As an avid traveller, I have visited many places, from the sunny beaches of Costa Rica to the viridescent fields of Ireland. 

I believe that with overtourism targeting globally favored locations it is environmentally ruining our beloved vacation destinations. 

Who doesn’t want to visit the famous Himeji castle in Japan or hike the snow-crested alps in France? What matters is the lack of care in preserving these landmarks so our future children can visit these places, too. 

Though tourists are certainly to blame for the over-urbanization of a destination, it is also the money-blind locals who seek to profit from their home rather than preserve its original beauty. 

With the construction of big expensive hotels and tourist-focused restaurants, it has removed the initial reason why people loved this destination so much. I can’t thoughtlessly blame people for wanting to make easy money. The problem is they are not taking into account the impact they have on the disintegration of their home’s future. 

Locals are not the only ones to blame because tourism catches the eye of big corporations as well. The location benefits them and resolutely convinces them to take up more space with their big buildings and pollutants. 

Think now about the absurd overcrowding in Venice. The mass tourism is so bad there that their government is now placing limits on the amount of tourists’ entering and making people pay fees before entering Venice and other overhyped cities or towns in Italy.

The pollution that these tourists leave behind is a complete disrespect to these beautiful destinations and forces these countries’ governments to put their foot down on mass tourism. With raising prices astronomically and restricting entry, they are trying their best to preserve their home from the masses. 

So what we need to ask ourselves as tourists is what we can do to avoid maiming our adored destinations? The first thing we can do as tourists is put in the research before visiting.

Try looking into off-seasons for these destinations in order to avoid being a part of the obnoxious crowds. Don’t go to Hawaii or Bermuda during Winter break. You are definitely not the only one trying to escape the cold for a infamously popular tropical destination. 

There are so many ways you can be environmentally conscious while travelling. Using things like public transportation or even riding a bike will reduce carbon emissions and will be ecologically conscious of your location’s environment. Doing things like looking into tours that respect wildlife and don’t damage the environment will be immensely helpful and overall appreciated by the community. 

So next time you decide to visit a popular destination, or any destination for that matter, try and treat the location the way you treat your home. 

Be mindful of where you put your litter and respect the environment. Try and put some thought into what is environmentally friendly. Be conscious of the people around you and how you are affecting their lives. You just might want to pass this “house” down to your future generations, so remember to treat it with respect. 

As much as I am against the overpopulation of careless tourists, I still endorse the act of travelling to all. What I recommend is to be a conscious adventurer and not be another careless tourist ruining the natural beauty this world has to offer.