Serious food for thought................

There is no doubt some truth to the article. I think that in future decades the easy and cheap travel of the past century will become an anachronistic decadence.

Would anyone click on this article?: "Tourism Faces Challenges but Goes Forward with Little Change"

Man is the only organism that is capable of adapting it's biotope / environment basically without limits. Other organisms are capable too, but is limited and always in balance with the eco system. Our capability is not in balance and has a growing characteristic. That adapting of our biotope started local, modest and not so much complicated, the impact was small and not directly alarming. Nowadays it’s global, with 8 billion people massive, extremely complex and seriously alarming. We are know reaching the limits of our biosphere. The climate impact is high profile, however just a part of the whole package of influencing our environment.

With science we can calculate the many aspects of our impact. But are we able or willing to live according the outcome of the results of these surveys? If the ame is to reduce our impact to zero I don't think this is achievable.

The reason why is because our capability to adapt is genetically defined, so we can’t stop adapting our environment. So actually beyond our control. So I don’t think this problem is makeable, however it doesn’t mean not managable. As we can’t stop this sooner or later it will effect everybody. It all happens in the biosphere, that thin layer around our planet, so we can’t escape. Sooner or later we are going to realise what the real priorities are, see our responsibility and act accordingly. Think that’s the only way out.

So in other words just adapting or reducing our travels will not work very well in the long run.

My two cents.

This summer, tourism on my part of the southern French coast is down. Did last year's heat influence people's choices? The heat is back again, but not as bad.

I can't speak for any other country, but in France, awareness and some "action" have been going on for a while. I like Nick's descriptions of "actions" and agree. But here are a couple of differences with the US: there will be no more gas or diesel car engines in a few years. It's a done decision. In the US, there's a lot of hemming and hawing, retracting, in order not to ruffle some powerful feathers.
In France, every night we have a serious climate and weather report just before and after the 8 pm news. There's no forgetting what we are doing to this earth. As a society, we talk about it constantly. On the other hand, I caught a Phoenix AZ report on line where some perky girl was practically giggling as she talked about 110 degree weather, frying eggs, again not facing the reality.

So this article reads like a CNN International article, not like a CNN US domestic article that usually beats around the bush afraid to offend climate deniers. This is typical of what we read in Europe. The one click-bait aspect is the 100%, all or nothing tone.

Thanks for posting this, Maggie.

The discussion topics are fun, but fun is about the extent of it.

"The most crowded tourist summer in history" followed by "very few tourists where I was" followed by what ever else has to be said to sell advertising. On this one the statistics that are starting to become evident suggest that European tourism for the summer will be a little bit below pre-COVID levels. The annomally is that many of the most traditional tourist destinations are doing well above pre-COVID while the remainder of Europe is well below which is generating some false impressions.

So, why is it tourism down? Heat? Plastic Bags? I am betting on a temporally busted world economy. What cost $1.00 in 2019 now costs $1.19 and the average 401(k) lost 20% of its value last year. Labor shortages and fuel prices doubling have made the trip exceedingly expensive as well.

So, what about next year? If the the economy rebouds a bit then I bet next year is truly crowded. If the economy falters more, then I bet another year not so much different than this year. But just wild guesses.

If people really cared about the environment, they would stay home. Instead they applaude the French for ending commutter flights, then they board a flight from Los Angles to Paris and feel good about themselves because once in Paris they will take the public transportation to get around.

Rant over

FYI— the government ended up making all kinds of exceptions to the short-haul flight bans. As usual.

As much as I'd like to hope otherwise, most people will not curtail their own wants until money becomes an issue for them, as is evident by much continuation of the same old, same old on travel sites and excuses for travel. In my observations of people, only money changes their behavior in such situations, IMO. For me it is time to extremely, if not fully, reduce long haul flights, eliminate short flights, and never cruise (the worst damage of the three, I believe). It is time to concentrate on needs and shoulds, not wants. This being said, I did fly from Boston to Madrid because I had paid for it three years ago (Covid delay)...yes, I likely should have let that go, but I'm not perfect either...by far. I did mostly walk (but train to beginning and from the end) so it was one of my least damaging trips, but not by much. Never say never, but I think I am finished flying for the sake of vacationing as otherwise I feel I am being selfish at the expense of my grandchildren's lives. In the rest of my life I do what I can as well, but certainly I am no where near perfect in regarding all I can do to help the planet, but I can keep working on it and will.

Wray, for honesty and heart; you have my respect (my respect and $5 will get you a starbuck coffee)