Our mindset, choices, and purchases can have a major impact when we travel. Here's a guide to keeping that impact positive.
A travel manifesto can be a handy tool for finding ways to make your travel kinder, more conscious, immersive, responsible and sustainable, little by little. It's not a mandate for changing everything straight away, or a strict set of rules to which you must feel your travel always complies. It's a gentle guide to inspire ideas and new considerations when you venture to places new and old. A reminder, that small acts can make big impacts; perhaps you choose one, perhaps several, it's up to you.
Why not create your own? If you're planning a trip and want to incorporate some simple sustainable or responsible travel ideas, book a call and we can tailor to you.
Why not calculate your travel carbon footprint and begin with offsetting? Or learn how you can go one further and invest in longer-term, high-impact decarbonisation initiates? Let's talk.
Travel is a huge opportunity to learn – about the places we visit, and about ourselves. Let’s meet the locals, ask questions, and keep our eyes and our minds open to new perspectives and ways of life.
We approach local customs and traditions not as a novelty, but as an important part of the local heritage. When we take part, we make sure to do it with the goal of learning and understanding.
We respect the local laws and customs. We avoid putting ourselves in danger. And if something bad does happen, we do our best not to be burden on the local health system. I can provide travel insurance through a partnered broker - please ask!
We learn the local etiquette and avoid causing offense through our words or actions. We respect elders. We know how to dress and behave at religious sites. We ask before taking photos. We always remember we are a guest in someone else’s home.
We make an effort to be more than a spectator. This means engaging with the local community. Learning a few words of the local language. Taking a cooking class or a dance lesson. And remembering that a smile goes a long way.
While it’s tempting to see as much as possible, we understand slowing down and spending a longer time in one town or region lets us really get under the skin of a place. Slow travel is more sustainable, too. It can also be safer.
We avoid any activity that treats people as a tourist attraction. We steer clear of wildlife experiences where animals are forced to interact with people, and we seek out operators that are committed to ethical practices (operators that don’t exploit their workers, flout environmental laws and regulations, or mistreat animals).
If we think a destination is amazing, let’s help ensure future generations can experience it too. Make sustainable choices whenever possible, from accommodation to tour operator to sunscreen.
Many places rely heavily on tourism to keep their economies strong. Let’s make sure our currency goes to support local communities instead of conglomerates. Seek trips that local guides, eat in locally owned restaurants, and shop at local stores and markets. Spending locally isn’t just helpful, it’s fun and really connects you to the magic of a destination.
My number one tip is of course to book your travel through a consultant who not only understands conscious travel, but values and prioritises it. It doesn't cost anything extra, but is saves you time, confusion and enables you to supercharge your sustainability!
Overtourism – when too many travellers descend on a single destination at the same time – is taking its toll on local infrastructure, ecosystems and communities. So much so that some destinations have even begun asking people to stay away as their areas can’t cope with the influx. Why not explore some lesser-travelled alternatives, such as those on Intrepid Travel's Not Hot List 2024?
Airbnb and other holiday rental platforms can be a great way to contribute to the local economy, especially in rural locations and small towns. However, they have also come under fire for pricing local people out of their own communities in more urban areas. Take some time to research the impact these platforms are having in the area you’re heading to by typing “Airbnb + [city]” into Google.
Exploring the world can be thirsty work, so keep a refillable bottle close to hand to avoid unnecessary plastic waste. Check out Lifestraw, One Green Bottle, Help Earth Shop and Coffee Kreis.
One of the most effective ways of reducing the environmental impact of travelling is to minimise the emissions you create in the first place. However, carbon offsetting and investing in longer-term decarbonisation initiates can help address those inescapable emissions.