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 | Soft Tourism - a special experience |
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Once again I have noticed that we have developed many kinds of holidays not only to achieve rest and recovery from hectic working days but also to integrate certain items that protect or support the environment we are in. Some regions in the world are populated with mighty hotel resorts where the surroundings are adapted to the needs of the money bringing guests.
In 1977 the term “Soft Tourism” was formed by Fred Baumgartner and later recessed by Robert Jungk. The idea is basically that tourism should be linked to all other economical and social areas of life considering the regional development of that area and encouraging the participation of travellers in contributing to that development. This soft or integrative model of tourism works against the environmentally unfriendly and resources destructing mass tourism by concentrating on an environment oriented policy that combines the needs of the relaxation seeking traveller with the interests of the local population.
The aim is hereby to leave the environment as much as possible untouched while being as close as possible to nature. The surroundings and the culture of the visited country should be experienced intensively and straight which can be achieved by adapting to their lifestyle. Soft tourism tries to prevent the harms mass tourism is causing in many regions. Natural circumstances should be left as they are. Therefore travellers have to accept that the infrastructural development of the visited country might not be as they might expect it from mass tourism holiday resorts. Guests should use public transportation; go by foot or use boats and horses for transportation. Accommodations are usually kept quite simple and according to the customs of the visited region. The character of the area should be visible and perceptible with all its beauty and with all senses.
City and country tours should have as less effect as possible on the resident population which is meant to give an unaltered impression of the visited region. Another option is that special guided tours lead through marked territories which present the natural beauty but leave preserved areas untouched. Examples are shoeless or hiking paths which create connectivity with nature and also have a healthy advantage. This soft or integrative tourism is possible nearly everywhere but since the tourism branch often uses this kind of holidaying as an advertising argument in their marketing strategy without complying with the basic guidelines it is necessary to apply a certain certificate which guarantees that certain conditions are kept. Unsure is, however, what kind of certificate it should be and who should be entitled to give it. And although the concept of Soft Tourism is practically used and approved by many travellers it is arguable how far the resident population is indeed included and involved in projects and the process of decision making. It is obvious that not all conflicts of touristy use in holiday regions can be solved by using the scheme of Soft Tourism but nevertheless I have to admit that it is a nice and sophisticated approach.
Sources:
www.urlaub-welten.de
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanfter_Tourismus
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