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Connections

The dark side of eco-tourism: balancing conservation and travel

Two smiling people wearing headphones sit in front of microphones at a table in a radio talk studio: the man on the left has a brown beard and is wearing a grey baseball cap and a mustard yellow long sleeved shirt; the woman on the right has short dark hair and is wearing glasses, a grey short sleeved dress and black boots.
Julie Williams
/
WXXI News
Josh Balistreri on "Environmental Connections" on Friday, October 25, 2024
Jasmin Singer, host of WXXI's "Environmental Connections," on the set of the show.
Max Schulte
/
WXXI News
Jasmin Singer, host of WXXI's Environmental Connections, on the set of the show. (photo by Max Schulte)

Eco-tourism, a form of sustainable travel that often promises to protect natural environments, can sometimes have harmful impacts on the very ecosystems it's meant to safeguard.

In this hour of Environmental Connections, host Jasmin Singer digs into the complicated reality of eco-tourism—exploring the tension between environmental conservation efforts and the demands of a growing travel industry.

We’ll discuss how destinations like the Everglades and other natural areas are struggling with over-visitation and degradation, and what travelers can do to reduce their impact.

Our guest:

Special thanks to Chloe Milliman, Roisin Meyer and Emmely Eli Texcucano for their help with this episode.

Jasmin Singer is the host of WXXI’s Weekend Edition and Environmental Connections, as well as a guest host for Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Connections.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.
Julie Williams is an associate producer for "Connections with Evan Dawson" and is also the office administrator for radio, news and technology and operations. She started at WXXI in 2019 and has been working on Connections since 2022.