Thursday, August 15, 2024 In 2024, passenger demand is anticipated to surpass pre-Covid levels, intensifying tensions between mass-market companies, local communities, and collapsing ecosystems. According to Regina Domingo, a leading voice in sustainable tourism, the era of careless travel must come to an end. Domingo, who leads the Nakawe Project, doesn’t shy away from discussing the detrimental effects of this summer’s tourism on various destinations.
Despite her business’s reliance on tourism, she emphasizes the stark differences between types of visitors, locations, and companies. Her organization collaborates with communities in Baja California, Mexico, to help them recognize and preserve natural resources, shifting away from the extractive practices often linked to mass tourism, and toward sustainable livelihoods. Domingo also runs Baja Adventures, a regenerative travel company that specializes in non-invasive wildlife encounters, community engagement, and authentic cultural experiences.
With over 40 years of experience, Domingo has witnessed the collapse of entire ecosystems, fueling her determination to use her conservation background to mitigate the environmental and climatic impacts of tourism—an issue that has surged in importance post-pandemic. The temporary pause during lockdowns offered a brief glimpse of nature’s recovery, but this has been replaced by skyrocketing passenger demand. In the UK, 86.
2 million overseas trips were made last year, up from 71.2 million in 2022. If the trend continues, the number of international journeys by Britons may soon exceed the 93.
1 million trips recorded in 2019. This rapid industry rebound has led to increased tensions with local communities, culminating in widespread protests earlier this year in over-tourism hotspots like Spain’s Balearic and Canary Islands. Domingo criticizes the lack of success in combating mass, extractive, and exploitative tourism.
She highlights the rampant issues within wildlife tourism, where species like whales are harassed for social media content. Domingo asserts that protests are not the solution; instead, a more organized and data-driven approach, similar to the response to Covid, is necessary. She stresses that this issue is a critical, non-negotiable challenge that humanity must face collectively.
The economic implications of tourism are undeniable. Data from the World Travel & Tourism Council reveals that in 2019, tourism accounted for more than 15% of national employment in 44 countries. While Caribbean islands were most dependent, other nations like Portugal, Lebanon, Uruguay, and Thailand also heavily relied on tourism.
Domingo argues for a balanced approach, warning against over-reliance on tourism for employment, as seen during the Covid-induced economic downturn. She advocates for protecting and restoring ecosystems, cultures, and species, emphasizing that the focus should not be solely on job creation in tourism but on addressing the unique challenges of each location. This could involve science, tourism, legislation, or community education aimed at transitioning to sustainable practices.
Domingo draws on her experiences in Baja California, where many small businesses are tied to mass tourism. This dependency leaves them vulnerable to inevitable changes, such as the collapse of fisheries due to overconsumption and pollution. She suggests that resources could be redirected to research and science to better understand and manage these ecosystems.
Mass tourism, she says, poses a significant threat, and poor management of natural resources exacerbates the problem. Domingo believes that tourism marketing needs to shift towards promoting fragility and sustainability. While inclusivity is important, she argues that not every destination should be accessible to everyone, as this can lead to the destruction of fragile ecosystems, erasure of culture, and unsustainable levels of pollution.
In summary, Domingo calls for a paradigm shift in how tourism is managed, with a greater emphasis on sustainability, ecosystem preservation, and cultural sensitivity to ensure that the industry does not continue to contribute to environmental degradation..
