Now, more than ever, travel is a force for good, an opportunity to make the world a better place. It benefits those who travel, but also those whose lives it impacts. The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates that travel and tourism account for one in ten jobs worldwide and ten percent of global GDP. Your travel dollars help sustain the neighborhoods, lands and entire ecosystems of the places you visit by supporting the livelihoods of airport employees, hotel staff, shop owners, craftspeople, guides and restaurant workers. As Gregory Miller, executive director at the Center for Responsible Travel, says, “Whether it’s Tokyo, the Galápagos, Yosemite or Venice, humans are the stakeholders that are going to be the determining factor in protecting the place. If they’re not sustained, the place won’t be sustained.”
If your trip supports local economies, protects cultures or preserves the environment, it’s sustainable. To combat overtourism, we recommend prioritizing unique and authentic experiences in uncrowded destinations. We do our best to select tour operators that work with local guides and to find hotels that source provisions from nearby farmers. If you’re interested in volunteering your service as a way to contribute to the local community, we can provide well-researched and verified options. However you decide to travel, let us help you make informed choices so that your wonderful vacation also has a positive impact on the people and places you visit.
Here are a few of the growing number of resources available to help you make more conscientious choices at every stage of travel:
Center for Responsible Travel (CREST)
https://www.responsibletravel.org/
Carbon Fund
An A to Z Guide to Not Killing the Planet When You Travel