A brief guide to Responsible Tourism

There are a lot of blog posts out there talking about ecotourism and how to travel green, even we have published one such blog before. But today, I wanted to talk about something different, something that will relate to you, whether you have green goals or are just looking for a fun time holiday. You can still be a responsible tourist, even if you don't have the inclination to go 100% green for your adventures.

Being a responsible tourist is quite simple really, you don't have to go out and buy recycled products or buy 'ocean friendly' suncream (though it wouldn't hurt!), you just need to stop and think. Check out our list of ways to be responsible whilst travelling, follow these and you never know, you might just experience something new.

1. Litter

This one may seem pretty obvious, but it is amazing how careless people often become on holiday. If you go to the beach or park and take a picnic or containers with you, be smart and take a plastic bag so you can bag it all when you have finished and carry it to a bin, don't leave it in the hope someone picks it up.

2. Touching stuff

As a race, we humans have an uncanny ability to touch everything. Someone once said "look with your eyes, not your hands". Whilst you may not realise it, a lot of stuff is alive, we witness countless numbers of people touching and standing on corals in Perhentian, this is no good for either the corals or for you. Corals are sharp and can give quite a nasty cut, and they are fragile animals, easily stressed out. Think about how many tourists visit a location, if everyone touches the same thing, then chances are it won't last long

3. Interactions with Wildlife

It has been widely documented that feeding animals (fish, reindeer, hippos, lions whichever) changes the behaviour of the animal, it can upset the balance of the ecosystem, encouraging greater numbers of some species and increasing aggression in animal populations. It has also been suggested that human food (bread etc) is not a natural diet and can result in sickness or death in some species!

4. Stick to the Path

You have probably noticed in your local park that there are paths, put in place by the council for people to walk along, nice tarmacked paths which are easy to follow. This isn't always the case in developing countries or remote areas, there are usually designated pathways though, even if they are not so easily noticeable. They are there for a reason, stick to them, if people start meandering through the undergrowth and off the path it isn't just a danger to themselves, it starts erosion, wearing away the grass or undergrowth. Once it starts to wear away, more people will join in and get eroding as it looks like a path.

5. Respect the Culture

Whether you are visiting a country in Europe, America, Asia or Australia, you will meet people of different backgrounds and cultures. Just because they dress differently or have a different religion to you, doesn't mean they are wrong or to be avoided. Be friendly, get into the spirit of the locals, dress appropriately, if you are in a Muslim village or country, don't walk around in a bikini, be respectful and engage locals and kids in conversation. You'd be amazed at the amount of awesome people in the world.

6. Transport 

We spoke about this in our ecotourism blog, but it rings true here as well. If you want to experience a country properly, use public transport, don't rent a car. Not only will you contribute money directly to the wider economy, but you will see the country in a whole new light. Nothing beats zooming across the countryside on a rickety old train surrounded by local people and foods!

7. Think Local

I always get shocked when I see someone ordering Macaroni Cheese, or Burger and Chips when in Perhentian. Open your mind (and your taste buds) to the amazing food you find in different countries. Eating local foods benefits you and the locals. Ordering your home foods in a foreign country will result in two outcomes. (1) Food will likely be from frozen and unlocally sourced (2) Lower quality meal as locals are not expert chefs in foreign foods. So don't be afraid, try everything once.

We all travel thousands of miles just to watch TV and check in to somewhere with all the comforts of home, and you gotta ask yourself, what is the point of that?
(The Beach)

Seriously, what is the point in that?

There are obviously more things you can do, but follow these steps and your holidays will become something more. You will meet amazing people, taste fantastic food and feel so much better for it. Break the norm of human behaviour and experience life.

10 Steps to becoming an Eco-Tourist

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Travel and Tourism is an absolutely huge market that drives 2.9% of the global economy, contributing a whopping USD 6,630.4 Billion in 2013 (WTTC, 2013). Now, 2.9% doesn’t sound like a great deal, but if we consider that this is 2.9% of global economy dedicated to something that is purely for leisure purposes, not something we rely on to live, it is astounding.

When you consider that the UK alone in 2013 received 31.1 million visitors (Tourism Alliance, 2014), and is only ranked 8th in the world for popular destinations, we have to assume that the total number of people heading off on holiday is considerably larger. With so many people travelling the world, is it really possible to change the impact tourism has on the environment?

We think so, as long as people follow some simple steps when acting the tourist.

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10 Steps to becoming an Eco-Tourist

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1. Transportation

Be sure to research to find the most eco-friendly approach to where you are getting. Both Virgin and Airbus advertise eco-efficient planes now, so you can try to pick one that suits your needs.

Upon arrival, don’t take a taxi, and certainly don’t rent a car. Public transport, buses and trains are more environmentally friendly, cheaper and offer you a whole different view of the country you are visiting.

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2. Skin Care and Sun Cream

Coral reefs and ocean life is quite sensitive and if you are visiting a beach location, consider limiting the amount of sun cream you use. Even the most waterproof will end up in the sea to some extent when you go swimming. Choose an eco-sunscreen

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3. Eat Local

Other than the local food almost guaranteed to taste better, the ingredients for traditional foods can be easily sourced locally, whereas ordering a macaroni and cheese on an Island in Malaysia suggests some of the ingredients have to come some way to get there.

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4. Don’t be a Loner

Sharing is caring. If are travelling alone, or in a couple, don’t be afraid to make friends and share. If you insist on getting a taxi or renting a car, find some people doing the same and share it. The same goes for accommodation, don’t be afraid of dormitories, they offer a bed for cheap and reduced electricity.

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5. Life in Plastic

Is not fantastic. Plastic is an ocean and environment killer so try to limit how much you pick up and take with you on your trip. If you go shopping, take your backpack instead of taking plastic bags, reuse your plastic bottles, or better yet, take a reusable bottle with you!

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6. Wildlife

Often when you visit exotic countries, you may end up in a situation where you come across wild animals, or even captive animals where you have the chance to interact with them. Our advice...don’t.

Elephants, in Africa and Asia, are a major tourism attraction, but one that you should only consider if contact is kept to a minimum. Elephants you see out in the streets doing tricks or offering rides have been kept in cruel conditions and been put through a, quite frankly, horrible training ordeal to get them ready for tourists. Avoid at all costs

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7. Con Air

Or should we say Air con, is one of those luxury things people love in hot countries. The electricity they use is huge, they also pump even more heat outside. Stick to rooms with fans, they are effective and manageable for all circumstances.

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8. Laundry

Try to avoid using laundry services where you can. Save up your clothes and share with a fellow traveller if you do have to use them. But for a lot of clothes, you can hand-wash relatively easily with much less water consumption.

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9. Pack Light

Every extra KG you pack in your suitcase/backpack when heading out of the door is extra weight for the plane, which increases costs and decreases efficiency.

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10. Be an Eco Volunteer

There are loads of opportunities to join a project which not only runs sustainably, but also allows you to give something back and contribute to the positive impacts. You can learn, gain experience and be environmentally conscious, all whilst travelling and having the time of your life.