Sustainable Travel & Hidden Gems
- James Bowers III
- Oct 18
- 5 min read
Vocabulary Review
Over tourism (noun) – when too many tourists visit the same place, causing problems for locals and the environment.
Example: Over tourism has become a major issue in popular cities like Venice and Bangkok.
Gentrification (noun) – when wealthier people move into an area, making it more expensive and updated, forcing local residents to move out.
Example: Because of gentrification, my home town is filled with new, expensive cafés and hotels, so many people moved to another city.
A hidden gem (noun) – a place that is beautiful or special but not well-known.
Example: The small village called Cordova that we discovered in Philippines was a hidden gem, not many tourists were there and it was absolutely beautiful.
Cultural appreciation (noun) – showing respect and genuine interest in another culture.
Example: It's important to have cultural appreciation when you travel to another country, you will make the locals happy to see you and you will have a more interesting trip.
Litter (noun/verb) – Trash such as paper, bottles, or food wrappers that people leave on the ground.
Example: After the festival, the park was covered with litter, nobody used the trash cans.
Regardless of (phrase) – without being affected or influenced by something; despite.
Example: She decided to travel, regardless of the high cost.
Authentic (adjective) – real; original; unchanged (local culture).
Example: Tourists love to find authentic food that locals actually eat.
Respectful (adjective) – showing care or consideration for others or their culture.
Example: Visitors should be respectful when entering temples or sacred sites.
Sustainable (adjective) – able to continue for a long time without causing harm to the environment or society.
Example: Cycling is a sustainable way to explore a city.
Impact (noun) – the effect that something has on someone or something else.
Example: The impact of tourism can be both positive and negative.
Economy (noun) – the system by which money, goods, and services are produced and used in a country or region.
Example: Tourism plays a big role in the economy of many island nations.
Influence (noun) – the power to affect how someone or something develops or behaves.
Example: Social media has a huge influence on where people choose to travel.
Sustainable Travel & Hidden Gems
Never before have people had a better opportunity to travel and explore the world than they do today, with direct or one-stop flights connecting nearly all major cities, anyone with a passport (and enough money) can travel anywhere they like. However, in recent years, a new problem has started to appear — over tourism. Popular destinations like Bangkok, Venice, and Bali are visited by millions of people every year, but the crowds, noise, and endless parties are taking quite a toll on the natural environment, culture, and local life. What used to be a way to boost the economy has now become an undeniable burden, impacting the lives of locals.
We can’t ignore the fact that social media has been a huge contributor to this trend. It only takes one viral video or photo to make a destination seem irresistible. In fact, people are willing to fly across the world just to take the same picture or visit the same beach that they saw on TikTok or Instagram. But this kind of tourism often comes with a handful of issues for the people who live locally in those famous TikTok destinations, such as rising prices, constant litter, and the fact that their home is merely a playground for foreigners that don’t respect them.
One of the worst consequences of mass tourism is gentrification. As more travelers look for comfort, luxury, and convenience, local neighborhoods develop rapidly to meet their expectations. Traditional homes are sold, remodeled, and turned into Airbnb hotels or cafés, leaving local residents with no choice but to move away. Ironically, when an area loses its locals and authenticity, it also loses what made it attractive to travelers in the first place. Over time, tourists stop coming, the economy suffers, and everyone loses.
But there is a solution! Travel doesn’t have to be this way. Instead of going to the same spot as the influencer you saw on Instagram, you can search for a hidden gem - small towns, quiet villages, and natural sites that haven’t been overrun by tourists. Finding them may require a little more effort, but the experience is much more authentic and rewarding. Travelers who explore lesser known destinations not only help reduce over tourism, they also support local communities in a more sustainable way.
If you’d like to be a responsible tourist and be someone whom locals are happy to see, you might want to practice cultural appreciation (rather than cultural exploitation). This means learning a few words in the local language (even just saying “hello” and “how are you?” will surely be impressive), understanding basic customs, and being respectful of traditions - regardless of how different they are from your own. Small actions, like limiting the use of single-use plastics, eating at local restaurants (not McDonalds), and cleaning up your trash, can also make a big impact.
At the end of the day, sustainable travel is not about travelling less or making travelers feel guilty, it's more about learning to travel better, both for you and for the locals of the places you visit. The more aware we are of the world, the more we can enjoy the world, travelling shouldn't be about taking a certain number of photos at specific places, it should be about seeing things you have never seen before, trying foods and flavors you never tasted before, and talking to people whom you would never usually get a chance to talk to. The world has a lot more to offer than what you see on Instagram, you just have to go look for it.
Comprehension Questions
What are some of the main problems caused by over tourism?
How does social media influence people’s travel choices?
What is gentrification, and how does it affect local communities?
Why do “hidden gems” help promote sustainable travel?
What are some simple ways to show cultural appreciation when traveling?
Discussion Questions
Have you ever visited a place that felt too crowded or “over-touristy”? How did it make you feel?
Do you think social media has made travel better or worse? Why?
Would you rather visit a famous destination or a hidden gem?
How can tourists show more respect for local people and culture?
Should governments limit the number of visitors to popular places like Venice or Bali?
What are some ways to travel sustainably without spending too much money?
In your country, are there any “hidden gems” that you think tourists should visit instead of the usual attractions?
Do you think tourism will ever be 100% sustainable? Why or why not?
If you could spend a year for free in any country, where would you choose?
Do you think it's fun to make friends with people from other countries?
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