Activities (Tips&Tricks)

Unless you have booked a total package with a travel organisation, you are likely to book a tour while being on a vacation. Some tours could be beneficial for the destination whereas others might actually do more harm than good. So, where can you pay attention to?

Whether it’s whale-, bird-, shark- or bear- watching, wildlife watching generally is claimed to be one of the more sustainable activities in tourism. Tourists receive the opportunity to get to know flora and fauna close-up and learn more about their habitat and behaviour. These wildlife-based experiences, however, can also entail significant negative impacts on both wildlife and the accommodating habit. It can cause effects on reproduction, survival, and long-term viability of various populations of species.

Nowadays, a lot of Europeans go on a winter sports vacation. In the Netherlands for example, this number makes 7% of the population, which makes around 900.000 people. In other countries for example Germany or Austria the percentage goes up to 15 or even 36 percent of each’s population.

During the past two decades, the opportunity to “swim with the dolphins” (SWTD) has gained popularity as a tourist activity. In the meantime, knowledge about dolphins and awareness of how they and other marine animals suffer in the name of entertainment (shown in films such as Blackfish). While some countries have forbidden the exhibition of all cetaceans, others, like several cruise ship destinations, have seen a rise in attractions where visitors can not only swim with dolphins but even touch them in petting pools and spend a day as their “trainer."

Divers and snorkelers have experienced the underwater world up close. What makes this underwater world so beautiful are the variety of corals and fish in all shapes and sizes. If you've ever snorkeled, you know this. What you may not know yet, is that the coral reefs are extremely vulnerable organisms.

Although there are positive aspects to safari tourism, namely economic impulse, as well as increasing awareness of the importance of preserving flora and fauna, there are certainly negative impacts present as well.