal areas or islands are taking necessary steps to save marine life and its wilderness. As a tourist, you can choose a low peak season to lessen the burden in these areas, understand the ecosystem, and contribute to sustainable tourism development.


Save the Heritage

Museums are places where ancient artifacts and historical collections are appropriately preserved. But heritage buildings, monuments, and palaces are vulnerable. These buildings and monuments are old, fragile, and sensitive. But instead of safeguarding them delicately, tourists prefer to emblazon their name on the walls or touch them even if the signs say ‘NO’.

These monuments are visited by millions of tourists annually. Although the local authority and governments take steps to preserve their heritage, it is our responsibility not to litter around or spit on the walls as a tourist.


Wrap Up

The local governments, tourism ministry, and the tourism industry are taking necessary initiatives to establish a community-based, sustainable eco-tourism. But it still faces some challenges in several parts of the world. The benefits of sustainable tourism will have an immense impact on our climate and biodiversity in the future if we effectively resolve the challenges and work towards saving our planet together.

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Marikay Paul
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