Sustainable Tourism
More Than Just Eco-Travel

Sustainable tourism... great term isn't it? What does it mean? We think it's different from eco-travel... different from "green" travel.

Green travel implies that you're protecting the environment... and we're the first to support that... we've written about and advocated that too!

Sustainable tourism is more about protecting the cultures we're visiting. We need to respect local cultures....

You're traveling to experience something different, so embrace the "differentness".

What I'm trying to say is you don't want to "screw up" the cultures that you traveled to see.

So how do you practice sustainable tourism? Here's what we think...

Don't REACT - INTERACT with the new and friendly people you meet.

• Treat locals with respect. You went there to learn about their culture!

• Learn a few words... at least hello, good-bye and thank you. You'll be surprised how far that goes.

• Be open to our cultural differences.
  
  
  
• Dress appropriately so you don't offend anyone.

  You don't have to wear a shalwar camise like I did in Pakistan...

  All the ladies at the wedding loved it... even gave me a special shawl to wear.

  Pay attention to conservative values though. It drives me nuts when I see tourists that wear shorts and crop tops in a country where conservative dress is more appropriate. I'm all into comfort... but I want to be respectful too... and the way you dress can do that.

  Sorry for the rant...

  
  
  
• Be aware of behaviors or gestures that will offend your hosts.

  Hand gestures vary greatly in their meaning around the world. What means "A - OK" in one country can have a very rude or vulgar meaning in another.

  Pointing at religious or burial sites was rude in Madagascar... and we couldn't always tell what we shouldn't be pointing at... so we "knuckle pointed" at everything!

Support the local people so they profit from your being there.

• If you go someplace and find wonderful native handicrafts, buy some of those handicrafts from locals so they get the money.

  Look in Co-ops, government sponsored stores or even the woman selling things on the side of the road.

  We found these in the Central Market in Maputo and met the artist. How special is that?

• If you're visiting a national park to see wildlife, employ locals as guides and porters so they will continue to value and protect the park.

When we went to see Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda, the local people wanted to carry our day packs for us.

We didn't need to have anyone carry these light packs... but we hired them anyway.

Making money from tourists who came for gorillas made the gorillas more important to them.


Maybe they could make more from protecting the gorillas and their habitat than buy cutting down the rain forest.

If we all try to make these small efforts, they add up!

• Stay at a hotel that is locally owned and operated.

  That way the profits stay in the community. If not, is it at least staffed by local employees? Does the hotel buy local produce for their restaurant?

The bottom line is, to have sustainable tourism, the local community needs to benefit.

Group Tours can practice sustainable tourism too

• Travel with a tour operator who is environmentally AND culturally responsible.
  • Do they have a strong connection with local companies
    
  • Have they helped local communities?
    
  • Are the groups small?
    
  Smaller group sizes make less of an impact... and make for a more enjoyable tour for you!

• Is the group lead by a local guide?

• Does the tour company contribute to the local community in some way?

When we take tours, they are usually custom tours, and we often try to set the tour up with a local tour operator.... not only does this save us money, but it ensures that more of the money stays local. It's a little more work because it involves more e-mailing, and it generally means we have to wire money to them, but we think when we can do this it has benefited everyone.

Natural Wonders Need Sustainable Tourism Too

These get back to all those green travel, eco-friendly tips...

• When hiking, stay on marked trails. Maintain safe distances from any wildlife you encounter... for your safety AND for theirs. "Leave only footprints"... carry your trash out or use trash bins.
  
  
• If you're snorkeling or diving, don't touch the coral.

  Be careful with your fins, it's easy to kick the coral if you're not paying attention or to stir up sediment. Either way you can damage the reef's fragile ecosystem... and most reefs are in trouble now, so they need all of our help.

  Our favorite dive resort will not let you wear gloves... they think that even responsible divers might forget and touch something with gloves, but not bare hands.

• Don't buy souvenirs or other products made from endangered animals or plants. You probably can't get it through customs, and if you believe in sustainable tourism, you don't want to contribute to the extinction of another species!

Rejoice in our positive differences.

Show the people you are visiting that they are important.

Everyone wants to know that you think their culture is important,

--what they make is important and

--the animals they live near are important.

Support all of this, and you’ll be contributing to sustainable tourism.

Happy travels... even if you don't travel the world... just remember that life is a journey... embrace and enjoy it!   Judy and Mark

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