Choices, choices

The Robinberry family are starting to plan their next summer holiday. As we saw previously, they have recently become more aware of the impacts their travels have on their chosen destination. With this in mind they are keen to minimise the negative impacts as much as possible while still contributing economically and culturally to the local communities wherever possible. Mrs. Robinberry has now realised that mass tourism might not be the most sustainable option and the family have decided to only consider more sustainable forms of tourism. This has led them to look at alternatives to package holidays such as ecotourism, rural tourism and even adventure tourism.

I’ve found some really interesting cycling holidays where local guides show you the best places to ride through rural Mongolia. It could be quite an adventure! I really like the idea of exploring rural India and living with local families. There’s definitely more to alternative tourism than I thought. How about the Galapagos Islands? That counts as ecotourism, especially as it is nature based, educational and our money will help look after the natural area. Jill’s suggested holiday, a form of ecotourism, is encouraged by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. While alternative forms of tourism are generally more sustainable than mass tourism, do they do enough to mitigate the negative impacts?