Claire Thomson
I, like most of the population, am relieved that we are slowly regaining our freedom to travel and explore new places. But with the resurgence of tourism comes another set of challenges, ones that are bigger than Covid passports and vaccinations. Such challenges were around long before our generation and, unless action is taken, they will remain long after we’ve gone.
Before we all scour the internet looking for the best all-inclusive beach resort deal or jet off on a city break, let’s take a moment to think about the impacts of our tourism, and what we can do to help save our Planet A. Because, as we all know, there is no Planet B.
Tourism for inclusive growth
The Covid-19 pandemic has massively impacted the travel and tourism industry, both socially and economically. Developed and developing countries have faced loss on a large scale and, as a result, have suffered immensely. Before the pandemic, Spain was the second most visited country in the world. Yet in March 2021, only 490,088 foreign tourists stayed under the Spanish sun. This was down from just over two million in March 2020 before the pandemic. If we join together and support each other, the restart of tourism can benefit everyone in a new and unique way, restoring these tourist hotspots to their former glory.
Every year, World Tourism Day is celebrated on the 27th of September as an opportunity to look beyond tourism statistics, and take into account cultures, traditions and communities. This year, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) have designated World Tourism Day 2021 as a day to reflect on inclusivity with the theme Tourism for Inclusive Growth. It was a day to celebrate tourism’s special ability to bring people together, and ensure that no one is left behind. This is particularly important as the world begins to open up again and we look ahead to the future.
It’s all up in the air
Today, the future of tourism is looking stranger and more uncertain than ever before. When we thought that we had it bad, the aviation industry had it worse. Hundreds of airline workers were made redundant and left without financial support as airlines struggled to keep their heads above water (or in the air, even!). British Airways were forced to cut around a third of their workforce, with roughly 10,000 staff being laid off in spring 2020. Eighteen months on from the start of the pandemic, the recovery process is still far from where it should be.
There is no hiding the fact that even for those of us who have chosen to catch flights post-pandemic, air travel is looking very different to what it did before. Of course, flying isn’t the only method of transportation. But can we really be expected to embark on our dream holiday, that we deserve after all this time, without taking to the air? A 24 hour train ride to Spain doesn’t sound too tempting.
“Tourism is so much more than catching flights, it’s about catching feelings, too.”
Whilst travelling abroad is still difficult, there are so many opportunities to support local businesses in domestic tourist areas which have not been able to receive a steady income over the past year. There are only predicted to be 5.6 million visits from European tourists to the UK in 2021, which is a mere 20% of the number of tourists from 2019. A further 1.8 million non-European tourists are expected, which is only 13% of the 2019 level. UK travel restrictions are increasingly relaxed, yet the number of tourists venturing into the UK is hardly close to previous figures.
As for domestic tourism, you’d probably presume that it would be higher than ever before. But you’d be wrong. Granted, the forecast for domestic tourism spending for 2021 is up by around a half compared to 2020, but it is still only 56% of the level of spending seen in 2019. Of course, there’s something special about jet setting to another country and immediately feeling that warmth as you step off the plane. But tourism is so much more than catching flights, it’s about catching feelings, too.
Tourism is for communities
Personally, I believe the most important part of tourism is its ability to promote interaction between humans. Cultures, backgrounds and stories are happily exchanged which wouldn’t be possible without tourism. It allows for the rebuilding and bonding of communities as they have the chance to work together to earn an income from these exchanges.
“Clearly, not all tourists are made equal.”
When the ‘sea, sun, sand’ rule is not applied and tourism is for education and authenticity rather than a good tan, tourism can generate a massive income for countries. In Komodo National Park in Indonesia, independent travellers spend around US $100 locally per visit. In comparison, package holidaymakers only spend half of this. Even worse, cruise ship arrivals on average spend a mere three cents in the local economy. Clearly, not all tourists are made equal.
The growth within the tourism sector is among the highest in developing countries, particularly where the landscape and the environment are of public interest. Work opportunities can be very rare in poverty-stricken areas, thus jobs in this industry allow local people who are unemployed to improve their standard of living and begin to earn an income. In 2019, travel and tourism was responsible for 10.6% of all jobs worldwide: 15.4% of employment in the Caribbean, 6.5% in Africa, and 10.0% in Pacific Asia. This revenue earned can be reinvested into the local community to improve sanitation and provide clean water facilities, something which is necessary for the health and well-being of the locals.
Is ecotourism here to stay?
A main value and focus point of UNWTO is to promote sustainable tourism development across the world and ensure that we are doing everything in our power to benefit as many people as possible. The importance of sustainable tourism, for both people and the environment, is more clear today than ever before. So many of us are desperate to get back out there and explore the world after being locked up for so long, but this dream can be detrimental to our Earth if we don’t stop and think about the possible consequences of mainstream tourism.
Tourists have traditionally created a bad name for themselves as they invade a country and leave their unwanted mark on local communities and the environment. We’ve all seen photos of rammed beaches in Benidorm, where there is hardly any space to move, never mind sunbathe. Imagine the litter and coastal pollution as a result of that! Similarly, the beautiful city of Amsterdam has become tarred with sex and drug-based tourism, and garnered a reputation as a city to let off some steam in more ways than one. This is a reputation that is harmful and unwanted by locals. In order to combat this, the concept of ecotourism has emerged.
“Basically, it’s living the dream, without harming the planet.”
Ecotourism is not a new idea, but slowly yet surely it’s infiltrating modern society as we search for ways to reduce our carbon footprint and help protect the environment. It focuses on responsible travel and looks to improve the well-being of communities across the world. Whether it’s trekking across a desert in Northern Africa, climbing the Himalayas or exploring the Amazon Rainforest, ecotourism has something for everyone. Basically, it’s living the dream, without harming the planet.
Ecotourism’s growing popularity and purpose to educate tourists about the wonders of the natural world pose many benefits for local communities. Local people can learn more about other cultures and the world without having to find a means to travel, whilst teaching tourists about their traditions and how they live sustainability. This raises cultural awareness and results in unique discourse about subjects such as farming and climate change. It also has the possibility of increasing development rates in countries experiencing extreme poverty. For example, more infrastructure, like roads and buildings, are being funded by charities and the government to support the increased tourism. Indeed, we should view ecotourism as a chance to give back to those less fortunate than ourselves and aid in moulding the future of these developing countries and protected areas.
And off on holiday we go!
Holidays take many shapes and forms, with no two looking the same. You don’t need to sacrifice your well-deserved holiday in the name of sustainability, the environment or local communities. Instead, try to make some changes which will impact the Earth and its people in a positive way. After all, inclusivity and sustainability can be simple and inexpensive. As our society heals from Covid, we should help the Earth heal too.
Featured image courtesy of MustangJoe from Pixabay. Image license found here. No changes or alterations were made to this image.
Claire Thomson
Aspiring Sports Journalist and Modern Languages Student (French/German) at University of Glasgow