Would you like to have thousands of noisy tourists messing around in your neighbourhood, making prices go up and possibly damaging unique environment? Well, who really would; but this is happening in innumerable resorts all around the world, whether the locals want it or not. And, as a traveller, I am part of the problem.
I was pondering over this issue on my trip to Conil de la Frontera, located on the southern coast of Spain, where I spent a week on a langauage course, also hiking on its endless beaches, listening to the roaring waves of the Atlantic Ocean.
Conil - the windy pearl of Andalucia
Conil is one of the favourite holiday resorts of the Spanish, a "pueblo blanco" (white village), which has been spared the harms of tourism like high-rise hotels and the noise of heavy traffic. Its nature is unique with sand dunes and clean beaches. You can do trecking, surfing, kiteboarding, long cycling tours and diving among other things. The local dishes - sea food and tapas - cherish one's taste buds, and one can sleep like a baby as the town is very tranquil.
Yet, I would not like to recommend Conil to anyone - simply because I want the place to be saved from overbuilding. Larger tourist flow would demand more accomodation to be built. Already now, some hotel chains have put pressure on the locals to get permission to build in the neighbouring El Palmar, now popular among backpackers.
Building hotels in El Palmar would destroy the open 360-degree view from Conil, not to mention other environmental issues like traffic, usage of bottled water and littering. In addition, the flow of wealthy tourists always makes the prices rise, which may cause trouble to the locals, whose salaries are not always at the level of the income of the Germans or the British.
Luckily, Conil has one feature which may save its nature. In the area, a strong wind called levante is often blowing, raising sand from the beaches. At least until these days, levante has been too much for the comfort-seeking tourists.
How to travel and keep your self-respect?
The rule of thumb is that we do not live with double standards. I protect nature in my home country, so I protect nature in the places where I travel. I am a supporter of fair economy at home, so I support fair economy in other countries, too. I stick to my rights, so I respect other people's rights, too.
Pay attention to the enviroment. Compensate the carbon footprint of your flights. Even better if you can travel by train, by bus, by bike, or even on foot. I am dreaming of hiking through Europe, and I will realize the dream when I have enough time and money for it. The landscape and the people unfold in a totally different way when I am present in the moment and moving forward at walking speed. Back to sustainable travel: it is obvious that we should avoid using water excessively, or any other kind of overconsumption.
Respect the locals. It is always good to know some phrases in the local language. It is rude to suppose that everyone speaks English. Language skills permitting, it is a great idea to have a chat with locals in order to know about their lives and wishes. The locals can also give you good advice, for example on where to sort your waste (sorting stations may be hard to find) or on the hidden gems of the area.
Favour local enterpreneurs. Check if the services you purchase - like restaurant services, accommodation, excursions, wellness services and transport services - benefit the locals instead of the big international companies. Why not use public transport instead of renting a car? Work creates welfare for the locals, so buy locally made handicraft or nature cosmetics. On the other hand, it is not necessary to buy huge amounts of things: you could just participate in local activities like nature conservation projects, cultural events, language courses, guided tours etc. Having a chat with locals will give you an idea how you can improve their life conditions within the limits of your holiday.
Taking into account the life conditions of the local people does not ruin your holiday mood. On the contrary, it gives you pleasure and possibly new friends.
Please send me your tips on ethical travel through the Contact-button!
Online e.g. https://www.andalucia.org/en/conil-de-la-frontera-information-services-conil-de-la-frontera
Text Anne Räisänen
Photo Trafalgar beach Conil, Pixabay.
Other photos, Anne Räisänen.
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