voluntours

Mass tourism is hardly sustainable, so nature-based or ecotourism is often promoted as a cleaner alternative. But as eco-tourists, do our annual getaways end up harming the natural environment we set out to enjoy, or can our next adventure actually provide some sustainable benefit for conservation and local communities?
All tourism activities will have both positive and negative impacts on the natural, cultural and socio-economic environment. Furthermore, the impacts also occur at different scales: primarily local, regional and global.
Globally, tourism currently contributes about 5% of greenhouse gas emissions. Much of our impact (50-98%) arises from the travel component, primarily via plane or car. The remainder is derived from on-site impacts associated with accommodation and leisure activities.
Tourism can encourage species conservation. (Guy Castley)
Many tourists might question any link between their holiday and climate change. In reality the two are closely linked. The changing climate influences our choice of popular destinations such as beaches, islands and alpine resorts, but ultimately also their persistence.