Your post is timely as I'm thinking about travel for 2024 and 2025. Taking into account everything you say, such the effect visitors have on communities and the ecological consequences, I wonder if the argument to travel in order to develop our own understanding of the world is so strong that it will always prevail over other concerns. Thanks for your thoughtful commentary, I enjoyed reading it.
Thank you Yasmin! That means a lot! Same. My family and I are planning three or four trips in 2024 as well. I think there is a powerful imperative to travel that tends to be downplayed in our discussions of all the negative impacts. I'll be outlining a "benefits to travel" post in the coming weeks to contrast this piece, but I believe when we consider all these benefits in aggregate and at scale, they do outweigh the negatives to travel, albeit, it is a harder case to make. Suffice it to say, I am optimistic that we have enough mindful humans on this planet to help guide us toward a more balanced approach to our travels. :)
Your post is timely as I'm thinking about travel for 2024 and 2025. Taking into account everything you say, such the effect visitors have on communities and the ecological consequences, I wonder if the argument to travel in order to develop our own understanding of the world is so strong that it will always prevail over other concerns. Thanks for your thoughtful commentary, I enjoyed reading it.
Thank you Yasmin! That means a lot! Same. My family and I are planning three or four trips in 2024 as well. I think there is a powerful imperative to travel that tends to be downplayed in our discussions of all the negative impacts. I'll be outlining a "benefits to travel" post in the coming weeks to contrast this piece, but I believe when we consider all these benefits in aggregate and at scale, they do outweigh the negatives to travel, albeit, it is a harder case to make. Suffice it to say, I am optimistic that we have enough mindful humans on this planet to help guide us toward a more balanced approach to our travels. :)