Showing posts with label sustainable tourism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sustainable tourism. Show all posts

January 13, 2019

Damage to Ancient Giant of Tarapacá Geoglyph: Who’s Accountable?

© Hernán Torres


By Marcela Torres

It is the most imposing geoglyph in our country and last week it suffered irreparable damage. It is the Giant of Tarapacá (Gigante de Tarapacá), located on Unitas hill, approximately 100 kilometers away from Iquique, in the Atacama Desert, in the Tarapacá Region in northern Chile. The figure, which measures 119 meters, is the largest in Chile and was presumably created by ancient indigenous cultures inhabiting the area more than 1,000 years ago.

What is most sad is that the damage was caused on Saturday, January 6 by three irresponsible tourists who drove a 4x4 vehicle on the figure’s feet and head, not heeding the signs that indicate the limit for proximity to the geoglyph and the prohibitions to damage it. Three people with Belgian passports were involved – one Chilean woman who obtained Belgian citizenship, one Chilean man born in Belgium, and one native Belgian woman – and they visited the area with the help of a Chilean.

Photograph obtained from Twitter.

Other tourists visiting the place, outraged because of the lack of respect and culture, reported the incident on social media and the authorities acted quickly, taking the three Belgian citizens into custody at the Santiago airport as they were preparing to board their plane back to their country. After their arrest in Santiago, the tourists will be sent to Pozo Almonte, in northern Chile, to face charges for the crime of damaging a national monument, and they risk a sentence that could range from short prison, from its minimum (between 61 and 301 days) to maximum degree (between 302 and 540 days), to the payment of a fine that could go up to approximately USD $ 14,230).

Lack of protection and education

The news turned my stomach. The first thing I asked myself was: Who would do something like this and why? I hold special affection for this place, which I’ve visited several times, and which has a special symbolism for the Tarapacá Region. In fact, in January 2010 I was proud to be given the opportunity of leading a tourism exercise of the Pressure-State-Response model on this site as part of a Sustainable Tourism workshop organized by Universidad Arturo Prat for tour operators of the region.

The exercise was very fruitful and allowed participants to analyze the pressures (threats) faced by this cultural heritage, the state (condition) it was in, and the evidence of society’s response (actions) in the area. Although the geoglyph itself was not damaged, there was a lot of trash around it (we picked up several bags full of paper, plastic bottles, and other waste), there was no infrastructure for visitors, and there were few signs.

© Hernán Torres
Marcela Torres leading a sustainable tourism exercise at the Giant of Tarapacá.


Even though the Giant has been exposed for centuries and has suffered previous damage on other occasions, none has been as serious as this. The worst part is that it is hard to understand what these people were trying to accomplish. The geoglyph was created to be admired from a distance. The truth is it cannot be seen well up close. Therefore, the only explanation is that this criminal act was exclusively meant to cause damage.

Who’s in charge of protection?

Because of its location, the direct responsibility for the protection of this important site lies in the Municipality of Huara, with a population of approximately 3,000 people. True, but we all know that in Chile all municipalities don’t have the same financial resources and, in my opinion, leaving the protection of such an important ancient heritage at the hands of a municipality shows a lack of vision.

While it’s true that the Giant of Tarapacá is a significant attraction, tourism leaves very little for the small locality of Huara, since most visitors go on day trips from Iquique, either on their own or through a tourism operator. Hence, tourism incomes mostly remain in the regional capital.

What we need to understand as a society is that any damage to our cultural and natural heritage is a damage to all Chileans. I want the people who are guilty for this to receive prison time, even if it’s short, to serve as an example and a deterrent to anyone thinking of damaging the heritage of all Chileans.

I would also like to see more actions and funds invested from the central government level on this monument, whose protection cannot be left solely at the hands of a municipality that does not have the necessary resources. It seems to me a great initiative for the ministries of Cultures and National Assets to send archaeologists to assess the damage and the possibility of repairing it, although experts indicate this is very difficult because the vehicle tracks are too deep. Anyway, I believe there is a need to evaluate how the protection of our heritage can be financed and supervised with national funds.

Unfortunately, as a result of the actions of these irresponsible tourists, future generations will never be able to see the Giant of Tarapacá in all its splendor. I hope this doesn’t happen again and that we protect our heritage the way it deserves.

May 22, 2018

International Day for Biodiversity: 25 years conserving global biodiversity



By Marcela Torres

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) entered into force 25 years ago, in December 1993. While we celebrate the International Day for Biodiversity today, it seems appropriate to highlight global achievements and pending tasks in such an important topic for sustainable development as well as the contributions tourism can make.

The achievements have been significant. As mentioned in the message by the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, Dr. Cristiana Paşca Palmer: “Biodiversity and its ecosystem services are at the heart of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. The Paris Climate Agreement includes biodiversity. The World Economic Forum recognizes biodiversity loss as a critical risk. The Food and Agriculture Organization has organized focal work on Biodiversity. Paris has declared itself the capital of biodiversity, and all the way around the world, countries, local governments and civil society are stepping up their actions to safeguard biodiversity.”

However, the challenges are also great and biodiversity continues to decline in every region of the world at alarming rates. So much so that at least 17 species have become extinct during the 21st century, including the Pinta Island Tortoise in Ecuador, the Eastern Cougar in the Americas, the Formosan Clouded Leopard in Taiwan, and the Baiji Dolphin, in China, among many others.

How can tourism help conserve biodiversity?

Sustainable tourism can contribute to biodiversity conservation in several ways. As I have mentioned before in this blog, tourism can have both positive and negative environmental impacts.

Many types of tourism rely directly on ecosystem services and biodiversity (ecotourism, agri-tourism, wellness tourism, adventure tourism, etc.) to provide tourists with experiences of cultural and environmental authenticity, contact with local communities and education about flora, fauna, ecosystems and their conservation. On the other hand, too many tourists can also have a negative, degrading effect on biodiversity and ecosystems. Hence, careful planning and management are required to avoid negative impacts on biodiversity.

In that context, the European Union Business and Biodiversity Platform has identified the following seven best practices for tourism businesses:

  1. Identify the impacts and dependencies of your business on biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES).
  2. Assess the business risks and opportunities associated with these impacts and dependencies to educate employees, owners, suppliers and customers.
  3. Develop BES information systems, set SMART targets, measure and value performance, and report results. This is a key step for building trust among external stakeholders, while creating peer pressure within the industry.
  4. Take action to avoid, minimize and mitigate BES risks, including in-kind compensation (‘offsets’) where feasible. BES targets may build on the concepts of ‘No Net Loss’, ‘Ecological Neutrality’ or ‘Net Positive Impact’ and include support for biodiversity offsets where appropriate.
  5. Grasp emerging BES business opportunities, such as cost-efficiencies, new products and new markets. Business can support the growth of green markets and can help design efficient enabling conditions for biodiversity and ecosystem service markets, which may lead to the diversification of tourism product and complements the efforts to fight seasonality of the tourism offer.
  6. Integrate business strategy and actions on BES within wider corporate social responsibility initiatives.
  7. Engage with business peers and stakeholders in government, NGOs and civil society to improve BES guidance and policy. Businesses can bring significant capacity to conservation efforts and have a key role to play in halting biodiversity loss.

Likewise, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have developed guidelines on how to plan tourism development within the frameworks of: the ecosystem approach; Akwé: Kon voluntary guidelines for the conduct of cultural, environmental and social impact assessments regarding developments proposed to take place on, or which are likely to impact on, sacred sites and on lands and waters traditionally occupied or used by indigenous and local communities; and the voluntary guidelines for incorporating biodiversity-related issues into environmental impact assessment legislation and/or process, and the draft guidelines for incorporating biodiversity-related issues into strategic environmental assessment.

Let’s celebrate this International Day of Biodiversity by reflecting on how we can further tourism’s contribution to global biodiversity conservation!

April 22, 2018

Earth Day 2018: End Plastic Pollution, Save Easter Island

Recycling campaign in Easter Island.
(c) Dirección Sociocultural de Chile


By Marcela Torres

Tons of plastic are carried by marine currents to coastal destinations, such as Easter Island. This is compounded by the garbage generated by tourists and residents within the island. Hence, this paradise in the Pacific is in trouble and we must help find a solution.

“End plastic pollution” is the theme for Earth Day 2018. Celebrated each year on April 22 since 1970, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement. This year, the aim is to provide the information and inspiration needed to fundamentally change human attitude and behavior about plastics.

Oceans of Plastic

A study conducted by researchers from three universities in the United States and published by the Journal Science estimated that “275 million metric tons (MT) of plastic waste was generated in 192 coastal countries in 2010, with 4.8 to 12.7 million MT entering the ocean. Population size and the quality of waste management systems largely determine which countries contribute the greatest mass of uncaptured waste available to become plastic marine debris.”

Among the top 20 countries generating the greatest amount of ocean-bound trash, China is ranked first and the United States 20th. The rest of the list includes 11 other Asian countries, Turkey, five African countries, and Brazil.

(c) University of Georgia

Plastics are non-biodegradable and just break down into ever smaller pieces as a result of their exposure to sunlight. Known as microplastics, these pieces measure less than five millimeters and are approximately the size of a sesame seed. Because of their size, they are easily ingested by fish and other marine wildlife and quickly enter the food chain, affecting humans as well.

The Easter Island Garbage Issue

Located in the South Pacific Garbage Patch, more than 3,500 kilometers from Santiago, Chile, Easter Island suffers not only from its own trash generation but also from plastic debris that is washed ashore by the ocean currents. To learn more about the situation, the non-governmental organization Race for Water Foundation conducted studies in the Ovahe and Anakena beaches in 2015.

Attracted by the island’s huge Moai statues, over 80,000 tourists visit each year this paradise with a size of only 163.6 square kilometers and a resident population of approximately 6,000 people. This influx of visitors also takes a toll on the island’s capacity to manage waste.

Local authorities estimate that, by 2025, Easter Island will import 32 metric tons of cardboard, 18 of plastic, 12 of aluminum cans and nine of glass. However, without a recycling plant of its own, only one-fifth of its garbage is sent to the continent for recycling. The rest is taken to the already overloaded landfill.

As I mentioned in a previous post, the islanders have already made great strides towards promoting sustainable tourism. Local youth are also actively engaged in cleaning beaches and ridding them of plastics as much as they can and a music school was built with reused elements such as aluminum cans, glass bottles and tires. But there’s still much to be done.


Rapa Nui School of Music and Arts
(c) Imagina Isla de Pascua

How can we help? Refuse and reduce the use of plastic. If this is not possible, then we can do our best to recycle and/or remove plastic waste from locations where it will cause most damage. Tackling this pollution issue is on us! Learn more, look for ways to help, ask authorities to act. Happy Earth Day!

June 11, 2017

Is there Sustainable Consumption and Production in Tourism?

 © UNWTO - International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development

by Marcela Torres

Do you ever wonder where the food you eat at a hotel comes from? How much water and energy the hotel consumes? Do you consider sustainability when choosing a hotel or tour operator? Or when you buy things for your trip?

These are questions worth pondering upon in a week in which the world celebrated Environment Day on June 5 and held the Ocean Conference in New York, in addition to the fact that 2017 has been declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. And questions like these are being discussed in the massive open online course (MOOC) on “Sustainable Consumption and Production”, organized by the UNDP through its NBSAP Forum, which Im facilitating in its Spanish version.

What is the role of consumers in promoting sustainability in tourism or any other industry? Well, the main role is to exercise their power on the demand side of the economy. More and more, efforts are being made by international organizations and advocacy groups to promote green consumption and many countries and companies have already incorporated principles such as the polluter pays into their legislations or business strategies.

Nevertheless, there is still a myth that individual consumers are the most responsible for sustainable consumption and that by providing them with information about the social and environmental consequences, sustainable consumption can be achieved through the market. However, research by the United Nations 10YFP Sustainable Lifestyles and Education Programme has shown that there are some mental blocks:

ideologies (I should be free to buy what I want or Technology will solve environmental problems)
social norms (Ill look strange if I do it or why should I do it if they dont?)
lock in to unsustainable capital (well I already have the car…”)
mistrust or denial (Those eco-labels are just a marketing ploy!)
perceived risks of sustainable consumption (what if the photovoltaic cells dont work reliably? or wont my colleagues think Im poor if I take the train?)
feeling that individual actions wont make a difference (Im just one in 7 billion)
emotional manipulation through marketing and advertising (Youll be happier with these products.)

Dont get me wrong. Consumers can and should make a difference, either individually or collectively. But being informed is not enough for them to take action. Sometimes they dont have options. How many recycling facilities are close to their homes or (in the case of tourism) in their hotels? What is the cost of choosing a sustainable option over another one that is unsustainable?

I have previously discussed this in a paper published in 2013 by the Journal of Ecotourism. One of the biggest hurdles that must be overcome by the responsible tourism movement is that this type of tourism is usually more expensive than traditional tourism. If you scour the internet for marketing data, youll find many statistics indicating responsible tourism is a growing global trend and that todays consumers expect travel companies to build sustainability into their product offer. You will also find many surveys reporting high percentages of people who declare they will prefer a sustainable travel company over an unsustainable one. But how true is this really?

Theres a catch I cant say that people necessarily lie during a survey, but their answers may often be influenced by what they consider to be polite or politically correct responses. Honestly, would you ever say (given the global evidence of pollution) that you dont care about pollution or that you like to pollute? Probably not.

On the other hand, they may actually want to choose sustainability but are unable to. The truth is, in general, people dont mean to pollute or choose unsustainable options. But sometimes they dont have alternatives, because there are no sustainability initiatives where they live or stay, because they have strong mental blocks, or because they simply cant afford them.

The good news is that, more and more, the responsible tourism philosophy is permeating many of the traditional tourism companies. While traditional mass tourism perhaps will never disappear, I do think that all companies will, in the end, include at least some measures to contribute toward sustainability and that tourists (as consumers) have an important role to play in this process.

March 30, 2014

Welcome to Tourism-People-Nature!


At the Piedra de la Iglesia (Church Rock), Constitución, Maule Region, Chile.

by Marcela Torres

Welcome! This blog is a continuation of the one I published between 2011 and 2013 as part of the contribution to the dissemination of World Responsible Tourism Day by the tour operations company, Southern Cone Journeys, which my sister Paula and I created to receive tourists in Chile.

Unfortunately, we were forced to close the company because our expectations were not met regarding the supposedly growing ecotourism and responsible tourism markets in North America and Europe. Of course, the recent economic crises did not help either.

Nevertheless, those two years in business gave us the opportunity to meet fantastic like-minded people, who strive to improve tourism in order to leave the world a better place for future generations.

In that spirit, I have decided to migrate the entries from our previous blog to this new address and to continue with the effort of promoting responsibility in the tourism industry towards the people and the environment of the destinations it relies upon.


I invite you to follow me in this new phase! 

March 29, 2014

World Tourism Day 2013: Conserving Water



by Marcela Torres

On September 27 we celebrate the 2013 World Tourism Day (WTD) under the theme “Tourism and Water: Protecting our Common Future”, which the World Tourism Organization (WTO) has chosen to underscore tourism´s responsibility and commitment in ensuring a sustainable water future.

Water availability and quality play a key role in the quality of life of humans. And tourism also depends on this resource in many ways, be it for consumption of visitors or as part of the attractions offered to travelers.

Although tourism has a minor share in world water consumption, compared to other industries such as agriculture and mining, it nevertheless contributes to the problem. For example, the hotel sector requires water for cooking, laundering, human consumption (drinks, showers, etc.), filling pools and irrigating gardens or golf courses, among other uses.

According to the WTO, since more than one thousand million people travel each year worldwide, tourism can be an important channel for raising awareness and changing behaviors, helping reduce issues of availability and quality of water resources and offering effective solutions aimed at achieving greater sustainability for water in the future.

Some related outstanding initiatives have already been set up by the tourism sector. For example, the British non-governmental organization Tourism Concern has a campaign on water equity in tourism, which promotes principles among governments, industry and society at large. The Just a Drop foundation relies on donations from tourism companies to fund clean water projects throughout the world.

People who have not yet taken any water-saving measures may start by taking baby steps. It is not necessary to do everything at once.

Here are some good tips:
  • Reduce unnecessary water consumption in cleaning and cooking
  • Check pipes and fittings to avoid leaks which cause loss of water
  • Use water-saving technology
  • Use recycled water from showers, washing machines and toilets or rain water to irrigate gardens
  • Invite your hosts to contribute to reducing water consumption through information materials

Happy World Tourism Day!

This entry was originally posted by the author on September 26, 2012.

International Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC) 2012


Celebration of Cultures Party, ESTC 2012


by Marcela Torres


It was a great honor for me to be able to deliver, precisely on the day of Chile’s Independence, a presentation on the experience of contributing to developing ecotourism at the Chaxa Lagoon, in Los Flamencos National Reserve in the Atacama Salt Flat. The project, which we developed for CONAF Antofagasta and the Lickan-Antay Indigenous Community of Toconao with the Torres Asociados Limitada consultancy firm, consisted of building the first sustainable Visitor Center in a protected area in Chile and implementing a set of bilingual materials to interpret the natural and cultural values of the area.

The interest of attendees in learning about this experience gave me great satisfaction because it was that project which made me realize that I wanted to dedicate my life to ecotourism and motivated me to study a masters in the topic.

The International Ecotourism Society has been promoting ecotourism for over a decade and working to ensure that tourism activity generates benefits for both the host communities and the environment of the destinations where it operates. This version of the Conference was attended by representatives from such diverse countries as Argentina, Botswana, Canada, Ecuador, Guyana, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya and the United States, to name a few. All of us analyzed issues such as how to fund sustainability initiatives, development and empowerment of local communities, the role of ecotourism in promoting the conservation of endangered species and the unique opportunity of the travel industry to contribute to eradicate poverty.

During the meeting, the International Ecotourism Society also launched the guidelines to regulate “voluntourism”(volunteer tourism), which it developed together with the Planeterra Foundation. The document can be downloaded from the TIES website.

The Celebration of Cultures party, the closing event of the Conference, was the highlight since it allowed attendees to share with the rest some aspects of their culture, such as music and typical outfits, and it emphasized the importance and the great potential of tourism to unite people from so many different countries around a common goal: A better quality of life for all.

This entry was originally posted by the author on September 23, 2012.

Sustainable Wines and Harvest Festivals 2012


Grape stomping during the 2008 wine harvest festival in Isla de Maipo. 
© islademaipo.cl

by Marcela Torres

March and April are the wine harvest (“vendimia”) months in Chile and all wine-producing regions hold festivities to celebrate and promote new lines of wine of participating vineyards. This is a great opportunity to learn about the country’s sustainable wineries and taste some of their best organic wines.

Sustainable Wineries

Last year, the wine industry in Chile began applying the National Sustainability Code, established by the Sustainability Program of the Wines of Chile trade association, together with the Vinnova and Tecnovid technology consortia.

Companies that apply to this certification process must undergo an evaluation of different sustainability practices and procedures throughout the Chilean wine’s value chain, focusing on three dimensions: “Green-Vineyard”, “Red-Cellar” and “Orange-Community”. So far, 20 wineries have received “green” certification and are allowed to use the 2011 sustainable management seal. These are: Anakena, Arboleda, Caliterra, Casa Silva, Cremaschi Furlotti, Emiliana, Errázuriz, Montes, MontGras, Santa Cruz, Santa Ema, Santa Rita, Ventisquero, Vía Wines, Miguel Torres, Maquis, Pérez Cruz, Carmen, Nativa y Sur Andino.

This is a big step for the wine industry in Chile, which last year saw its exports increase in 9.6% compared to 2010. The main destination markets were the European Union and Asia, which concentrated 41% and 16.6% of total exports, respectively.

Festival Calendar

Although some festivities have already been carried out, in the Colchagua Valley and Chillan, there are still other celebrations programmed for people who want to enjoy these events, which besides wines include handicraft exhibits, typical food, live music and some local traditions such as grape stomping.

March 23rd through 25th: Fiesta de la Vendimia de Curicó, Maule Valley.

March 24th: Fiesta de la Vendimia de Rengo, Cachapoal Valley.

March 30th and 31st: Boulevard del Vino en Talca, Maule Valley.

March 31st and April 1st: Fiesta de la Vendimia de Peralillo, Colchagua Valley.

April 13th through 15th: X Fiesta de la Vendimia del Valle del Maipo, en Buin.

April 14th and 15th: Fiesta de la Vendimia de Isla de Maipo, Maipo Valley.

Enjoy! Cheers!

This entry was originally posted by the author on March 14, 2012.

Easter Island, the most interesting place in the world


Moais in various conditions at Rapa Nui National Park, in Easter Island, Chile.
© Hernán Torres

by Marcela Torres

A couple of weeks ago, the travel blog of the prestigious Forbes business magazine highlighted Easter Island, in Chile, as “the most interesting place in the world”. According to blogger Larry Olmstead, he is surprised that people do not hear more about the island, considering that –in his opinion- it is much more compelling than other remote and exotic destinations such as Machu Picchu, the Maya ruins or the pyramids in Egypt.

What makes Easter Island so special? Olmstead says it’s the mystery and enigma surrounding the Moai statues. The author states that although the Machu Picchu buildings and the pyramids are impressive, we know quite a lot about who built them and for what purpose. This is not the case of Easter Island.

In his blog, Olmstead also mentions that in the island you do not see the big crowds of tourists that take away attraction to many other destinations that are overcrowded. We have already commented on the importance of avoiding excessive use of tourist attractions previously in this blog.

The good news is that in Easter Island, although tourism is the main source of income, both the local population and the government authorities have shown interest in promoting the development of sustainable tourism.

Proof of this is the Sustainable Visitor Center that opened in May this year within Rapa Nui National Park, which covers a large part of the island. This is the second of its kind –the first was built in 2006 in Los Flamencos National Reserve, in northern Chile- and a great step forward towards responsible tourism.

With technology such as solar panels to provide electricity and reinforced safety measures for people visiting the place, the total cost of this infrastructure was 468,000 U.S. dollars that were contributed by the Valparaíso Regional Government, American Express –through the World Monuments Fund (WMF)- and the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), the government agency in charge of managing protected areas in Chile.

This is part of the Chilean Government’s strategy to promote sustainable tourism in Easter Island, with initiatives that include an ecotourism training program carried out in 2009 jointly with UNESCO and the National Tourism Service’s (Sernatur) current campaign to provide a sustainability distinction, a kind of certification that will be applied as a pilot project in the island with the intention of replicating it in other destinations within Chile.

All of these improvements and the well-deserved acknowledgement of Easter Island in Forbes magazine’s travel blog are, no doubt, important to promote responsible tourism in this magical place so that it can continue to be enjoyed by future generations.

This entry was originally posted by the author on August 17, 2011.

Travelers prefer green hotels


Solar panels in the rooms of GEN Suite Hotel, Santiago, Chile.
© GEN Suite Hotel

by Marcela Torres

A recent study carried out by Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, in the United States, shows that business and leisure travelers prefer hotels with sustainability policies.

Based on the responses of 571 people, the study found that the single most important attribute for them is green certification. Respondents also supported that hotels set up refillable shampoo dispenser, energy efficient light bulbs, and towel- and linen-reuse policies. However, few respondents agreed that they would pay more to stay in a “green” room.

Although researchers warn that the study only interviewed people who indicated a willingness to stay in green rooms and, therefore, the findings cannot be generalized to all tourists, the results are still interesting because they reflect an increasing trend, particularly in travelers from the United States, Canada and Europe, and present challenges for the hotel industry.

I recently met with a representative of a hotel that is part of an international chain who told me that passengers often asked about the establishment’s sustainability but, according to her, it was impossible for a city hotel to be “green”. Perhaps, I said, but there are always things you can do to contribute to environmental conservation.

What better proof than the first green hotel that opened up in Santiago last year? Among other things, the new facility uses solar panels to provide electricity for its rooms and promotes recycling among its staff and guests. It doesn’t sound that hard, does it?

Other measures hotels can take –and that are in place in some of them- include asking guests to indicate whether or not they are willing to reuse their towels to avoid excessive water use in laundering and placing information leaflets with advices such as not letting the water run while brushing their teeth and not leaving the air conditioning on when they’re not in the room.

At a management level, hotels that strive to reduce their energy and water consumption and their waste generation may even end up saving money while showing concern for the environment. If you don’t believe me, I suggest you read the book “Green to Gold”.

There is always something that can be done and every little step towards sustainability matters. In the end, the planet and your guests will thank you for it. That is the key to responsible tourism.

This entry was originally posted by the author on August 5, 2011.