World Tourism Day is celebrated on 27 September in order to to spread awareness about the importance of tourism and its impact on everything on Earth! I believe, not just on the world tourism day, but we should talk about responsible tourism and spread awareness as much as we can. After the pandemic, no doubt things have changed! The meaning of ‘tourism’ has altogether changed. We are now more careful while travelling and inclined towards more sustainable ways of travelling.
FYI: In order to do so, I have launched a digital initiative cum sustainable blog Responsible Yatri where we talk about sustainable tourism, eco-friendliness and bring the most inspiring stories from this horizon to you.
The New Normal in tourism in that constant feeling of fear while travelling. The sanitisers, the masks, gloves and maintaining distance from almost every possible thing – living or non-living, is something that we have made our peace with.
After the pandemic, we have become more empathetic and conscious living. We have become more inclined towards humanity and ways to help. You will be surprised to know that tourism industry holds about 10% of the World GDP and due to this pandemic, it hit its all time low.
On the brighter side, the nature got time to heal. Pollution was reduced. The nature could actually heal because of almost zero footfall.
But now, things are back on track again. Not as carefree as we used to be, but yes, the frequency of travelling is catching up with the pace.
But this doesn’t mean that we will do what we used to do.
There is a need of change in our ways of travelling. Nature gave us back, and how! We cannot afford to hurt the nature once again because results can even get more worse.
So, this world tourism day, I would like to share some of my best tips for you to travel safely and about best tourism practises, so that you can make the most of your trip and enjoy to the fullest while staying safe and not hurting the eco-system.
- Safety first
You need to be sure that you go fine and you come fine. Therefore, do not travel if you feel sick or low. In order to be safe during your travels, you need to make sure you use sanitiser all through, wear a mask or cover your face at a crowded place and try to avoid touching things like railings, door knobs, handles, switches etc. You can also carry wet cleaning or disinfectant tissues to clean such things before touching it.
- Switch to sustainable goods
Sustainable goods or products are things that are made from renewable resources, doesn’t hard the environment and doesn’t really get you to dispose it soon. Some examples are metal water bottles, recyclable fabric for clothes, jute bags, cloth napkins, steel straws, reusable pads, to name a few. Means, anything and everything that is eco-friendly comes under sustainable goods.
- Vocal for local
Tourism is a source of bread and butter for many locals. Buying local products and handmade or handicrafts help the local to earn a living, which directly has an impact on the economy. And when the economy grows, the govt. bodies put more efforts in keeping the place clean and invest in the growth of that particular place.
- Take a public transport
This is yet another important factor as private vehicles cause more pollution as the number of vehicles are more. If there are no options then fine, otherwise use a public transport or shared transport.
- Do not litter
People often think, ‘oh no one is here, let me throw this packet here, who is seeing?’ and within no time, the place becomes more like a garbage zone. This needs to be stopped, said enough!
The ‘new normal’ in tourism industry is all about switching to better sustainable options, travelling responsibly and going green. I wrote this post with an intention that it might inspire you to be a responsible yatri (traveller) while you enjoy your trip to the fullest but also, not hurting the ecology.
All you need is to be a little more careful! That’s all folks!
Also read:
How to Travel for Free in India? Is it Really Possible?
Travel is Good for Mental Health – 7 Reasons Explained!
Best Places to Visit in October in India to Enjoy the Beautiful Autumn
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