5.     Reduce your single use plastics

The world produces 381 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, and it acts as an incredibly damaging pollutant that poses a threat to wildlife and their habitats, for centuries to come. It’s up to all of us to reduce our reliance on single use plastics, particularly in travel as we visit pristine natural environments where plastic pollution is even more damaging.

The issue of plastic pollution is often exacerbated during travel and within tourism. When at home, we may have proper facilities, guidance, and be able to find the time and effort to recycle and make sustainable choices. When on holiday, that ability is often taken out of our hands, or the local area may not have the knowledge or means to dispose of or reduce plastic properly.

When travelling, keep an eye out for things like miniature shampoos and shower gels in hotels, single use plastics on flights, and make conscious choices about the sun cream or holiday clothing that you buy, as many contain micro plastics that can prove extremely harmful to environments like coral reefs.

To help you tread lightly while you travel, we’ve put together a guide that includes more tips on where to reduce your plastic usage whilst on holiday.

6.     Consider slow travel

When we have limited time in the year to explore the world, it’s incredibly easy to fall into the trap of rushing from one destination to the next, grabbing a few pictures and packing as many cities, activities and excursions into your trip as possible.

Whilst we’re all for packing in great experiences when you travel, this dashing from one place to the next, without spending much time in each town, city, or village that you visit, can be a pretty unsustainable way to travel.

Tourists who travel like this often end up spending very little money in each area that they visit, and utilise a lot of different types of transport as they travel, contributing to the carbon footprint of their holiday. Another common theme is the overwhelming of small communities who don’t have the infrastructure to deal with busloads of tourists, with those travellers then simply moving to the next honeypot location, leaving litter and disenfranchised locals in their wake.

Slow travel consists of spending more time in a location, really getting to know the people and the culture of a travel destination. This not only ensures more of your money stays in the local economy that you visit, but will also give you, as the traveller, a new appreciation of a unique culture as you relax into the rhythms of another way of life.

7.     Avoid activities with captive animals

At Not In The Guidebooks, we are extremely careful when it comes to offering any activities that involve live animals. There are some amazing conservation and wildlife protection schemes out there, and we will make sure that whenever animals are involved in your holiday, they are being well-treated.

Unfortunately, there are many instances where animals are exploited for the benefit of tourists. Avoid elephant rides, circuses that use live animals, bull fighting/bull runs, horse races, and (most) zoos,  as the sad truth when it comes to these attractions are that the animals involved are subject to abuse.

That being said, you can still enjoy activities with wild animals such as safaris, or experiences at wildlife sanctuaries where captive animals are treated respectfully, before being released back into the wild.

We find that our travellers return from these types of experiences having had a far more fulfilling time, and are enthused at the thought of protecting the wildlife they have come into contact with on their experiences.

8.     Buy souvenirs with care and always respect the locals

Souvenirs that are made locally can provide a great source of income, and can help keep traditional crafting traditions alive as artisans sell their wares to travellers. However, you need to be aware that many souvenirs can be made using illegal, or at least unsustainable materials, and that the purchasing of these souvenirs can encourage people to manufacture them.

In some parts of the world, you’ll find souvenirs made with ivory, animal skins or other animal products, supporting the poaching trade. You may also come across souvenirs made from wood or bark that has been taken from deforested trees, harming the local ecosystem. Refrain from buying souvenirs unless you can be certain you know where they have come from, a local guide is the best way to judge this.

With this in mind, we would also encourage you not to visit orphanages as a part of your holiday, or give money to begging children, as it is the sad truth that children can also be exploited and kept out of school in order to earn money from tourists.

The same goes for school visits. Consider how you would feel if a group of tourists decided to take a tour of your child’s school for the day, visiting their classroom to take photos. You’d probably feel unnerved, and not exactly appreciate the distraction when your child is trying to learn. A general rule of thumb is, if an activity would not be suitable in your own country, it probably isn’t suitable elsewhere.

Here at Not In The Guidebooks, we believe that travel should benefit everyone. By travelling sustainably, mindfully, and by treading lightly, you can help protect the planet and combat climate change, support economies around the globe and improve the standard of living in small, local communities, and enjoy a more rewarding travel experience that truly broadens your horizons.