Author Paige McClanahan unpacks the implications of our wanderlust

Paige McClanahan, a globetrotting journalist, argues for recognizing the potent social force of travel. She highlights how tourism has shaped the world for better and for worse in her new book, "The New Tourist: Waking up to the Power and Perils of Travel."

She says that tourism has the potential to either erode the essence of a city or, importantly, breathe new life into it, offering a glimmer of hope for the future.

ABC News sat down with McClanahan to explore the implications of people's wanderlust.

ABC NEWS: With summer underway, many of us are booking flights and heading out to see the world. But with global tourism at an all-time high, should we be looking for a deeper understanding of the implications of our wanderlust?

Author and renowned journalist Paige McClanahan spotlights how tourism has shaped the world for better and for worse in her book, "The New Tourist: Waking up to the Power and Perils of Travel." Paige joins us now to talk about the book.

It's good to see you. Thanks for taking the time to talk about the book. You dive into this term 'the new tourist.' New tourist. What does that mean first?

McCLANAHAN: Yeah. So I think, you know, tourism is something that we've been involved in for decades now, for centuries even. And I think it's time for us to really embrace a new approach to this phenomenon, which I see as an industry, but also so much more than an industry. I mean, tourism is the world's most important mover of human beings.

We're going to have 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals this year, and, you know, if we harness that, the power of tourism for good for, you know, economic good, for social and cultural good and even for environmental good, we can have, you know, an enormous positive impact in the world.

But of course, tourism can do a lot of damage. And this is why it's really important that we take the time to educate ourselves about the impacts of our travels. And so the new tourist, as I see it, is somebody who opens their hearts and minds to the experiences that they have when they travel, and who also takes the time to educate themselves about the implications of their wanderlust.

ABC NEWS: Will you talk about something that we've seen over the years? You say tourism can destroy the soul of a city or offer a new lease on life. Both are true. I'm wondering what cities do you use as examples of both of those.

McCLANAHAN: : Oh, fantastic. Thank you so much for that question, Phil. Yeah, I mean, let's start with a new lease on life. I love the example of Liverpool, a city in northern England where, you know, in the '70s and '80s and even the '90s, Liverpool was really, it was one of the poorest urban areas in Europe. It was really known for hard drugs and crime. You know, it was nicknamed Smack City in the '80s.

It was really in the late '80s when the local government in Liverpool turned to tourism very explicitly as a way to revive the city's economy, and it did so in a way that has really worked for locals. It has really revived the Liverpool economy, has completely rebranded the city on the international stage, and has given this whole city a new lease on life.

But then, of course, there are other examples. And one place that I visit that I write about in the book, is Barcelona, where, you know, of course, tourism has brought a lot of economic good to that city as well. It's a kind of at a different point than Liverpool. Things kind of got a little bit, maybe things maybe I would say they grew too quickly to too much too quickly. And the government was a little bit behind in imposing the kind of regulations they needed to impose to ensure that tourism in Barcelona didn't, didn't, you know, negatively impact the residents' way of life.

So, yeah, we have examples on, you know, in both ends of the spectrum. And so which is why it's really important for us to understand these nuances, as tourists.

ABC NEWS: Lastly, I know this question may not be as difficult as asking you to choose a favorite child, because we don't do that. But you've traveled to so many places around the world, and I'm just curious, with all that under your belt, what's your favorite place and why?

McCLANAHAN: Oh my gosh. I'm going to have to say, my favorite place, that I've traveled to, is maybe cheating because I also lived there. I would say the country of Kenya.

I lived in Nairobi, Kenya, for four years. It's a beautiful country. So much, of course, wilderness and nature to explore, but also so much rich culture and so much rich history and heritage and just such a welcoming and warm and loving, people. And Swahili is such a beautiful language. And there's some really wonderful cuisine, especially down along the coast. I would really encourage anybody to, to get, you know, to head out to Kenya if you haven't made it there yet.

I love the country very much.

ABC NEWS: I would love to get there. And, and and that's something I definitely want to do. Thank you for that. And thank you for the book. Be great to read on a plane, maybe while you're traveling somewhere. Thanks so much for joining us. We want to let our viewers know that "The New Tourist: Waking up to the Power and Perils of Travel." is now available wherever books are sold.