Sustainability
The future of tourism
The much talked about 'ecological footprint' is a measure of how much land and water area a population requires to produce the resources it consumes and to absorb its wastes using current technology. It should come as no surprise that humanity's footprint is today over 23% larger than that which the planet can regenerate. In other words, the population of the planet needs at least 1.23 Earths in order to continue its way of living.
We are maintaining this 'ecological overshoot' by liquidating the planet's non-renewable resources, such as minerals, oil and petroleum and its renewable resources with devastating consequences. By measuring and managing our ecological footprint, we can assess our overshoot, and in turn find ways to manage our ecological assets more carefully.
Tourism, Bali's lifeblood, is one of the world's largest industries, forecast to continue growing at a rate of 4% per year between now and 2020. This poses greater challenges than ever for the tourism industry, with growing impact on the environment, society and the local economies of not only Bali but tourist destinations worldwide.
According to Sustainable Travel International based in the USA, sustainable tourism is increasingly becoming a distinguishing factor for travellers with 'green travel' having gone from just a trend to a part of mainstream consumer and corporate culture.
Demand is coming from many sectors; tourism companies seeking internationally recognised criteria, consumers becoming more and more conscious about the environmental and social impacts of their purchasing and travel decisions, tourism associations and private enterprises who want to select credible programmes, internet companies and tour operators, and
government agencies who are developing sustainability policy.
Taking notice of these factors is vital for the future of Bali. People are waking up to the state the planet is in and, as clients and holidaymakers become more selective in choosing somewhere to purchase or to stay, the major determining factor will be whether it is ecologically sustainable, does it benefit the local community, are they making the right choice long term as a resident of this planet?
It is not just down to the corporations and business people to lead the way however, it is our responsibility as individuals to make wise choices in our daily lives and lessen the demand for unsustainable practices through our consumer choices. Only then will we have any hope of achieving sustainability and harmony with our world.
