With mass tourism practices in place and the fact that these huge numbers make everyday life harder for permanent residents, the words "sustainable" and "tourism" do not go hand-in-hand at all.

1. W H A T I S S U S T A I N A B L E
T O U R I S M ?
M I C H A E L R A L B Y

2. W I T H T R A V E L I N G A S P O P U L A R A
P A S T T I M E A S E V E R ,
parts of the world that were previously unreachable or difficult to get to
are becoming flooded with tourists. It’s creating a whole new industry for
countries that may previously not have had as many visitors. By providing
a livelihood for so many people, in theory, sustainable tourism would just
be redundant as a definition. But, with mass tourism practices in place
and the fact that these huge numbers make everyday life harder for
permanent residents, they do not go hand-in-hand at all.

3. M A N Y P L A C E S
that experience mass tourism simply aren’t built to
sustain so many people at one time, and when
tourists don’t respect the culture and land they’re
visiting, that pushes the concept of sustainable
tourism even further away.

4. So, what is sustainable
tourism, and how do we
participate?

5. S U S T A I N A B L E T O U R I S M
is simply the idea of “traveling and exploring a destination while
respecting its culture, environment, and people,” according to
Visit.org. The focus is on experiencing local traditions, properly
utilizing natural resources, and acting as a polite guest to the
residents who live there. It’s not a difficult concept, but when
mass tourism brings in tourists by the boatload who have little
respect for the local culture and are instead too enamored in
getting the best Instagram shot, it can be tricky to uphold.
It might surprise you to know, as well, that most of the money
that comes from mass tourism doesn’t go to the towns you visit,
but with the company you booked the vacation.

6. S U S T A I N A B L E T O U R I S M
beneficial to the communities we visit by providing them with another source of
income, and beneficial to the tourists themselves as they get to experience a
different culture. People who studied abroad often come back saying that they
have such a new perspective on their life at home, and that’s exactly what travel
is supposed to do. The reason their trip was so successful in changing their
mindset and teaching them new things, though, is because they traveled in a
way that sustains the place they visited.
I S W H A T T R A V E L W A S
I N T E N D E D T O B E :

7. A L T H O U G H , I N
P A R T ,
the home governments of
foreign countries will need to
work to put in laws that protect
their homelands, as tourists, we
can play our part in traveling
responsibly. It’s a little like
shopping local at home, just in
a different place. Opt out of the
all-inclusive resort that doesn’t
pay its employees fairly and go
for the local bed and breakfast
instead. Skip the chains and
find out where the locals eat.
Support local artists rather than
purchasing the same tourist-y
gimmicks you find everywhere.

8. T R A V E L I N G S U S T A I N A B L Y
will provide a richer experience for you, and keep your
destination safe for the next explorers who come after.

9. T H A N K Y O U F O R V I E W I N G !
M I C H A E L R A L B Y . C O M