Fascinating fact of the day: More than 8 million people fly to another destination every single day. Back in 2013, the number of air passengers remarkably set the highest record in history, standing at 3.1 billion people. This astonishing figure is one of many that can show in an instant how important travel and tourism are as a part of our modern-day lives and technology is only becoming even more advanced, allowing us to be anywhere in the world, whenever we want. To some, this is an amazing thing, but to others it can be shocking. Global ethical/eco-tourism organizations are consistently keen to encourage particularly frequent travellers to consider how their participation in tourism is benefitting the physical surroundings and the society of the destination being explored. Can tourism offer favourable income to local families and hard workers? Can events mean development of an economy? Can hospitality help to reduce carbon emissions? The answer is yes! So, what can you do to travel, with the world in mind?
First of all, it is evident that air transport plays an essential part in travel and it would be pretty difficult to turn this around, simply because it is the fastest and most convenient manner of getting to a destination. However, feel guilty not. You can still reduce your carbon footprint by creating your own adventure and get exploring with the location’s public transport, by bike or even walking. Not only will this be far more eco-friendly, it also could prove considerably cheaper than renting your own car and also is a great way to immerse yourself into the culture of a destination. You know what they say, spontaneous decisions are always the best and most memorable, you never know what you might discover in the nooks and crannies!
It goes without saying that it is always imperative to respect the residents of a destination, but what else can you do to go that extra mile and feel like one of the locals? Why not pop to your nearest library and grab a dictionary and an audio CD to learn a bit of the lingo before you embark on your travels. Learning a foreign language is a brilliant way to discover interesting facts and details about a destination and the way of life, particularly about the practices of the local folks that may be important for you to know about. For example, there could be some things that are acceptable to say in the English language, but may be offensive in another language. In addition, you will be very surprised at how much people appreciate the effort of tourists to ask for directions, or say please and thank you in the native language. It shows great respect on the part of the tourist and may come in handy for you in the future!
Even after you have returned from your unforgettable adventure, you can still be a responsible traveller by providing feedback about your trip to the tour operator, airline or hotel that you booked with. This is a highly recommended way to promote environmental improvements and economy progression when it’s needed in a destination, as tourists themselves can only be the major encouragement of change! It has also been suggested that tourists contribute further to the destination they have visited by donating to a local project which can potentially significantly benefit a society and environment. What’s more, there’s no better feeling than knowing you are making a positive impact to the well-being of a country and the residents within, even if it is a small amount. So, when you next say good-bye to normal life and jet off to somewhere exciting, think about how you can do your bit for the planet!
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