Travelling for many has become a huge part of enjoying life, however, it is having an impact on our environment and the local cities that are being frequently visited, it is time to thoroughly consider how we can preserve and support the communities we visit! By making some simple choices, you will help preserve the countries culture, heritage and environment.
Re-think wildlife activities
It is particularly prevalent in South East Asia for guests to ride elephants, pet tigers or swim with the sharks, however, the cost of these activities come at the price of the animal. Within many tourism businesses involving wildlife, the well-being of the animals are not taken into consideration and as a result, many species have been classified as endangered. When you come across these activities or have considered them for your holiday, take into the consideration of the animals that are being utilized! Whether you visit a sustainable sanctuary or opt out of the activity, there’s something you can do to protect the local wildlife.
Respect local cultures and customer
Being a responsible traveler is not only taking into consideration your impacts on the environment, but also the impact you will have on the local people. It’s extremely important to respect the culture and customs of the destination you’ll be travelling to as they might adhere to a different set of social standards! In many part of the word, wearing short sleeves or short shorts aren’t appropriate, so be sure to pack accordingly. Alternatively, in other parts of the world, opposite sex communication is generally frowned upon. Before you head on your dream holiday, just be sure to look up and research any of the local rules you might need to follow.
Learn a few phrases in the local language
Language is such a large part of a country’s culture and history. Learning the local language could get you a long way and show the locals that you respect their time, space and culture. Brushing up on a few phrases like ‘hello’, ‘thank you’ or ‘please’ will show that you appreciate them! Often when you’re travelling, engaging with local people will give you a deeper insight into their lifestyles as well. Expecting everyone in foreign countries to be able to speak English could be considered rude or ignorant! You definitely don’t have to be fluent in the local language but be sure you brush up on some key phrases.
Minimise carbon emissions while travelling
Even while you’re on vacation, there are some simple things you could do to minimise carbon emissions! If you must fly to your destination, try booking direct flights and flights with carbon offset. Alternatively, you could travel by train instead as it’s a sustainable, affordable and landscape filled way to travel from city to city. When travelling around the city, you could also opt to use public transport. It’s convenient, cheap and more sustainable than renting a car or using taxis! Check out more tips on how to travel sustainably!
Travel with less waste
One sign of tourists bombarding a local area is the significant amount of waste and rubbish being left behind. Not only does it detract from the beauty of the city, an excessive amount of waste is also harmful to local animals and the environment. Regardless of whether you’ll be travelling in cities or roaming in rural areas, be sure to carry out what you carried in! While it is hard to eradicate all waste from our travel, we should still try our best to minimize it! It can be something as small as dining in at a restaurant or bringing a reusable water bottle. Check out our other tips on how to travel waste free here!
These are just some of the few simple ways in which you can help out the environment of the local residents in your destination! Another is to book home stays for a more local experience, so check out the properties we’ve got at Aabode.com!
