After almost all the coral was destroyed due to tourist traffic, Thailand had to close down its famous cove, Maya Bay. Dive teams have now planted 20,000 coral fragments in the bay to help rehabilitate the reef. When the bay will open again will be uncertain, but it will be a different experience than it was before.
Abandoned buildings can be an eyesore, a blight on a land- or cityscape, and even an embarrassment to many locals. Yet they are all a part of a place’s history and heritage. While not all are worth saving, many heritage buildings deserve a new lease of life. Here, Angelo Sciacca applies his passion for circular economics and participative planning to the problem.
On the two-decade anniversary of his travel company, Responsible Travel, Justin Francis reflects on just how far the industry has come and where it’s going next. He suggests nothing is possible unless we first reduce carbon emissions and restore nature and that the only way forward is to consult more closely with local people.
Costa Rica’s tourism model was developed with sustainability, innovation, and inclusiveness in mind, and part of their key to success has been to target a demand that can adapt to the conditions the country has to offer. The country’s tourist attractions focus on activities that respect the environment and offer travellers opportunities to reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to conservation and cultural heritage.
How will the industry measure “building back better”? There needs to be a major reckoning of the industry’s problematic equity imbalance and new performance metrics if the industry is to transform into a more climate-smart, socially sustainable and equitable industry across its supply chain.
With 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals recorded globally, 2024 marked the recovery of international tourism from the worst crisis in the sector’s history.
