Urban Eco-Tourism Evolves As Cities Study Impact of Travelers

In the Galapagos germs hitchhike with eager travelers, threatening the survival of native species. Camera flashes, voices, and human touch have cracked ancient Egyptian pyramid walls. The very breath of people viewing the Lascaux cave paintings in France has been blamed for causing humidity to rise and fungus to spread. via WWP

Ponte Vecchio in Florence via Flickr’s Paolo MargariSustainable travel isn’t only a concern of eco lodges in Costa Rica or Tanzania. Venice has long been worried about the impact of travel on it’s very existence. Milan and Florence, too, are concerned. Travelers generally use twice as much water as local residents in cities and they generate twice as much waste.

Context Travel for National Geographic’s Geotourism Award

Context Travel is one tour operator trying to developing sustainable practices, even on small walking tours.

Read WIP’s Save the Cities: Sustainable Travel Goes Urban.