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Season 2: Political-Environmental
Opening Scene
She walks along the beach as the hotel announces new dates “weather permitting.” The sea has crept a few meters closer than what the old photographs in the lobby show. No one seems to notice. The umbrellas remain perfectly aligned, the bar stays open, the bookings keep coming.
The landscape is still beautiful. It just has a silent countdown now.
Origin
From stability to countdown
We thought landscapes were permanent, seasons were predictable, and our favorite spots would always be there waiting for us.
But things started changing fast in the late 90s. By the 2000s, scientists began spotting what we can now see with our own eyes: glaciers shrinking, beaches disappearing, and coral reefs losing their color.
At first, the travel industry didn't really use the word "crisis." They just got creative with their marketing. Instead of worrying about shorter winters, they told us to "travel earlier" or called extreme weather a "unique experience."
By 2010, the conversation got real. Organizations like the UN and UNESCO started pointing out that iconic places are actually at risk. Travel didn't stop, though, it just changed its focus.
Now, instead of ignoring the environmental shifts, many destinations are actually making these changes part of why people visit. It’s a strange new era where we aren't just visiting a place; we're witnessing its transformation in real-time.
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The Phenomenon
Climate tourism isn't always about running away from a problem. Sometimes, it shows up as strict new rules to keep these places alive.
In Mexico, The Marietas Islands hit a breaking point in 2016. They had to close "Hidden Beach" because it was just too crowded. When it reopened a year later, everything had changed: strict daily limits, short visit times, and fewer activities.
Something similar happened at Machu Picchu. After warnings from UNESCO, they set up a system in 2017 with specific time slots and mandatory paths.
The Galapagos Islands have been doing this even longer. Since the late 90s, they've been tightening the rules on who can go where. By the 2010s, these limits got even tougher. It's easily one of the most controlled places to visit on earth.
Now, the logic is different: get there while you can, stay for a short time, and follow the rules set by the land itself. We aren't the ones in charge of the itinerary anymore.
What the World Says
Big groups like UNESCO and UN Tourism agree that limiting visitors is often the only way to save these places. When a spot gets hit by too much pressure, closing the doors a bit is the only move left to keep it from falling apart.
People who support these rules say it actually makes our trips better. Fewer crowds mean less damage and a chance for us to really connect with where we are. It makes sense, right?
There is a money side to this, too. Research shows that managing travel now keeps the local economy going without ruining the future. It’s way cheaper to set rules today than to try and fix a destroyed ecosystem or a ruined monument years from now.
Basically, we are starting to look at "scarcity" differently. It’s no longer about losing out, it’s about taking care of the planet.
The Dark Side
Regulation doesn’t always save a place. In some cases, it just changes how things fall apart. When access gets limited, prices usually skyrocket, turning beautiful spots into "premium" experiences only for the wealthy. This ends up pushing out local communities and regular travelers.
Promoting melting glaciers or disappearing coasts just to create urgency doesn't really teach people to care. It just makes everyone rush to see it before it’s gone, which can actually cause more damage.
The worst part is when a destination doesn't die because it's empty, but because it’s "managed" into a museum. It doesn't just disappear; it becomes fake, way too expensive, and totally cut off from the real people who live there.
📌 Curiosities
Since 1900, glaciers have lost more than 50% of their global volume, and several Alpine destinations now promote “farewell experiences,” according to the IPCC.
In the European Alps, the ski season has shortened by 30 to 50 days over recent decades, according to the European Environment Agency.
In Iceland, tourism expanded in parallel with glacial melting, turning glaciers into a central attraction precisely as they began to disappear.
In Machu Picchu, the timed-entry system implemented in 2017 was directly recommended by UNESCO to prevent the site from being placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
UN Tourism reports that in parts of the Caribbean and the Pacific, hotels are being physically relocated landward in response to coastal erosion and sea-level rise.
If destinations are marketed before they vanish, who is the trip really for the place, or the traveler?
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