“Every gap year student should have some skills training to help them travel in a more sensible and informed way. There are very few things in life that we expect to go off and do with no training, so why do we assume that travelling in the developing world can be achieved without preparation?”

Charlotte Hindle – author of Lonely Planet’s ‘Gap Year Guide’

Thursday 12 April 2007

Tourists face ban from Galapagos Islands


Title – Tourists face ban from Galapagos Islands
Source – The Metro
Date – 12th April 2007

The Galapagos Islands are just one of the worlds top travel destinations. Whether you travel there for the amazing scenes above water on the islands that inspired Charles Darwin in much of his theorising on evolution or head for an under water world that is unmatched anywhere in the world, you will have in impact on the environment.

'Eco Tourism' is certainly an attractive marketing tool, but your own actions are going to determine exactly how much of an impact you actually have. Your research should go further then your tour operators website, look behind the glossy brochure and find out exactly how green they are.

You can already start to reduce the impact you have by following some simple rules, not only will you be helping to protect the planet, but you will also be helping the local populations you visit and setting and example that may help local populations help themselves.

During our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop we examine ways you can reduce the environmental impact you have when you travel. Following these simple rules will help you ingratiate yourself with the local population and not be a burden to them. This in turn will earn you respect and by default provide you with more security.

At Beyond The Blue we believe that travel is a privilege and to visit another community should not be seen as a right, but rather as a generous invitation. If you treat your travel in this way, you will create a positive impact on locals that can outweigh the natural impact any kind of travel will have.

There are many organisations who share our beliefs and there are pressure groups emerging to help individuals make the right choices. One such group is Tourism Concern and we would urge you to visit their website;
www.tourismconcern.org.uk

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com

No comments: