DOs AND DON'Ts
Personally, I have a hard time of wrapping my head around terms
like ethical or responsible travel without flashing back to
the Goofus
and Gallant cartoons from Highlights
magazine. The strip featured two contrasting boys and in
the cartoon, each boy would respond to the same situation in
contrasting fashion. Goofus invariably chooses a selfish or
irresponsible response, while Gallant always responds with kindness
and generosity.
Dos and Don'ts is a great educational tool and one that I wish
were used more often in tourism presentations -- here is what
so-and-so does wrong, here is what so-and-so does right. Ecotourism
Laos, winner of the 2007
Ecotourism Spotlight Award, educates visitors with a list
of dos and
don'ts.
BUDGET TRAVEL
Google
'budget travel'
Newsgoogle
'budget travel'
Budget
Travel
CONSCIENTIOUS TOURISM
Google
'conscientious tourism'
Newsgoogle
'conscientious tourism'
Conscientious tourism is the philosophy favored by Planeta.com.
Simply put, it's traveling with one's conscience and connecting
with others in a particular place.
To use a Maori phrase (and the title of a photo
exhibition at the 2007 New Ecotourism New Zealand Conference:
Manaki Whenua, Manaki Tangata, Haere Whakamua (Care for the
land, care for people, go forward).
Travel encourages a deeper understanding of people and this
concept recognizes the fact that travelers engage in various
activities in the same day.
For example, the adventure traveler may also be a craft buyer
and a birder. Being aware of one's social and environmental
footprint is a core value of the conscientious traveler.
Conscientious tourism occurs when we are fully aware of our
individual and collective actions as travelers. We allow ourselves
to be inspired by others and in our gratitude we acknowledge
the good work of those around us.
SEEKING COMMON GROUND
At the policy level, how many meetings have bogged down in
debates of whether tourism is an industry or an agent for cultural
transformation? Is tourism a product or a service?
Do we agree on the date of Earth
Day?
If there is no clear agreement of what constitutes wilderness
or sustainability,
there is little hope that we can agree on what constitutes ecotourism
or sustainable travel.
We have few statistics about what differentiates 'traditional'
tourism from 'ecotourism.' And data provided by national and
international sources remains suspect.
Chief players tend to be such individualists, that disagreement
is inevitable and ought to be expected. If we cannot agree upon
a common language, perhaps it would be better to learn to appreciate
the dialects, to seek common ground.
It is not instructive to think of travelers, the so-called
eco travelers as a homogenous group. Interests and expectations
vary widely. An examine of green marketing shows that the level
of commitment and interest vary widely.
That said, while there is no 100% pure ecotourism, there are
plenty of options in which to choose the greener and more socially
responsible action. Travelers, Green-travelers
and Green Travellers
who pursue the eco route are numerous and odds are if you are
still reading this essay, you're among this group.
POINT OF VIEW
What policy-makers, travelers and locals consider 'ecotourism'
rarely has much in common. "What you call 'ecotourism'
in Latin America, in Europe we call a 'walk in the country,"
says John Noble, editor of Lonely Planet's Mexico
guidebook.
It's not just 'ecotourism' that is suspect.
"The last thing we need is for academics to suck the life
out of 'adventure travel' by defining it," says Michael
Kaye, owner of Costa Rica Expeditions, a leading adventure travel
provider.
The notion that tourism could be sustainable
is part of the dialogue on sustainable development. The goal
is that development meet the needs of the present tourists and
locals while protecting future opportunities.
No doubt we are touching upon subjects of immense interest
and passion. And we would be well advised to agree to disagree.
If we hold to our particular point of view, it is akin to the
fable of the blind men approaching an elephant and each 'seeing'
something different.
TRANSFORMATION
If projects are to be considered ecotourism, they must include
local participation and they must assist conservation efforts.
This is not to say that tourism services that don't include
these components are not good -- they simply are not ecotourism.
In an editorial
on ECOCLUB, publisher Antonis Petropoulos points out that "ecotourism
is not a movement for certifying tourism, but a movement to
change it."
Ecotourism as a dynamic process, an element that inspires the
transformation, is a beautiful vision and one that attracts
many.
PLAYERS
Leaders are taking up the cause -- after all, sustainable development
is preferable than the alternative. Government officials are
learning to develop the niche of 'ecotourism' in a way that
complements other sectors.
Planeta developed a list of stakeholders
based on a holistic view of those working toward ecotourism.Our
list of players provides a practical checklist of responsibilities
and suggestions for actions each stakeholder group.
We need to pay more attention to who participates in the process.
No ecolodge exists in isolation. And everyone plays a critical
role.
TRAVELERS AND TOURISTS
Tourist or traveler -- does it matter which term is used? Chances
are that during any trip, the visitor has an opportunity to
play multiple roles. All too often, travelers are taken for
granted.
During the International
Year of Ecotourism the traveling public were largely ignored
as valued players during official policy making events. For
example, the Quebec
Ecotourism Declaration does NOT include travelers as stakeholders.
A serious omission, n'est-ce pas?
We explore the issues in our essay Defending
the Tourists.
MIGRANTS AND TOURISTS
What is the difference between an migrant and a tourist? Traditional
definitions says a tourist is someone who spends less than a
year in a place.
But instead of looking at time spent, what if we paid attention
to the impact -- in the community and in the traveler? This
topic is explored in the 2007 Tourism
and Migration Conference.
Instead of insisting on single definitions, perhaps it's time
to focus attention on how key stakeholders
-- locals and travelers --define the terms. |
