Tourism: Benefit Or Burden?

You will perhaps remember that movie “The Beach” with Leonardo DiCaprio – a tale of an undiscovered beach paradise in Thailand that a few wanted to keep for themselves? Outsiders not welcome? It all went wrong in the end, but the message of the film is interesting and relevant.

So hence my question – is tourism beneficial and constructive, or is it detrimental?

The four ‘D’s

Some time ago, I came up with the four “D” formula for tourism – discover, develop, destroy, and depart. The discover phase comes in when people travel to out of the way places, like “The Beach” and come back with amazing stories. It is what all of us with travel money and a sense of adventure hanker for – pristine, unspoiled, real wilderness, few people. Then that destination gets developed, hotels spring up, access is improved, maybe an airstrip for those in a hurry, restaurants, etc. As more people arrive, infrastructure is developed even more, and then even more people arrive. Bigger hotels, more trinkets sold, more local employment, a bit less space on the beach. Refer to Johan’s post about how destinations are sold with fancy pictures versus what you get when you arrive. Then you enter the destruction phase – too many people, the very reason for the initial attraction being destroyed, the landscape ruined, the environment destroyed. And finally the departure phase – the tourist is disappointed, the reality does not match the promises made, and you look elsewhere.

African examples

We have all seen the four Ds at work during our lifetimes, but let me give you some examples. Take the Masai Mara in Kenya. Used to be a pristine place with great wildlife, augmented yearly by the amazing migration from the Serengeti. Now, lodges have proliferated, roads and tracks are everywhere, and at least 20 vehicles jostle around a lion or a cheetah (well, they used to, Kenyan tourism is now down after the post-election violence). The wildebeest trying to ford the rivers on their migration are now impeded by the number of vehicles blocking their crossings. People with travel money are now looking elsewhere. The Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania used to be magnificent. On the crater floor one could see lions, rhinos, buffalos, zebras… but now, be prepared to join the crowds, and see the hotels built on the crater rim to remind you that you might not be in the wilderness you imagined. But the view from your high terrace might be magnificent. The Okavango Delta in Botswana, if you can afford the prices, tries to cling to the designation of “Africa’s last remaining wilderness” while lodges are being constructed at a huge rate. Some operators there can still take you to very isolated places, Johan can advise. Botswana is headed relentlessly  towards the third D in the formula unless changes can be made.

We have seen this cycle before, but have not particularly absorbed the consequences. Take the Grand Canyon in the USA. In 1903, Theodore Roosevelt said “Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it”. Wallace Stegner hopefully said in 1955 “It is possible to make such a wilderness accessible without ruining it”. The reality of the Grand Canyon today is certainly different. Closer to home for me, Marbella in southern Spain used to be idyllic for vacationers and those escaping high taxes in the rest of Europe, the cold winters, and wanting a sunny lifestyle. Years ago, that was available. Now? Apartment complexes (many illegal) climbing the hills, beaches no bigger than a carpet, the sea covered with a slick of sun tan lotion. Past glory, a tourist destination in the last phase of the four Ds.

Breaking the cycle

Without any doubt, tourism income fills the coffers of all governments that afford wonderful destinations, whether those involve natural beauty, beaches, or wildlife. But how can we avoid loving those destinations to death? Can we as tourists avoid the cycle of the 4 Ds?

In tourism I still believe we can, but consult your travel experts. Ensure you spend your travel money with companies that represent destinations that are truly environmentally aware, minimize your impact, and those that leave areas of their operations in a better state than they found them. Save money for another year instead of embarking on a cheap trip now – you know that quality comes at a price. Be aware of your footprint, and consider carefully what you would support in terms of your vacation vs the possible future experience of your children. The cycle can be broken if you participate.