Georgian Bay is adjacent to the most populous region in Canada. It is also home to 50 endangered species.
The following are excerpts from an article published on July 3, 2024 in the UNESCO Courier. The article is titled “Travel without Leaving a Trace”. You can read the entire article here.
Tourism Pollution.
Overtourism involves factors that negatively affect residents, diminish the essence of places, and contribute to social, cultural and environmental deterioration. It develops from long, slow change and where tourism is the agent of change, it is driven by those who aim to optimize economic returns.
Impact on Local Residents
The impacts of overtourism on local residents are largely the same everywhere no matter the country. As vacation rentals proliferate, residents find themselves priced out of their own neighbourhoods; small businesses also have to leave and are replaced by multinational brands.
Cultural Clashes
Destinations subject to overtourism are found around the world, and the fallout from excessive visitors occurs for different reasons. For example in Bali, Indonesia, the effects of overtourism are evident in the increased cost of living, and cultural clashes are common when tourists transgress on sacred places.
Environmental Impacts
The ecological environment can become overwhelmed. Some tourist destinations in Thailand and the Philippines have already been closed for a period of months to allow for the environment to rehabilitate naturally after excessive visitors. The Faroe Islands are closed for maintenance every year.
Overtourism is Already Happening in Georgian Bay – Check out our Blog
The Art (Not Science) of Using Science to Sell Georgian Bay
Apparently Midland/North Simcoe is the gateway to Georgian Bay and encapsulates all of the characteristic qualities and features of the entirety of Georgian Bay. Hear it for yourself. Then we’ll unpack why. “We believe, as we did back in September 2021 that Midland North Simcoe area is a genuine portal to deep time and a…
The Geopark Tagline – Decontructed
Check out this brochure published by the Geopark promoting Killarney. It uses the phrase “Explore the geological past. Create a sustainable future.” 6 times. One time it even states “The goal of the Georgian Bay Geopark is to explore and respect the lessons of DEEPTIME and help create a more sustainable future for this irreplaceable…
Canada has 5 UNESCO Geoparks
The Georgian Bay Aspiring Geopark is not like them. At 48,000 square kilometers, it is 6.1 times larger than Canada’s largest geopark, and 86.5 times larger than Canada’s smallest geopark. With a planned 100+ geosites, it will have 3.6 times more sites than Canada’s largest geopark, and 9.1 times more sites than Canada’s smallest geopark….
Our Mother Earth? The Strategy Beneath the Communications.
Given that the Executive Director of the Georgian Bay Aspiring Geopark is a retired advertising executive, it’s not surprising that they are able to “spin” their messages. Watch this video. Revel in the heartwarming language. “Long term resilience and economic and cultural reconciliation.” Don’t you want to pull out your wallet right now? Once you…
The Four Fundamentals of Geoparks
These are the fundamental requirements as published on the UNESCO website. Any italicized content predicated with “Our Assessment:” is not published by UNESCO. 1. Geological heritage of international value In order to become a UNESCO Global Geopark, the area must have geological heritage of international value. This is assessed by scientific professionals, as part of the…
Parks Canada’s Ability to Transport Visitors to and from Beausoleil Island Cannot Keep Up with Demand.
In 2022, Parks Canada released a report titled Georgian Bay Islands National Park of Canada and Beausoleil Island National Historic Site of Canada Management Plan You can access the full report here. The following are excerpts from the report: Established in 1929, Georgian Bay Islands National Park is Canada’s smallest national park, consisting of 50…
It Sure Doesn’t Smell Like Roses: Overtourism and Human Waste at Flowerpot Island
In 2021, Parks Canada released a report titled 2021 – 2026 Visitor Use Management – Flowerpot Island. You can access the full report here. The following are excerpts: Between 2010 and 2017, the number of annual visitors increased from 24,432 to 123,849, a +407% increase in just seven years. One-third of visitors report feeling crowded…