As you have read the headline, you got some blurry picture fluttering in your mind. “Eco-Friendly” not to harm nature, “Responsible tourism” is something we should be alert while exploring, “Resolutions” are some oaths. Let’s not get entangled in your cloudy picture to make it clear; I will make you understand in-depth and mention my resolutions for responsible tourism in the upcoming year 2021.
If we talk about the tourism industry, it’s always on a booming side, whether it is peak season or off, the type of tourism it is, nothing can stop the wanderers these days to explore. In some countries, this industry boosts the economy and helps the locals for their development. But we are neglecting the significant impact on the environment due to tourism.
2019 was the most excellent year for the travel world, but 2020 is devastating due to the outbreak. Rather than the pandemic, mother-nature is also roaring for help clear and loud. We should understand that if we do not stop now, then we have to face the worst. It is not just a belief but the fact that we can make a lot of difference at the individual level by practicing certain things.
It’s time for the travel community to change the approach towards sustainable tourism. We should become a responsible traveler and follow the guidelines for responsible tourism.
“Oh! Then I should travel less” No being a responsible traveler doesn’t mean to travel less instead, you should practice some alternatives to follow eco-tourism. So we will first talk about responsible tourism, what it is, and how to become a responsible traveler.
1. Responsible Tourism
Every individual has different reasons for traveling across the world, some travel for fun, some trip for vacation, and others are passionate about exploring new places. Whatever the reason, maybe we should be a responsible traveler. “Ahhh! It is irritating,” What is it?
Responsible tourism is nothing, but when you travel, travel responsibly without creating a mess and negative impact on the environment. This term is the trending topic in the current era why? Because of the way our tourism world-impacting this planet is not suitable. Excessive use of plastic or overcrowding places doing no good for the environment. Also, non-ignorable carbon footprints emit through the transport we use.
Various cases have reported of disrupting the ocean life due to plastic dumps. All of these are not a sign of responsible tourism. By avoiding plenty of these and finding alternatives to fulfill the void is the only positive ray towards promoting eco-tourism. Here I have some list of a few resolutions that I will follow in 2021 and wish every traveler should follow the same. Let’s take an oath that we will explore, not exploit!
2. Addition to the Pack
The foremost thing that should top your resolution list is to choose the appropriate destination before you begin to travel. Opting for the right destination can save you from adding on to the burden. Overcrowding is always a matter of concern to strain our mother nature and leave behind a kind of footprints such as carbon emission, garbage emission, etc.
Planning a trip under the influence of over-tourism will create a massive disaster. Try to plan out places with controlled tourism instead of overcrowding ones. It also helps to benefit the local economy along with the environment.
3. Make the right choice
Ever since making a profit in the tourism places given high priority, we are leading in the path of destruction; it might not be the same case in some areas. Whenever you board some fancy hotels or check a meal at a fancy cafe, you end up contributing to the ecological crises as all the resources get wasted on their establishment. You should be wise and make a smart move by preferring an eco-friendly tour. Sustainable stay and home kitchens can be a bit expensive and difficult to find, but they make a great choice to live in and also sets an excellent eco-tourism example.
4. Pack The Right Things
We know it very well that everyone is addicted to shopping. No one wants to resist the pill of pre-trip shopping. But during this shopping, we choose some things that are directly or indirectly harming the environment. But as an alternative, you can wrap up some organic products such as natural beauty products, bamboo toothbrushes, plastic-free products, etc., using them will not harm the environment. I know you are worried about where to find them, but you can find them interesting in both online and offline stores. This eco-friendly product will make your life easy going without hampering the environment. Being a responsible tourist, those essentials should find a way in your packing list.
5. Say no to plastic
In today’s modern world, the biggest threat to humanity and the environment is Single-use plastic. You carry many products such as plastic bottles, tote bags, shopping bags, etc. that are real-life threats to humans. As a responsible traveler, we must discourage this kind of thing and go eco friendly. How many of you buy mineral water while traveling?
I assume many of us, even I do the same. Rather than purchasing and crushing the bottles, use one and refill it wherever you get clear water. Similarly, while buying something, we go bare hand and return with a lote bag carrying our loot.
To become a responsible tourist, we should use our foldable reusable shopping bag every time we go shopping for groceries, souvenirs, or anything else during our travel. It is a straightforward way to have eco-friendly tourism and avoid using plastic products. Remember that whatever you do every step counts, so let’s travel without exacerbating our mother nature.
6. Conserve Resources
It is horrifying that many parts of the world are running out of resources. If this will continue, then the day is not far when we all will be directly affected by this crisis. Hence it is quite necessary to use your naturally occurring resources wisely. Make it a habit to switch off the electric appliances when not in use, turn off the running tap when you are not using it, use limited water, or take a mode of public transport to reach your destination. I can suggest you go more eco-friendly whenever you are traveling within the city or nearby its place. You can opt for a bicycle rather than any public transport. Traveling upon a bicycle is the most responsible and sustainable form of tourism. These points are not only to follow during your travel; you should also consider doing this in your residential places.
7. Support Local Business
I think it might be a significant step to be a responsible tourist by supporting local or small scale businesses. While traveling, you need to try upon local items; this will boost up local businesses, and you could also get to know your culinary culture better. Instead of gulping out some new and delicious meals in a fancy restaurant, try to talk to the local vendors and try out some local stuff. It is more frugal if you cook for yourself while you are on the vacation trip that will end you up in buying locally produced items from the farmer’s market. It is a beautiful take to try out local food and culture while maintaining sustainable tourism.
8. No to Straws
We are familiar with the effects of using plastic. Similar to this, another threat is of using straws. It has taken on a count that 8.3 billion straws disposed of across the world. I know you think that this is crazy. A more interesting fact is that this disposal is a real threat to the ocean world as well directly or indirectly to us also.
If we take a step for not using plastic straws even a single time in our life, you can’t imagine how this simple decision can make you experience a more significant impact. Imagine with not using a single straw for an entire year can save tones of plastics from getting dumped in to the water bodies. I know it is not easy to do, but it can come up by adopting some good habits.
If you have taken mistakenly or forgot to say no, then either leave it on the table or return it to the counter. If you are addicted to straws, then there are alternative options for plastic available in the market. As we are talking about eco-friendly resolutions, you can opt for reusable straw made of metal bamboo and glass. They last for a long time because as you use it, to keep it hygienic, the set comes up with a cleaning brush. We should promote responsible tourism and sustainable living by saying no to plastic straws.
9. Take care of wordless friends
We use to love seeing animals and colorful flowering plants from our childhood, but we always end up partaking in such activities that exploit them. We always enjoy seeing animals in confinement from our young ages. Being a kid, we know nothing better, but our elderly responsible know that and should have taught us.
Now being a responsible one, we know what’s better. Since ages, animals get mistreated for personal recreation of humans that’s almost inhuman. If we talk about zoos or tourist places, the tigers are being provoked by throwing stones or by prodding, and elephants are chained up or made to carry heavy loads.
Also, the most commonly seen activities with donkey they prepared to take tourists and their luggage on their back up in the mountains by giving them little rest and water. So wherever you find this type of activity or any rumors about that place, avoid visiting these places. We all love to get submerged in the lap of mother nature. But sometimes, due to the reasons mentioned earlier, it becomes life-threatening for flora and fauna.
If you want to connect with nature and help those wordless creatures, rather than getting involved in those inhuman kinds of stuff, participate in some plantation or feeding drive. It will benefit you as a therapy.
10. Be a good visitor to the heritage monuments
Many countries have their history and also the left behind traces. India is one of them; known for its culture and heritage. Heritages and monuments in our country are the traces of mighty rulers and their sprawling kingdom. But the swarming peoples of the subcontinent are gnawing these monuments also our culture. All of us who so ever are bitten by the wanderlust bug lets make a rule not to litter.
We should protect our culture and heritage by teaching how to protect them. So that our upcoming should continue with the ownership in the future and let people know how beautiful our country was and now it is. Remember one thing each time you visit a place you are a guest there so you should behave like one.
I know after all of these, you are feeling kind of guilty of doing these, so do I, but after understanding all your mistakes, repeating it rather than resolving is a colossal mistake. So make your resolution for your next trip and spread this awareness and message up to your extent.
Hopefully, by now, you have understood the responsible, eco-friendly, and sustainable tourism and how small changes can make a massive impact on the environment. Not getting it more extensive, I am signing off as of now!!!
