The Last Tourist: The Documentary That Every Traveller Should Watch

A man carries a dolphin over his shoulder; naked tourists drunkenly walk along a town’s main street, oblivious to the outrage of local people; a tourist laughs about having just kicked over ancient rocks in a sacred site. These are some of the shocking scenes by tourists, brazenly filmed as ‘larks’ on their phones, and exposed in a new responsible travel documentary, The Last Tourist, released in the UK and Ireland this week.

While these scenes are at the extreme end of irresponsible tourisme, they demonstrate the unthinking nature that tourism can bring. Shining a spotlight on the impact of mass tourism on local communities, wildlife and the environment, The Last Tourist works to challenge travelers to rethink their holiday habits. Directed and written by Tyson Sadler, and produced by Bruce Poon Tip, founder of community tourism pioneer and adventure operator, G Adventures, the feature-length documentary pulls back the curtain on the travel and tourism industry. It reveals the impact of over-tourism in ‘honeypot’ destinations, as well as how many travel experiences are actually extremely disconnected from the destination that people find themselves in.

“When we think about the effects of over-tourism,” says Bruce Poon Tip, “Venice is the poster child but, when we look at remote communities, 100 people could equate to mean over-tourism and this can have a devasting effect on the future of a place and its people.” The film, he says, will serve to educate all of us on some of these facts and also shine a spotlight on the negative effects – often unseen and unfelt by tourists – of travelling the world.

“I don’t think The Last Tourist presents anything we didn’t already know,” continues Poon Tip. “But it’s about pushing people to think differently. We all know elephants shouldn’t kick soccer balls and monkeys shouldn’t ride motorbikes bikes, but when these things are presented on a screen in front of you, you’re forced to confront them and evaluate your actions”.

He says: “As an immigrant, and over my many years of travel, I have seen first-hand the tension built between locals and the tourism industry in destinations like the Caribbean islands. Tourists are told by hotels, cruise companies and operators which shops they should or shouldn’t visit when in a destination, with locally owned options being avoided due to locals being ‘restless’. What travellers don’t realise is that the recommended shops are often partially owned by the operator or cruise line, or there’s a financial kick back. Of course the locals are disgruntled, because they’re not able to benefit from the tourism coming into their homes, consuming their resources or taking their lands.”

Having already earned a number of awards globally, The Last Tourist brings together a number of first-hand stories to highlight the often well-intentioned, but harmful, practices many tourism experiences support. The film also features expert insights from leading travel and tourism visionaries including Dr. Jane Goodall (Jane Goodall Institute, United Nations Messenger of Peace), Lek Chailert (Save Elephant Foundation), Gary Knell (National Geographic), Meenu Vadera (Sakha Cabs For Women) and Melissa Matlow (World Animal Protection).

“The Last Tourist demonstrates what a dire state the industry was in pre-pandemic and as travelers book their summer holidays it offers tangible ways they can have a positive impact while they are away,” adds Bruce Poon Tip.

“Historically, the focus in driving positive tourism has been on the operators to make changes, but in reality, it’s the consumers we need to demand a more responsible and sustainable industry. There’s an ongoing issue with travellers being motivated by price point, or amenities, as they then lose track of their values. Why should you suspend your values, just because you’ve gone on holiday?”

Amassing more than 400 hours of footage during filming across 16 countries, the thought-provoking documentary empowers audiences with the knowledge and inspiration to make a positive impact – and to fundamentally change the way they travel – by examining the history of modern tourism and revealing its consequences. The documentary explores alarming issues such as animals suffering for entertainment, orphaned children exploited for profit, and developing economies strained under the weight of foreign-owned hotel chains.

Bruce Poon Tip has the last word: “Ultimately, The Last Tourist documentary is a message of hope. The travel industry has the power to be truly transformational and the main takeaway is the realisation that travel is a privilege, not a right. Only a tiny percentage of the world’s population have the privilege to travel and with that privilege comes responsibility. We all have the power to drive change through the choices we make and where we choose to spend our money. The travel industry caters to demand and if the demand from travellers shifts towards more conscious and responsible experiences then the industry will respond.”

Rated the number two documentary on Apple TV in Canada when it launched last year, The Last Tourist is now available on Amazon and Apple TV, Sky, Vubiquity, Google, Microsoft and Rakuten. It is also currently playing on Delta Airlines and Emirates Airlines.

thelasttouristfilm.com