Dolor Andrei Vonn M.
4th Year BSHM A
REACTION PAPER
“Sustainable tourism, authenticity and identity” - Nelida Marques
Nelida Marques lives in Portugal, passionate about sustainable tourism and her
talk bring ways to all stakeholders for a more sustainable and authentic tourism in small
islands, like “Cabo Verde” For more than 15 years, she has been delivering world-class
service in different tourism sectors, such as airports, travel agencies, small hotels and
luxury hotels. But lost her job amidst pandemic and she decided to become a trainer and
then she starts going deeper about sustainable tourism.
For her, “travelling is one of the most reaching experience a person can have”.
And when she travels ‘’we get in touch with some of the most precious-things in the world
such as connecting to people and their culture”, and therefore she normally says that the
tourism is the ‘’Industry of dreams and memories”.
She wants us to imagine that we just arrived in cabo verde where a holiday we’ve
been planning for so long. And feel and start connecting to the energy to the people and
place we are ready to explore. Aside from skyart gallery, colorful walls, small beach, and
colours in the sky. Nelida also want us to experience the colonial heritage. “We want the
tourist to have back from comfort based on authentic and sustainable experience” Nelida
said. Going back to reality talking about sustainable tourism. “Tourism is one of the fastest
growing sectors in the world however, if It’s not well managed it can have devastating
Impact in our environment people” and their culture therefore, destinations must adopt a
real sustainable tourism model in order to keep the balance. “Presence the environmental
resources and protect the biodiversity respect and preserve the culture of the local
communities at the same time benefiting them” She wants to address the needs of the
visitors and the Industry whilst providing common economic social economic benefits to
all and in order to convert to have a real sustainable tourism to change the “Paradigm”
from the business as usual model where the profit comes on the first place to real
sustainable tourism model where people and planet comes first and that means that it’s
just not enough to build plastic free Hotels install “photovoltaics” She want not just not
enough to create job and boost the economic situation but to install portable waste reduce
the act of importing and mainly to support the local economy. She also stated the similar
project in japan where perfect example how to use circular economy in tourism. Nelida
wants to bring back to life our ancient villages we can also implement strategies that
allows our local communities to welcome and accommodate tourists in their own house
by creating a program that allow us to rehabilitate. “With all the health and security that
we need and also improves the life quality of the people”. She also addressed that we
have to teach our younger generation. “We need to bring back to life our identity and
authenticity to have a real sustainable tourism”.
One of my reactions to this is that sustainable tourism is very important because
here we address the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host
communities. When i imagined entering the open sky art Gallery welcomes me on a
perfect painting reflecting the Cabo Verde culture music and identity. And it feels like I’m
walking to an elegant store of visions, and a place you are welcome to explore.
Destination must adopt the real sustainable tourism so; we need to encourage small local
activities. It promotes both the culture and the products of the local area. If the tourism is
one of the fastest sectors, which we able to have to become a safer place, by protecting
environment and developing tourist activities. Without protecting the biodiversity, we
cannot have the healthy ecosystem, and preserving the culture of local communities that
we must starts with the awareness–in a modern world, media also plays an extremely
important role in creating awareness and building an appreciation towards local cultures
traditions.
I think that Nelida’s message is the most important force in our lives especially in tourism
industry it helps explain some of our needs to have a sustainable tourism in the world
today. Many people are don’t want to spent some time to spread awareness, about it.
And some people don’t have enough knowledge on how it goes, how it works, and how it
be done and with this message Nelida encourages us to do so, to understand how we
can promote and preserve itself. Actually, Nelida encouraged me to care about not just
myself but for others as well. It will helpful for us because with this we can start helping
one another by Protecting natural environments, wildlife and natural resources when
developing and managing tourism activities. With that we are able to have a real
Sustainable tourism, authenticity and identity.
I have also found that Nelida’s message for us to feel that we are in a perfect island were
having the real sustainable tourism. It helps me to understand that if we could continue
working on it, we can all have this kind of experience. I have a friend named shane who
was always buys from local businesses, and i asked her about that, she explained to me
that if we buy from local businesses our money will circulate in the local economy where
create jobs for local people. And now i understand when nelida challenge one of the
designers of her scarf to make the most desired fashion item that will become usable.
Aside from Nelida want to promote sustainable tourism for all she also wants to support
local businesses with that it strengthens our local economy and most important aims to
provide economic and social benefits to local communities.
In conclusion, I would strongly recommend Nelida Marques to watch especially to
all younger generations. This is relevant because while travel can generate economic
benefits for a local area and provides job for those in the industry, it can also have
negative consequences including over use of resources displacement of wild life and
damage to local culture. As tourism is expected to grow in the years ahead, current
tourism habits are going to become unstable. In general, this message sustainable
tourism authenticity and identity can be thought of as responsible travel, but it is important
for business, tourism workers and tourist, of main advantages that will help us such as It
looks out for wildlife, it protects the environment, it supports local people, it can change
attitudes, and it has a long-term focus. Additionally, Nelida Marques is very vocal about
sustainable tourism, she addressed the needs and promote with the help of her
knowledge and experiences she got. Overall, she is very passionate and impressive the
way she talked; her message brings inspiration especially in younger generation.
Nelida Marques the author and the speaker
Oct 12, 2021
Sustainable Tourism, Authenticity and Identity | Nélida Marques | TEDxPraia
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently
organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
