Can You Be an Ecotourist Without Destroying the Environment?
In theory, ecotourism has a good boost – who wouldn’t want to visit a beautiful place, enjoy the wonders of nature, and return home with heightened respect for fragile ecosystems around the world (and the dire risks they face from climate change)?
In practice, things are not so simple. An influx of tourists can often mean congested local infrastructure, trampling local vegetation, and moving wildlife that is already under threat. ( We’re looking at you Tulum .)
So how can you visit some impressive place without involuntarily becoming a part of the problem? For the first part of Hack the World, we headed to Nosara, Costa Rica to speak with Experience Nosara founder Rio Asofeyfa Chavarria about what visitors should and shouldn’t do while exploring the wonders of the environment and what he wants more tourists to know. (Hint: Please stop taking pictures with animals.)