Synopsis ofThe Last Tourist

Thedocumentary, which wasawarded with the“社会影响特别陪审团奖”卡尔加里国际电影节的加拿大纪录片陪审团，examines the history of modern tourism and offers a critique on its current state of affairs. It explores important issues including animals suffering for entertainment, orphaned children exploited for profit, and developing economies strained under the massive weight of foreign-owned hotel chains. We meet local heroes who are leveraging tourism to preserve cultural heritage, sustain wildlife, and support the social and economic wellbeing of communities.最后的游客赋予观众以知识和灵感来产生积极影响，并从根本上改变我们的旅行方式。

最后一位游客将于3月8日在圣塔芭芭拉国际电影节上首映，并将于3月15日由乌托邦以数字方式发布。

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The start ofThe Last Touristshows us some familiar scenes: romps on beaches under a golden sun; hundreds of heads bobbing above crystal clear water; and people indulging in tiki drinks and buffets. But then we’re hit with the darker aftermath of those festivities: mounds of plastic cups and other debris piled on the sand and getting lapped up by the ocean.

The film wastes no time in showing us the damage caused by hedonistic travel; the luxurious type of tourism that became popular at the end of the cold war with the opening of borders.

这部电影的主要论点之一是，现代旅游业的自我为中心导致旅行者与地方之间的连接。任何曾经见过游客尝试与熊拍照的人都知道这种脱节。

And speaking of selfies, the film points out that status is also an important motivator for tourists, with 29% of millennial travelers saying they wouldn’t even go to certain locations unless they could post about it on social media. This further worsens the divide between the tourist and the location and results in an industry that caters to tourist and disadvantages locals.

It’s a subject that speaks to all of us in some way, since most of us have been tourists at some point in our lives, so it’s easy to get on the defensive. But the film holds back from being preachy and instead assumes we will care if we’re aware of the problem.

Some of the scenes of elephant shows in Thailand are difficult to watch as they involve intense animal cruelty. But while they’re difficult to watch, they’re also honest rather than exploitive. Jane Goodall provides commentary at this part of the film, telling us that these modes of entertainment would not happen if people didn’t pay for it.

电影中有很多撕裂的时刻，但这并不是厄运和忧郁。有一种创新的解决方案，可以为我们如何改变旅游业并鼓励一种涉及尊重和教育的旅行。

The Bad

At an hour and 40 minutes, the film runs a bit long and may be harder to digest for more impatient viewers. The long length is partly because the film covers a lot of ground with the subject of tourism, but also because the pace of many of the scenes are deliberately slow.

The natural landscapes and practices of the locals are slowed down to encourage mindfulness and show us how to slow down and see the world through the eyes of other cultures. It’s an effective way to convey the message, but there are some who may be used to the lightning speed of social media and lose patience.

A Film That Challenges us to Look Inward

任何曾经巡游或梦想着乘船前往巴哈马的人，或者渴望在印度骑大象，或者想去野生动物园，这是这部电影的观众的一部分。它要求我们重新考虑我们的旅行方式，并将我们在国外的经验与我们在家中拥有的价值系统保持一致。

It isn’t easy, because it’s asking us to overcome that bit of selfishness we feel we’ve earned when we can finally take time off work. The time we want to spend letting loose and having no cares in the world is supposed to be tempered in favor of a more conscientious experience.

It may be tempting to say thatThe Last Tourist夸大问题并继续乐趣，但是如果您允许自己在这次旅程中被带走，您可能最终会停下来，然后再击中“添加到购物车”以获得下一张巡航票。

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