How to Get Overtourism - Bestselling Bucket List Author Speaks About Too Much of a Good Thing
VANCOUVER, June 24, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - Every week there's a new report from the frontlines of tourism's latest crisis: the mayor of Venice urges UNESCO to blacklist the fabled city on the Heritage List; too many visitors shutter Thailand's beautiful Maya Bay; climbers perish in line-ups atop Everest; traffic jams lined up in the Canadian Rockies. With historical wonders already buckling under visitor quotas, has international tourism grown too big for its own good?
A perfect storm of cheap flights, growing economies, #lookatme social media, and more cruise ships than ever has led to an international boom in mass tourism. Robin Esrock, bestselling author of The Great Canadian Bucket List and The Great Global Bucket List, takes responsibility too. Having travelled to over 100 countries on 7 countries, the renowned travel expert and former OLN/National Geographic TV host has spearheaded the bucket list phenomenon. In doing so, he's seen first hand the environmental impact of modern tourism, along with rise of unscrupulous operators preying on crowds chasing peak experiences.
"My family lived in six countries last year. The crowds flocking to the Great Barrier Reef were intense, but Bali was the biggest shock. Beaches littered in garbage, traffic choked, the infrastructure barely holding together," says Esrock. "Tourism relies on growth, but destinations can easily get overwhelmed, and any sort of meaningful cultural interaction often gets lined up, trampled over, and ultimately ripped off."
Having inspired millions in print, broadcast and online, Esrock is well aware of his complicity. "Everyone is chasing the same bucket list moments they've read about or liked on social media. I wrote an honest story imploring writers and influencers to take responsibility by being more honest, and for the tourism industry as a whole to consider limiting short term growth for long-term gains."
Esrock, who's inspiring TEDx talk about travel has close to 900,000 views, delivers keynotes about the power of storytelling and breaking our personal and professional boundaries. His latest topic, How to Get Overtourism, deals directly with the phenomenon, exploring the roots and impact, and how destinations, marketers, attractions and operators must encourage responsible travel, before its too late.
Robin Esrock is represented by Speakers Spotlight, visit: https://www.speakers.ca/speakers/robin-esrock/
For more information, visit: www.robinesrock.com
SOURCE Global Bucket List
For interview requests with Robin Esrock, contact: [email protected]
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