Articles tagged “overtourism”

Just as they've focused on building bigger and more elaborate ships, cruise lines are now seeking to outdo one another with private islands. MSC Cruises' eco-conscious approach is commendable, but will it resonate with passengers?

Airbnb has legions of critics, and it knows that its articulated stakeholder goals will get intense scrutiny. But if the company turns some of these corporate governance aspirations into reality, then it could emerge looking pretty good compared with many established travel industry companies offering just lip service.

Hawaii, with its isolated location, fragile ecosystem, and deep-rooted local culture, faces even more problems with overtourism than most popular destinations do. Tourism marketers are looking at ways to manage the situation, but it's a huge challenge.

As the global travel industry enters a new era of responsibility, how we define and measure the impact of community tourism must evolve beyond the traditional understanding of community-based tourism as a tool for community development. When done right, everyone wins – local people and businesses are empowered to thrive, travelers return home with a greater sense of connectedness, and everyone working in tourism benefits.

Despite explosive growth, cracks in the global travel sector began to multiply over the last decade. More change and trouble will come before the industry can figure itself out again.

By guiding clients toward responsible choices in how and where they travel, travel advisors can play a key part in promoting sustainable tourism. Not only do local communities benefit, but visitors come away with more meaningful experiences.

While it's more obvious that hotels, airlines, and cruise lines have a big impact on sustainable tourism, travel advisors wield influence too. How they guide clients in the choices they make has ramifications for the health of the travel industry, as well as for the planet.

Ensemble Travel's partnership with Cool Effect enables travel advisors to help clients offset their carbon footprint by donating to sustainability projects. It's a step that other travel agency groups should take as well.

Sustainable travel was the overriding theme at Ensemble Travel Group's 2019 International Conference, which CEO David Harris called the most important issue facing travel advisors and their clients. The importance of capturing sales data and strong alliances with travel industry organizations also emerged as top priorities.

When it comes to certain green practices and the refugee crisis, TripAdvisor CEO Steve Kaufer believes corporations and CEOs can't sit on the sidelines and must take a stand. That's an inconvenient truth.