Category: Tourism Tuesday

Succulent Poaching, 5/9/18

Given Saturday’s incident regarding visitors who are poaching our native plants, today’s post is important, but I had to bump it from yesterday’s Tourist Tuesday to today, due to the critical nature of the article I published yesterday.  This issue has already received quite a bit of attention since Jade Davis first contacted me on Saturday afternoon, but you will be seeing more and more of these posters along our coast so that we can become the eyes and ears for protecting Mother Nature just a little more. There is much to do, but each small step we take can be the one that turns the tide. Never give up. Never stop. Continue to care and protect Big Sur.

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And from Instagram, a Big Sur local says: “mimihaddad123NATURE IS NOT A COMMODITY: Just because it is in the wild does not mean is up for grabs. Stealing California Native plants is a crime.😡Do not take what is not yours! Grow your own. Think nature over profits.” Be like Mimi. Post this on your instagram account, twitter, FB, or whatever social media you engage in.

Tourist Tuesday, 5/8/18

Surprise: Global Travel is a Huge Contributor to Climate Change

This article excerpt is from KQED, published yesterday. The two articles linked within this one are crucial reading. I urge everyone to take the time to read them. They also directly relate to our situation. Has anyone made the effort to measure the effects of carbon emissions in Big Sur Valley? Or in Monterey Peninsula lately? Are we smothering ourselves in pursuit of more and more tourism? Critical questions.
San Francisco welcomed a record total of 25.1 million visitors in 2016, an increase of 2.3 percent from 2015, according to the San Francisco Travel Association. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Researchers warn that the surge in global tourism is outstripping the “decarbonization” of tourism-related technology.

In the first study of its kind, researchers found that carbon emissions from world travel contribute about 8 percent of all carbon emissions, four times more than previously estimated.

New Record CO2 Measures Show ‘Humans Are Overwhelming Nature’

That rate is expected to grow 4 percent annually, outpacing the footprints of many other economic sectors, according to the study published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change.

The study takes a sweeping look at the environmental impact of  global tourism by examining the entire supply chain, from flights, dining, to shopping purchases. High-income countries account for the majority of this footprint, with the U.S.  topping the list followed by China, Germany and India.

“Our analysis is a world-first look at the true cost of tourism — including consumables such as food from eating out and souvenirs — it’s a complete life-cycle assessment of global tourism, ensuring we don’t miss any impacts,”  said senior author Arunima Malik, who teaches sustainability at the University of Sydney.

For the rest of the article, see: https://www.kqed.org/science/1923609/surprise-global-travel-is-a-huge-contributor-to-climate-change

Tourist Tuesday, 5/1/18

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Venice poised to segregate tourists as city braces itself for May Day ‘invasion’

Metal barriers aimed at separating visitors and locals on key routes into Venice are expected to be put to use on 1 May despite protests by locals against the controversial measure

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”I am standing on Venice’s Bridge of Sighs on a Sunday morning … or at least trying to: a tsunami of tourists is flooding towards the Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square): people wielding umbrellas or gripping plastic pints of Aperol Spritz, bossy tour guides shepherding cruise-ship passengers, backpacking millennials and many others. So far, so typical, except this weekend – a four-day bank holiday that began on Saturday 28 April and runs to Tuesday 1 May – the city, already straining under the weight of mass tourism, is anticipating record visitor numbers.”
…
“There needs to be a long-term, organised programme to inform tourists how to behave before they arrive and that should be the responsibility of hoteliers, airlines, cruise ship operators and travel agents. People need to understand and respect the little things that are so important in Venice’s daily life: keeping to the right when crossing bridges, not stopping on the raised walkways to take pictures during Acqua Alta, not littering and not sitting down for lunch on someone’s doorway.”
For the rest of the Article, see:

Tourist Tuesdays, 4/24/18

This is from a 2011 report sent to me by Lana Weeks, so the information is a bit dated, but here are a few pages of the report and some interesting statistics:

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Tourist Tuesdays, 4/17/18

It is hard to write anything for today, after dealing with the Rio Rd. fiasco all weekend, for the second weekend in a row, and also seeing and hearing – loud parties, drunks asleep in the middle of the road, and booming speakers – what people did in my neighborhood. None of what you see below was here a few years ago, and the off-roading was twice as bad on Sunday as it was on Wednesday when I went down the hill to town. So many new tracks and destruction over the weekend. I am saddened beyond belief and my hope in maintaining any semblance of wilderness has been shaken. Soon, all the wildflowers, grasses, and wildlife will be gone.

Tomorrow I will be attending the MCCVB Sustainability Forum, and it will be a challenge for me. I want people who contribute to this madness to be held responsible for the damage. I want those charged with protecting the wilderness, the coast, the highway, and the community to take responsibility. Have we reached the tipping point? Are we past the point of no return?

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Tourist Tuesdays, 4/10/18

Noon, from a Highlands Neighbor:

”I called Christine Poe around 9:30 and was transferred to her after a short wait. She was very understanding of the frustration we are all experiencing in getting through the Rio Road/Hwy. 1 intersection. I mainly spoke with her regarding the safety issues of having that intersection blocked if there an emergency, the possible impatience of a driver deciding to pass other vehicles, and the lack of well timed traffic lights. She did tell me that engineers were scheduled to be at the site today to discuss the traffic situation and she would add my safety concerns to their discussion. She also suggested having Highway Patrol there to control traffic in person might alleviate the problem. Unfortunately, the CHP site notes that they do not have the man power to do so.”

6:30 am – With the road work at Rio Rd. to last through the summer, this will be the 3d summer in a row where local Big Sur businesses face challenges. Patience will be required, and weekend trips to town will be curtailed. Three big events are scheduled during this construction project: Big Sur Marathon, Sea Otter Classic, and Amgen. The Concours is scheduled for the end of August. Any bets on whether the construction will be finished in time?

I am taking this day off from Tourists and Tourism and enjoying the spring weather and planning for gardening projects. I need grounding and balance.

Tourist Tuesday, 4/3/18

I took  a closer look at thepresentation MCCVB made at the last BSMBAAC meeting. While I can see the need for a “Destination Master Plan”  for Monterey County, I think we need a separate and community oriented, implemented, and managed Sustainable Destination Stewardship Program/Plan for Big Sur. In discussions with Tammy Blount of MCCVB, she has agreed that a separate, “special” forum should be held for Big Sur. I look forward to working with Tammy and finding a common vocabulary which will strengthen our sense of community here in Big Sur – the crown jewel of Monterey County.

A “Master Plan” reminds me too much of dystopian novels like 1984, Brave New World, Handmaiden’s Tale, Soylent Green, etc. Personally, I think the Sustainable and Stewardship components of any plan are critical to how we approach the issue of sustainability of both the community and the environment of Big Sur as tourism continues to increase exponentially. The focus needs to shift from making money to sustaining the sense of place, in my opinion. Making money is only relevant if it is used to enhance the experience – not profit from it. I also see that Big Sur needs a bigger voice in any planning endeavor.  Big Sur needs to take the lead in any efforts to “market” her unique beauty, and if necessary, tell others she is not for sale. Several members of the board of CPOA are willing and delighted to work with us on creating an entity for such a purpose.

Naming, to me, helps to define, refine, and focus our goals so we don’t get distracted from the purpose we have for going forward, obtaining financing, other backing, and instituting meaningful change to save our community and place while we share it with visitors. Also, it will help establish the roles of all our various governmental and non-governmental agencies who claim a stakehold in Big Sur by helping them to fulfill their management plans and see the many ways each is compatible with the others. We need to get away from the singularity which defines each government agency and begin to see our Big Sur Coast as a holistic entity, entitled to the protection she needs and deserves.

Here is a quarterly event that MCCVB hosts that addresses this issue:

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The above is a screen shot, so the registration button is not “live.” Here is a link you can go to to register for the Sustainable Moments marketing forum: Sustainable Moments Quarterly Forum. I have signed up to attend, and will report back after the Forum. Marcus Foster has also indicated he is interested in attending. I would encourage all of you interested in the future of Big Sur and her tourism component to come to this forum to listen, learn, and contribute, if appropriate. Big Sur is the driving force behind tourism for the entire Monterey Peninsula. It is time we have a bigger voice that is heard.

Next week, I will seek out information on how to work with and organize all the diverse stakeholders present in Big Sur. Thanks to others in the community with whom I have had conversations, I am convinced that the MCCVB is NOT the appropriate entity to spear head an issue to preserve and protect Big Sur, and am looking at a whether a disinterested outside consultant might be the way to go, along with formulating a non-profit Big Sur entity capable of grant-writing, funding a consultant, fund-raising, organizing, and implementing a long-term plan that incorporates all the various interlocking pieces that comprise Big Sur and make her who she is. If you want to be a part of this process, please let me know how you see yourself contributing, either in the comments or via email to kwnovoa@mac.com

I had not intended to make this portion of my blog a full-time endeavor, but that is what it is becoming. Big Sur needs protecting and all of us must become proactive in this. All the individual concerns we have: bathrooms, traffic, degradation of the wilderness, camping, enforcement, tourists who drive Highway One (poorly), but don’t spend here, preserving our community, work-force housing, our history, protecting our environment and so much more are pieces of this much larger puzzle. Join us in becoming a part of the solution, instead of just bitching. Let’s save the love of our lives and our home, Mama Sur.

Tourist Tuesday, 3/27/18

On Friday, 3/23/18, the Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau made a presentation to BSMAAC on the concept of sustainable tourism. They are willing to be the lead organization on this, IF the county is willing to provide/find/arrange the necessary funding. The presentation included the following, which they so kindly sent me. Since I was NOT at this meeting, I would appreciate feedback from community members who WERE present. If you wish to remain anonymous, send it to me privately, and I will post under my name. Email to: kwnovoa@mac.com

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Tourism Tuesday, 3/13/18

As promised, here is another post from the Destination Center. I did not copy the entire page, but there are quite a few funding sources from foundations, government, etc. If you are interested in exploring funding sources for a sustainable tourism project, you will need to go to the original page for funding here:

Destination Center Funding Sources

Also, I want to point out to all my readers that the last four months of Tourism or Tourist Tuesdays are now consolidated on to a single page for ease in finding information. I worked on it all day Monday, 3/12; copying all the existing posts, making sure all links were active, and reproducing all the photographs originally included. One can find this page to the right, under “Pages, title Tourist Tuesday Posts.” I hope this will help all those who are interested in or working on making our tourism sustainable for the land, the residents, and the tourists.

Also, I have been in contact with Peter Chung, of PARKIT, which is specifically addressing  similar issues surrounding Point Lobos and Garrapata and we are hoping to work together along with other individuals and groups to get these tourist issues resolved. I understand that this will be presented at the BSMAAC meeting in conjunction with the suggestion for a destination management plan. Darn, wish I could come. Anyone want to record it for me? Or send me notes? Or maybe a YouTube? Doesn’t need to be but this section of the meeting.

 

Tourist Tuesday, 3/6/18

Today, I will be featuring another article published just yesterday about a place addressing the same issues of over-tourism, this one on Kauai sent to me by Ken Wright. Before I get to that, I do want to inform everyone that this issue will be appearing on the BSMAAC meeting of 3/23/18. Unfortunately, I have a conference that day and the following day up in SF, so will not be in attendance. I trust my views will be aptly represented by the rest of you. Next week, I plan to go back to my coverage of the Sustainable Destination Management Plan options laid out at Destination Center’s website which I have been covering for some months.

Today’s article can be found in total here: The Garden Island.

“Tourist destinations around the world are reacting to growing numbers of visitors adding to congestion, increasing costs of living and disrupting fragile ecosystems.

‘This is our state’s largest industry, so we have to do a better job of addressing our parks, traffic and safety,’ said Rep. Nadine Nakamura.

Some travel destinations are looking closely for ways to solve issues of massive traffic jams, creaking infrastructure, environmental degradation and rising rents.

In 2017, police advised visitors to stay away from Scotland’s second-largest island, Isle of Skye, due to noise complaints, overcrowding and visitors urinating in public.

In Spain, Barcelona’s government passed a law to limit tourist beds after anti-tourist graffiti and protests of services like Airbnb that sent rents soaring and forced residents from homes.

Dubrovnik, Croatia, is capping the number of visitors at 4,000 a day and cutting the number of cruise ships entering the ancient port. Visitors to Santorini, Greece, have been capped to 8,000 a day by the island’s mayor in 2017 with a rising population. Other destinations like Bhutan and Nepal are minimizing environmental impacts by charging daily fees and implementing permit guidelines and restrictions.”

The article mentions two specific problems the Garden Isle is having that Big Sur Shares:  Beach Acess (Pfeiffer Beach) and State Park parking along a busy highway. (Point Lobos and JFB.)

“According to Kanoho, a Haena master plan is scheduled to go before the Department of Land and Natural Resources to request limits on visitors to Ke’e Beach, requiring reservations with fees and permits.

Nakamura is also working with a group focusing on visitor impacts at Haena State Park, especially illegal parking on the state highway never intended to accommodate 2,000 visitors a day. She introduced a bill to create a surcharge that would go to county law enforcement and another bill to increase rental car fees for highway improvements and public transit.”

Perhaps, Monterey and any destination plan committee we form can look to implement some of these same ideas.