How to be an ecofriendly tourist in the Alps

ECOTOURISM

Tourist attrac­tions range from winter sports in the mountains to summer seaside activities, with health spas re­ceiving special emphasis. Special features of interest to tourists include the mountain lakes and underground cave systems.

Many are interested in church­es and monasteries with ancient frescoes, ancient folklore and folk costumes reflecting cus­toms and long-lasting tradi­tions.

Many locations have become popular because of the growing worldwide interest in ecology and conservation. Ecotourism integrates tourism with ecolo­gy, offering wide varieties of landscapes and activities, including unspoiled beach­es and coral reefs with productive marine systems, for scuba-diving enthusiasts; vast limestone caverns in highlands with trekking, mountain biking, climbing opportunities and cave exploration; rainforest areas with ancient tribal peoples and undeveloped islands with jungle arid swamp treks, sailing, rafting and other travel opportunities and miles and miles of empty beach­es. All versions focus on environmental protection. So the future demand will boost ecotourism on both national and global levels.

Air travel and hitchhiking are the two extremes of travel. Travel by boat, rail, coach and car are used by most of us.

EXPLORE NEW ZEALAND AND TASMANIA BY SEA

The advantages of exploring New Zealand by sea are countless. Not only do you save val­uable time by reducing the amount of road travel, but also have the great advantage of returning to your cabin each night, there­by avoiding overnight stays in a variety of hotels and motels across the country.

There is also much to be said for standing on deck in the morning light as your ship pulls into harbour or navigates a river which will bring you into the heart of the town or city.

And, for the delight of following the coastline, particular­ly in the south where New Zealand's Fjordland beauty is simply stunning. We will have three relaxing days at sea as we navigate the Tasman Sea, bound for the island of Tasmania.There will be an opportunity to go inland to the island's best known national park, the spectacular Cradle Mountain.

HOW TO BE AN ECOFRIENDLY TOURIST IN THE ALPS

Guests at the Waldhaus Am See in St. Moritz bring more than baggage to the 36-room hotel. With manager Claudio Bernasconi's encouragement, each week in summer they cart in box loads of trash they've found in the Swiss mountains.

The visitor who brings in the most litter gets room and board for a week on the house. The record is 19 kilograms, mostly cans, collected by two Swiss women on vacation last August.

"They said they worked so hard they were going to need another holiday," Bernasconi laughs.

The hotel's two-year-old campaign is meant to encourage visitors to protect the Alpine environment. But Bernasconi and tourist officials throughout the Alps know that responsible, or "soft" tourism requires more than picking up litter.

Successful ecotourists, they say, rnust start with careful planning -— finding leisure activities and transportation that go easy on the environment and searching out resorts that promote active preservation of the Alps.

Once the traveller has arrived, moreover, he or she must strive to conserve energy, avoid endangered species and purchase local products, generally produced by- mountain farmers who sustain the fragile landscape of the Alps.

One approach to soft tourism Is scheduling a trip between seasons.

Staggering of holiday schedules helps reduce the choking, noisy traffic that tops the list of environmental concerns iniriost Alpine regions. Alpine resorts generally boom during the height of winter, when hotels are filled so 100 per cent of capacity.

Another important way Jo mitigate die environmental assault from autos is to take public transportation whenever possible.

In some areas, like Zermatt, Switzerland, local transport is an attraction in itself. In Zermatt, a mountain community 1,620 meters high, cars are forbidden. In their place, a fleet of five electric buses carries skiers to lifts (the fare about $1.40).

Hotels ferry luggage on some 380 smaller electric vehicles. The payoff for the environment is low pollution.and energy demand, and blissful quiet

The environmental ethic should continue inside the hotel.

Responsible tourists should reduce their own demand for energy whenever possible fey flicking off unnecessary lights, by turning down heat, and by finding out how often the hotel changes sheets and towels, and letting the concierge know if they can get foy with the same laundry __ for a longer period of time. ^

Tourists who visit local shops can try to buy ferns with minimal wrapping that wiH add less trash to overloaded waste systems. They can also purchase locally made products when possible. Goods made nearby require less energy to transport, and their sale supports She.AljpHie economy.

Finally, ecotourists should take their environmental ethic onto the ski slopes andMking trails'Of file Alps.

It is important io avoid straying from marked paths or ski runs unless a local guide is present. Snow protects plants and animals through the winter and skis can slash the blanket that enables them to survive.

The future of the alpine ecosystem depends on the behavior of the millions of tourists each year who enjoy the beauty and grandeur of the Alps.

Damage done by the unthinking tourist can be irreversible, and in some parts of the Alps, trash thrown to the side of the trail will be preserved for decades in a deep freeze.

But if everyone cooperates, the payoff will be rewarding vacations in the lush alpine environment for generations to come.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14