Good Stuff from Joan Eisenstodt

I read this provocative article in the Sunday, 31 August Washington Post and wondered how our industry was contributing to the devastation of our earth and in some ways promoting what I consider to be unhealthy tourism.

It's a thought I've had before as I've watched areas in countries like Dubai being developed for what appears to be financial gain v. any thought to ensuring environmental sustainability.  

And yet ....

I watched what happened in China with such sadness.  As the country prepared for the Olympics, homes and neighborhoods disappeared in the guise of modernization and to show the world what could be done to make their country appear more modern - or more "Western" when so many want to visit China because it has a rich heritage.

Even in the United States, we are making so many cities and areas like all the others.  I remember my first visit to Seattle in 1984.  There to plan a meeting, I fell in love with a wonderful city that appeared to care about its local businesses and its environment.  Not that many years later, it became what I call "any convention city", albeit one with water and great sites.  But still one that demolished the local businesses to make room for the high rise shopping areas downtown.

What will we do?  Our industry encourages tourism.  There is also eco-tourism that should be flourishing.  But if there is no where to go that is un- or little touched, will eco-tourism survive?

Don't we have an obligation to our world? Our planet? Those to will follow us?