[Opinion] Role of tourists in preservation

In recent years, tourists have paid attention to preserving both the culture and environment of the places they visit. However, some people think that it is impossible to be a responsible tourist. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Plan: 

Tourists paying more attention:

• Individuals becoming more educated – most education curricular in the Western world prepare students to be aware of cultural diversity -> easier to accept new culture
• Easier to access information on the Internet – documentaries, articles, videos 
• Local governments enacting strict rules to protect the environment -> Singapore
• Tour guides / signs – great aids for tourists 
• Language barrier being overcome with improvements in translation technology – Google (voice translation – on the go – fast, becoming more accurate with active learning from AI)

It can be hard 

• Language barriers in some places where locals are not well-educated 
• Not having public restrooms or public trash bins 
• Rules not being enforced actively by authorities (no on-site personnel) 

It is impossible

• Some tourists refuse to respect cultural differences (stubborness, disrespect – mostly youngsters – talking loudly, using disrespectful gestures) 
• Tourists breaking rules – throwing trash because they are lazy or because there’s no one to punish them

Nowadays, tourists are becoming more culturally and environmentally conscious of the places they are visiting. While I agree with the previous statement, I would argue that it is challenging to hold responsibility of the local area, but not impossible. 

For one, foreigners becoming increasingly aware of cultural and environmental protection could be attributed to a wide array of reasons. For one, tourist destinations are doing a better job at informing patrons on the appropriate behavior on site. Graphical as well as multilingual signs are effective and economical methods to overcome the language barriers when it comes to conveying rules to foreigners. Furthermore, most countries now offer tour guides which are well versed in both the local language as well as foreign tongues. These individuals contribute a great deal in helping visitors understand and appreciate local history and culture, which makes them aware of the importance of cultural preservation.

Nevertheless, many tourists want to be responsible, but it can be challenging in many instances. In developing countries, it can be hard to find public restrooms and trash bins in more remote areas. As a result, many visitors have to resort to littering, which undoubtedly pollutes the environment. However, I believe that facilitating the area with proper waste disposal should be the responsibility of the local government, not that of tourists. Moreover, in underdeveloped areas where locals don’t speak foreign languages, it can be hard to communicate with foreigners. Because of this, making them conscious of cultural differences and norms would be a great difficulty. 

In conclusion, while it is true that people are becoming more aware of the local culture and environment when visiting other countries, I think that it is not impossible being a responsible visitor, albeit it can be challenging in certain situations.