1.12: Environmentally Sensitive Travel

Today there is an increasing awareness of the environmental impacts tourism has. In many regions of the world, tourism does bring in desperately needed money, but it also can put pressures on the region's infrastructure and environment that cause problems and lasting damage. Visitors' experiences shape their perception of the culture, and the reverse is true. Indiginous people form lasting impressions of visitors based on their behavior. This can promote better intercultural relationships or detract and damage them.

This chapter explores that issue.

Tourism and the Environment

Travel opportunities are plentiful to the point that it is the rare—or rich—person who can “do it all.” Since most travelers must pick and choose, deciding what to do and what not to do, it is worth looking at ways of ranking and rating travel. Beyond just looking at the sticker price, there are other significant things to consider. More and more, travelers and those companies that cater to them, are taking into account the environmental impact and sustainability of those attractions, excursions, or educational opportunities that can form the core of a “once-in-a lifetime” trip.

Many countries depend on money that comes from tourism. But scholars have only recently begun to look at the data behind eco-tourism. The risks of tourism to the environment come from the impact that tourists have in traveling to the sites, the pollution or degradation of the site from foot-traffic or litter and the risk of disturbing animals as they rest, feed, or mate, thereby disrupting their ability to survive or thrive.

One such example is in Sri Lanka. There, the Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project, KSTCP, has been in operation for almost 40 years. A 2025 study looked at the project (Pattiyagedaraa, Sustainable Management Practices of Turtle Hatcheries in Sri Lanka as Premier Tourist Attractions, 2025). They found that the turtle conservation project does supports the local economy in various ways. It buys turtle eggs from fisherman, which keeps the eggs from being eaten, and the project’s education efforts are aimed at increasing awareness and cutting cut down on poaching.

Sustainable tourism studies have looked at factors that relate to the environment, the local population’s benefits, and the quality of the experience for tourists. Different studies have expanded these three basic considerations into more detailed rubrics to evaluate, rank, and offer insights into so-called best-practices. One such rubric of “sustainability indicators” was offered by researchers Choi and Siraka (Choi, 2006). Their scale has seven components, and suggests questions that travelers can ask when decided whether they should visit an attraction.

• What is the social cost?
• Is this activity environmentally sustainable?
• Does this site have a long-term plan focused on sustainability?
• Does this benefit the locals, or just outside corporate interests?
• Is the community engaged in the planning?
• To what extent are the jobs created filled by locals and fairly compensated?
• Does this activity provide a satisfying visitor experience in line with its cost?

Of course, it can be hard for a tourist to do this sort of research all on their own. But, increasingly, promotional materials speak to these issues, and if they do not, it’s worth asking these questions.

In the case of the seat turtle project, the research findings were that the projects is effective in educating the public and promoting conservation.

Some travel experiences go beyond just having the traveler be a passive observer of the environment. An example of this the beach clean-up initiatives. For example, the state of California sponsors the Coastal Cleanup Day one day each year where coastal communities turn out in force to pick up trash and properly dispose of it. According to the California Coastal Commission website, it is the state’s largest volunteer event (Commission, 2025)

It may seem a bit far afield of our core subject, intercultural communication, to consider how tourism affects the environment. But it is worth considered the lasting effects of sustainable tourism. Of course, tourists want a positive, memorable experience. But it also is true that when tourists depart, the community they leave behind will remember them. It is in the interest of everyone that the legacy of these visits build understanding and demonstrate respect. Tourism should be of substantial benefit to the local community and create lasting good-will.

So, conscientious travelers can "vote with their dollars" and educate their friends on the trips that meet the seven-questions of sustainability.

Key Terms

• Environmental impact – The effects tourism has on natural ecosystems, including pollution, habitat disruption, and resource strain.
• Sustainable tourism – Tourism practices that balance visitor experience with long‑term environmental and community well‑being.
• Infrastructure pressure – Strain placed on local systems (roads, water, waste, energy) due to increased tourist activity.
• Eco‑tourism – Environmentally responsible travel that supports conservation and benefits local communities.
• Site degradation – Damage to natural or cultural locations caused by foot‑traffic, litter, or overuse.
• Wildlife disturbance – Disruption of animals’ natural behaviors due to tourist presence.
• Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project (KSTCP) – A Sri Lankan initiative that protects turtle populations while supporting local livelihoods.
• Sustainability indicators – Criteria used to evaluate whether a tourism activity is socially, environmentally, and economically responsible.
• Social cost – The negative effects tourism may have on local communities, such as overcrowding or cultural disruption.
• Local benefit – The extent to which tourism revenue and opportunities support residents rather than outside corporations.
• Visitor experience quality – How well a tourism activity meets travelers’ expectations relative to its cost and impact.
• Conservation education – Programs that teach visitors about protecting wildlife and ecosystems.
• Volunteer tourism (clean‑up initiatives) – Travel experiences where visitors actively participate in environmental restoration, such as beach cleanups.
• Legacy of tourism – The lasting impression tourists leave on a community, including cultural respect or harm.
• Voting with dollars – Choosing travel options that support sustainable practices and responsible organizations.

References for Further Reading

Choi, H. &. (2006). Sustainability Indicators for Managing Community Tourism. Tourism Management, 27(6), 1274-1289.

Commission, C. C. (2025). California Coastal Commission Cleanup Day. Retrieved February 2026, from California Coastal Commission: www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/ccd/ccd.html

Pattiyagedaraa, S. S. (n.d.).

Pattiyagedaraa, S. S. (2025, Jaunary). Sustainable Management Practices of Turtle Hatcheries in Sri Lanka as Premier Tourist Attactions. Retrieved February 2026, from Journal of Responsible Tourism Management: www.jrtm.org/doi/10.47263/JRTM.05-01-01.pdf