Lighter footprints keep travel sustainable - Luxury Portfolio International
Abstract
"There are a lot of social and environmental dynamics that happen in a destination if it's not managed correctly," said Paloma Zapata, CEO of one such group, Sustainable Travel International. The environmental impact, especially on remote destinations, can be huge and includes deforestation to make way for hotels and roads, wildlife loss, emissions from buses and cars, pollution from waste and the degradation of the local culture. Carbon emissions are a big concern both in travel and daily life, and everything from long-distance flights to transportation in a destination rack up the metric tons. "You have these big resorts, and they just build a big wall so that you can't even see the local community," Ms. Zapata said. "We work with the most iconic and vulnerable destinations suffering from a lot of the negative impacts of tourism," Ms. Zapata said. To support local residents, visitors should "Try to stay off the beaten path," Ms. Zapata said. "You can just get lost in the little streets, go to neighborhoods that are not so visited. Your dollars can support more locals, and you can get a more auth experience." "Make sure you're eating local food. Don't eat Alaskan salmon when you're in the Caribbean. If you're going to buy a souvenir, look for something artisan." Slowing down and spending time in local communities not only supports their traditions and way of life but allows travelers to really experience the destination rather than hit a list of sights.
