Alternative Education Center boosted local tourism in celebration of the Global Tourism Resilience Day on February 16, 2024, typically celebrated every February 17th. The celebration allows people to appreciate and recognize tourism as a major source of income, foreign currency earnings, tax revenue, and employment, especially for developing countries. Because tourism connects people with nature, resilient tourism uniquely encourages environmental responsibility and conservation.
AEC students drew what they believe is the major source of tourism in Odessa, TX. They identified the oil field as the biggest tourism spot in Odessa and discussed its implications. Many students confidently explained how they are happily benefiting from oil field tourism because their families work in this industry. People from all parts of the globe come to Odessa to check out one of the world's biggest sources of oil and gas and decide to work here, which improves the city's economy. Students also discussed how resilient people in Odessa are because they have maintained the oil and gas production even during COVID-19. They further discussed ways to maintain Odessa's environmental conservation while oil and gas production continues.
Unfortunately, students acknowledged the bad effects of the oil and gas industry and tourism because these invite the proliferation of illegal drug business and abuse. During their guidance lesson, students used REBT's ABCDE approach to explain their activating event in abusing drugs, belief about it, consequence of doing it, effort to dispute their belief, and effective alternative behavior that is helpful to them to stop drug abuse. Finally, students explained how the Global Tourism Resilience Day helps meet the global goal of sustainable cities and communities.
