Greetings and Happy Midweek!
It’s already mid-month once again, so time for another of our RAP sessions (Review and Process). In our Global SKILLs training, we emphasize how ‘Review and Process’ are key components of strategic planning and implementation. Each of these mid-month RAP sessions revisits a cross-cultural theme or topic from a previous Connect, going more deeply into what we’ve begun to explore.
So, continuing our focus for this month on different facets of the cross-cultural dynamics of tourism, I thought we would look at another “silver lining” which the pandemic (despite its on-going trials) has introduced into our global communities*.
Before early 2020, there was an increasing concern globally about “overtourism”. I suspect we’ve all experienced some version of this, either as travelers ourselves or residents of travel destinations! In many places, fragile infrastructure, limited resources and local nerves were being strained by ever increasing numbers of tourists. Issues of cultural insensitivity were rampant, seemingly more aggravating as day tourist crowds grew. Even for those who were sincerely interested in understanding and valuing local cultures, the impacts of their socio-cultural footprint, especially in formerly isolated places, were fast becoming unsustainable.
Then - VOILA! Within a few weeks, a drastic solution was imposed. The pandemic fired up globally and the world literally shut its doors. Amid undeniably devastating consequences, one silver lining has definitely been an opportunity for traveler and travel host alike to step back and rethink this whole topic. It was and will continue to be a tricky balance. We the world’s citizens will have to come to terms with many still uncertain new travel dynamics. Long favored destinations on each continent, as well as ‘off the beaten track’ places in developing and emerging countries, will have to strategize how to sustainably balance the benefits of inviting others into their spaces with the literal and figurative prices they have to pay for hosting them.
My hope and, I think, realistic expectation is that we can emerge from this season with a cross-cultural win through well conceived tourism, inviting everyone at home and abroad to enjoy our global kaleidoscope of diversity!
How about you ~ what is one silver lining of cross-cultural tourism you are experiencing in recent months?
Share this with a friend or with us here...and check out the LINKs below for some examples of how others are moving forward with their own innovative silver-lining responses!
Until next week! Betsy
* Previous ‘silver linings’ Connects on our blog https://www.globalskillspartners.com/blog-1: 7/1/20, 12/16/20, 2/17/21
Global SKILLs LINKs
~ How travelers help to protect the Outer Islands of the Seychelles (2/2/21) https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/protecting-seychelles-outer-islands/index.html
~ Naturally outdoor ideas for popular destination places and spaces https://www.dailyadvent.com/news/amp/f2531bc7cee7d81e4424e88af1a68e3a-The-Italian-gardens-hoping-to-change-tourism
~ How one small American town reverses the overtourism trend and invites visitors!
2021 ~ Celebrating 40 years of working in
intercultural communications and global community building
Connecting, Collaborating, Cultivating Community