Inhabitants of an Amazonian village in Columbia have banned uninvited tourists from visiting, in an effort to preserve their culture.

The village of Nazareth is inhabited by 800 indigenous people who practice age-old jungle traditions, but their culture has come under threat from increasing numbers of tourists and backpackers.

The majority of Nazareth’s population is made up of Ticuna Indians, an endangered community of which the United Nations estimates there are as few as 30,000 remaining.

Their way of life has come under threat as increasing numbers of tourists have flocked to the region to enjoy the exotic fauna and flora, rare animals and traditions of the natives. In 2010 alone, 35,000 tourists passed through the small village of Nazareth, despite the fact it has supposedly been off-limits for the past two years.

According to the locals, tourists have been leaving litter, taking intrusive photos and behaving inappropriately. The village’s decision to ban tourists serves as a timely reminder of the limits of tourism and the need for travellers to respect other cultures, wherever they go.

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