How to Travel Responsibly

Your Travel Company are committed to the enjoyment of our beautiful but fragile planet, whilst keeping the environmental and cultural demands upon it as low as possible. Here are some simple but effective tips designed to help you support our objectives.

BEFORE YOU GO...

Global Warming - Carbon Balancing Scheme

You may not be aware that the biggest environmental impact of travelling is in fact the flight: for example on a trip to India, each passenger is responsible for releasing nearly 2 tonnes of the global warming gas Carbon Dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.

Many of our suppliers support "carbon balancing" initiatives.

Organisations such as Climate Care, Future Forests, Friends of Conservation and The C-Change Trust calculate the amount of CO2 generated on a flight and give the traveller the opportunity to offset their CO2 emissions by investing in projects which lower carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.

Examples include reforestation programmes where CO2 from the atmosphere gets absorbed by the canopy, providing low energy light bulbs to poorer households, developing community-based hydro-electricity and new cooking fuels.

We encourage clients to follow suit and fly ‘climate neutral’.

To find out how to offset your emissions, please visit The C-Change Trust, Climate Care, The CarbonNeutral Company (Future Forests) and Friends of Conservation.

Language: hello, thank you & goodbye!

Know some lingo! Learning a few words of the local language is a great way to break barriers: greet shopkeepers, waiters, drivers, clerks, etc. It is equally important to say your thank-yous and goodbyes.

Local Customs: another time, another place

Religious customs and local traditions vary enormously around the world and play a large part in the local way of life. It is important to familiarise yourself with the local people’s dress codes and thought patterns, and recognise them; the local concept of time is also likely to be less hurried than your own. Remember – you are the visitor, and by showing respect you will be respected and appreciated yourself!

Packing

Keep your packaging down to a minimum and avoid disposable goods. Waste disposal facilities can be limited and recycling non-existent in many parts of the world. Eco-friendly soap gets our thumbs-up.

Gifts & Presents

You may make special friendships and experience generous hospitality when abroad. Gifts that are evocative of your home country such as postcards and photographs make ideal presents – check with your tour operator for any specific tips about the area you are visiting.

ON HOLIDAY.....

Souvenirs & Shopping

Avoid buying souvenirs that exploit wildlife or threaten endangered species. Buying local souvenirs helps the local economy; whilst it is often customary and even fun to haggle, stop once you have got a reasonable price: the low price you achieve may only be due to the desperation and poverty of others.

Wildlife

Avoid disturbing wildlife and damaging their natural habitats. Take care not to touch coral reefs and do not feed animals or fish. Stay quiet when viewing animals on safari.

Animal Welfare

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - UK Souvenir Alert Campaign

For information on the WWF souvenir alert campaign for tourists - visit www.wwf-uk.org

International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

For information on IFAW's Think Twice campaign to protect wildlife from the souvenir trade - visit www.ifaw.org

The Born Free Foundation

For information on this international animal welfare and conservation charity and to alert a case of wild animal suffering - visit www.bornfree.org.uk/travellers.alert

Plants & Shells

One of the joys of travelling is the spectacular variety of wild plants and shells you will see. These should remain in their natural environment, so avoid picking any. It is also illegal to import some plant species.

Items from ancient civilisations may still be found or bought in countries such as Peru and Turkey. Although they may appear discarded or available to buy, leave them where you find them.

Begging

Don’t give out sweets or money, especially to children. Giving will only teach them that begging is rewarding and can undermine parental authority. It is far better to interact with children. Cat’s cradle, frisbees or simply exchanging drawings or photos can be more fulfilling and fun for both you and the children. Though begging is the sole source of income for many of the world’s poor you may wish to consider that giving money to charities can often offer more long term help to a far greater number of people.

Litter

To state the obvious, the world is full of it and you don’t want to add to it yourself! Beyond that, however, it’s up to you to decide how strongly you should feel about other people’s litter: many walkers, for example, are happy to pick up litter along the trail. It’s your call. Remember, however – many countries do not have adequate litter collection, never mind recycling or waste reduction schemes; so the less you create, the better. Where plastics are not recycled, you might consider taking a water bottle or filter and purifying your own water; this, of course, needs to be weighed against the fact that drink sales can play a vital part of the local economy.

Photos: think before you click

People in colourful local dress always make good subjects for photographs, but think before you snap. Many people, for whatever reason, do not like being photographed. Always ask permission before taking photographs.

Water: pollution & usage

If it is necessary to wash in streams or rivers, do not use detergents or other chemicals. There are a number of eco-friendly soaps available for travellers. Remember, it may be someone’s drinking water further downstream. Use water sparingly.

ONCE BACK HOME....

Continuing support

You may have come across charitable projects or organisations or been affected by humanitarian or conservation concerns on your holiday. Many tour operators support a wide variety of charitable initiatives or will be able to advise where you can direct your support to ‘put something back’ into the destinations visited.

Feedback!

If you have particular comments – positive or negative - about responsible tourism issues on your tour, let your tour operator know! We are continually striving to improve performance and your comments are vital in helping us ensure we act on the issues and operate in a responsible fashion.