Spring course registration for USC students is imminent, igniting peer debates on which courses to enroll in. USC is perceived well for its diversity of academic programs, specifically with regard to travel opportunities. Programs such as Maymesters and Problems without Passports allow students to pursue global experiences and immerse themselves in hands-on educational opportunities, learning directly from global scholars.  

USC has study abroad programs in over 130 cities across 50 countries. I’ve scanned each department’s opportunities countless times, and this fascination with such immersive programs is directly due to the far-reaching influence of the tourism industry.

In 2023, tourism accounted for around 9.1% of the globe’s total Gross Domestic Product, contributing around $9.9 trillion. This extensiveness is difficult to ignore, yet public discourse tends to highlight the economic and cultural benefits without acknowledging the environmental or social costs that accompany large-scale tourism. 

Tourism directly affects people as well as the land. Monday was Indigenous Peoples’ Day — a day dedicated to honoring Indigenous American cultures and histories.  

With this holiday, it is important to remember that destinations celebrated for their “natural beauty” are also sacred homelands. Thus, we must examine how tourism intersects with history, culture and respect for the land itself. 

Many conversations on sustainable travel consider the direct transactional effects, such as reducing our climate footprint or using environmentally friendly transportation methods. However, a more subtle effect to consider is the impact on Indigenous communities.

Native Hawaiians, for example, are constantly opposed to the effects of tourism. The construction of resorts on sacred grounds prompts a disconnect from Native land and culture: In 1987, there were around 1200 iwi kūpuna — ancestral bones — exhumed to make room for a new resort, which prompted backlash from Native communities. 

Furthermore, disrupting land through road development or infrastructure can divide indigenous populations. Ethical travel must acknowledge who is exploited through any increasing expansion of the tourism industry. 

Closer to home, California is home to several state parks and natural reserves facing rising disruption by the environmental cost of tourism. Yosemite Park, following the government shutdown last week, is seeing an increase in several dangerous and illegal behaviors due to the lack of rangers, such as BASE jumping without permits and illegal climbing in areas not reserved for tourists. 

Even walking pets such as cats or dogs can agitate wildlife, especially if they begin preying on native species, which can have detrimental effects. Our leisure directly contrasts the necessity required for the preservation of the environment. 

Universities often commit to performative gestures like land acknowledgments while ignoring any strides for real changes. USC’s Dworak-Peck School of Social Work has acknowledged the University’s presence on the unceded territory of the Gabrielino-Tongva peoples. With such statements made, let us students take the next step and commit to the sentiment these missions claim. 

At USC, there are several opportunities that combine travel and education. While completing study abroad applications, let’s remember to utilize ethical travel practices. From small-scale actions such as recycling to understanding the histories of Indigenous communities, we as students must take steps to decolonize the normalized, unethical trends that are inconsiderate of natural lands.

Deconstructing a colonial mindset can be difficult when the United States is built on the land of other indigenous populations, with little consideration or appreciation for native cultures. Thus, as students, we must relearn appreciation. 

As a political economy student interested in global affairs, my favorite Maymester on the catalog is IR 499: Human Rights in Central Asia, which allows students to travel to Kyrgyzstan to work with human rights officials on global understandings. Regardless of the location — whether it’s one of many like Kyrgyzstan, Paris or Mexico City — let’s be considerate of native populations. 

Make sure you follow all guidelines provided by local governments and communities to respect their sovereignty and cultural immersion. Your home is not solely a tourist destination, so do not treat others’ as such. 

Ethical travel must prioritize the people, not just the planet. True ethical travel includes acknowledging land claims and respecting sovereignty and culture. Remember who’s land you’re on.