Being a responsible tourist is relaxing, fulfilling and can even work out cheaper. Here's our simple guide to sustainable travelling...
Travelling and exploring new places can be an addictive pastime. If you've been collecting passport stamps or amassing a collection of hotel key cards you might consider yourself to be well travelled - but what does that even mean?
Some self-proclaimed nomads proudly state their country count on their social media channels like a mad dash to see the entire planet before they die. But landing in a country, snapping a picture of a share-worthy plate or two and ticking off a few top tourist landmarks doesn’t give you a real appreciation of the nuanced culture of a place or the people who call it home.
So for a more authentic travel experience, should you spend a certain amount of time in a country in order to check it off your list? And what, if anything, are you contributing to the places you visit?
Sustainability has become a watchword in the travel industry over the last couple of years - The United Nations even declared 2017 as the year of sustainable travel. The main tenets are concerned with slowing down, appreciating the countries you move through, spending more time in fewer places, and making eco-conscious choices which leave little impact after you have returned home.
The benefits of this type of travel are numerous. Firstly they help to protect natural resources, support local communities and ensure our planet stays beautiful and viable for as long as possible.
But there are also personal benefits to travelling this way; it’s a more relaxing way to explore the world, it can be cheaper, and it creates more meaningful memories of human interaction and discovery.
So what are you waiting for? Start planning your sustainable, responsible and slow travel plans by following these tips to becoming a responsible tourist...
1. Embrace Your Local Tourism Sights
The area you live in likely has many treasures you have not yet discovered. Lessen your impact on the planet and your carbon footprint by becoming a staycationer and exploring your immediate surroundings as a local tourist. Contact the tourism board or read local blogs for your city and find hidden sights and events right where you are.
2. Get Off the Beaten Path
Choose to go further afield without contributing to the decimation of famous and overrun landmarks by choosing less visited cities and attractions. Try Kuelap in northern Peru instead of Machu Picchu or Tuscany instead of Venice. An added bonus is that there will be fewer crowds and you may even save some money compared to more famous spots.
3. Use Local Guides and Services
Reject the big tour companies which may add to the problems in the countries they profit from, and instead hire residents on the ground at your destination or join small group tours which support the local economy. These guides often know the area more intimately and can show you the local flair of their city.
4. Take Your Rubbish With You
Travel with cloth bags and reusable products, and never leave your rubbish behind. If the local infrastructure doesn’t support recycling be sure to take everything you bring into the country back home with you. Reuse your towels in your accommodation and say no to plastic drinking straws.
5. Practice Slow Travel
Slow travel is about really appreciating the culture and local flavours of the place you visit. Taking a less frenetic approach to travel and enjoying a full immersion in the sights, sounds, and tastes of the unfamiliar. Eat local foods, walk or ride a bike, and for longer distances take the bus or train. Quite simply, slow travel is about trying your very best to fit in and pretend you're a local for a week or two.
6. Make Friends
Being a responsible traveller involves a fair exchange. Don’t just go to a country and take, make friends, chat with residents, find out about their lives and see the world from another perspective. Being a global citizen is about creating connections, sampling the local food (not the tourist offerings), trying out a few words in another language, and experiencing a day in the life of someone else.
7. Be Responsibly Generous
You might think giving out money or gifts to local people is an exercise in compassion, but it can cause problems which last for generations. Direct donations from tourists can encourage begging, cause family and community conflicts, and lead to children leaving school to beg full time. Instead, donate to local charities, work cooperatives or social welfare groups.
Responsible travel inspo...
If you’re looking for a little inspiration from sustainable travel gurus check out these blogs and become a responsible traveller...
