Reflection Paper on Sustainable Tourism
The tourism industry is considered one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. It
offers a variety of benefits such as employment, foreign exchange, contributes earnings to the local
economy, increases government revenue, and many more. However, the tourism industry also has
negative social, economic, and environmental impacts. More than 5% of greenhouse gas emissions
come from the said industry. It also includes depletion of natural resources, pollution, destruction
of habitat, deforestation, and the list goes on. And the practice of sustainable tourism is one of the
avenues on how to mitigate these negative impacts. As defined by the World Tourism
Organization, sustainable tourism is “tourism that takes full account of its current and future
economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the
environment, and host communities".
In the webinar, Ms. Pamela from Masungi Georeserve discussed their methods in
conserving the rainforests of Rizal. Among their primary models and principles are land
conservation and restoration. The former is a land-based approach wherein it concerns protecting
both the habitat and specific species inhabiting it while the latter refers to the planting of trees as
well as nurturing them until they grow and mature. They also educate all stakeholders, impose
additional protection, and use lightweight materials in conserving the area. I hope that the group
who protects the Masungi Georeserve continues to grow and expand because we need this kind of
people who cares for the environment. Also, their initiatives benefit not just the area but as well as
the local community surrounding it. Aside from protecting and nurturing the area, they were able
to help the locals by offering them jobs, sourcing seedlings from the community, and patronizing
the businesses. Moreover, the place could also educate people and provide them a firsthand
experience of planting trees. I hope that Masungi Georeserve becomes more recognized and gets
the support it deserves so it can triumph in battling the challenges it faces such as quarrying, illegal
logging, kaingin, deforestation, and many more. Further, the group’s initiatives and practices can
serve as a role model to other environmental organizations as they were able to conserve the area
and do charitable acts at the same time. The webinar helped me realize how significant it is to
engage in sustainable tourism as both the industry and tourists rely on the natural environment.
References:
Exponential growth of tourism. The World Counts.
https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/consumption/transport-and-tourism/negative-
environmental-impacts-of-tourism/story.
Stainton, H. (2020, October 18). Sustainable tourism explained: What, why and where. Tourism
Teacher. https://tourismteacher.com/sustainable-tourism/.
Sustainable tourism .:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. United Nations.
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics/sustainabletourism.
The tourism industry is considered one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. It
offers a variety of benefits such as employment, foreign exchange, contributes earnings to the local
economy, increases government revenue, and many more. However, the tourism industry also has
negative social, economic, and environmental impacts. More than 5% of greenhouse gas emissions
come from the said industry. It also includes depletion of natural resources, pollution, destruction
of habitat, deforestation, and the list goes on. And the practice of sustainable tourism is one of the
avenues on how to mitigate these negative impacts. As defined by the World Tourism
Organization, sustainable tourism is “tourism that takes full account of its current and future
economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the
environment, and host communities".
In the webinar, Ms. Pamela from Masungi Georeserve discussed their methods in
conserving the rainforests of Rizal. Among their primary models and principles are land
conservation and restoration. The former is a land-based approach wherein it concerns protecting
both the habitat and specific species inhabiting it while the latter refers to the planting of trees as
well as nurturing them until they grow and mature. They also educate all stakeholders, impose
additional protection, and use lightweight materials in conserving the area. I hope that the group
who protects the Masungi Georeserve continues to grow and expand because we need this kind of
people who cares for the environment. Also, their initiatives benefit not just the area but as well as
the local community surrounding it. Aside from protecting and nurturing the area, they were able
to help the locals by offering them jobs, sourcing seedlings from the community, and patronizing
the businesses. Moreover, the place could also educate people and provide them a firsthand
experience of planting trees. I hope that Masungi Georeserve becomes more recognized and gets
the support it deserves so it can triumph in battling the challenges it faces such as quarrying, illegal
logging, kaingin, deforestation, and many more. Further, the group’s initiatives and practices can
serve as a role model to other environmental organizations as they were able to conserve the area
and do charitable acts at the same time. The webinar helped me realize how significant it is to
engage in sustainable tourism as both the industry and tourists rely on the natural environment.
References:
Exponential growth of tourism. The World Counts.
https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/consumption/transport-and-tourism/negative-
environmental-impacts-of-tourism/story.
Stainton, H. (2020, October 18). Sustainable tourism explained: What, why and where. Tourism
Teacher. https://tourismteacher.com/sustainable-tourism/.
Sustainable tourism .:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. United Nations.
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics/sustainabletourism.
