Thanks, Yasmin, for your kind words about our blog and our advocacy for sustainability and travel as a force for good. Your experience at Maya Bay reminds me of several of our own experiences where we’ve seen a beautiful place ruined by tourism and so it’s our goal to try and do what we can to try and prevent that happening in other places. And, to educate travelers on how to be more respectful and mindful when they travel.

Yasmin

Thank you, Linn. We really appreciate the feedback. It’s an important issue. The industry has a long journey ahead.

Hi Emily,
Thank you for such a long and thoughtful comment that shares your personal experiences with this from the Pacific island you are from and your experiences traveling around elsewhere in the world. As I understand, many of the Pacific islands have been hit badly by overtourism and the lack of planning to really protect the environment and natural areas. I do hope that people can use social media to help educate on issues on how to be a more responsible traveler (e.g., do not “collect” coral!!) and also to show that there are many other areas in the world that are also beautiful and could still benefit from travelers. And yes, the government should be working more with the local community to support them and give them more power to organize and develop the type of tourism that they want — even if it means more investment in infrastructure or some restrictions. Lots to think about here, but there are ways to use our platforms to educate and help shape behaviors and decisions.

I also agree with the seventh point about the environmental impacts of overtourism. I was born and raised on an island in the Pacific Ocean which is known for its emerald oceans and tropical weather. There is a beautiful beach, a popular tourist destination, which has lost its beauty over the years due to an excess of tourists visiting that area. The once abundant colorful corals have disappeared to the people stepping on them and breaking them apart to “collect.” Therefore, the fishes that once lived in that region has disappeared due to the lack of corals.

Thinking long-term, overtourism is indeed an issue and you are right, social media can be utilized to combat overtourism. I also believe that the government should have a role in supporting the local community and listening to their voices. This post was definitely eye-opening and should be read by other travelers as well!

Hi Eduardo,
Thanks for your kind comment about our work and writing. As for your questions:
a) We recommend checking out A Little Adrift + Breathe, Dream, Go + Soul Travel
b) One thought is to post the photo, but not mention specifically where it is located. In other words, use generic geotagging that shows the general city, region, national park but not the specific GPS location. Here’s an article on that topic: https://www.adventuretravelnews.com/generic-geotagging-an-opportunity-for-influencers-to-rethink-their-impact

Kristen, thank you for your thoughtful comment and sharing your experiences in Bali. That is one of the places that has really suffered from overtourism. We saw this happening several years ago when we visited, and noticed the shift or change beginning with local culture. I can only imagine that it’s so much worse now, and I’ve seen heart-breaking photographs of trash piled up on the beaches in certain popular areas. So sad.

YES to traveling “in your own backyard”! We often advise this as well — that you can sometimes have a great adventure just going across town to a neighborhood or place you’ve never been. Also, if you can travel by train or bus that also reduces your environmental impact. It’s also important to remember that all of these small changes in behaviors and decisions do add up and make a difference.

Nora, completely agree that these tips apply to everyone. That’s why our definition of “influencer” is a bit different than most 🙂

Your comment about choosing to focus on trash as your issue definitely resonates. Our trip to Cambodia earlier in the year was an eye-opener for the sheer volume of trash, especially as trash collection and recycling systems are either non-existent or can’t keep up with the amount of trash being generated. I like your approach of photographing and showing the trash problem for what it really is and for why it is such a problem. I know some social media posts that have been extremely effective in raising awareness of the trash and single-use plastics problem by using that tactic. Will be keeping an eye out on your streams for this!