The Responsible Travel Code

Be prepared
– Learn as much about your destination before you go and try to learn a few basic words of the language

Think local
– Stay in locally owned accommodation
– Buy locally produced food and drinks in preference to imported goods
– Choose locally made crafts and souvenirs, preferably fair trade
– Hire a local guide – you’ll discover more about local culture and lives, and they will earn an income

Think about where your money goes
– Be fair and realistic about how cheaply you can travel
– Haggle with humour and not aggressively, but always make sure you pay a fair price. Keep in mind the skill and work that went into the craft and pay according to value

Embrace culture
– Open your mind to new cultures and experiences
– Think carefully about what’s appropriate in terms of your clothes and the way you behave. You’ll earn respect and be more readily welcomed by local people

Consider your ecological footprint
– Help preserve local wildlife and habitats by respecting rules and regulations
– Avoid buying products made from endangered plants, wild animals, shells or hard woods. Instead buy products made from renewable materials
– Be mindful of resource usage. Switch off lights and turn off appliances. Use water sparingly, tourists tend to use far more than local people
– Reuse plastic bags, take used batteries home, and refill your water bottle or use purifying tablets so you needn’t buy bottled water
– Get closer to people and places by using public transport, bicycles and walking
– Consider offsetting carbon emissions for your flights

Outdoor adventure
– Seek out local guides, but do check their safety standards
– If diving or snorkelling, never touch or step on coral or any other marine creature
– If trekking with the option of a porter, it’s always better to hire a porter and pay a fair price
– Avoid washing in streams, rivers and springs. If there are no bathroom facilities, bury toilet waste away from water source and dispose of toilet paper properly

Photography
– Always ask before taking photos of people. Some people don’t wish to have their photos taken and you should respect that. It is best not to pay people (especially children) for taking their photograph
– Sometimes you might be offered to have your photograph taken with a ‘wild’ animal (eg tarsier, snake or eagle). It is best not to encourage this behaviour

Guidebooks
– Guidebooks are a great source of information, but use them only as a guide. Talk to the local people, do your own research, discover your own adventure!

NEXT: The Profile of a Responsible Tourist/ Traveler

Photo courtesy of Bert Bainto
Text by Cherie McCosker
http://responsibletraveller.blogspot.com
Posted with permission

08 January 2009