We are all increasingly aware that we must take care of natural resources and preserve biodiversity so that future generations can enjoy our planet. Numerous sectors such as construction, industry and energy have taken action and, of course, so has the tourism industry, implementing a series of measures for sustainable tourism. But can we travel without harming the environment and without altering our surroundings?
What is sustainable tourism?
We can understand the term sustainable tourism according to the definitions given by two of the most important agencies in the sector:
The Federation of National and Natural Parks defines it as all tourism development activities that maintain social, environmental and economic integrity. At the same time, it is capable of conserving the well-being of cultural and natural resources.
On the other hand, the WTO (World Tourism Organization) defines it as tourism that meets the different needs of the receiving regions and tourists, while promoting and protecting opportunities for the future. To understand sustainable tourism is to manage all resources to meet social, economic and aesthetic needs while respecting essential ecological processes, cultural integrity, life support systems and biological diversity.
Sustainable tourism objectives
In 2005, the United Nations Environment Program and the UNWTO established certain objectives of sustainable tourism. They classified them under different headings: economic, local prosperity, quality of employment, social equity, visitor satisfaction, local control, community well-being, cultural wealth, ecosystem integrity, biological diversity, resource efficiency and environmental purity.
Measures to be applied for sustainable tourism
According to UNWTO, these are the measures for sustainable tourism:
Protection of local culture: understanding what tourism sustainability is implies having respect for culture. To understand a place is to be interested in certain values of the community such as its art, architecture, or traditions.
Wealth sharing: it must ensure the local economy and a balanced distribution of socio-economic benefits. Obtaining social services and income, generating employment opportunities and reducing poverty should be its objectives.
Optimization of environmental resources: tourism cannot be understood without an ecosystem; therefore, it is necessary to take care of biological diversity and natural resources.
How to do sustainable tourism in Malaga
Our country is one of the international tourist destinations par excellence. And the province of Malaga is one of the most visited thanks to its contrasts and its privileged climate. Its coast, its interior, its villages full of history and the mixture of cultures that still survive, make them very attractive reasons for tourists who visit it.
In Leisurely, as a specialized travel agency, we can recommend numerous destinations for sustainable tourism in the province of Malaga, such as wine tourism routes, visits to natural sites such as El Chorro or El Caminito del Rey, tours of its most emblematic villages such as Ronda, Antequera or Nerja… Gastronomy, culture, and tradition of one of the provinces with more history of our country. Where do we start?
