What happens when TOO many travelers visit a location and don’t take care of it?
I went to the Blue Lagoon in Malta, made famous for its clear turquoise waters and considered one of the top destinations in the country.
The experience was, quite frankly, terrible. There was barely an area to stand, never mind lie down. The water was completely cloudy for a long distance from the shore, with garbage visible everywhere near the shoreline.
As a travel creator, it’s not lost on me that tourism can be very bad as well as good. That’s why we need to advocate for sustainable tourism. Now, you CAN visit the Blue Lagoon and have an amazing experience - by chipping in money for a private boat tour to take you around the area and far from the crowds. But this is cost prohibitive for a lot of travelers.
At the end of the day, tourism shouldn’t fundamentally change the character or environment of a place, or have an overall negative effect on locals - then we have missed the point of it all. But making travel exclusive to those with more money isn’t a great solution either.
So what can governments and travelers themselves do? Well, lots of governments are toying with a permit system for high traffic destinations, as well as limits on cruise travel, which tend to bring big crowds yet not a lot of income to destinations. Governments also need to institute protective measures against pollution and protection for local citizens, including ensuring zoning laws so short term rentals don’t adversely impact local rents.
What can travelers do? First of all, expand our horizons! There are so many places that WANT tourist dollars that aren’t getting them. And I don’t just mean under visited countries, but undervisited regions of popular countries as well. So for travelers:
1) Visit low-tourist traffic destinations or travel in the off season - you will likely find better prices AND see something different.
2) Patronize locally owned establishments, like boutique hotels and local family restaurants, to keep your money in the hands of locals.
3) CLEAN UP after yourself and be respectful.
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