The concept of sustainable tourism was introduced in 1988, about a year after the definition of sustainable development, by the World Tourism Organization (Unwto); it indicates a way of travelling that respects the planet, does not alter the environment - natural, social and artistic - and does not hinder the development of other social and economic activities. In practice, it is a type of tourism that is non-destructive, with a low environmental impact and which aims to favour the economies most in difficulty.
The global tourism sector is responsible for 5% of the greenhouse gases produced worldwide. The number of travellers is constantly increasing - for Unwto, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, there are 1.2 billion travellers every year, set to become almost 2 billion in 2030 - in 15 years the sector could produce 10% of climate-altering gases. That is quite a problem.
Choosing to travel in a more sustainable way is convenient for everyone: changing means of transport and preferring more environmentally friendly facilities, for example, would mean not only reducing polluting gases, but also helping to reduce the risks of extreme climate events, such as hurricanes and floods, which are harmful to people and places. Interactive maps and guides, mobile apps and websites can be very important tools to organize your responsible holiday itineraries, to discover the most beautiful and interesting places to visit and to choose the most sustainable accommodations.
There is a growing number of responsible travellers, who try to reduce their impact on the environment, who book rooms in hotels, B&Bs and agritourisms that "work" with renewable energy and pay attention to efficiency, who choose to move with low-polluting means, who want to discover nature trails and visit little known cultural heritage, who prefer to taste local dishes, better if organic and produced by small companies that pay attention to their social impact as well. (source: lifegate.it)
Will you choose responsible vacations for this summer and responsible travel for years to come?
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