You Can Visit All Seven Continents. But Should You?
For many travelers, Antarctica is a bucket-list destination, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to touch all seven continents. In 2023, a record-breaking 100,000 tourists made the trip. But the journey begs a fundamental question: What do we risk by traveling to a place that is supposed to be uninhabited by humans? And as the climate warms, should we really be going to Antarctica in the first place? SHOW NOTES:
Kara Weller: The Impossible Dilemma of a Polar Guide
Marilyn Raphael: A twenty-first century structural change in Antarctica’s sea ice system
Karl Watson: First Time in Antarctica
Jeb Brooks: 7 Days in Antarctica (Journey to the South Pole)
Metallica - Freeze 'Em All: Live in Antarctica
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26:46
Why Petra Needs Its People
For centuries, members of the B’doul Bedouin tribe lived in the caves around the ancient city of Petra, Jordan. Then, in the 1980s, the government forced the tribe to move in the name of preserving the geological site for tourists. But if the residents are forced to leave, and if their heritage has been permanently changed, then what exactly is being preserved?SHOW NOTES:
Meet The Man Living in The Lost City Carved in Stone
Jordan: Petra's tourism authority cracks down on Bedouin cave dwellers
The tribes paying the brutal price of conservation
“There is no future for Umm Sayhoun”
Jordan’s Young Bedouins Are Documenting Their Traditions on TikTok
Check out Sami's company Jordan Inspiration Tours
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28:39
How a Destination Goes Viral
Have you ever opened Instagram to see a bunch of people posting from the same place — Lisbon? The Amalfi Coast? Charleston? Japan? It’s no coincidence that every year, it feels like everyone is going on the exact same trips. In this episode, we’re going to pull back the curtain on the travel media industry and show you how a place becomes a viral destination. SHOW NOTES:
Check out Where to Next Y’all on Instagram
Read Natasha Nyanin’s stories and look through her photos on her blog
The Differences Between Paid and Organic Content on Social Media
Under the Influence: Social Influencers and the Travel Industry
How COVID Changed Travel Writing
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20:33
Salem and the Small-Town Tourism Trap
Salem, Massachusetts is best known for the Witch Trials of 1692. That history turned the small town into a Halloween destination, with more than 1 million people flocking there in the month of October alone. It’s so crowded that residents can’t get down the street, walk into a shop, or sit down at a restaurant. How does a small town like Salem deal with a flood of visitors in just one month of the year? And is it really worth it for the people who live there? SHOW NOTES:
The Salem Witch Trials: A Story of Patriarchy, Persecution and Misogyny
Witch Hunt: A Traveler’s Guide to the Power and Persecution of the Witch
How Salem, Massachusetts Became America’s Halloween Capital
Visit these 12 Halloween towns that aren’t Salem
Salem residents share perspectives on tourist crowds
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26:15
Bhutan’s Radical Approach to Overtourism
Many places allow tourists to visit with little restrictions. But Bhutan is different. Nestled in the Himalayas, this tiny, land-locked country has implemented a “high-value, low-impact” tourism model, including a fee that tourists have to pay each day that they visit. As more destinations grapple with the effects of overtourism, what can Bhutan teach us about how to manage it? SHOW NOTES:
Bhutan celebrates 50 years of tourism
It just got much cheaper to visit Bhutan (2023)
Carbon Negativity in Bhutan: An Inverse Free Rider Problem
What can we learn from Bhutan’s approach to sustainable tourism?
Bhutan Cultural Etiquette: Dos and Don'ts When Visiting Bhutan
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Travel can do amazing things: broaden horizons, build relationships, and rejuvenate the soul. But often, those experiences come at a cost. This is Peak Travel, a new podcast from WHYY about how travel shapes communities in hot-spots around the world. We’ll share the wonder that comes with exploring new places, as well as the harm that our worst travel habits can cause. And we’ll try to figure out how we can do it better.Each episode transports you to a new destination. You’ll meet the people who call that place home, hear their stories, and come to understand how tourism has changed their everyday lives. Supported by rich, on-location sound from around the world, Peak Travel unpacks the $1.9 trillion travel industry and its impact on people and the planet.
Colombia