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

April 29, 2017

Let’s Go See Whales! But Let’s Be Careful



by Marcela Torres

I recently watched a beautiful and moving Argentinean-Spanish film called “El faro de las orcas (The Lighthouse of the Whales), set in the coast of a small Patagonian village. Although it focuses on the story of a boy with autism, it also raises important concerns about encouraging tourists to get close to killer whales. Free killer whales don’t attack humans, experts say. However, others would argue that you can never be too careful.

Because of that, as I have mentioned before, several countries and organizations, including the InternationalWhaling Commission (IWC) and Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), have issued guidelines for observing whales and dolphins, to prevent harming both marine mammals and humans. In Chile, the Government passed the regulation for marine wildlife observation, in 2011, and later published two best-practices manuals, one of them with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Argentina has regulated this activity as well.

Australia is certainly one of the leaders in the promotion of responsible tourism, particularly in marine habitats. In 2009, I had an unforgettable whale-watching experience on a ferry that took us from Sydney to the feeding site of a group of humpback whales.

It was a clear, sunny day and I can still feel the cold wind and the ocean water sprinkling all over me as the waves moved the ferry up and down. I was on the deck with other tourists who, like myself, were excited and yelled each time they spotted a tail, a fin or a head, triggering a frenzy to get a photo or video of these animals. The ferry crew kept us in line, however, with their staff on deck as well as with constant instructions and explanations provided through loudspeakers.

Educating and raising awareness is key for ensuring responsible tourism. For example, while we sailed towards the whales, we saw a short educational video about these animals and the rules for observing them. Many guidelines and regulations also demand companies to contribute to conserving and monitoring marine mammals, reporting any sightings to the corresponding authorities.

Besides keeping these guidelines in mind, there are two things you can do to ensure a safe and pleasant experience: Look for information about the species and their habitats before you encounter them; and check that you are traveling with a certified tour operator that is respectful of these animals and the regulations for approaching them.

Whales are amazing creatures! They have been around for more than 30 million years and fascinate people all over the world. But many of them are endangered and we must act responsibly when embarking on a whale-watching adventure.

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.

Hope for Torres del Paine


Native forests in Torres del Paine National Park.
© HernánTorres


by Marcela Torres

The disastrous fire that razed 17,606 hectares (43,505 acres) of forests in Torres del Paine National Park between December 2011 and January 2012 inspired many people in Chile and other countries to help.

For example, some firefighting brigades from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Australia, came to provide assistance in controlling the emergency. Other people, in turn, raised their voices through the social networks demanding greater responsibility in tourism and support for the reforestation of Patagonia. Response was quick and in this entry we highlight two initiatives that bring hope for Torres del Paine National Park.

Rotem Zinger and the “Black to Green” Campaign

Who is Rotem Zinger? The Israeli tourist who caused the last fire in the Park. To avoid extending the trial against him, in February 2012 Zinger settled with the Puerto Natales Court a payment of 10 thousand United States dollars in compensation for the damages resulting from his actions and he will have to work as a volunteer between one and two years for the international non-governmental organization Keren Kayemet LeIsrael –which specializes in reforestation and has an office in Chile- taking over the role of coordinating the campaign “Torres del Paine, from Black to Green”.

The aim is to raise funds to reproduce at least 50,000 plants of native forest species in greenhouses in Puerto Natales that are owned by the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) –government agency that manages protected areas in Chile- in order to use them in the reforestation of the National Park. Zinger is forced to promote the initiative through different media, particularly among the Jewish community in Chile and its website, replicating the campaign carried out in 2011 to reforest Mount Carmel in Israel. In addition, he will need to present progress reports every three months to CONAF.

Although public opinion in Chile did not initially believe he would see this campaign through, something has already been done. On April 22 the initiative was officially launched with a call to the Chilean Jewish community in to continue showing its loyalty to Chile and Israel by supporting this effort to bring back the green to Torres del Paine.

Donations are being received in the following account:
Corporación Keren Kayemet Leisrael FNJ Chile
RUT 65.009.118-3
Banco Corpbanca
Cuenta Corriente Nº 3331692

Let’s Reforest Patagonia

At the beginning of May, a campaign called “Let’s Reforest Patagonia” was launched by several governmental institutions and non-governmental environmental organizations. This original initiative seeks to organize citizens to donate 1 million native trees that will be planted in the Torres del Paine and Laguna San Rafael national parks and in the Lago Carlota and Cerro Castillo national reserves during 2012.

How does this work? For each US $4.00, people making donations will be able to have a tree under their name in Patagonia. A grid is displayed on the website with green trees and burnt trees. To make a donation, a person must click on a burnt tree. Once the transaction has been made, the person receives a certificate with the coordinates of the place where the tree will be planted.

So far, the campaign has obtained funds to reforest more than 67,000,000 trees, according to the website’s counter. Therefore, there’s still time to help restore the beautiful Chilean Patagonia.

Let’s do it! Hope is not lost yet!

This entry was originally posted by the author on June 6, 2012.

Tourism Initiatives to Save the Earth


Turtle hatchling in Zihuatanejo, Mexico.

by Marcela Torres

If you’re still not convinced that the tourism industry can actively help save our planet, you’ll be surprised by the initiatives we’re covering in this week’s blog in anticipation to this year’s Earth Day celebration, on April 22nd. From recycling to hands-on conservation projects, tourism companies and not-for-profit organizations across the world are contributing to conserve the environment for future generations. Hopefully, you will be inspired to play a part!

Just a Drop

Did you know that 1.4 million children die every year from diarrhea because of unsafe drinking water and inadequate sanitation? That is 4,000 children per day. “I started to think about how I could encourage businesses in the travel and tourism industry to give back to the places in which they operated – thus improving the lives of children and their families,” says Fiona Jeffery, who launched Just a Drop in 1998 at the World Travel Market (WTM), in London. 

Fiona named the charity ‘Just a Drop’ to reinforce that it only takes a small amount of money to help prevent the unnecessary loss of life that occurs many developing countries due to the lack of safe, clean water. Until now, Just a Drop has funded projects in more than 25 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East, providing water and sanitation to marginalized communities

To ensure sustainability of the projects, the organization works with beneficiary communities from start to finish, building local capacity and directly linking funders to specific projects in the field, so they can see very clearly the difference their support has made. 

In fact, Fiona is also the Chair of the WTM, where she has promoted the celebration of World Responsible Tourism Day (WRTD) since 2007, stressing the unique opportunity the tourism industry has in helping reduce poverty and conserve natural and cultural resources throughout the planet. “We have the means and the responsibility to help the local communities of the places that we visit,” she states. 

Clean the World

Have you ever wondered what happens with the bits of bar soap you leave behind in hotels when traveling? Well, Shawn Seipler and Paul Till did. They were shocked to find out how many bars of soaps are thrown away and how much they could help prevent millions of deaths caused by hygiene-related illnesses every day. So, they created the Florida-based Clean the World Foundation in 2009.

What do they do? They collect, sort and process discarded soap, shampoo, conditioner and lotion product donations from participating hospitality partners and hygiene products from manufacturers. They recycle these product donations at the facilities in Orlando, Florida, and then deliver these recycled products to domestic homeless shelters and impoverished countries suffering from high death rates due to acute respiratory infection and diarrheal disease.

Until now, Clean the World has put over 9.5 million soap bars and 200,000 pounds of shampoo and conditioner back into human use, while eliminating over 600 tons of waste. Check out their video to learn more!

Saving Turtles and More

Many tourism businesses are undertaking initiatives to conserve wildlife throughout the world. In Mexico, for example, several eco-resorts have successfully developed marine turtle conservation programs –some of them since the mid-1990s- in which guests, staff and local community volunteers help move turtle eggs to a protected area on the beach and then release hatchlings to find their way to the sea.

And in the State of Queensland, in Australia, tourism companies with permits to operate in public protected areas collaborate with local authorities to monitor the environmental conditions of the places they visit. Among other things, they record visitor numbers, campfire facilities, road kills, number of species and feeding sites and any disturbance they encounter during their trips. This helps park authorities to act quickly in case of any emergency and keep updated information on the sites.

These are just a few examples, among many others carried out in other places. Are you feeling inspired? I bet you are! So, get out there and find out what you can do to save our beautiful planet and leave it even better for the next generations.

Happy Earth Day!

This entry was originally posted by the author on April 20, 2012.

Patagonia with dams?


Poster of the "Chilean Patagonia without dams!" campaign. 


by Marcela Torres

The Chilean Patagonia’s landscape may change forever. Why? Because the recent ruling by the Supreme Court in favor of the HydroAysén project may bring about the flood of a large portion of one of the most pristine areas in Patagonia, which according to many people would cause permanent environmental damage and affect the region’s tourism, which promotes its untouched nature.

What is HidroAysén?

HidroAysén seeks to build and operate five hydroelectricity plants, two on the Baker River and three in the Pascua River, located in the Aysén Region in southern Chile. It is, no doubt, the largest energy project ever evaluated in the country until now. If the works are carried out, which would take approximately 12 years, it could have an average generating capacity of 18,430 GWh.

Besides the power plants, the project requires setting up more than 1,500 high tension towers between the towns of Cochrane and Chaitén. From there, the lines are designed to go underground to Puerto Montt and then overground again to Santiago, where the energy would enter the Central Interconnected System, which extends from the Atacama and Los Lagos regions and does not cover Aysén.

HydroAysén is managed by a joint venture between the largest power companies in the country, ENDESA and Colbún S.A., which own 51% and 49% of the company, respectively. Thus, they would control 80% of the country’s electricity generation, establishing a duopoly in the Chilean power market.

Civil society rejection and legal battle

Since the project was presented in August, 2007 it has been rejected by large part of civil society and the environmental movement in Chile. So much so, that 70 national and foreign non-governmental organizations established the Council for the Defense of Patagonia, better known for its “Chilean Patagonia without dams!” campaign, to avoid the construction of these power plants.

Why do they oppose? Because the development of HidroAysén requires flooding 5,910 hectares (14,603 acres) of native forests and habitat for unique species, such as the Huemul, one of the two deers found in Chile and faced with the danger of extinction. The organization also argues that the project contravenes all regional development strategies for Aysén, which emphasize the need to boost high-quality tourism products and sets the goal of positioning Aysén as a “Life Reserve”. For example, more than USD 500 million have been invested in tourism –mostly by small entrepreneurs-  in the Baker River Basin.

Civil society’s rejection and the organization’s persuasive campaigns were not enough, however, to convince the regional government authorities, who approved the project on May 9, 2011, setting in motion a series of demonstrations throughout the country that brought together people from the entire political and social spectrum. In fact, a poll conducted that month showed that 74% of Chileans oppose HidroAysén.

A legal battle began in June, 2011 when several injunctions were filed against the Environmental Assessment Commission of the Aysén Region, who approved the project, and to prevent HidroAysén from initiating the construction of the dams. The Puerto Montt Court of Appeals voted against the injunctions, however, and these were later also rejected by Chile’s Supreme Court on April 4, 2012 in a split ruling of 3 votes against 2.

So, what happens with tourism?

In September, 2011 the vicepresident of the Federation of Tourism Companies of Chile (Fedetur), which groups 28 large and medium-sized companies in the country, stated that “in the end it will be proved that the dams do not have an impact on tourism” and that HidroAysén can “add value to tourism” in the Aysén Region.

These comments caused fury among environmental organizations and particularly in Aysén’s tourism sector. Several chambers of tourism in the area issued a joint public statement indicating that “neither Fedetur nor Achet can feel they have the right to appoint themselves as ‘representatives of the tourism sector’ of Aysén and they cannot presume of expressing our feelings because their visions are very far from what is real.”

Uncertain future

So, why does HidroAysén receive support from the Environmental Assessment Commission, Chilean courts and a trade association that gathers large and medium-sized tourism companies if almost the entire country is clearly against it? The most likely explanation is in the power of large corporations. In fact, it has been revealed that one of the Supreme Court judges who voted in favor of the project owns 109,804 shares of Endesa, which amount to more than 97 million pesos (approximately 200,537 United States dollars).

The real issue, though, is Chile’s energy policy and the need to harmonize the development the country requires for achieving progress and the moral responsibility of preserving our natural resources for future generations. This is especially true if we consider the recent social movement to demand better access to energy in the region, which extended from February 8 to March 23, 2012 and resulted in the removal of the Ministry of Energy.

HidroAysén states that its Project “will only flood 0.05% of the Aysén Region” and that, in compensation, it will improve 187 kilometers (116 miles) of highway, it will build a dock and a cattle slaughter plant and it will buy equipment for three public health posts. However, all of these works are mainly intended to supply the people who will work in the project. In addition, its website announces that the power plants will require “a monthly average of 2,260 workers for an estimated period of 12 years, reaching a maximum of 5,000 workers, of which at least 20% will be local labor, a figure that is expected to increase over time.”

Although the Supreme Court ruling in favor of HidroAysén to build the five power plants is a tough blow on the civil society movement, there is still a long road ahead. Environmental organizations hope they can stop the approval of the high tension towers supply line that HidroAysén needs to transport the energy it will produce, since it will go through 780 private properties and it will require cutting down 100 hectares (247 acres) of forests and intervening another 600 hectares (1,482 acres).

Not everything is lost. We hope that this project is not approved in the end and the country will search for other means of satisfying its energy needs, so that Patagonia will not lose the charm that inspires thousands of people in Chile and all over the world to come visit.

This entry was originally posted by the author on April 7, 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.

Celebrating Women in Tourism


Silvia Vogel, owner of Alpacas Machalí, a rural tourism entrepreneurship in Chile. 
© Marcela Torres

by Marcela Torres


March 8 marks International Women’s Day and I’d like to honor all the women who work hard each day to develop tourism around the world, sometimes under very trying circumstances.

According to the United Nations World TourismOrganization (UNWTO), in most regions of the world, women make up the majority of the tourism workforce, they also tend to be concentrated in the lowest paid and lowest status jobs in tourism, and they perform a large amount of unpaid work in family tourism businesses.

That’s why the UNWTO and the United Nations Women Organization are developing a joint Action Plan to Empower Women through Tourism that seeks to enhance the positive impact of tourism development on women’s lives, and, in so doing, contributing to the achievement of the Third Millennium Development Goal – "promote gender equality and women’s empowerment".

The Global Report on Women in Tourism 2010 –which was launched during the ITB 2011, in Berlin- was the first concrete result of this collaboration. Among other things, the study revealed that women are well represented in employment but tend to be working at a service or clerical rather than professional or decision-making level. It also showed there are proportionally fewer women graduates in services than in other fields.

One of the study’s most interesting findings is that in Entrepreneurship, women are almost twice more likely to be employers in the tourism industry than in other sectors, and often employ more women than men.  That’s exactly what we see in Chile, particularly in rural areas.

During my visit to the WTM in London last year, I had the good fortune of meeting an Italian journalist, Iaia Pedemonte, who runs a very interesting website to promote gender responsible tourism around the world and to help women by spreading ideas and good practices in tourism.

After a decade of work on responsible tourism, Iaia put together this unique initiative that, among other things, is contributing to collect experiences, knowledge and tools , promote handicrafts and products made by women in tourist destinations, and bring together supply and demand, local people and institutions, southern and northern  hemisphere countries. The site also has a forum for networking in Gender Responsible Tourism, which is a great space for all stakeholders involved to exchange experiences and get to know each other.

It’s inspiring to see how many women around the globe are pushing forward the principles of responsible tourism and also making progress with alternative livelihoods that can be sustainable and, at the same time, help conserve natural and cultural resources that are valuable for all.

Happy International Women’s Day!

This entry was originally posted by the author on March 8, 2012.

Viña del Mar and its International Song Festival


Vergara Palace, Viña del Mar's Fine Arts Museum. 
© Marcela Torres

by Marcela Torres

The 53rd version of the Viña del Mar International Song Festival kicked off last night and I thought it might be a great opportunity to talk a little bit about this famous resort city in Chile’s Central Coast.

A Bit of History

Viña del Mar is one of Chile’s youngest cities. During colonial times, the territory was divided into two estates. The first, called “Viña del Mar” (Vineyard by the Sea), was located on the northern bank of the Marga Marga stream and had its own vineyard. The second, called “Siete Hermanas” (Seven Sisters), extended on top of the seven hills of the area.

A rich Portuguese investor bought the Viña del Mar estate in 1835 and the Siete Hermanas estate in 1840, thus owning the entire Viña del Mar valley. These properties were inherited by his daughter and her husband, Francisco Vergara, who founded Viña del Mar in 1874.

The city flourished and became a favorite beach resort for affluent people from Santiago and the neighboring port of Valparaíso. Because of its many large houses with huge gardens, it soon became known as the “Garden City”.

Music in the Park

Each year, thousands of people swarm the streets of this city, which regularly has approximately 300,000 residents. However, this figure can reach up to one million during the summer, when tourists from the rest of Chile, Argentina and other foreign countries come to visit attracted by its beaches, mild weather and, of course, the Festival.

The Viña del Mar International Song Festival is held annually during the last week of February since 1960 at the Quinta Vergara (Vergara Park), which is what remains of the old estates. It is considered the most important musical event in Latin America. The Festival features a song competition in two categories (pop music song and folk song), combined with performances by international music stars from around the world. Sting, Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, Tom Jones, Sheena Easton, REO Speedwagon, INXS, Donna Summer and Bryan Adams are among the many artists who have performed at this beautiful and historical place.

The Festival has helped boost the careers of several singers, such as Shakira, who participated in the pop music song competition representing Colombia in 1993, when she was only 16 years old, with a song written by her. She came in third, but received a special award as best performer.

But the Quinta Vergara is more than just music. Its Venetian-style palace houses Viña del Mar’s Fine Arts Museum and is surrounded by a beautiful garden with trees from all five continents, which is definitely worth visiting.

Stay the Night

Unfortunately, most foreign tourists come to Viña del Mar for just a day trip, so they miss a lot of what this bustling city has to offer, starting with its active night life and fantastic restaurants. The Botanical Garden, the Fonck Museum and its amazing collection of artifacts from Easter Island, the neighboring port of Valparaíso with its World Heritage Sites and the nearby Mantagua Wetland, which is a bird-watching paradise in Concón, are just a few of the many surprises in store for you… if only you would stay the night.

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

Tourism and Ramsar Sites on World Wetlands Day


The White-Necked Heron (Ardea cocoi), called "garza cuca" in Spanish, gives Cucao its name. 
© Hernán Torres

by Marcela Torres

February 2 marks World Wetlands Day and Chilean authorities used the date to announce the nomination of some sectors of Chiloe National Park as Ramsar Sites. If designated, Chile would surpass 500,000 acres of protected wetlands.

Chiloe National Park is located 64 kilometers from the city of Castro and covers 106,396 acres. The entrance is through the town of Cucao, from where visitors can go into the park. In addition to the wetland zone that is being nominated as a Ramsar Site, the park protects other ecosystems, such as native evergreen forests and beautiful beaches. Here you can also find some species that are unique to Chile, like the Pudu (Pudu puda), the world’s smallest deer.

Migratory Bird Paradise

Chiloe Island is known around the world as a paradise for migratory birds, many of which fly more than 9,000 miles from the northern hemisphere to reach southern Chile. For example, these wetlands provide shelter and food each year for the Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) and the Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica). Both species reproduce in North America and are endangered, among other reasons, because infrastructure development along the coasts is reducing their habitat and affecting their source of food.

To mitigate these impacts, the Chilean Government and the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, in the United States, signed a cooperation agreement to implement joint actions to conserve Chiloe’s wetlands, as critical habitat for migratory coastal birds.

Ramsar Sites and Tourism

This year, World Wetlands Day was celebrated by the Ramsar Secretariat emphasizing the link between wetlands and tourism and the importance that the latter is carried out responsibly. According to the organization, wetland tourism has benefits both locally and nationally for people and wildlife. At least 35% of Ramsar Sites around the world record some level of tourism activity and this percentage is consistent throughout all regions.

Among other measures, the Ramsar Secretariat states that ensuring well-managed tourism practices in and around wetlands and educating tourists on the value of wetlands contributes to the health of the world's wetlands and the long-term benefits that wetlands provide to people, wildlife, economics, and biodiversity.

Chile ratified the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, known as the Ramsar Convention, in September, 1980. There are currently 12 wetlands of international importance (Ramsar Sites) in the country, which are distributed from north to south and cover from High-Andean salt flats to coastal lagoons.

We hope to be able to celebrate soon the designation of Chiloe’s wetlands as Ramsar Sites and that this will help boost the efforts to conserve these beautiful places and save migratory bird species from extinction.

This entry was originally posted by the author on February 2, 2012.

Impacts of Fire in Torres del Paine




Tourist testimonial in Torres del Paine, 2012. 
© Sernatur
by Marcela Torres

More than 16,000 hectares (39,537 acres) were destroyed by the fire caused by the irresponsible conduct of a tourist that forced Torres del Paine National Park to close between Thursday, December 29, 2011 and Wednesday, January 4, 2012. Until last week, CONAF –the government agency in charge of managing protected areas in Chile- still had firefighters putting out new fires in different sectors of the park.

Although most of the fire is now under control and the park is slowly picking up its normal pace, a permanent environmental damage has been caused in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Because the only person accused or starting the fire is an Israeli citizen and this is the second time in 2011 that a tourist from that country caused a disaster in the park, the Government of Israel announced that it will send a delegation of experts in reforestation who will pass on the experience obtained from recovering forests in the Carmel area, a year ago. In addition, it will make a direct contribution in trees, by setting up a greenhouse especially designed for the reforestation of Torres del Paine.

However, the native forest that was destroyed is composed of trees that grow very slowly and reach maturity when they’re approximately 200 years old. They also need to be protected from the cold, the wind during the winter and the dryness during the summer.

Therefore, it’s not just a matter of replanting small trees, but also of providing them the necessary conditions to grow. In addition, it’s important to consider that large part of the fire was expanded underground and affected the area’s soil. Wildlife living in the park will probably return to the damaged sectors only to find them completely barren and will have to move elsewhere in search of food and shelter.

Several national and international teams of researchers are already studying the environmental impacts of the fire in order to contribute to prepare an effective recovery plan.

Economic Impact

The forced closure of the park also affected local economy, which largely depends on incomes generated by thousands of foreign tourists that visit the area during the high season, between November and February.

It is estimated that tourism business owners lost $2 million dollars, although this is still a preliminary figure to which we need to add what they will have stopped receiving during the season. Many of them have made great efforts to avoid lay-offs because their employees were relying on the salaries they would obtain these months.

Despite the park’s partial opening, data provided by the authorities reflect that visits have dropped 50% in January. The Chilean Government has allocated resources to support micro and small tourism enterprises in the area and has launched an aggressive international promotion campaign to maintain the flow of visitors to the park in 2012 and 2013.

Opportunity for Responsible Tourism

This sad experience in Torres del Paine National Park reminds us once again of the importance of promoting responsible tourism. The lessons learned apply both to the destination and its visitors, revealing the need to carry out awareness campaigns with all stakeholders involved in order to ensure that future generations can enjoy this beautiful place in Patagonia.

This entry was originally posted by the author on January 28, 2012.

New fire in Torres del Paine




by Marcela Torres

We are ending 2011 with sad news as a result of the irresponsibility of a tourist. A new fire is affecting Torres del Paine National Park, which has burnt 5,700 hectares (14,085 acres) of vegetation and has forced authorities to evacuate tourists and close the national park, as you can see in the video.

Once more, this disaster reminds us that greater precautions need to be taken to practice responsible tourism in protected areas, in order to avoid damaging them and ensuring they can be enjoyed by future generations.

The Government of Chile, through its Ministry of Interior and the National Emergency Office (ONEMI), is working to contain the fire and looking for support from specialized firefighting units. It is very difficult to control fires in Torres del Paine, however, because the strong Patagonian winds propagate fires very quickly.

I’ve already discussed in a previous blog the need to practice responsible tourism at the national park and to be careful with bonfires that are lit during the night. However, it seems necessary to take more extreme measure to prevent and mitigate the impacts of tourism in Torres del Paine.

Among other measures, it would be wise to forbid camping in the national park. There are already enough places to stay in within the park and more alternatives can be promoted in the nearby town of Torres del Paine. Apparently there is also a need for greater resources to patrol the area and control tourist activity.

In this context, it is worthwhile to remember that the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), the government agency in charge of managing protected areas in Chile, has clear regulations for visitors that are available on the website in Spanish and English. It seems worthwhile to be reminded of some of them to make sure that we act as responsible tourists when visiting a natural area:
  • Follow the instructions given by park rangers, including times for visiting, signs and maintenance of facilities in the Protected Wilderness Area.
  • Follow rules for safety. Walk only along marked trails and roads. In case you are planning a long hike, do not go alone, and take the appropriate equipment and clothes. Inform the park rangers about the route and time of return of your trip.
  • Make fires only in the places provided for doing so. After making a fire, put it out using large amounts of water. Wildfires and people with a careless attitude are always a potential danger to nature.

We hope that measures are finally taken and that tourists be more careful so that we will not have to witness another disaster such as this one in a place that attracts thousands of domestic and foreign visitors each year because of its unique beauty, wildlife and fantastic trails.

This entry was originally posted by the author on December 30, 2011.

How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint When Traveling


The expansion of deserts is one of the effects of climate change.
© Marcela Torres

By Marcela Torres

While governments and industry representatives struggle to reach agreements on how to stop global warming at the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Durban, South Africa, I thought it might be useful to give some good tips on small but significant contributions we can make as travelers.

  • Choose a Responsible Company: When planning your trip, choose travel companies that employ local workers and guides or source locally grown produce and local services. This is a good way to support the local economy.
  • Unplug While Away: Before you leave home, remember to turn off the lights as well as the air conditioner/heater and unplug all household appliances that can be left unplugged while you are away.
  • Treat the Place as Your Home: Take care of the environment when on holiday as if you were at home. Always use garbage can to dispose of trash. If there are no bins in the area, take the litter with you and throw it once you find a bin.
  • Avoid Plastic Bottles: Instead of buying bottled water, carry your own refillable water bottles and use the hotel’s potable drinking water supply.
  • Save Water: Water is scarce in many destinations. Use the minimum amount of water needed for a shower/bath, don't let water run while shaving, brushing or washing, and check if the hotel has a linen reuse program - if so, reuse your towels and bed sheets by placing the card to indicate you don't wish to have them washed every day, if not, request hospitality staff not to change them every day.

  • Choose Public Transport: Use public transportation (bus, train, taxis, etc.) as much as possible. It's a more sustainable way to get around.

  • Walk Around: Instead of renting vehicles, take time to walk around. You will not only do some exercise and help the environment, but you will also get to know better the place you are visiting.
  • Avoid disposable batteries: Whenever possible, buy rechargeable batteries for your essential travel items such as cameras, razors, and flash lights.
  • Eat Local: Trying local food is a good way to learn about the culture of the place you are visiting. Visit a local farmer's market, shop at a locally owned grocery store and choose locally owned restaurants, since they usually will buy local produce and that means less fuel was consumed to transport the product.

Air Travel

Air travel is one of the big issues discussed during all climate change Conferences of Parties meetings and significant progress is never achieved. I have already talked about the impact of air travel in a previous blog, but since at present there is no adequate regulation for it and flights are sometimes unavoidable, the responsibility lies mostly on the tourists themselves to minimize their impact.

Some good tips to consider are:

  • Avoid Stops: Fly the most direct route possible and try to avoid short hops by air, because take-offs and landings use the most fuel.
  • Fly Economy: More people in a plane will result in fewer emissions per person.
  • Avoid Night Flights: Fly during the daytime, because during the night the condensation formed from jet-fuel exhaust remains in the atmosphere much longer due to the cool night air.
  • Pack Light: By reducing the weight of luggage, you will help the planes burn less fuel.
  • Longer Stays: Try to stay longer in a destination instead of making many short trips.
  • Offset the Unavoidable Footprint: Make your trips "carbon neutral" by contributing to a credible carbon offsetting program that supports conservation, renewable energy, and other environmental projects. A few airlines have these schemes in place and will offer them to you when you purchase. If yours doesn’t, some non-governmental organizations such as The International Ecotourism Society and SustainableTravel International have reliable carbon-offsetting programs.

This entry was originally posted by the author on December 6, 2011.