Cinephiles planning their first getaway to escape the COVID-era blahs might want to check out The Last Tourist. The documentary by Tyson Sadler, which is currently available on digital platforms, surveys the state of contemporary tourism. In short: things don’t look too bright.
Featuring a cast of talking heads including Dr. Jane Goodall and visits to over 30 hotspots around the world, The Last Tourist considers how luxury tourism is destroying the very wonders that drive people to new destinations. From the perils of all-inclusive getaways, which attract tourists to locations with sizable rich/poor gaps and largely keep cash from flowing back into the community, to “voluntourism” to selfie culture to animal welfare, The Last Tourist unpacks the threats of the tourism economy from every angle. It’s not a polemic to keep audiences at home, though. All the participants in the doc are avid explorers. Rather, the film offers a provocative essay about sustainable and responsible travel.
Synopsis
In 1950, there were 25 million international tourist arrivals. In 2020, that number will be 1.6 billion. More people are traveling now than at any other point in history. Travel is in an unfortunate state. Over-tourism has magnified the impact on the environment, wildlife, and vulnerable populations around the world. Unintentionally, tourists are destroying the very things they have come to see. Tourism has reached a tipping point. Yet, travel is also an opportunity. It can be leveraged as a force for good – to promote conservation, alleviate poverty, and positively transform host communities, while fostering cultural connection and understanding between people from all walks of life.
Thanks to Elevation Pictures, POV has four digital codes to give away for readers to watch The Last Tourist on iTunes. All you have to do to enter is answer the following question.
The Last Tourist interviewee Lek Chailert is the founder of what animal welfare organization?
a) Save the Elephant Foundation
b) World Wildlife Fund
c) #SpeciesNotSelfies
d) Virunga National Park
Send your answer to info@povmagazine.com with the subject “The Last Tourist.”
Bonus entries go to anyone who shares the contest on Twitter and/or Facebook!
Contest closes Sunday, April 10 at 11:59pm EST.
The Last Tourist is currently available to watch on digital platforms.
