Turn tourism into a force for the global good | Mikkel Aarø-Hansen | TEDxCopenhagen

Summary

In his TED talk, Mickel explores the potential of tourism to drive sustainability and combat climate change. He highlights how tourism, as one of the world's largest industries, has contributed to environmental harm. However, Mickel urges travelers to use their journeys to spread and adopt sustainable solutions. He emphasizes the power of tourists to learn from and share ideas with locals, creating a global movement for sustainability. Mickel calls on everyone to treat their travel as an opportunity to inspire and act, sharing sustainable practices and contributing to a better planet for future generations.

Takeaways

• 😀 Tourism is the fourth largest global export industry, driven by technology making travel easier, cheaper, and faster.
• 🌍 Tourism, while booming, contributes to climate change, overcrowding, and environmental degradation, making it part of the problem.
• ✈️ Over-tourism is becoming a major issue, leading to increased emissions and the deterioration of natural landmarks.
• 😞 Tourists are increasingly facing hostility in cities due to the negative impacts of mass tourism.
• 🌱 Mickel proposes transforming tourism into a force for good, helping the world achieve sustainability through collective action.
• 💡 Tourism can be used as a platform to share and spread sustainable ideas, creating a global movement for sustainability.
• 🌍 Millions of sustainable solutions already exist globally, but they remain largely unknown. The key is to share them effectively.
• 🌿 Instead of focusing only on the financial impact of tourism, we should measure its success by the positive ideas tourists bring back home.
• 📚 History shows that travelers have always been vehicles for spreading new ideas, from inventions to social movements.
• 🌏 Young travelers are increasingly motivated to give back to local communities and engage in sustainable practices during their trips.
• 🤝 Locals and tourists should engage more deeply to share sustainable solutions, fostering inspiration and collaboration for a more sustainable future.

Q & A

What is the main problem with tourism today, according to Mickel?

Mickel highlights that tourism is contributing to climate change, over-tourism, and the degradation of natural habitats. He emphasizes that tourists are inadvertently exacerbating these global issues.

How does Mickel propose transforming tourism?

Mickel proposes that tourism can be transformed into a force for good by encouraging travelers to spread and implement sustainable solutions, sharing these ideas globally, and actively participating in environmental efforts during their travels.

Why does Mickel believe tourism could be a powerful tool for sustainability?

Mickel believes that tourism, with its massive global reach (over 1.4 billion international arrivals annually), can spread sustainable ideas if tourists commit to sharing one sustainable action or thought from each place they visit.

What are some examples of sustainable initiatives mentioned in the talk?

Mickel gives examples such as a Danish town using discarded fishing nets to create fashionable furniture, a Norwegian app for swapping clothes, and a Swedish movement where joggers pick up trash during their runs.

What is the 'global mistake' Mickel refers to in the context of tourism?

Mickel refers to the global mistake of measuring tourism success solely by tourist spending and hotel bookings, neglecting the potential for tourists to take away transformative ideas and act on them when they return home.

How does Mickel suggest that locals and tourists can engage more effectively for sustainability?

Mickel suggests that locals should invite tourists into their everyday lives, sharing their sustainable practices, while tourists should approach their travels with the intent to learn and inspire others with what they discover.

What role does communication play in Mickel’s vision of sustainable tourism?

Communication is central to Mickel’s vision, as he believes that tourists, when exposed to new ideas, share them widely, especially through social media. This dissemination of sustainable ideas can have a significant global impact.

How does Mickel suggest tourists can make a tangible difference in sustainability during their travels?

Mickel encourages tourists to choose sustainable travel options, engage with locals to learn about sustainability, and commit to sharing at least one sustainable idea from their travels. He also suggests that tourists should actively participate in local sustainability initiatives when possible.

What examples of local initiatives does Mickel mention where tourists can participate in sustainability?

Mickel mentions initiatives like the Faroe Islands' welcoming of voluntary tourists to help protect their Green Island, and communities in northern Norway inviting tourists to coffee breaks to foster local engagement and sustainability.

What does Mickel mean by the 'transformative power of tourism'?

Mickel refers to the ability of travel to inspire individuals and communities. He believes that the experiences tourists gain can spark new ideas and actions, leading to a widespread positive impact on sustainability and global cooperation.