I love to travel. I live for it, and so do a lot of people. Besides being fun and exciting, travel teaches us more about ourselves and other cultures. There are tons of great reasons to travel, but to be honest, there are also many valid reasons not to travel. There is a dark side to travel and tourism, and if you want to be a good human, you should keep these things in mind next time you take a trip. These are the pros and cons of tourism, and some ideas on how to reduce your impact on the environment, and the local residents.
Local Customs
Evening Aarti in Rishikesh
When you visit a famous temple in India, and most other Eastern nations, you should be considerate of local customs and wear the appropriate attire. Shorts, tank tops, and any type of body hugging clothing, especially on a female, is just poor taste. I’ve seen lots of foreign women attending aartis, satsangs, and other spiritual gatherings in India dressed in a mini skirt and spaghetti straps. It’s rude and shocking to the locals. Try to be respectful, and if you’re unsure of what’s appropriate, ask the receptionist at your hotel what might be proper attire and conduct at these types of special events.
Stress on Infrastructure
Many places, especially in undeveloped countries, don’t have the resources to keep up with the demands of tourism on their infrastructure. As a result, often the Wi-Fi is unreliable, or they run out of hot water, or have rolling blackouts, and spoiled tourist have the audacity to complain about it. Well, they weren’t anticipating the surging crowds so try to be a little empathetic, and generally it’s their government that has to fit the bill, so don’t blame your host.
Unrelenting Crowds
An impatient crowd awaits the Rolling Stones
Over the last few decades, as the popularity of travel and tourism has increased, thousands of quaint little towns all over the world have become the next must-see destination. Once sleepy little villages become a hub of tourist activities, and soon there’s a Starbucks, then a 7-11 or McDonald’s. The Western culture pukes all over the town, like a sick kid on roller coaster, and with it comes the crowds. As much as they may appreciate our tourist dollars, they probably liked the peace and quiet even more. Eventually, that charming little secret village loses its charm and gets lost in the crowd.
Increased Prices
Spices for sale at the market
It’s inevitable, along with increased tourism comes higher prices. When once you could get five fish tacos for a dollar, now it’s two for a dollar. It happens all the time, and just about everywhere, and the locals understandably despise it. I mean, how would you feel if your favorite dive bar where you can still get $2 draft beers was suddenly over run by frat boys and the price went up to $6 a beer?
Environmental Impact
Trash left behind after a concert
As more and more people infringe on a place, it doesn’t only stress the local infrastructure, but also the environment. More buildings usually mean less trees, more garbage, and more pollution. Indigenous animals make for the hills and everywhere you look you see the impact of humans. I remember visiting a giant cave in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and inside there was a busy snack bar and a souvenir shop. It made me sad that they had upset its natural ecosystem so drastically. I think we owe it to our planet and each other to try and minimize our impact as much as possible, especially when we are guests in another country.
Traveling is a blast, but it can be tough on the locals, their infrastructure, and our beautiful planet. Do what you can to be a courteous guest and try to minimize your impact. It’s good karma, and good practice.