Great Green Idea: Green Travel: Ecotourism: Promotion of Recycling, Water Conservation and Energy Efficiency

Ecotourism: Promotion of Recycling, Water Conservation and Energy Efficiency

Global warming and depletion of the planet's natural resources has had a major effect on how and where people travel. Travelers are making careful choices when making vacation and business travel plans. To keep up with this trend, the tourism industry offers tourists a greater variety of opportunities to support the cause of environmental preservation when they travel. Everyday, news stories report just how quickly the excitement surrounding green travel is spreading around the world.

Setting the Example in Central America

A local ecotourism association in Belize was formed on Earth Day in 1993 for the purpose of joining forces to protect the natural environment in their area. To this day, they continue on their mission to keep Belize's unspoiled natural state from the danger of being overdeveloped. Belize has been a green travel destination known for the pristine rain forest, Maya ruins and other natural attractions and the association is determined to preserve the condition. To that end, the association is now attempting to work with the government in their country to help them in their efforts. The goal of the association is for Belize to become an example to the rest of world on how to successfully join tourism with preservation of natural resources.

Eco-Friendly Swedish Lapland Getaway

One popular guesthouse in a Swedish community continually strives to make their guests as comfortable as possible in an eco-friendly way. Their commitment is to promote sustainability as the focus of their business and to incorporate its practices in how they lodge the tourists that lodge there on vacation. The guests enjoy locally and organically grown health food. Water conservation is practiced on a daily basis through a recycling system within the guesthouse. The owners also refrain from polluting the bodies of water that are in the local area. The guesthouse also serves to educate and encourage their visitors regarding awareness and appreciation for the environment. The owners faithfully promote energy conservation strategies which include using energy sources that are renewable and increasing energy efficiency whenever possible.

Five Characteristics of Ecotourism

A tourist company in Gambia and West Africa encourages travelers to look for tour operators with certain characteristics when they make green travel vacation plans. They are confident they offer travelers a truly eco-friendly, sustainable tour by following basic principles and challenge potential customers to compare them to other tour companies that claim they are eco friend. They believe that the first attribute, conservation, is expressed when tour operators guide guests to areas where private reserves and national parks are supported. The tour should end leaving minimum impact on the surroundings, which is the second characteristic. They encourage tourists to observe the energy efficiency practices of a tour company they are considering in order to get an idea of their commitment. Sustainability and community involvement are two the final crucial issues. The company invites tourists to inquire and investigate whether they meet these criterions. Finally, tourists should conclude their eco-friendly vacation more educated about the environmental and cultural issues in the country they just visited.