Minds On

Travel

People can travel on foot, on bikes, in cars, in trains, on ferries, or in airplanes.

People travel for many reasons.

Sometimes people travel from their community to another neighbourhood to visit a local park.

Sometimes people travel from their city to a nearby town to visit family or friends.

Sometimes people travel across the province to enjoy a provincial park, or even across the country to explore a national park!

Brainstorm

Travel and tourism

  • Why do you think people travel?
  • When you think about the word tourism, what comes to your mind?

Record your ideas orally, digitally, in print, or in a method of your choice.

Action

Tourism

Tour is another word for travel.

Tourism is an industry made up of businesses that serve travellers. The places of interest that travellers visit, the restaurants where travellers eat, and the hotels where travellers sleep all make up the industry of tourism.

Tourism promotes our cultures and encourages positive relationships with people from other countries. The tourism industry is also important to the Canadian economy because people spend money when they travel.

Two mountain bikers ride on a trail with a forest and mountains in the background.

Landforms and natural resources are popular destinations for travellers. This means that these areas will have a tourism industry that impacts the environment.

We want travellers to enjoy Canada’s parks, lakes, mountains, and forests, but we also need to protect the natural environment from negative impacts. When we conserve the environment, then future generations can use the same land and natural resources that we are able to use.

Being a responsible traveller

There are many ways that we can be responsible travellers.

Press each tab to access actions we can take when we travel to reduce our impacts on the natural environment.

  • Pack your items in reusable containers
  • Bring personal care products that are biodegradable
  • Be mindful of how many resources you use

  • Avoid unnecessary trips
  • Use transportation that has less impact on the environment such as bicycles, local transit, or trains
  • Minimize travelling by airplane

  • Eat food that is produced nearby so that less energy is used to transport it
  • Do not purchase souvenirs that are made from endangered animals or plants

  • Travel in small groups
  • Use a guide to explain where you shouldn’t step so that the environment is preserved
  • Do not interact with wildlife or disturb any plants

Researching tourist areas

We are now going to research information about how travelers can be responsible when they visit tourist areas in Canada.

Choose one of the following tourist areas:

  • Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
  • The East Coast Trail, Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Moraine Lake, Alberta
  • Point Pelee National Park, Ontario
  • The Purple Sand Beach, Saskatchewan
  • Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba
  • Virginia Falls, Northwest Territories
  • Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick
  • Montmorency Falls, Quebec
  • Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, British Columbia
  • Prince Edward Island National Park, Prince Edward Island
  • Tombstone Territorial Park, Yukon
  • Sirmilik National Park, Nunavut
  • Another tourist area of your choice

Now, research the tourist area that you chose. You can begin your search by exploring government websites, the Canadian Encyclopedia, or resources created by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

Use your research to complete the Responsible Travel activity in your notebook, in the following fillable and printable documents, or in a method of your choice.

Tourist Area
1) What landforms and natural resources are located in this tourist area?
2a) List three activities that travellers can do in this tourist area.
2b) Choose one of the activities. How can we enjoy this activity responsibly?
3) What is one way that a traveller can be environmentally responsible when they visit this tourist area?
4) List one fact that you found interesting about this tourist area.

Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Responsible Travel. 


Activity(Open PDF in a new window)

Consolidation

Travelling responsibly

There are many ways to make sure that you are treating the land with respect and not negatively impacting the environment.

Imagine that you are getting ready for your annual visit to Dandelion Mountain. You have heard that Dandelion Mountain has started getting more visitors than in previous years.

Select the missing word in each of the following sentences so that they describe an action that reduces our impacts on the natural environment.

A mountain with a field of dandelions at its base. Includes a hiking path going through the field.
  1. Why is it important to protect the natural environment at Dandelion Mountain when you visit?
  2. What is the most important thing that visitors to a natural environment can do to protect the environment?
  3. What is one way that we can remind visitors to protect the natural environment when they travel?

Record your ideas orally, digitally, in print, or in a method of your choice.

Reflection

As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

I feel...

Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.