Responsible Tourism – Amazing Tips for Sustainable Travel

When you have opted for a sustainable lifestyle, there’s no vacation – even on vacation. In other words, you cannot stop being considerate to the environment, and communities around you just because you are traveling. You cannot stuff and depend on plastics because it’s break time. It might be a break from your work, mundane lifestyle, but there shouldn’t be a break from being environmentally conscious.

I mean think about it, it’s not just you who’s traveling, but there are plenty of tourists, so imagine the waste and wreckage everyone will create together when not traveling responsibly. 

Ergo, if you are living a sustainable lifestyle already – Kudos to you! You are doing an amazing thing. But don’t you forget sustainable travel. You have to be a responsible tourist – besides being a responsible citizen. This article will help you do just that. So, keep reading.

Responsible tourism – amazing tips for sustainable travel

1. Carefully plan your itinerary

Trust me, if you want your trip to be enjoyable and sustainable at the same time, picking places to visit would make all the difference. Try to visit less crowded places. Doing so will be beneficial for their economy. Not to mention, crowded places cannot provide you peace as isolated places would – that’s the reason why you are taking the trip in the first place, isn’t it? Try to look at places locals tend to visit when you get to your vacation if you are like me and want to play things by ear. If it’s a local recommendation, there’s less of a chance tourists will be flooding the place. 

2. Opt for sustainable transport

Transportation is a trivial factor when it comes to the environment. Going for non-eco-friendly travel would not only increase pollution but may also use up more fuel. Having said that, try to avoid road trips via personal vehicles – go for alternatives that go easy on the resources; such as buses, trains, and airplanes. Another opportunity to see and take routes you wouldn’t normally take or think to take when hiring a vehicle. 

3. Take your own mugs and bottles

You wouldn’t want to stop on your way to buy plastic packaged drinking bottles, right? So, the solution here is obvious – take

your own mugs and bottles. Apart from environmental benefits, don’t forget the monetary benefits it carries. You can also ensure you have something to drink aways, instead of having to wait until you make a stop. It’s super important to always have water with you in Arizona because the summer heat is unforgiving. A reusable water bottle like my favorite Hydroflask is the best option as it keeps cool things cool, and warm things warm, even in the heat! 

4. Take your own toiletries

Almost every hotel provides toiletries – from creams to face wash to everything. Although you must be tempted to use

them, it is not a good idea from the point of sustainability. Using such items would increase their demand, which would lead to more consumption of resources. Thus, it would be better if you take your own toiletries and use them. If you have sensitive skin or hair, you probably have a special cream or lotion which makes your skin easier to manage than introducing something new to your skin and risk it causing issues. When we travel, we make sure to use our products from home in a travel sized container, and take them with us so we can use what our skin and hair is used to and keep on track. 

5. Conserve resources – even when you are in a hotel

Even though you would be paying for these services, using them all the time even when there is not a need would only create more wastage. Remember your goal, and try to conserve resources. Many places on islands require a room key to be placed in a slot to turn on electricity, so it reminds you to conserve. However, that’s not everywhere, so being mindful of conservation is the best idea. 

Here are a few tips.

• You can choose to ventilate in place of using air-conditioners.
  

  • Save
• Switch off electrical appliances when you go out.
• Reduce your shower times.
• Stay in nature as much as you can
• Don’t use paper napkins. Use clothe ones or your own handkerchief.

6. Don’t use airplane supplies

Remember the headphones and the plastic cutlery? Airplanes are not at all sustainable when it comes to the resources they provide you. These items are made from cheap quality plastic – it’s better to avoid using them. For God-knows-what happens to the used ones – they might keep it, or throw it away. If it’s the latter, then it only means one thing – Plastic waste. We know how we feel about that, don’t we?

7. Eat, stay and shop locally

Whether it is for shopping, resting, or eating, always make a wiser choice. Do not go for international shops, hotels, and

restaurants that are franchised, or are a part of large chains. The profits go out of the country – so for the benefit of the country’s economy and communities, always choose local. When you shop and eat and stay local, you oftentimes get to experience your travel as if you lived there locally. You might save some money, but you will also be getting the best immersive experience like those who live there daily. 

8. Limit snacking

Road trips cannot go without dozens of chips, beers, drinks, and snacks – all of them that have plastic packaging. Thus, to avoid all of it, limit your snacking. If it helps, always eat out at the stopovers. Moreover, if you happen to struggle with hunger – make sandwiches and other snacks for your journey – but don’t rely on plastic packaged foods.

9. Ask for Green Certifications

When choosing a hotel, be mindful of what you choose. It’s better to choose hotels that operate in eco-friendly and sustainable habits. Thus, go for hotels that have Green Certifications from authentic bodies.

Apart from that, enquire the following.

• The eco-friendly services and sustainability initiatives they provide such as solar power, rainwater harvesting, energy-efficient lighting, and low-flow toilets.
• Recycling programs.
• If they provide plastic bottles to customers. One must go for glass bottles to be sustainable.

In case, if they don’t have either of the mentioned services, encourage them to start.

10. Lastly, be on your best behavior (environmentally friendly I mean)

Little things matter, such as these.

• Walk, use public transportation, or go biking but avoid using cars to save on fuel.
• Return brochures, and pamphlets for them to be reused.
• If you still use toiletries, take the leftovers with you. Don’t let the hotel throw them away.
• Bring bags to collect your trash.
• Do not engage in any activity that exploits wildlife – such as camel and elephant riding.

That’s all folks; my work is done here but yours start. Follow these tips for your next eco-friendly travel, and let me know how they work out for you in the comments later.