How to make sure you’re travelling responsibly

If you’re considering travelling in 2017, you may be wondering how you can do the least amount of damage while still seeing the world. Luckily, responsible tourism has recently become a huge focus for tourists and travel companies around the world, so here’s how to make sure you’re travelling responsibly this year:

Stay locally

Whenever possible, avoid large, chain hotels, where profits end up back in an international corporation, and instead choose local guesthouses, eco lodges, camps, and homestays. Not only will this hep you to understand the local traditions and culture, but you’ll be putting your money directly into the hands of locals.

Avoid orphanages

Orphanage tourism is becoming more and more talked about, but tourists are still visiting and volunteering despite warnings. While many tourists are arriving with the best of intentions, it’s important to ask whether strangers would be allowed to arrive at a childcare centre at home and begin playing with the kids. With so many unskilled volunteers having access to vulnerable children, we’re beginning to see the long-term impact as these kids are unable to form relationships.

Intrepid travel has removed these visits from itineraries completely since approximately 70-90% of the kids in tourist orphanages have at least one parent living who could take care of them with a little support.

Protect the animals

Recently it was revealed that one of the largest tiger “sanctuaries” in Thailand was actually selling tiger parts to China, and almost all of these attractions are known to drug their animals so tourists can get up close and take photos grinning next to the sedated tigers.

Tourists are also becoming more aware of the cruelty behind elephant riding and how these animals are treated as babies- beaten until they’re too scared to fight anymore and will accept adults onto their backs for the rest of their lives.

These animals are deceptively fragile, and weren’t built to have humans sitting on their backs. Instead of riding an elephant, visit a sanctuary like the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where owner Lek rescues elephants from circuses, logging, and tourist traps across Thailand and Myanmar. While you can’t ride the elephants, you can give them a bath in the river, get up close to them, and learn about their stories- and the importance of elephant conservation.

Eat locally

When you’re somewhere new, tired, jet lagged, and out of your comfort zone, it can be tempting to just grab dinner at the nearest McDonalds or Burger King. Instead, ask your tour guide or locals at your guesthouse where they would recommend you grab a bite. There are also many different guidebooks and travel blogs which can give you expert advice about the different dishes available in a country or region so you’ll know what to expect, and you’ll learn much more about a new culture when you embrace the food than you would if you grabbed KFC.