A travel enthusiast's guide to exploring the world sustainably

 

Many of my friends know that I am a travel enthusiast. Some are aware of my deep concern for the environment and my passion for acquiring knowledge. However, not many are familiar with my journey of merging my lifelong love for travel with my social concerns and career aspirations. A recently acquainted friend even asked me how I became an academic focusing on sustainable tourism. To answer these questions, I need to reflect on my earlier years.

Although I took my first overseas packaged trip in 2003, it was during my university years that I truly caught the travel bug. The first experience that remains etched in my memory was a backpacker tour to Yunnan around 2007. This trip occurred during the last winter break of my undergraduate studies when the high-speed railway to Yunnan had yet to be constructed. To reach Yunnan, I embarked on a long and arduous train journey lasting over 30 hours, and even trekked to some attractions in the region. However, all these efforts paid off when I witnessed the beautiful views of Meli Snow Mountains (梅里雪山) and its surroundings.

When visiting Lijiang during this tour, I was invited by new friends from the local Naxi community (納西族) to visit their home. Even today, after so many years, images of the crystal clear sky and pristine river of the town, along with the warmth of the local people, remain vivid in my mind.

In addition to my love for travel, I have a strong passion for environmental protection. I chose environment sciences for my undergraduate and postgraduate studies at The Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou. Throughout my studies, I travelled extensively to study ecosystems and environmental conservation for my fieldwork. Many of these field sites such as Lijiang (麗江) in Yunnan Province and Feng Huang (鳳凰) in Hunan Province, have been inhabited by ethnic minority communities for centuries.

I began to notice that while the breathtaking beauty of these ancient towns attracts large numbers of visitors, the rapid development of tourism has led to numerous hotels and tourist facilities being constructed, altering the towns’ original character. Tourism has undoubtedly taken a toll on these destinations.

From my undergraduate studies, I learnt that while successful conservation relies on increasing awareness among people, changing people’s lifestyles is not an easy task. As I travelled more during university, I realised that tourists’ behaviours significantly impact conservation efforts. I also noticed that immersion in other cultures and connection with nature can lead to self-reflection and even behavioural changes.

When considering how conservation relates to tourism, I opted for sustainable tourism within the geography discipline for my PhD studies at The University of Hong Kong. My doctoral research focused on Tai O in Hong Kong and Lingding Island in Zhuhai, both facing challenges as they transitioned from traditional fishing villages into tourist spots. This research deepened my understanding of how tourism can be developed responsibly to benefit local communities economically while preserving the place’s physical environment and cultural heritage.

To further my conservation endeavours, I joined academia after completing my doctoral studies. Academic research empowers me with knowledge about balancing development with conservation of natural landscapes and cultural heritage, as well as identifying best practices for minimising travel impacts. At EdUHK, I take on another role as a torchbearer for conservation. As most of my students will become secondary school geography teachers, they have ample opportunities—through classroom teaching and on-site learning trips—to nurture the next generation’s understanding of environmental and cultural conservation.

As a traveller or an academic, I am preoccupied with how to develop tourism in a way that improves locals’ wellbeing while reducing tourists’ impact on the physical and cultural uniqueness of local communities. I noticed that as tourist numbers rise, facilities are often built to cater to the needs of tourists for more comfortable transportation, living arrangements, and dining options. However, improvement projects that do not align with environmental considerations can tarnish the appeal of these locations.

Improperly designed tourism programmes may lead to over-commercialisation, replacing authentic cultural traditions with touristy performances and artificial experiences. This could ultimately diminish the uniquenesses and appreciation value of these places; in a sense, a destination’s success could be self-defeating.

My answer to this apparent dilemma is sustainable tourism. While there are various interpretations of this concept, I believe its core lies in ensuring local communities achieve sustainable livelihoods through tourism. When a place is developed into a destination, its residents can improve their livelihoods by selling souvenirs, opening restaurants, running hostels, operating transportation services, or providing guiding services. Increased tourist revenue can then support the construction of more facilities that are favoured by tourists and locals. However, how long this win-win situation lasts ultimately depends on how well the destination is managed following sustainable principles.

Longji Rice Terraces (龍脊梯田) near Gulin and Hani Rice Terraces (哈尼梯田) in western Yunnan are fantastic tourist attractions. Visitors are awed by stunning views of paddy fields built along mountain slopes from riverbeds to peaks. Equally high on tourists’ wish lists are classic images of spectacular terraced fields on steep hills and colourful rice fields during different seasons. If farmers in Longji and Hani abandon their traditional farming practices or cease crop cultivation altogether because they can earn money from tourism, the appeal of these locations will drastically diminish along with picturesque scenery and enchanting traditions.

To make tourism a sustainable source of income, local people must be aware of what tourists want to see and experience. Building hotels, improving infrastructure, adding eateries and providing cultural performances are certainly beneficial; however, all developments risk damaging original landscapes. From a cultural perspective, heritage enthusiasts seek authenticity – elements they cannot find in urban settings – not extravagance or glamour.

Surveys indicate that tourists increasingly dislike seeing locals dressed in bright ethnic costumes only during performances while wearing jeans and T-shirts on town streets. Conservation doesn’t mean zero development; rather there exists a delicate balance between conservation and development that all stakeholders must acknowledge.

Numerous factors influence how a place develops into a tourist spot. Among these factors, tourists and locals play crucial roles. As an educator advocating eco-tourism, I bear responsibility for educating travellers about their impacts on tourist destinations and their role in conservation.

At the last lesson of my tourism-related courses at the end of every semester, I emphasise two expectations for my students: to keep an open mind towards understanding other cultures and be responsible travellers. As conscientious tourists, they should support small local businesses and opt for experiences that minimise impacts on original physical and cultural landscapes.

Local communities also have a significant role. They are most affected by travel businesses, and should have a say in development and conservation processes. It is the local community that brings traditional songs, dances, and rituals to life. As they take the stage to showcase their rich cultural heritage, they should have the autonomy to choose whether and how much to preserve their customs or embrace change.

In addition to conservation efforts, eco-tourism also embraces empowerment dimensions; local community members should receive sufficient information when making decisions so their choices align with their values and needs.

Tourism development often resembles a tug-of-war among vacationers, locals, travel operators, government departments, hoteliers, and restaurateurs. All parties involved must understand that natural and cultural resources make destinations appealing; all will thrive only when these heritages are well preserved.

I am fortunate to have turned my wanderlust into an academic career. Travelling has been a constant source of inspiration for me. I often use observations from my trips as teaching materials. Each journey ignites excitement as I make choices about where to go next, what to see and do, and whom to meet.

It is both my personal hope and that of eco-tourists and heritage lovers alike to preserve landscapes and cultural heritages as unspoiled as possible so we can continually re-experience what we find unique and enlightening. It is disheartening that some destinations are changing too rapidly in undesirable ways.

I am pleased that through teaching and research efforts, I contribute towards creating a more sustainable future for tourism. You too can contribute by embracing sustainable practices such as choosing accommodations with clear sustainability practices; minimising negative environmental impacts; supporting local businesses; exploring local culture; connecting with locals.

I still remember how my bed & breakfast host family took me to their local Sunday market during my 2016 trip to Japan. In Vietnam in 2018, I befriended Chinese descendants in Hoi An and attended their evening Chinese-language class. On mainland China, I’ve visited many remote places inhabited by non-Han population whose rich traditions expanded my worldview.

The allure of travel propels me towards planning future expedition immediately after concluding current ones. While I will continue to make expeditions for leisure or academic purposes, I invite you to join the global movement towards sustainable tourism so that we may continue enjoying travel wonders at our next destination.  

Note: Dr Karen Liu  joined the Department of Social Sciences in 2022, which was merged with the Department of Asian and Policy Studies to form the current Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies. She received her PhD in Geography from The University of Hong Kong, PGDE from The Education University of Hong Kong, and both her bachelor’s and master's degrees in environmental science from The Sun Yat-sen University. Dr Liu’s research interests encompass tourism and sustainable development, nature-based tourism, tourism and climate change, and cultural tourism.

(Dr Karen Liu Shuwen collaborated with Tam Siu-man on this piece.)