Mass tourism has many harmful consequences for the environment. We give you tips on how you can avoid overcrowded vacation destinations and go on a more sustainable vacation instead. You can just take a regional vacation to discover what is close to you. Or you can stay at home to exploit the new Koi Fortune login.
Mass Tourism: What Is It Actually?
Popular sights, such as the Mona Lisa in Paris, are reasons for mass tourism. “Mass tourism” or ‘overtourism’ refers to the phenomenon of large numbers of holidaymakers. Congregating in the same places. As a result, there are often more travelers than locals.
Venice, Mallorca and Barcelona, for example, are particularly affected by mass tourism. The reasons include famous sights, buildings, popular beaches or places. That are known as filming locations for popular films or series.
Consequences Of Mass Tourism
The phenomenon of mass tourism leads to pollution of the world’s oceans. Mass tourism initially has positive aspects. Both the state and the local population earn money from tourists. New jobs can also be created.
However, mass tourism also has numerous downsides. Nature and the environment in particular are affected by the negative effects of this phenomenon. The biggest problems caused by mass tourism include:
Rising CO2 emissions due to environmentally harmful means of transport: According to the Federal Environment Agency, one of the main problems of mass tourism is the choice of environmentally harmful means of transport. Such as airplanes or cruise ships. They generate a high proportion of CO2, which drives climate change.
Inadequate sewage and waste disposal: The infrastructures of many tourist locations are not designed for such large numbers of people. According to the WWF, this can lead to excess waste or wastewater being discharged into the sea, causing widespread pollution of the world’s oceans.
Rent increases and lack of living space in urban centers: The existing hotels and vacation homes cannot cope with the excessively high numbers of tourists. As a result, more and more holidaymakers are booking accommodation that is actually intended for locals. As a result, living space is becoming scarce and rental prices are rising rapidly.
Destruction of landscapes and animal and plant habitats: According to the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, the expansion of infrastructure required for mass tourism not only destroys natural areas. But also the habitats of animals and plants, thus contributing to the extinction of species.
How You Can Go On A Sustainable Vacation
To minimize the impact of mass tourism, you should use sustainable means of transport. You can also do something about the problem of mass tourism yourself.
This counter-movement is also known as “soft tourism”. We have put together the four most important tips to help you go on vacation in an environmentally conscious and fair way:
- If possible, travel in the low season: families with school-age children in particular travel in the high season. As well as teachers who want to take a short break during the regular school vacations. There are also many other tourists who want to make the most of the nice weather during the summer vacations, for example. However, if you make sure to travel in the low season, you will not only usually be cheaper. But also more sustainable, as you will avoid the large crowds of tourists.
- Vacation nearby: You don’t have to travel far away to experience great adventures. Sometimes it’s the smaller and seemingly inconspicuous places that really surprise you. You can also travel more sustainably if you don’t fly to distant continents. But prefer a vacation in your home country of Germany or the neighboring European countries. How about a microadventure near you, for example?
- Support local providers: It is often the locals who suffer most from mass tourism. If you eat in local restaurants or store in regional stores, you are supporting the locals and relieving them financially.
- Pay attention to more sustainable means of transportation: Traveling by plane, cruise ship or your own car causes extremely high CO2 emissions. Which have a negative impact on climate change. You can counteract this by taking public transport, such as the train or bus, on your vacation.