Introduction:
Tourism Agencies and businesses based in Pakistan generally offer tours to locals that flock to the Northern Regions of Pakistan in millions every year. As a result these businesses and agencies usually partner with some local restaurants and inns for profit or mutual partnership for profit by bringing an allocated number of people each year to these areas.
Responsibility of Tourism Companies for Sustainable Tourism:
When it comes to travel, the environmental impacts are very important to consider because it directly impacts the ecosystems and ultimately everything connected with it- even humans, so sustainability is very important and needs to be adapted immediately in the already vulnerable areas of the Northern Pakistan.
Also check out: Environmental Impacts of Growing Tourism Industry of Pakistan
The travel agencies and business including the restaurants, inns and hotels they are affiliated with have a responsibility that is not recognized but can play a huge part in promoting eco-friendly tourism in Pakistan. It can help keep our areas and regions cleaner, healthy and safe from the long term effects of environmental degradation.
- Support Local Businesses: Many tourist agencies in Pakistan are already doing this and it has proven beneficial in supporting the local economy by boosting local sales from shops, restaurants and hotels when tourists visit these regions. Not only does it allow tourists to immerse in the local culture and learn to respect local values and traditions but also provide a profit to the locals with no extra expense to themselves.
- Arrange Seminars: Tour agencies can provide a brief seminar or talk to the tourists before commencing their journey to the northern regions. It can involve asking people not to throw trash on the trails or lakes and keep their trash on them until they find a way to dispose it off properly. Basic instructions to respect the locals as well as nature.
- Arranging Tours in a Sustainable manner: Although the direct harm to the nature and ecosystems is caused by travelers since they are the ones interacting directly, however it is the responsibility of the tour operators as they are the ones deciding or arranging where the travelers will go and to what places. One way in which they can help mitigate is by promoting the same places in off peak seasons at discounted rates to even out the profits to the locals as well while simultaneously providing a unique and less crowded experience to the travelers.
You may also be interested in: Plastic Crisis: An Emerging Threat to Mountain Ecosystem - Protecting Wildlife: Tour operators can also instill and implement the policy of not going near protected habitat and reserved areas of wildlife and only allow people to observe them from far. This not only eliminates any chance of wildlife and human encounter that could easily turn deadly but also protects environment.
This is particularly important for our Northern regions where a large number of endemic flora and fauna like black bear and mountain cat for instance are becoming extinct due to lack of awareness and protective measures among people local and tourists alike. Once the tour operators take measures to protect these wildlife even locals would abstain from harming wildlife. - Promote Eco-friendly Transportation: Group tours in a single transport alternating with cycling and those that are more focused on hiking or walking tours can not only allow people to learn more about the region they have come to explore but also provide more locals to benefit from their shops and small stalls. This will effectively also reduce the pollution caused by individual jeeps and trucks or buses even.
Whenever tourists visit a community whether it is the Northern Regions of Pakistan or any other place, they should treat it and its people with love and respect and always remember that they’re merely an outsider. This should be inculcated as part of the tour by the tour guides repeatedly and they should also prevent travelers and tourists from sabotaging or harming any tree or aspect of the ecosystem of the region. Local tourists in Pakistan are especially notorious for destroying entire trees just to take home branches of fresh fruit rather than picking them from the tree directly. This practice should be stopped by everyone and isn’t just the responsibility of the tour operators.
As tourists come for a day to explore, take pictures, and then leave it behind, but for the locals, it’s their home and source of livelihood.
Tour agencies should be mindful of how we may be encouraging tourists to commodify these local communities, especially indigenous communities. At the end of the day, support is what these local communities need the most, which tour agencies can give by including local workers in the supply chain management. It helps the local culture stay alive and gives locals an extra source of income to keep the land beautiful for tourists.
Moreover, Government should also invest in proper development plans and infrastructure that can enable eco-friendly solutions such as trash bins that are segregated and placed along hiking trails at least, as well as installing proper communication towers for the ease of locals and tourists alike.
You may also want to check out: Digitalizing Tourism Industry in Pakistan – Trends, Challenges and Recommendations
Check out: Environmental Damage Due to Tourism Industry of Pakistan
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