What do we mean by ecotourism ?
By Stephan, founder of Heco and Himalayan Ecotourism
At Himalayan Ecotourism, we denounce the dangers that mass tourism poses to local communities and the environment. This form of tourism often involves moving from point A to point B just for fun, snapping a selfie, enjoying a party, forgetting work for a couple of days, and then returning home with no real benefits for either side. This kind of tourism not only leaves a massive carbon footprint but also funnels money towards large corporations, sidelining local communities.
The first question that comes to mind is: should we continue traveling this way? Would ecotourism, responsible tourism, or sustainable tourism be a solution?
The term “ecotourism” is often misunderstood because, in an economy where everything is carbon-based (and generally destructive), anything prefixed with “eco” is too often misused and reflects the practice of greenwashing. However, travel is a natural activity, and when done with the intent of discovering others and oneself, travel is actually a positive process.
Immersing oneself in a different cultural and natural environment opens doors to understanding, respect, and tolerance of others. Traveling can become a way to bring different people together and foster the development of a world where differences are seen as richness, thus reducing animosity between people and the chances of international conflicts.
This way of traveling is what we refer to as “ecotourism,” though we prefer to call it “genuine travel.” We aim to encourage this kind of exchange and meeting by offering alternatives and highlighting the traps set by platforms like Tripadvisor and others.
Of course, we would prefer tourism to be “zero carbon”. Some people criticize us by pointing out that we make people travel by air, which is known to be not very eco-friendly. But that’s true for almost all human activities. The real problem isn’t travel itself but how we collectively produce energy. Similarly, the fact that only economically privileged people can travel internationally is a consequence of the global economic system, not the fault of responsible travelers.
While we agree with condemning city trips and other forms of mass tourism, we disagree with condemning genuine travels, where the goal is to experience and understand another place and culture. True travel connects nations through their roots and their people. Locally, it can genuinely help communities affected by global development to improve their daily lives through additional incomes. And when tourism is well taught, as we describe in this article, tourism can be used as an instrument to promote not only social well-being but also the protection and regeneration of the natural environment.
So, if you are looking for a tour operator who can take you for a genuine travel experience in Himalayas, you can think about Himalayan Ecotourism and confidently prepare your journey with us. We may not take you to the most popular places in the Himalayas because many of these places suffer from irresponsible tourism, but we have many alternative Himalayan regions where we work closely with the locals to offer you an unforgettable experience while helping your hosts to really benefit from your visit.
