TAIPEI: A group of environmentally conscious scholars has formed an association to promote a travel style that leaves natural environments unharmed. "Travel should not just mean eating sumptuously and staying in luxury accommodations," said Tao Yi-huang, an associate professor at Tungnan University in Shenkeng, Taipei, who is also chief executive of the Taiwan Society of Xu Xiake.

Tao took issue with the way mountain resorts are promoted in advertising. He says he is always disgusted with TV commercials that feature a sport utility vehicle (SUV) driving to a lush mountain and disgorging a family that barbecues and plays on riverside rocks or lawns.

"That is not a way to enjoy ecotourism, but rather a way to destroy the natural ecology," Tao said in a recent interview with a local paper.

The main purpose of his newly formed association is to study and promote eco-friendly travel styles, he said.

The group is named after Xu Xiake (1587-1641), a famous travel enthusiast and geographer of ancient China's Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Xu Xiake, who began to travel when he was 22 years old, explored almost half of China. His travel diary, "Travel Notes of Xu Xiake", is the earliest record of its kind in China. It gives detailed geographical information on the regions he visited, and is the world's earliest record of Karst landscapes and writings on how they were formed.

Xu was an environmentalist and an ecotourism expert who slammed the rulers of his time for their slash-and-burn agricultural policies that decimated the mountains and forests and he identified the adverse impact of mining, animal husbandry and travel on the ecology and natural landscape, Tao said.

On his long journeys, Xu endured many hardships and often slept in the open.

"Our society needs to learn from Xu's spirit of overcoming hardships and to turn to low-carbon, eco-friendly travel and lifestyles," he suggested.

"When our group travels, our first choice is to walk or take public transport," Tao said.

"We invariably choose to eat locally grown farm produce," he added, arguing that it is wrong for restaurants to always focus on offering delicacies from around the world.

Tao said his group would never stay at hotels or bed-and-breakfasts that are built on slopes.

"Such accommodations may offer beautiful mountain views, but their construction is greatly detrimental to water and soil conservation," Tao said. "We like to stay at places that were built with locally available materials, which save transportation resources."

Tao recalled that some of his students once asked his advice regarding a tour of Cingjing Farm in central Taiwan that they were planning.

"I told them to choose an affordable B&B that is located in a legally permitted area away from the main roads, properly equipped to treat garbage, and that adheres to water and soil conservation practices," Tao recalled.

His students managed to find accommodation that met all those standards, but only after an extensive online search, he said.

"Travel planning should be part of students' education. Travel should not be just for fun - they should be able to learn something in the process of arranging transportation and accommodation," Tao added.

With environmental and health consciousness growing, Tao said, low-carbon travel is becoming increasingly popular in Taiwan, the mainland and Hong Kong, and consequently, interest in Xu Xiake is also widening.

"Like-minded people on the mainland and in Hong Kong have also formed associations to study and promote Xu's legacy," Tao said.

According to Tao, his society maintains regular contact and has had academic exchanges with various Xu Xiake groups on the mainland and in Hong Kong.

Tao said his group usually organizes two to three local or overseas tours per year.

"Besides enjoying the natural scenery, we also evaluate whether the tourist facilities and promotional approaches in the various countries adhere to the spirit of low-carbon use and energy conservation," he said.

In his view, most of Taiwan's tourist spots are not sufficiently "low carbon" in their operations.

One of the exceptions is the Maoao community in Taipei county's Gongliao township on the northeastern coast, he said.

"Maoao's appeal lies in its low-profile development. It used to be a thriving fishing town, but it lost its steam with the migration of its young residents. It is re-emerging by developing ecotourism," Tao said.

Instead of building new tourist facilities, the local residents have converted old houses into cafes and B&Bs. The lands are being used for eco-friendly farming and for the processing of locally produced seaweed into jellies and health foods, he added.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 08/11/2009 page2)