TV will lead the way to green tourism says travel boss

Popularity of wildlife programmes will lead to rise in eco-tourism

The popularity of Blue Planet will lead to a rise in eco-holidays, a travel boss has said.  Mark Tanzer. The chief executive of ABTA  – the travel organisation, predicted that the popular BBC nature series will encourage more tourists to visit new destinations as they become aware of the negative impact of overcrowding.

Over-tourism has become an issue in popular locations such as Barcelona, Venice, Palma, Dubrovnik, Florence and other destinations with protests by residents.

Research by ABTA shows that more than one in four holidaymakers are planning to visit a country they have not been to before in 2018, and almost a third expect to go to a new resort or city.

70% of people believe travel companies should ensure their holidays help the local people and economy.

ABTA is anticipating that responsible tourism will be a key trend next year, with more initiatives such as social enterprises contributing to communities, carbon-neutral group tours and the banning of plastics from beaches.

Mr Tanzer said: "Although household budgets are under pressure, the underlying demand for travel remains strong as savvy British holidaymakers are planning ahead and seeking the best value holidays and destinations.

"While value for money will certainly influence many people’s holiday choices, others will also reflect on the impact their holiday has on local people and the community.

"Popular TV programmes like Blue Planet II have put sustainability issues firmly in the spotlight, increasing awareness of the impact that large numbers of visitors can have on some of the world’s most popular destinations.

"We expect these factors to inform people’s choices about where and how they holiday next year, with a greater demand for holidays to a wide range of alternative destinations."

The BBC programme dedicated the last episode of its most recent series to documenting the impact of humans on the oceans, in particular the effect of large amounts of discarded plastic.

Among the animals featured in the series were a hawksbill turtle caught in a plastic sack and a pilot whale calf possibly poisoned by plastic in the ocean.

Presenter David Attenborough ended the show with a direct appeal to viewers.

"Surely we have a responsibility to care for our blue planet. The future of humanity, and indeed all life on earth, now depends on us," he said.

Valere Tjolle

@ValereTjolle

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