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Well, simply put, responsible travel (also known as responsible tourism) is using common sense and not annoying the people who reside in the destination you’ve chosen and not mucking up their environment. All right! Cool. Short blog post today. Thanks for stopping by! We’ll have more content for you next week! Oh, wait. You’re still here… What’s that you say? You want some tips on how you can be a more responsible traveler? Okay. We can do that!

Plan Your Route to Lower Emissions

Some people think responsible travel means never traveling by plane, or having to backpack everywhere. While those are admirable goals, they’re not always possible. You sometimes have to compromise and be realistic to be responsible. In the future, there will be planes that produce lower carbon emissions. They’re already in the works! However, until those become a reality, we’ll have to make do with what we’ve got. In the meantime, you can lower carbon emissions in your chosen destination by taking advantage of public transportation whenever possible. Take a train or a bus instead of your car. And try to rent a bike or walk whenever possible. By planning out your route ahead of time each day, you can minimize your time spent getting from place to place and; therefore, lower your carbon emissions on the environment. When you can, hire a local guide. Not only will you be supporting the local economy, it’ll be a great chance for you to interact directly with the local population!

Leave No Trace

Ideally, you want the environment you land in to remain exactly the same as when you got there. This means, leaving coral, seashells, and wildflowers where you found them. If you have to bring home a flower, make sure it’s one that’s already fallen – don’t pick a fresh one! When hiking, stick to the paths; don’t cut yourself a new one. There are still plenty of adventures to be had on pre-designated paths, don’t worry! And, if you plan to be spending a lot of time in the water, make sure to invest in eco-friendly sun creams.

Be Respectful of the People and Their Culture

Read up on the culture of the people who live in your chosen destination. Many things that are “okay” where you come from may be a social faux pas where you’re going. Will you need to cover up? Will you need to keep your LGTBQ identity under wraps? Knowing these things ahead of time will not only help you show respect to the local culture, but they can also keep you safe. We also recommend attempting to say a few words or phrases in the native language. We like to learn the words for “hello” and “thank you” wherever we go. Don’t take photographs without permission and don’t be unnecessarily noisy. It’s pretty common sense stuff, to be honest. You’re visiting someone’s home. Just keep in mind how you would feel if someone were visiting your home, and how you’d want to be treated, and you should be more-or-less fine.

Use Water Sparingly

If you’re asked to monitor your water usage, it’s for a good reason – respect that. Water is often scarce in other parts of the world and we owe it to the people who live in those places to take as little of it for ourselves as possible.

Buy, But Don’t Unwrap

Support the local economy by buying souvenirs! But, if said souvenir comes packaged, keep it that way until you get home. Recycling isn’t a “thing” in some countries, and waste disposal is often tricky as well. By not unwrapping and throwing away packaging during your stay, you’ll be helping the people who live there keep their environment pristine. In the end, responsible travel is all about leaving the environment the way you found it and treating its people in a way that makes them happy to have hosted you. And remember to have fun!