Many cultures the world over have a form of goulash—typically a mix of beef, vegetables, paprika and other seasonings. It was an Italian goulash, perhaps containing some rancid meat, that sent my friend shouting through the halls of a Bologna emergency room, “Che un dottore, che un dottore,” as I lay passed out at the hospital entrance. A Hungarian goulash from my grade school days held a flavor I am still trying to recreate. This blog will be a goulash of conundrums that challenge the thoughtful traveler who wants to explore the world in a way that is socially, environmentally and economically sustainable. Below are a few of the issues I'll raise in the coming months. Chew on them for awhile.
Personal Transformation
Does it matter that travel changes your life, your perspective and the way you see the world? Travel is a luxury that most of the planet’s 7 billion inhabitants will never enjoy. Does this create any obligation on the part of those who do enjoy it? If I never have a travel moment like Dr. Jane Goodall, Greg Mortenson or Dr. Paul Farmer that leads me to change the world for the better, does that matter? Is it ethical to simply travel for the fun of it?
Authentic Travel
I’ve spent four months hitchhiking across East Africa, lived with rural Amazonian fishermen in a remote reserve and worn silk robes as a member of a traditional Indian wedding. Are these experiences more authentic than a weeklong visit to a resort? What if the resort is run by a Masai tribesman and includes cross-cultural activities? Our quest for authentic travel may very well be an illusion. Many tourists are disappointed to arrive after days of travel to a remote region of the world only to find local people watching television, wearing t-shirts and listening to pop music from the U.S. How do thoughtful tourists balance their desire for authenticity with acceptance of reality?
Socio-Economic Impacts
Barefoot kids begging for pencils in Tanzania is an ingrained, albeit stereotypical, image in my mind from my travels. Having guided hundreds of travelers to developing countries, I know the personal challenges we face when confronted with extreme poverty, atrocities or historical inequities. Yet, tourism provides an important economic contribution to many communities around the world. At the same time, tourism can alter local politics, clog town squares, create imbalances and slowly change regional cultures. Can we make a positive economic difference while traveling? How do we minimize the potential negative social impacts of our presence?
Environmental Concerns
Concerned about global warming? Don't hop on a plane any time soon. One hundred 40-mile car trips, the average daily driving distance for Americans, in a typical car (22.6 MPG) emit the same amount of carbon produced by a single round-trip ticket from the U.S. to Costa Rica (1.944 tons). Still, the environmental impacts of traveling are hardly limited to global warming. Tourist activities and tourism services can directly lead to the destruction or protection of ecosystems. Your choice of where to go, what to do, how to travel and what, if any, travel companies to use can have vastly different ecological consequences. How do environmentally-conscientious tourists justify travel?
STI News 
