Tourism as an industry is based on the principle of travelling to a different location outside of their usual environment, domestically or internationally, with different purposes such as leisure, business, health, or more.
The travel industry incorporates many sectors including lodging, transport, travel agencies, attractions, etc., which is why it has a powerful impact globally. In fact, the total contribution of travel and tourism to the global GDP in 2020 was approximately $4,671 billion, as published in 2021 by Statista Research Department.
As beneficial as it is for the global economy, tourism is one of the many industries that also have an impact on a social and environmental level. Therefore, now more than ever is important to develop our industry into a responsible and so more sustainable one.
Difference between sustainable and responsible tourism
People tend to assume that sustainable and responsible tourism are the same. However, the former applies the concept of sustainability to the tourism industry, while the latter refers to the individual actions that people (travellers), businesses, and destinations take to develop sustainable tourism.
The aim of sustainable tourism
Sustainability is described as the development made to meet our needs in the present without affecting the future generations to meet their own needs.
Sustainable tourism aims to have a positive impact in the environmental, social, and economic areas by:
For instance, AJ is one of the collaborators in one amazing project in the Galapagos Islands in which domesticated animals are the main focus. We create awareness about the best way to look after them so they are not a threat to the endemic wildlife, allowing all species to live in harmony. Learn more about Pan Animalia here.
- Consider social variables such as community, education, health, equity.
For example, Adventure Journeys is creating alliances with the community of Pijal in Imbabura, Ecuador. We have built a non-profit project with the objective of helping to improve the quality of life of women in Pijal through its revitalization, community development, and from a sociocultural perspective. Learn more about Sacha Warmikuna here.
- Generate economic benefits maintaining the long-term viability of every action.
Sustainable tourism helps connect the planning and management areas of tourism development with environmental, social, and economic goals. We, as businesses, are obliged to create a set of responsible guidelines that will allow us to maintain a sustainable industry.
Please check FCO UK entry requirements for Ecuador on https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ecuador/entry-requirements
Thank you and we are eager to carry on talking to you on how to promote Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
Cheers.
Daniel