LAST-CHANCE TOURISM
Mary Geller had always wanted to visit Iceland. Last year, she finally flew there with a group of 15 other tourists. "I really wanted to go," she said. "Iceland has amazing glaciers, but they are disappearing fast. In fact, we climbed a mountain there that used to be covered by a glacier. Now there is no ice on that mountain. I felt this was my last chance to see glaciers in Iceland before they all disappear."(lines 1–5)
The mountain glaciers in Iceland are melting because of rising global temperatures. The same is happening to mountain glaciers all over the world. Other wonders of nature are endangered as well. In the oceans, for example, warmer water temperatures and other factors are destroying coral reefs. And in rainforests, people are cutting down many of the trees in order to use the land for farming. As a result, large areas of rainforest are disappearing.(lines 6–10)
Nowadays, large numbers of people go to see these places before they disappear forever. However, this type of tourism, which is known as "last-chance tourism," also causes damage. For example, most of the tourists arrive by long-distance flights. Such flights increase air pollution, and this contributes to climate change. Furthermore, crowds of tourists in wild areas often frighten the animals there.(lines 11–15)
To reduce further damage from last-chance tourism, experts want tourists to follow some simple rules. "For example, they should go with guides who know the area well," says tour guide Richard Conway. "In addition, on mountains and in forests, they should walk quietly and stay only on marked paths. They must also avoid picking flowers and dropping litter."(lines 16–19)
Many tour guides in endangered locations share these rules with last-chance tourists. They also educate them on other ways to help protect the planet. When these tourists go back home, many of them do try to make a difference. "They now donate regularly to organizations that fight global warming," says Conway. "Many of them also speak in schools and community centers, asking other people to behave more responsibly. For example, they ask people to reduce their use of cars and airplanes. And although they themselves went on last-chance tours, they try to convince others not to do that. I really hope they succeed."(lines 20–26)