Welcome, Urban Nomads to our very first blog post! What is the number 1 thing that you miss during this COVID-19 period? We are pretty sure many of you will say it’s travelling! Travelling allows us to be immersed in a different culture and gives us new perspectives. 

Just like many of you, the writers behind this blog seek enjoyment in travelling as well! 

I’m Lydia, a year 3 environmental studies (geography) student who is passionate about making a change in the world we live in, no matter how small it might be.

Here’s a photo of me at Petra, a famous archaeological site in Jordan

Along with me is Kai Jun, a year 3 geography student who is interested in environmental activism and the conservation of earth’s flora and fauna. 

Here is a photo of Kai Jun, taken under the Somei Yoshino tree during his visit to Tokyo, Japan

Tasty Ice Cream treats found along the streets in Nagoya

The benefits of tourism are plentiful. It not only provides a place for tourists to experience nature (just like myself), but also protect certain biodiversity. However, beneath the facade of a glamorous and blooming tourism industry; our blog aims to expose the harsh reality of the environmental pollution that it brings about.

In 2019, 1.5 billion tourist arrivals were recorded (United Nation World Tourism Organisation, 2020). With such a huge driving force, valuable resources are continuously channeled towards the tourism sector to cope with  its demand.  This consumption of  scarce resources produces waste by-products, and tourism has specific infrastructure needs (McKercher, 1993). Thus, this highlights how improper sorting and management  of resources can exacerbate the environmental issues.

The above photo shows the Colosseum in Rome littered with trash by tourist

In our subsequent posts, we will be your tour guide and take you through the tourism journey (from taking a flight, checking in to your accommodation to cultural attractions) while exploring the environmental impacts. Stay tuned!

References:

United Nation World Tourism Organisation. (2020).   Retrieved from https://www.unwto.org/international-tourism-growth-continues-to-outpace-the-economy

McKercher, B. (1993). Some Fundamental Truths About Tourism: Understanding Tourism’s Social and Environmental Impacts. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 1(1), 6-16. 

 Taylor. (2020). [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.loveexploring.com/gallerylist/86221/amazing-tourist-destinations-being-ruined-by-trash