Symbiotic Travel
As our world becomes increasingly smaller in the remote-work, post-pandemic landscape, the ramifications of mass-tourism are being felt... Lunch cut short by a water gun mob in Spain anyone?
The Spaniards aren’t the only ones disgruntled by their deteriorating quality of life. This movement of foot loose and fancy free Millennials and Gen Zers is wreaking imbalances on local ecosystems, economies, and cultures all across the world (Check out the the recent article, "Native Soil," in Conde Nast Traveler, by John Wogan).
Yet what tourism, at least in my mind, was always meant to represent is quite the opposite: interconnectedness, cross-cultural appreciation, boosting of local economies, etc.
So as someone whose life calling is all tied up in discovery, storytelling, and people—the illuminating recent events pointing to the "bastardization" of travel breaks my heart, BAD. But it also presents an opportunity... to do better.
The chance of a lifetime here is to wake up and become more conscious about how we're moving around in the world and what our impact is on the communities we are visiting—and how we can preserve them!
Which is why I'm crazy passionate about sustainable travel, or as I like to call it, symbiotic travel—where both the locals and travelers are nourished by the experience.
All that to say, you can expect to hear a lot more from me about all things conscious, sustainable, and symbiotic travel. And, I'd love for you to join the conversation.
In the meantime, I wanted to share a moment that encapsulates an important piece for symbiotic travel, one you might not think about…
That is, your presence and appreciation: how important it is to bring a container of reverence when you are entering new lands, a new scene, and someone else’s turf.
Besides, there’s such magic for you in these moments...
For me, this one was in La Veleta, off of a small street in Tulum.
(Thank you Cafecito Chan for the best "leche de soja" cappuccino I've ever tasted in my life, but mostly, thank you for this beautiful moment.)