Who has not made a trip to a nearby community or travelled to a country other than their residence? Tourism is an industry that is continuously growing, according to the United Nations, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) prognosticated growth of 3% to 4% for 2020 (before the pandemic) and predicted the number of international tourist arrivals by 2030 would reach 1.8 million. I understand that many people see tourism as an unsustainable activity. However, I support the fact that tourism has helped to improve the quality of life of many communities (Decent work and community growth).
As a traveller conscious of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), I have taken multiple steps such as reusing towels in the hotel that I stay, travelling by train or car when I can and sharing the car with friends to avoid the use of another car (climate actions), supporting the local community buying from small businesses (Decent work and community growth) and protecting the biodiversity of the natural places I visit (Life on land), for instance. My idea is to be able to share the message and knowledge with as many travellers as possible so that they become actors of change. To do so, as a sustainable tourism student, I could start creating a network where we can share tips for travellers to spread awareness in the context of travel in a sustainable manner. I would be an incentive for travellers to take wise decisions and making them part of the community who support the SDG.