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We are passionate about promoting responsible tourism and traveling in a way that is ethical, sustainable and responsible. We’ve seen firsthand how travel negatively impacts communities and the environment if it’s not done mindfully. We always try to support eco-friendly and responsible tourism businesses that are doing good things in their communities, and we try our best to travel in a way that leaves the smallest footprint.
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What is Responsible Tourism?
Now, if you’re wondering “What exactly is responsible tourism?” we’ll help you out…
Responsible Tourism
(aka “responsible travel”) Using social and cultural
awareness to minimize negative impacts while traveling.
There are plenty of definitions out there, but this is ours, boiled down to its most basic core.
When we talk about using social and cultural awareness, we don’t mean you have to become an expert in the culture or social customs of the destination you are visiting, we just ask that you use common sense and educate yourself on the basics. Understand how you affect the places you visit and try to make that a positive one instead of a negative one.
Referring to the impact of travel: that could be environmental, social, economic, cultural… you name it.
Awareness of the environmental impact of travel is becoming more commonplace (we’re thrilled about this!) and probably doesn’t take much explaining.
However, the social and cultural impacts are often times less discussed, but just as important.
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Quick Tips for Responsible Travel
1. Support the local community
By eating and shopping at locally-owned restaurants, businesses and food markets. Do the research and find non-profits in the area that give back to the community.
2. Think about the wildlife
Be wary of animal attractions and do thorough research before embarking on any tours centered around animal encounters. Be 100% positive they are destructive to the creatures involved. And under no circumstances should you ever feed animals in the wild.
3. Be kind to the environment
Think about the amount of waste you are putting into the environment and do things to reduce that such as bringing your own bag, filling a reusable water bottle from the tap (or using a filtration system), saying no to plastic straws and, of course, recycling when possible.
4. Be aware of overtourism
Do some research before choosing your destination. Do they have too many tourists to handle? Are there major environmental concerns right now? Are locals having a difficult time with the cost of living due to increased tourism? There are many places around the world that have the infrastructure and welcome tourists. Try to avoid visiting places that are struggling to accommodate tourists.
More on Responsible Tourism
The social and economic impact of travel may be a bit more difficult to wrap your head around. For better or for worse, tourism undoubtedly changes a place. Now some of those changes can be good —tourism creates jobs, can boost a struggling economy, and connects people, ideas and cultures from around the globe.
However, part of promoting responsible tourism is understanding the negative social and economic impacts of travel. An influx of tourists can bring big chains (think Starbucks or McDonald’s) and put smaller local-owned businesses out of work. It can create a cycle of dependency and exploitation in which locals find their wealth and worth solely from outsiders, where cultures are put on display and human rights are violated.
Just imagine what would happen if the 1.5 billion tourists in the world decided to bring a bit more awareness to their travel habits.
Sustainable Tourism takes this concept a step further and focuses on not only minimizing the negative but creating a positive impact through travel. I was honored to partner with the United Nations World Tourism Organization back in 2017 to experience sustainable tourism examples in countries around the world. If you’re interested in learning more about my journey, you can read my stories about my UNWTO trip and learn how to plan a sustainable vacation.
Traveling responsibly is a constant learning process and we’re not perfect, but we take great pride in learning and growing and we’d like to invite you to learn and grow together.
Join the movement towards responsible tourism and create a positive impact everywhere you travel!
Articles about Responsible Tourism, Sustainable & Ethical Travel
Reduce Plastic Waste: 26 Simple Ways
We all know how bad plastic is for the earth, and now it’s our turn to do a better job of reducing plastic. We’ve rounded up our best tips and simple ideas to help you reduce plastic waste while traveling or at home. This guide is packed full of insider...
25 Eco Friendly Travel Products for Responsible Travelers
We’ve curated a packing list with our favorite eco-friendly travel products to help you reduce your footprint and travel more sustainably. Plus, we’re sharing tons of insider tips to help you become a more responsible traveler (which is more important now than ever!).
How to Volunteer Abroad Ethically
Volunteering abroad can be an incredible and rewarding experience. Follow these guidelines to learn how to volunteer abroad ethically, in a responsible way.
Swimming with Dolphins in New Zealand: Kaikoura Dolphin Encounter
While traveling in New Zealand, we were happy to find Dolphin Encounter Kaikoura, which is a company that gives guests the opportunity to swim with these wild animals ethically and responsibly, making it one of the best places to swim with dolphins in the world.
19 Eco Friendly Road Trip Tips
Taking a road trip can be a great way to travel, but it can also take a toll on the environment. Luckily, there are many small things we can do to make our road trips more sustainable and eco-friendly. Let's all do our best to minimize our footprint and keep...
How to Travel Sustainably in Thailand and Why You Should Care
Tourism has affected Thailand in so many ways, and there are many issues you'll be shocked to learn about. As tourism in Thailand continues to skyrocket, it's more important than ever to support ecotourism and travel sustainably. We've put together out best tips so you can travel more responsibly in...
What is Sustainable Tourism? (A Personal Perspective + Examples of Sustainable Tourism Around the World)
What is sustainable travel? Well, isn't that a good question! I am delving into what sustainable tourism looks like around the world: from Colombia to Germany! Read real life stories and examples of how sustainable travel can transform our world for the better and become a part of the change!
How to be a Responsible Tourist: 15 Practical Tips
It's easier than you think to be a responsible tourist. You don't need to book a room at an eco-resort with a hefty price tag or volunteer in a remote village for weeks on end. In this article, we'll walk you through practical and easy ways you can be a...
Stories from my Sustainable Trip with the UNWTO
I feel so incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to travel around the world with the United Nations World Tourism Organization to raise awareness about sustainable travel. This adventure brought me paragliding in Colombia, snorkeling in Mexico and through some of Germany's most magical Christmas markets. Come along on...
36 Responsible Travel Tips
We've found that responsible travel is not always easy. It can be confusing. There are fuzzy lines, and we've screwed up before. But it's a learning process, and little by little we're getting better at responsible travel and ecotourism. These tips will help you make a positive impact wherever your...
How Much is Your Selfie Worth?
Sometimes we're so concerned with getting the perfect picture that we forget to consider the impact our photograph has on the environment, other people and ourselves. In this guest post, Meaghan Ashley delves into a responsible tourism topic we often ignore. Are there things we should just NOT take pictures...
When Budget Travel is Bad
Many of us in our daily lives struggle between wanting to give more and also be frugal. This is also true when traveling. But do you take it to the extreme when traveling overseas? Is it actually possible to travel responsibly AND on a budget? I think so and here’s...
9 Unique and Socially Responsible Experiences in Cambodia
We always try to travel responsibly and leaves the smallest footprint, but we decided that while traveling in Cambodia we would do even more to be sure our money was being spent in the right places. We found some pretty incredible responsible companies to support, and want to share ways...
Travel’s Dirty Secret: The Truth About Ethical Tourism
We'd all like to think that travel is inexplicably good. Traveling allows us to experience a culture different from our own and see things that we could never see at home. But there's a dark side. A dangerous side we rarely talk about and continuously shield our eyes from.