Everyone involved in the tourism industry will need to manage risk differently after a court found the landowners of Whakaari/White Island guilty of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act.
The Titan submersible imploded on a dive to visit the wreck of the Titanic in June 2023.
Ocean Gate / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Advances in technology have allowed tourists to go to places and do things they couldn’t in the past. But in extreme environments, the consequences of failure are high.
Not only do risky activities make people feel euphoric, they also convey status. But should there be limits on what tourists can do?
Illustration of explorer Isabella Bird’s first walk through Perak (Malaysia), from her book ‘The Golden Chersonese and the way thither’.
Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons
In the 19th century, several English women wrote accounts of their world travels. While considered by some as second-rate travellers, they were just as restless as their male contemporaries.
Lydia Balidawa poses for a photo with a rehabilitated grey crowned crane at Uganda’s Pian Upe Game Reserve.
Alex Braczkowski
Tourism ventures in a water-stressed region like southern Africa need to balance the needs of guests and staff with the needs of surrounding communities.
Whale breaches and tail slaps look great from a distance. But they can pose a threat if you want to get up close and swim with these giants of the ocean.
Before the trophy hunting ban, Botswana specialised in big game such as elephants, buffalos and leopards.
Shutterstock
How communities in Botswana are counting the costs of a trophy hunting ban.
With tourism revenue drying up due to COVID-19, the debate surrounding trophy hunting of wildlife species like African lions is more relevant now than before.
Alex Braczkowski
Nepal’s past dealing with multiple disasters, including the aftermath of its civil war and the massive earthquake of 2015 may have helped the country prepare for the current COVID-19 crisis.
Closing the climbing season will provide valuable time for recovery from the effects of intensive tourism, but will prove difficult for those working in the industry.
It’s possible to lower the risks in adventure tourism to make it safer but legislators are grappling with the question of how to regulate the experience without killing the excitement.
(Shutterstock)
The rise in adventure tourism is prompting a close examination of how to regulate it. But how to regulate risk without killing the adventure?
The Royal New Zealand Navy during a recovery operation on Whakaari/White Island, on December 13. Rescue and recovery efforts have been hampered by hazardous conditions on the island, and the danger of another eruption.
EPA/Royal NZ Navy
The tragedy at Whakaari/White Island highlights the need for consent forms to ensure tourists are fully informed when choosing to visit dangerous locations.
The volcanic alert level on Whakaari/White Island remains at three, one rung higher than it was when the eruption took place.
AAP/GNS Science
Visiting an active volcano involves risk. Hazard monitoring systems can issue warnings but in the case of the privately-owned White Island, the decision to take a tour falls to tourism operators.
By all means, see the world’s wildlife – just make sure you’re respectful and responsible.
Maridav/Shutterstock
Recent deaths and climate breakdown are leaving more and more bodies on Everest. A new way forward is needed to recover the mortal remains of climbers with dignity and respect.