EA - Announcing: Effective Tourism - Maximizing the Cost-Effectiveness of Your Vacations by Agustín Covarrubias

Link to original articleWelcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: Announcing: Effective Tourism - Maximizing the Cost-Effectiveness of Your Vacations, published by Agustín Covarrubias on April 1, 2023 on The Effective Altruism Forum.TL;DRAfter several months of research, EA Chile is proud to announce its work in a new cause area: Effective Tourism. This program aims to help EAs find cost-effective vacations that uniquely maximize their interests. Alongside our university group, we're also launching a 7-week introductory program, where participants will learn how to evaluate different vacation destinations using one of our main developments, the RTN framework.IntroductionWant a break from all the recent developments in artificial intelligence? Feel unable to keep up with all the community controversies? Tired of dealing with mosquitoes?We hear you! That's why we are excited to announce a new project by EA Chile: Effective Tourism. This new cause area is focused on finding the most cost-effective vacations for EAs, so you can recharge your batteries while still maximizing your impact.We believe that a well-rested, recharged, and inspired EA community is better equipped to tackle the challenges of AI safety, pandemic prevention, global health and development, and much, much more. That's why we've decided to focus our efforts on this new initiative, to help EAs make the most of their time off, all while keeping cost-effectiveness in mind.The RTN FrameworkTo prioritize between destinations, we've developed the Relaxation-Tractability-Neglectedness (RTN) framework, inspired by the Importance-Tractability-Neglectedness framework used in Effective Altruism. The RTN framework assesses vacation destinations using three key criteria:Relaxation Potential: Evaluates the ability of a destination to provide a rejuvenating experience, considering factors like natural beauty, tranquility, recreational activities, and opportunities for mental and physical relaxation.Tractability: Measures the ease of planning, organizing, and executing a trip to a specific destination, taking into account accessibility, affordability, ease of obtaining visas, and the availability of amenities and services.Neglectedness: Refers to the degree to which a destination is overlooked or underappreciated by the broader tourist industry. By choosing neglected destinations, EAs can minimize the negative environmental and social impacts of tourism while enjoying unique, less crowded experiences.Applying the RTN framework allows EAs to make informed decisions about where to spend their time off, ensuring cost-effective, rejuvenating vacations that align with their values and minimize the negative consequences of tourism.The Introductory ProgramIn collaboration with our student group, Effective Altruism @ UC Chile, we're also launching an “Introduction to Effective Tourism” program, akin to the Introduction to Effective Altruism program. This program consists of 7 weeks of group discussions with a facilitator, focused on exploring different vacation destinations and finding out which is the most cost-effective for EAs.ConclusionWe believe that the introduction of Effective Tourism as a new cause area has the potential to greatly benefit the EA community. By finding the most cost-effective vacations for EAs, we can help ensure that our community remains motivated, focused, and dedicated to our broader goals. We hope that you'll join us in our journey towards better, more effective vacations!Thanks for listening. To help us out with The Nonlinear Library or to learn more, please visit nonlinear.org.