5 Tips for Travelling Responsibly
5 Top Responsible Travel Tips Travelling can be a costly business.
Sometimes your money just doesn't stretch far enough and you need to resort to desperate measures in order to finance your trip.
There are some simple things that you can do in order to keep costs down that will also help to protect the local people and their businesses from some of the more depressing side effects that the tourism industry can bring to the local communities.
With this in mind we have produced our 5 top tips for travelling responsibly some examples of how you can keep costs down in the process.
So lets get started...
Buy Local Products From Local Shops Why are you travelling? Most likely to experience something new or to get away from the drools of day to day life.
So why do we always end up eating in the same places that we do at home? No matter where you are in the world you are always likely to run into a McDonald's or Burger King around every street corner.
No matter if it's food, souvenirs, medicine or even diapers for the little one.
Always try to buy from the local shop owners.
Not only are you likely to get a better deal than in the larger market chains, but you will also be putting your money into the pockets of the people that really need it.
Supporting the local businesses is the only way to ensure that the benefits that tourism can bring stays within the community you are visiting.
So when you find yourself standing in front of the door to 7/11 or Co-Op, just take a look around, is there a local independent shop right next door? Are they likely to have what you need? Why not just double check before stepping inside.
It will most likely save you a bit of money, and you are more likely to strike up an interesting conversation and have a story to tell your friends when you get home.
Use Local Transportation When you are organizing your holiday from the comfort of our own home and you see the little tick box that says "Would you like to include our airport pickup service?" What do you do? Do you press tick button because it convenient, or do you ignore it and work out your own transportation? Here is the truth of it.
50% of the cost you've just paid for you private pickup has just gone straight into the hands of the tour company, and the rest has gone to taxi firm and the tax man.
The local driver will be lucky to see 1% of that cost.
So our advice to ignore that little box and make your own way to your hotel.
Local taxi's are always cheaper that private transfers, and using the public transport system is always a sure fire way to save some money.
Not only will public transport or a local taxi be cheaper, your also more likely to come away with a much more interesting story to tell your friends when you arrive home.
It might take a little longer to get where you're going, but the adventure will be all the more fun for it.
Think about it, which holiday stories are the ones you talk about over dinner with friends? The one's that go perfectly, or the ones that have little hiccups in the middle? A Reusable Water Container RT (Responsible tourism) is not just about saving money, it's also about protecting the environment around you.
In the majority of hotels these days you are giving a couple of free water bottles every morning to help see you through the day.
What normally happens? You take them out of the fridge for your days activities, but by the time you actually need them it's like drinking boiling water.
One simple solution, use a metal water container to keep them cool and refreshing all day long.
And when you run out simply fill it up again from a local water source or tap.
Not only will it save you a couple of bucks, but you'll also be saving the environment from having another plastic bottle flowing around the sewers.
You can apply the same principles to the "plastic or canvas bags" argument.
A Local Guide I don't know about you, but when I'm travelling around the world I like to feel like I'm embracing the local cultures and traditions of the country I'm visiting.
Meeting the real people, and learning about the lives and way of living.
If I'm in Peru I want to be shown around Machu Picchu by someone that actual lives in one of the local villages.
If I'm in Kenya I want to go on safari with a real Kenyan game keeper or tribesman.
Why? because they are the people that live and breath the culture everyday, they are the one with the local knowledge, and they are the ones that really need our support.
We have a saying in our office "Be local", it simply means learn from the local way of life, and you'll be amazed how many ways you can apply that local knowledge and experience to our own day to day living.
Keep Smiling No matter where you are, what you're doing, or who you're with, just have an open mind, respect the local people, and keep a smile on your face.
Any situation can always be improved with a smile and a bit of laughter.
Whether you haggling over the price of an Egyptian carpet or you're stuck in the middle of Bangkok rush hour traffic, just remember to relax, smile, and enjoy the ride.
A big smile will always be welcomed in any country and is the best way to make a new friend or lighten any situation.
Sometimes your money just doesn't stretch far enough and you need to resort to desperate measures in order to finance your trip.
There are some simple things that you can do in order to keep costs down that will also help to protect the local people and their businesses from some of the more depressing side effects that the tourism industry can bring to the local communities.
With this in mind we have produced our 5 top tips for travelling responsibly some examples of how you can keep costs down in the process.
So lets get started...
Buy Local Products From Local Shops Why are you travelling? Most likely to experience something new or to get away from the drools of day to day life.
So why do we always end up eating in the same places that we do at home? No matter where you are in the world you are always likely to run into a McDonald's or Burger King around every street corner.
No matter if it's food, souvenirs, medicine or even diapers for the little one.
Always try to buy from the local shop owners.
Not only are you likely to get a better deal than in the larger market chains, but you will also be putting your money into the pockets of the people that really need it.
Supporting the local businesses is the only way to ensure that the benefits that tourism can bring stays within the community you are visiting.
So when you find yourself standing in front of the door to 7/11 or Co-Op, just take a look around, is there a local independent shop right next door? Are they likely to have what you need? Why not just double check before stepping inside.
It will most likely save you a bit of money, and you are more likely to strike up an interesting conversation and have a story to tell your friends when you get home.
Use Local Transportation When you are organizing your holiday from the comfort of our own home and you see the little tick box that says "Would you like to include our airport pickup service?" What do you do? Do you press tick button because it convenient, or do you ignore it and work out your own transportation? Here is the truth of it.
50% of the cost you've just paid for you private pickup has just gone straight into the hands of the tour company, and the rest has gone to taxi firm and the tax man.
The local driver will be lucky to see 1% of that cost.
So our advice to ignore that little box and make your own way to your hotel.
Local taxi's are always cheaper that private transfers, and using the public transport system is always a sure fire way to save some money.
Not only will public transport or a local taxi be cheaper, your also more likely to come away with a much more interesting story to tell your friends when you arrive home.
It might take a little longer to get where you're going, but the adventure will be all the more fun for it.
Think about it, which holiday stories are the ones you talk about over dinner with friends? The one's that go perfectly, or the ones that have little hiccups in the middle? A Reusable Water Container RT (Responsible tourism) is not just about saving money, it's also about protecting the environment around you.
In the majority of hotels these days you are giving a couple of free water bottles every morning to help see you through the day.
What normally happens? You take them out of the fridge for your days activities, but by the time you actually need them it's like drinking boiling water.
One simple solution, use a metal water container to keep them cool and refreshing all day long.
And when you run out simply fill it up again from a local water source or tap.
Not only will it save you a couple of bucks, but you'll also be saving the environment from having another plastic bottle flowing around the sewers.
You can apply the same principles to the "plastic or canvas bags" argument.
A Local Guide I don't know about you, but when I'm travelling around the world I like to feel like I'm embracing the local cultures and traditions of the country I'm visiting.
Meeting the real people, and learning about the lives and way of living.
If I'm in Peru I want to be shown around Machu Picchu by someone that actual lives in one of the local villages.
If I'm in Kenya I want to go on safari with a real Kenyan game keeper or tribesman.
Why? because they are the people that live and breath the culture everyday, they are the one with the local knowledge, and they are the ones that really need our support.
We have a saying in our office "Be local", it simply means learn from the local way of life, and you'll be amazed how many ways you can apply that local knowledge and experience to our own day to day living.
Keep Smiling No matter where you are, what you're doing, or who you're with, just have an open mind, respect the local people, and keep a smile on your face.
Any situation can always be improved with a smile and a bit of laughter.
Whether you haggling over the price of an Egyptian carpet or you're stuck in the middle of Bangkok rush hour traffic, just remember to relax, smile, and enjoy the ride.
A big smile will always be welcomed in any country and is the best way to make a new friend or lighten any situation.
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