If you are travelling this summer, consider making small changes to ensure your travel is more ethical and environmentally friendly. Packing a reusable water bottle, bamboo toothbrushes, solid shampoo and soap bars instead of mini plastic bottles can help us reduce waste and make our travels more sustainable. These simple changes contribute to a healthier environment and ensure that we’re being mindful of our impact on the places we visit.

But before we pack our bags, it’s important to consider the impact of our travel choices beyond just reducing single-use plastics. According to the latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), an estimated 975 million tourists travelled internationally between January and September 2023, an increase of 38% on the same months of 2022. 

So what exactly does ethical travel mean? Ethical travel is about exploring destinations with respect and care, rather than carelessness and entitlement. It encourages us to consider the long-term impacts of our travel choices. Travelling ethically doesn’t mean we have to completely overhaul the way we travel, rather it is about making mindful decisions that support and respect the communities we visit. Whether it’s choosing a locally-owned accommodation instead of a chain resort, supporting businesses that prioritise sustainability, or simply being aware of how our presence affects the environment, every small action can help make a big difference when it is done collectively. 

Travel is not only a privilege, but also carries with it considerable political implications. If all of us shrug off the need to travel responsibly, imagining what difference would one person make, would the beaches remain pristine or be overrun with trash? Would the locals thrive or struggle with the consequences of overtourism? Tourism, which often prioritises resort amenities and short-term gains, contributes to problems like depletion of vital resources and driving up costs in local communities, leaving them struggling with high living expenses and inadequate wages. Unchecked tourism practices exploit vulnerable populations, perpetuate stereotypes, and create a false sense of privilege over those we visit.

So, before you go off on your next adventure, take a moment to reflect on how you can take a more ethical approach with your travel choices. Here are 10 ways you can travel consciously that can make your vacation fun and enriching.

1. Doing Adequate Research

With countless websites and travel blogs at our disposal, this one is easy to do. Just like we research for the best deals and top sights to see, it might be helpful to research the local culture, customs, as well as any ethical concerns related to tourism in the area. These efforts to understand and respect local practices can not only enhance our travel experience, but also ensure that we contribute positively to the communities we visit.

2. Staying and Buying Local

We admit that it is convenient to stop at a fast food restaurant for an easy fix when you’re on the go. However, try to set aside some time in your itinerary to expand your culinary tastes by asking your taxi driver or hotel manager to recommend local delicacies and the best places to try them. Chances are these will be the best meals you have on your holiday. 

It might take a bit of time to research but try to choose local tour guides and companies that are focusing on ethical practices that help conserve the environment. These can provide authentic experiences and ensure that your money benefits the locals meaningfully.

Choosing accommodations run by locals instead of international and large hotel chains, dining at family-owned eateries, and shopping at local markets, can help make sure that our tourism money is going to local businesses and communities.

3. Listen to Calls by Local Voices and Activists

One important example of ethical travel is the ongoing debate around tourism in Hawai’i. While the lush landscapes and vibrant culture seem like an enticing destination, there are significant concerns to consider. Native Hawaiian activists have called for travellers to reconsider their trips to the islands. The situation is dire as the native population of Hawai’i is facing severe water shortages exacerbated by historical and ongoing mismanagement and diversion of water to large-scale resorts owned by international corporations and military use. This has led to disastrous consequences, such as the recent wildfires in Lahaina and an ongoing affordable housing crisis affecting many Native Hawaiians.

With this in mind, consider any local voices and activists related to your destination of choice to ensure you are not going against their calls for social justice and political temperature of the people by choosing to travel there.

4. Avoiding Voluntourism

What exactly is voluntourism? It is when travellers from the Global North visit “developing countries” to partake in charitable activities, such as building homes, interacting with children in orphanages, or providing medical services. Voluntourism often centres on the tourist’s desire for validation rather than addressing the real needs of the community.

Author Teju Cole has titled this ego-driven desire as White Saviour Industrial Complex. The fact that unqualified, unlicensed individuals are allowed to engage in activities that they are neither equipped for, nor would be allowed in their home countries, should explain everything that is wrong with voluntourism. Usually these initiatives are more about photo opportunities and content creation than actual impact, and despite good intentions, can inadvertently cause more harm than good. A whole industry has emerged to cater to these travellers, offering “package experiences” for a fee. 

Passport and visa privileges, along with economic advantages, do not equate to expertise or understanding in providing aid or solving local issues. True support involves recognising and respecting the work of local professionals, activists, and organisations who are already on the ground addressing these challenges. In essence, ethical travel involves prioritising genuine support and collaboration with local communities over self-serving actions.

5. Being a Respectful Guest

As we take care to be respectful guests in people’s homes, it is important to remember that the city or country we are visiting is also home to millions of people. Visiting destinations solely to witness poverty or photographing local children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds for the sake of an Instagram post can be deeply disrespectful; it is someone’s reality and not a spectacle. It is important to avoid activities that turn people’s suffering into a form of entertainment or tourism. 

A good litmus test for respectful behaviour is that if a certain practice is unacceptable at home and can get you arrested, chances are that we should refrain from doing it in a foreign country too. Even if the children around us are used to having their pictures taken, there is a small matter of consent and the fact these kids cannot consent to someone taking their pictures in vulnerable situations as it exploits their poverty. Everyone deserves regard for their privacy and dignity.

6. The Problem with Unethical Animal Sanctuaries

Riding an elephant or watching a dolphin show may sound like a fun afternoon filled with laughter and a cool story to tell friends back home, however it probably means a miserable life for said animal. 

Many so-called animal orphanages and sanctuaries are for-profit organisations that care more about attracting tourists than genuine animal welfare. Be cautious and research any sanctuary thoroughly to ensure it adheres to ethical standards and provides genuine care and rehabilitation to the wild for injured or vulnerable animals.

7. Support Children Orphanages in ways other than Visiting

You’ve likely heard about the troubling issues within the international adoption industry, where for-profit entities have exploited vulnerable children for years. Visiting an orphanage and then disappearing from the children’s lives shortly after, without addressing the underlying issues of poverty, Western imperialism, or the complex economic factors that led to their separation from their parents, can cause more harm than any perceived help.

It’s natural to feel moved by poverty and want to contribute positively, but the solution cannot lie in using children for our personal gratification. The best way to support these children can be through donating to organisations that work to keep families together. Supporting local nonprofits that address critical needs like food security and direct aid to families is a far more impactful way to make a difference.

8. Being Mindful of Economic Differences

Economically disadvantaged areas are not “cheap countries,” but rather places where economic inequalities are harsh. Some places may have higher prices for visitors from the West with the consideration they are earning considerably more than locals and therefore can afford it.It may be best to respect local tipping customs and avoid haggling excessively as our spending power can affect local communities. What might seem like a small amount to you can impact a local vendor considerably.

9. Being Kind to the Environment. 

It goes without saying that when we enjoy a pristine beach or hike up gorgeous cliffs, the best practice is to leave these places as beautiful as we found them by not littering. The sad reality is that every plastic bottle we use will either end up in a landfill or, in places without good trash collection, on the streets. 

If you’re planning to swim in the ocean, choose reef-friendly sunscreen. Research shows that many sunscreens can harm coral reefs, even in small amounts. Our planet is at risk of losing these amazing places, but there’s hope. These ecosystems can recover if given a chance, so check your sunscreen ingredients carefully.

10. Avoid Using Using the Term “Expat” 

The term “expat” is problematic and often carries connotations of privilege and racial bias. Instead of labelling someone from the West living in Bali or Bangkok as an expat or digital nomad whilst travelling, it is imperative we recognise the complexities of migration and labour. Why are terms like “immigrant” or “migrant worker” reserved for people in the Global South when they move to the Global North, but never the other way around? Language is important and these terms often come up whilst travelling or living abroad, so it is important to choose our words wisely.  

Ethical travel isn’t just about avoiding pitfalls; it’s about making conscious choices that reflect respect for people, animals, and the environment. By embracing these practices, you can ensure that your travels are both responsible and rewarding.