We are all familiar with the old traveller’s adage “Take only photographs, leave only footprints”. But how much do we adhere to this advice? As travellers we do not think of ourselves as an imposition on the countries we visit; we do not want to steal from them, pollute them, or harm the people we meet. It is a fact, however, that the travel and tourism industry is notoriously exploitative of environment, culture and economy. Perhaps it is time we consider our contribution to this exploitation and start taking action to stop it.

EXPLOITATION

Long haul flights are becoming increasingly less expensive and exotic holidays abroad are no longer the realm of the rich minority. Mass, packaged tourism, once a phenomenon limited to the shores of Europe, is starting to spread to developing countries. Holiday providers are attracted by cheap labour and low rent. Developing countries are quick to welcome tourism as a way to boost their struggling economies. The tourism industry does generate vast amounts of money but very little of this money stays in the developing countries. Most of it flows back to the industrialized countries of the West. This leakage of wealth means that people are left in poverty despite the exploitation of their resources, environment and culture.

Tourism Concern is a charity that is working to highlight the plight of tourism workers around the world; they have carried out extensive research in five popular long haul destinations : Egypt, the Canary Islands, Bali, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

They found that although tourism brings jobs to these areas, many of the 100 million who work in the tourism industry are over worked and underpaid. They are given very little time off and are paid a salary that does not match the high living costs in tourist areas. Most are kept on short non-temporary contracts so they can be fired and re-hired but are never guaranteed social security. Workers often have to leave their families and travel for many miles to live in tourist regions, returning only weekly, or even monthly to see their loved ones.

It is no surprise that tourism workers are paid so poorly. They live in countries that have few labour laws to ensure they get fair wages and the right to form trade unions. The tourism operators exploit this and use their purchasing powers to
force down prices. It is the workers that bear the brunt of these low prices.

ENVIRONMENT

The environmental impacts of tourism are inextricably linked to the economic exploitation. If a hotel worker can barely survive on their wages are they likely to concern themselves with recycling? Tour operators rarely provide the resources for environmental education and preservation, they are more concerned with cost cutting than tree hugging.

Many of the countries we visit have infrastructures that are insufficient for their own populations, let alone the vast quantities of people that flood to popular destinations. Stocks of raw materials and resources such as energy and food are rapidly depleted. Water supplies are put under major strain. Patricia Barnett, Tourism Concern’s Director, said: “Water is a particular issue. Rapid and unsustainable growth in the tourism industry means that acute water shortages are occurring in destinations and local people are suffering rather than tourists”.

Pollution is another major problem, increased amounts of waste water, boats and people can lead to contamination of oceans, rives and lakes. This causes risk to human and marine life. Delicate eco-systems, such as coral reefs, are destroyed. Hotels rarely recycle, they use large quantities of Styrofoam. Lights are left on and water is left running.

ECO-TOURISM

Tourism does not have to be so devastating. As the world becomes more environmentally aware there is a growing market for eco-tourism. When the concept of eco-tourism began to develop in the early 1960s it seemed like the perfect solution to the problems of tourism, it offered people the opportunity to travel with minimum impact. Some ecotourism would even be beneficial, with conservation projects and support for local communities.

Recently, however, eco-tourism has come under criticism, with claims that eco-labelling is just another marketing tool used by international tour operators. Eco-tourism is the fastest growing sector in the tourism industry and has become a niche market, people are willing to pay more for a holiday with a conscience. The fact that you have paid more for an eco-holiday does not, however, give any guarantees that long term protection of the environment will occur. The term ‘eco’ is loosely applied to many different ventures, some of which are genuine but some of which are no better than mass tourism operators.

Patricia Barnett said: “The term can be used by anyone at anytime for anything from a small-scale locally-run rainforest lodge where the money goes to support a local community, to a large, luxury, foreign-owned resort which has little community involvement and uses masses of natural resources.”

Ecotourism can be problematic because it is often concerned with relatively undisturbed natural areas These areas become a focus of international tourism as a result. Some projects run the risk of disrupting delicate environmental and cultural balances if not managed properly.

The problem with eco-tourism lies in the lack of any solid definition or definite guidelines. Companies that use the ‘eco’ label do not at present have any real obligation to adhere to the various guidelines that do exist. Some progress has been made towards the recognition of genuine projects, British Airways have developed the ‘Tourism for Tomorrow’ awards and First Choice have launched their own ‘Responsible Tourism’ awards. However, there needs to be a regulated and recognized system of certification to ensure that ecotourism meets the necessary standards.
Eco-tourism is the first step towards a more responsible industry. It is by no means perfect yet, but the concept at least recognizes the need for environmental and cultural factors to be worked into travel and tourism.

For all its pitfalls, tourism does have the potential to rejuvenate economies and revive societies. The most effective way to ensure that your tourism is beneficial rather than exploitative is to be well informed. Do some research about the country you are visiting and if you book through a tour operator don’t be afraid to ask questions about their policies.

If tourism is to be sustainable and beneficial to its host country then it must be run with the involvement and consent of local communities. It should employ local people, pay fair wages and respect local culture and social structure.

INDEPENDENT TRAVEL

Many of us will choose independent travel, free from the constraints of tour operators.
Independent travel gives plenty of opportunity to give back to the local community. By staying in locally owned hotels and buying locally produced food and drink rather than international brands we can ensure that local people are profiting from our tourism.

Responsible, eco-friendly tourism is not just about peat toilets and tree planting, it is about the small actions we can all take to make a difference.

Before travelling to a country make yourself aware of the social and environmental issues; learn a bit about the local culture, some of the language. If you travel with respect and an open mind you will be welcomed everywhere you go.

SOME ECO-AWARE TRAVEL TIPS

:: If camping, keep to established campsites and avoid areas where land degradation is
visible. Minimize campfires and wash
yourself and your dishes at least 200ft away from streams and lakes.

:: Book flights with airlines that recycle the waste created when serving food and drinks; some airlines, such as British Airways, have
better environmental policies than others

:: Where possible, buy electronic tickets for travel - this cuts down on paper wastage.

:: When leaving your room turn off air conditioning, heating, lights, televisions. Don’t leave taps running or shower excessively. Make an effort to minimize usage of resources.

:: Use public transport rather than hiring your own vehicles. If you do hire, share with
others to minimize emissions.

:: Use biodegradable soap, re-use plastic bags and request plates for room service/carry-out rather than Styrofoam containers.

:: Don’t participate in hunting or fishing unless it is an effective wildlife management plan.

:: Don’t keep boat or car engines running unnecessarily.