Sustainable Tourism is the Way of the Future

Tourism was once the privilege of the upper-class European elite or perhaps to those embarking on a religious pilgrimage. Exposure to language, culture, art and history proved to be of immense interest and value to people who could afford it. Many of these principles still exist today, albeit in a different form. These days, travel to distant lands is a ritual for anyone who can afford the plane ticket, and has become a staple activity for both families and businesses.

Improvements in technology, transportation and middle-class wages have opened the door for people to travel further than before, and niche industries have also flourished to cater to specific interests. The rapid development of this industry has, however, left sustainability behind. We are now racing to catch up to public demand for travel opportunities while changing the way we think about the local people affected by an influx of tourists. It is vital that our practices today do not impede the development and betterment of tomorrow. Sustainable tourism is an ethos that is looking to balance those needs.

What is sustainable tourism? From 1995 to 2010 eco-tourism began to be a common term as the topic of climate change was on the international agenda. Eco-tourism is all about minimising our footprint on the planet and places we visit, making sure our holidays are doing as little damage as possible to the environments we visit. Responsible travel was the next wave. Responsible travel is concerned with creating jobs and building the local economies which benefited from tourism. It is becoming more relevant to understand the implications of our travel arrangements on our destinations.