Often, eco-tourisms include visiting remote and fragile ecosystems and it is increasing issues on the impact of local cultures and native communities. In this essay, I will explain problems and solutions.
Tourists, lacking knowledge about indigenous communities, visiting remote and fragile ecosystems are increasing issues about the impact on local cultures and indigenous communities to destroy local traditions. In recent days, people, specifically, tourists, have it a fashion to pursue areas where unknown and untouched because they want to reveal these places by posting their social media to make their posts distinguished from others without enough knowledge and respect about local rules, as a result, they are destroying fragile places. For example, in Okinawa, Japan, there are sacred places destroyed by tourists. These spots are especially for special prayers to pray for their god on special occasions in rural areas and spots are banned even for normal locals to enter. Thus, hidden rules are limited to be announced. Additionally, these spots often include photogenic views as they are untouched, although issues for these areas increasing as tourists destroy ancient artefacts by entering the spots without respect to the locals. Clearly, eco-tourism is harmful, increasing issues on the impact of local cultures and native communities.
There is a great solution for protecting local cultures and native communities. As many tourists have experienced when they visit another country, often they are announced the rules in what they can bring or do when they enter the countries that they are visiting. Thus, it could be ideal to make similar systems for tourists who book eco-tourisms. For instance, when tourists book eco-tourisms, they can also make a contract and list of rules to read on how they should behave when visiting these indigenous places to not harm or destroy fragile things in their cultures to show their respect. This solution may work effectively as these movements already work well when tourists visit other countries.
In conclusion, eco-tourism can be harmful to indigenous communities, although if they make some rules for tourists to be aware of their culture, this issue can be solved in the future.