This is a good analysis of the global travel boom.
Excerpts: "The whole world has the travel bug. And it’s ravaging the planet.
"Look at Cambodia. The monumental temples at Angkor and the beaches on the Gulf of Thailand have made that country a choice destination, especially for Asians, who spent $1 billion there last year. But the foundations of those celebrated temples are in danger of sinking as the 856,000 tourists who every year crowd into Siem Reap, the nearby town of 85,000, drain the surrounding water table.
“Most people can’t imagine that tourism could be a global menace. Even the word ‘tourism’ sounds lightweight. And travel has always been surrounded by an aura of romance. For centuries, beginning with the first tourists on holy pilgrimages, travel has been about adventure and discovery and escape from the pressures of daily life.”
There are still countless places where you can go and find no other tourists…
When I visited Persepolis in Iran, I was the only visitor apart from a family of 4 Iranians. During nearly a month in Iran I saw only one German and a family of 4 Americans from Missouri… well, apart from all the locals.
For 10 days in Yemen, I did not see another tourist. No tourists in D.R. Congo, only one other traveller during 4 days in Rwanda. No tourists in Syria either… or in Georgia or Armenia. In Turkmenistan we saw two: a father and son from San Francisco riding bicycles across Asia. Yes, Angkor Wat had at least several hundred visitors, but it’s a far cry from Paris, London or Rome.
My first eye-opener about the impact of tourism on the planet, was finding a sign at the top of Mt Teide in Tenerife, asking people not to take any stones for souvenir purposes, as the volcano was shrinking. It seemed ridiculous to me at the time, but I’m sure if there were no restrictions, the cumulative effect would soon be noticed.
