Responsible Tourism in Maharg - Introduction

Background:

Maharg is a fictitious island which has a history of small-scale tourism. Most tourists come because Maharg's coast is full of peaceful, unspoilt beaches and enjoys brilliant sunshine most of the year.

The locals are also very friendly and the local food is delicious.

The problem:

The tourists usually stay in small local hotels on the island, near the beach and the main town, Yelnats. Recently, however, one large tour operator (Paradise Tours) has started bringing large groups of young tourists to the island on package deals to stay there.

Many of these tourists caused problems last summer because they held parties on the beach that lasted all night. The loud music and shouting kept many of the people of Yelnats awake at night.

In the mornings, the locals, whose custom is to take an early morning walk along the beach, started to find litter and the remains of fires that the tourists lit to barbecue their food. Towards the end of the summer, graffiti was found on the beautiful trees that line the beach, and the sand was full of cigarette butts.