this morning, i would like to argue for true ecological tourism, or, ecotourism. to me, a true ecotour is a tour that allows us to express our passion for nature and for our cultural heritage.
i love traveling. one of my most memorable trips was climbing the great wall. there, i cherished seeing people of all races and ages gathered on this ancient edifice. i cherished seeing these people smiling at each other, making way for each other, and reminding each other to watch their steps.
while i love traveling, i'm also sad to see the damage tourism has done to nature and to our historical relics. many tour agencies like to label their business “ecotours”。 but they have cut down trees and filled up rivers in order to build roads, hotels and cable cars so as to attract tourists. and on their tours, some people pick flowers, catch birds and throw away food that might poison animals.
this is not ecotourism at all. true ecotourism involves responsibility. while we enjoy the beauty of nature, we should also help protect it. here let me share an experience.
once, i joined others as young volunteers in an outing. the excursion took us to the peak of a mountain where we got a beautiful view of the city. we were, however, not ordinary tourists. as we were climbing, we were also picking up the trash left on the ground by other climbers. finally, we carried, in large bags, all the trash down the mountain.
the excursion was exhausting, but i believe, after this experience, not a single one of us will ever litter any tourist spot. moreover, when we were cleaning up the mountain slope, we caught eyes of many others. some of them might see us as foolish, but more of them, i believe, will take note of the need to protect the environment.
my experience was one of an ecotourist. we took, but we also gave.
however, on the idea of ecotourism, there are many misunderstandings. i once telephoned several travel agencies to inquire about ecotours. and here is how it went:
“hello! ”
“hi, i'm interested in the ecotour you've advertised.”
“oh, yeah, ecotour.”
“i'm wondering if we should do anything special as ecotourists.”
“i'm sorry? oh, nothing… just enjoy the scenery.”
every conversation ended up with “enjoying the scenery.” no one mentioned “protecting the wildlife,” “respecting local customs,” or “preparing a bag for garbage.” none of them made any mention of the obligation and responsibility on the part of tourists.
like other students, i have had many dreams of what i would like to do after graduation. one of these dreams is to run a travel agency. in this travel agency, i would do three things:
first, i would like to have a staff of people who love nature as they love their mothers and can pass on to the customers the same kind of love.
second, i would like to let the customers appreciate the beauty of nature in those natural reservations, safari parks and wild forests, and show them how they can contribute in return for the air, water and nourishment that nature provides.
last but not least, i'd encourage the customers to work as volunteers as i once did. they would live close to nature by cleaning up the natural resorts and planting trees as mementos of their visit.
i still remember when i was standing on the top of the great wall, i could see in some distance many bare mountains with no trees, nothing green. it is my dream that one day i would organize tours for areas that are suffering from erosion and deforestation, and we would plant trees there. ecotourism should be an experience of learning and offering-it should not be just seeing the famous sites and posing for photos. on the flag of my agency, i would like to print this motto:
take nothing away except memory; leave nothing behind except your trees.
join my tour, my dear friends! it will make china green-and make this world a better place to live.
thank you very much.