Nomads travel in order to make a living from harsh landscapes, con- querors and business people to search for power and resources, holiday-makers to escape the monotony of the workplace. Adventurers, backpackers and Grand- Tourers travel because they have to. Theirs is the quest for knowledge, a quest to be worldly-wise.

It is somewhat awe-inspiring to realise that many areas which were marked as terra incognita on the maps of my youth are now stop- overs on regular tour itineraries. So much so that the two-edged sword of tourism now hangs heavily over every aspect of the heritage of this world.

If it had not been for the spotlight which has been turned onto these special regions by Grand-Tourers, past and present, the threat, to coin a phrase, of 'Costa-Brava-isation' would not be there. Yet it is equally true to say that without those spotlights of interest and concern, much of their heritage could have been lost through apathy and ignorance.

Whatever regrets we weavers of travellers' tales may have, I believe the die is now cast. Tourism is the world's fastest growing industry and the only hope for much of our heritage, both natural and people-made, lies within the wise use of its tourist potential.

A row of toilets at Everest base camp, or the importation of food to service tourists in Bali, don't make for confidence in the sustainability of the industry, unless either the tourist industry grows up and shoulders all its responsibilities, or the expectation of all travellers sinks to the current norm of home entertainment: a diet of soaps and game shows.

Fortunately, there are some bright lights at the end of the tunnel. At one end are well- appointed and -run establishments like South Africa's Sun City. There, a fun oasis has been created out of what was degraded veldt. Many thousands of local jobs have been created and an adjacent area has been restocked with game both big and small. It packs the tourists in, corralling them where they can do little harm to local culture. The only really negative effect is the use of fossil fuel and too much water but, living up to its name, it could become solar-powered and water-wise. At the other end of the spectrum of caring holidays are groups like Earthwatch and Coral Cay Conservation, where customers pay to be trained and then work hard on scientific research. Furthermore, a recent study of caravan parks, not usually renowned for their eco-friendliness, revealed that some had already taken up the eco-challenge and were putting their houses into green order, caring not only for their customers but for the local community, wildlife and wider environment.

Unfortunately there is also much bad news, but that is where you all come in, for there is an immense amount of work to be done. Attitudes are changing, but is it fast enough with 1.3 billion Chinese about to be industrialised? If only ten per cent of them had the funds to travel, that would make an extra 130 million tourists. If all of them decided that they must visit the English Lakes in their travelling lifetime, that would mean an extra 2.6 million visitors a year in Cumbria. Could they be accommodated? The answer from the industry is "yes". But at what cost to Wordsworth's 'open air university'?

One thing the whole industry must do, and fast, is realise that its success depends on other people's resources, landscapes and lifestyles, so they must help pay for their upkeep. They must help create local jobs, pay for local infrastructure, give more than they get. If they don't, the resource will eventually collapse.

As you lap up the challenges of pushing back the bounds of your personally unknown lands, and discovering these pearls of heritage for yourselves, remember they are only there thanks to the natural living systems on which we all depend.

You are the ambassadors of everything that the concerned traveller should be. Set the golden example. Respect local customs and buy only local craft goods made from sustainable resources, and always put as much as you can into the local economy. Be careful where you put your tripod and your feet. Flowers have power, you know. Leave only ripples of good will - and if you see an operator disobeying national or local rules, refuse his services.Thank you for caring.