Who am I?
I am a white woman, I am 57 years old, a health professional and I live and work in the Canary Islands. I love walking, especially in nature, and travelling to places with cultures different from my own.
Why am I interested in tourism?
I live in a community with a high number of hotel beds and I think that mass tourism and those who come with what we call the “All Inclusive” do not contribute anything to our society, on the contrary, they damage it. They deteriorate the environment, consume very valuable natural resources and more often than not, do not respect our customs. This kind of “alluvial tourism” is very negative for the receiving place and does not contribute anything to the visitor.
Dear daughters,
This trip is wonderful. We met a couple from Singapore in the little hotel where we are staying. The hotel is located in a beautiful place, surrounded by nature and run by a very nice and friendly lady. There is a shortage of water here, so we have to be very careful with our water consumption.
Yesterday, we visited, together with our new friends, a museum where you get a very comprehensive idea of the customs of the people of this land.
We walked for about 20 minutes until we reached the road to catch the bus that took us to the village, which is by the way very well kept and preserved. The houses, the vegetation, the parks, the people, everything was very harmonious. We then went to a restaurant, where we tried a typical dish of this area based on seasonal vegetables and river fish, it was delicious. Before returning to the hotel, we had a drink on a terrace where we enjoyed an unforgettable sunset.
I am sending you some photos to make you a little envious.
Kisses
Mum.
– Original version: Spanish –
Wishes and hopes behind the image of the future:
1. “For the future of tourism I hope that…”
we become curious and respectful travellers with the places we visit and that we leave behind the figure of the typical tourist.
2. “If I could wish for anything at all, I would…”
wish we had more sustainable tourism.
3. “If I were a powerful politician, I would…”
…I don’t think this is about politics, although some things can always be done (for example educational campaigns). I think that we need more awareness and that people need to understand the difference between travellers and tourists. Receiving communities do not want tourists not to come to our land, what we want is for them to visit us with a different philosophy, and this can only be achieved by raising awareness.
Further images of the future of tourism:
