Channels for Change - October 2022 Edition
Written by Nina van Zyl
It’s arguably one of the most human needs to want to have a positive impact on the world around us. Chances are, since you’re on this website and reading this blog post, you’d like to make a positive impact through travel. The Last Tourist is a documentary that looks at exactly how this can be done. This documentary illustrates how we can use travel for good, instead of harming the people, environment and animals that we love.
For this month’s Channels for Change we are looking at The Last Tourist, a documentary that has no qualms about placing the often devastating effects of tourism front and centre, along with offering straightforward solutions.
October’s binge: The Last Tourist
“The most important thing about being a responsible traveller is being an informed traveller.”
Brief summary
The Last Tourist describes itself as “exploring our ability to harness tourism's power”, not only in the lives of travellers, but also in the communities and environments that we visit. The documentary suggests that it is possible to minimise the breakdown of nature while visiting the places we wish to see. At its centre, The Last Tourist clearly shows where we’ve been going wrong, even with the best of intentions.
It is tough to realise how easy it can be to support dubious tourism ventures, such as by visiting a centre where animals are kept for the entertainment of visitors under the guise of “rescue and rehabilitation”. Or how the need to give back to underprivileged children can support an industry that separates families in the name of voluntourism; as one traveller in the documentary says, “[Those kids] were there because I wanted to be there”.
While at times quite upsetting, The Last Tourist reminds us that as travellers, we have a lot of power. As such, we have the responsibility to realise that our presence has an effect; that our actions lead to larger consequences in the lives of others and to the places we visit.
Available on: Visit the site of The Last Tourist to find out where you can watch this documentary.
The sustainability factor
Overall: 4/5
A multi-trillion industry that is at its largest since exploding in the mid-20th century, tourism’s not-so-great side effects are well known and publicised. While The Last Tourist doesn’t look in depth at the carbon price that tourism pays, nor the littering, pollution and destruction of natural environments that occur at the hands of irresponsible travellers; it goes further than the obvious and explores how having the right intentions is not enough.
The Last Tourist makes us realise how an image of a famous place is reproduced in the millions of selfies by its visitors, which feeds the pressure of travellers to go to that destination. In contrast, we can have a more positive influence if we support local projects that exist on the fringes, especially in a post-Covid world where the tourism industries of many countries were brought to their knees.
The Viatu review
Themes
Animal lovers often have the urge to connect with animals, especially wild animals, but we need to ask ourselves whether popular animal encounters are in the interest of the animal. The reality is that in situations where close encounters with wild animals are on offer, these animals would have gone through some kind of training to be docile enough. This training can involve physically-harmful punishing tactics, and the animals are kept in dire conditions, not to mention that they are unlikely to be freed into the wild. A rule of thumb is to ask ourselves, would this animal be doing these actions out in the wild? If not, then it’s better not to support it.
Another theme of the film is how voluntourism has led to a massive industry in the form of orphanage tourism. A revolving door of volunteers is shown hugging young children and babies for that must-have selfie, posing to show how much they care, before rushing on to the next attraction. Previous grown-up inhabitants of these orphanages explain the psychological suffering that they experienced. The film emphasises its point with shots contrasting the comfortable sleeping quarters of volunteers versus the squalid bedrooms of the children they care for.
Production
The Last Tourist combines beautiful natural scenery with uncomfortable visuals of crowds of tourists swarming a destination. The hardest moment comes around the 45-minute mark when we see footage of animals in captivity being badly treated and abused. However, the documentary ends on a hopeful note, showcasing an example of how tourism can support community-empowering initiatives that would otherwise not have been possible without the financial support of visitors. Tourism, we are made clear to understand, can be a force for good.
What makes it different
The Last Tourist does not mince its metaphorical words. Its message is clear, shocking us into realising the effect that our every action has whenever we are part of tourism in a foreign country. It makes us realise how important and necessary it is to do our research and support ethical and sustainable activities. The message is an old one, and yet its sting is fresh: whatever you do has an impact on the world around you, whether good or bad.
Dealing with such upsetting topics as it does, it’s surprising that The Last Tourist manages to leave its viewers with a feeling of optimism. Yet, by the end of the film, that is what we feel. Powerful through the knowledge that travel has the ability to transform lives for the better.
Here at Viatu, we are committed to changing the world of travel by supporting companies and initiatives that are committed to caring for the planet and supporting its people. You can follow us on Instagram for responsible travel inspiration and news, or contact us to find out how you can make your next journey a positive one.