Beginner’s Guide to Sustainable Tourism

If there’s one of thing I’m passionate about when I travel, it’s sustainable tourism. I’m glad to know that you might also feel the same. There’s loads of terms these days like conscious travel, responsible travel, eco travel, overtourism, slow travel, sustainable tourism and more. It’s hard to keep them all straight. Sustainable tourism is basically an umbrella term for all of those other terms.

What is sustainable tourism? Sustainable tourism is the concept of visiting somewhere with the intent of being conscious to make a positive impact on the environment, economy, and society. It’s a combination of businesses, politicians, tourists, and locals altogether striving for sustainability in the tourism industry.

As the World Tourism Organization states, sustainable tourism is “Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities.”

Sustainable tourism should preserve indigenous cultures, respecting the socio-cultural authenticity. It should also bring money to the locals, giving them income-earning opportunities and contribute to lowing the poverty rate. Sustainable tourism should also preserve the environment, treat it with care, and strive to limit waste and pollution.

When traveling yourself, though, you can think of it at responsible tourism.

What is responsible travel? Responsible travel is the idea that the traveler is taking the initiative to not harm the local communities and nature that they’re traveling to. It’s a way of traveling to connect, learn, and share experiences across cultures, all while seeking to minimize negative impact and putting money into the hand’s of the locals rather than major corporations.

Whatever term you prefer to use doesn’t really matter, what action you take does. The information above may seem complex and overwhelming, but you don’t have to take an all or nothing approach. Do the best you can with these tips for being a more responsible traveler.

How to be a more responsible traveler 101

Read up on your destination.

Knowledge is power. Acquaint yourself with the local customs, lifestyle, and religion. This doesn’t need to be extensive. However, if you want to be the best possible responsible tourist, a little research will go a long way.

There’s Facebook communities like Girls LOVE Travel and Girls Travel Europe (if you’re a girl) as well as hundreds of forums on Nomadic Matt plus more where you can chat with people who have spent extensive time in the destination, or better yet, locals themselves.

Book carefully.

Book with sustainable companies that strive to make a positive impact. Companies such as Responsible Travel (easy enough), and Urban Adventures strive for that. Otherwise, just search your travel company + responsible travel and see what you can find.

Kynder combines the most eco-conscious cafes, bars, restaurants, and hotels in Europe and the US into one hub so you can quickly find the kindest spots in your destination. Cool!

Ecobnb is basically like Airbnb but strictly eco-friendly. You can find private rooms, houses, eco lodges, and more.

Spend your money locally.

Get your groceries from local, organic shops, buy your souvenirs from local vendors, and steer clear of chains when eating out. Instead visit beautiful local cafes with freshly roasted coffee, nourish yourself with goodies from farmers’ markets, and allow the locals to whip you up a wholesome dish.

Countries like Morocco for instance are fantastic for traveling responsibly in this way. For example, in the medinas of Marrakech, you’re not going to spot a McDonalds, H&M, or Starbucks. What you will find are unique handmade items, interesting souvenirs, eco-friendly packaging, and more combined with the country’s deliciously clean cuisine and aromatic mint tea. Plus, in Morocco they’re not allowed to give you a plastic bag! Love that! Feel free to learn more about Morocco by clicking here.

Volunteer your time.

Probably the most rewarding way to be a responsible traveler is to volunteer. Giving up your time not only betters a community but likely yourself, too. There’s so many ways to give back such as teaching English, beach cleanups, turtle conservation, building homes to places in need, planting trees, working on a farm, and so much more.

From weeks to months, there’s always a need for volunteers worldwide. Websites like Workaway.info (my personal favorite), Grassroots or Indigo Volunteers are great for finding sustainable volunteer opportunities.

I’m so excited to be heading off on my 6 week volunteer opportunity in Costa Rica! I’ll be working on building up the social media and online presence of an amazing non-profit that on a mission to make our planet a better place. While doing this I’ll also be helping out cleaning up the ocean, animal rights, turtle conservation, and educating local children about how important it is to protect our environment.

Add these two items to your carry on.

A lot of countries you visit may not have the cleanest water or you’re visiting hot countries and need to quench your thirst– either way these encourage to purchase single-use plastic bottles. Instead of doing this, bring along a reusable water bottle that you can refill. If the water isn’t the safest to drink, buy a water bottle with a filter or purchase one large water jug that you can use to refill your water bottle.

Not every country is going to be like Morocco with their lack of single-use plastic bags, so it’s good to come prepared with your own alternatives. Plastic bags take thousands of years to decompose, meaning every single plastic bag ever made –unless burnt— still exists today. I fold up a canvas bag in my day pack so that I’m never stranded without one.

Walk, ride a bike, or take public transport.

Most cars are far from eco-friendly, but you can cut down on your CO2 emissions by opting to take the train, metro, or tram. Alternatively, you can drop your CO2 emissions by walking or cycling instead — always the more scenic option anyways!

When traveling further distances, avoid flying as much as possible as that’s the highest emitter of CO2 emissions. Do your best to take a train or bus when you can.

We wary of animal attractions.

From camel riding in the Sahara Desert to petting elephants in Thailand, be careful about what you participate in as a responsible traveler. Before you visit a place with unique animals, do thorough research about ethical animal sanctuaries in the area. If you can’t find anything concrete, it’s best to avoid any animal attraction altogether. Instead – go volunteer and help care for animals in the most ethical way possible.

In Thailand, for example, the Maerim Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai is an ethical elephant sanctuary. There you can pet and wash the elephants and they are well-protected and cared for.

Note: Not all animal sanctuaries are responsible and ethical. Do your research. Ask online. 🙂

Remember, it can sometimes be a bit challenging to be a 100% responsible traveler. But the idea is to always be conscious and do the very best you can. The world, its environment, and local communities will be immensely grateful.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

Note: Some of the links above contain affiliate links. This doesn’t increase the cost of any item to you, but simply means that I’ll receive a small commission of any sales from those links. But don’t worry — I only share products that I love and trust!