Eco Tourism for a Perfect Vacation

Eco Tourism for a Fabulous Holiday – Here’s How To Get it Right!

 

Eco Tourism not what you think

Watch the video, or read the transcript below – the choice is yours!

When you hear the phrase “eco tourism”, what do you imagine an eco vacation would be like?

A rustic cabin in the middle of nowhere, with no amenities and an outhouse, with lots of bugs? Or backpacking, hiking, flimsy tents, perhaps getting wet, beans for dinner – again……

Those could indeed be examples of eco tourism, but in fact, you can have a green holiday irrespective of your budget, location or the level of luxury you want.

eco tourism in IndonesiaEco tourism is practiced by some of the most luxurious resorts and hotels in the world, as well as rustic spots, and everything in between. You can even have high-adrenalin thrills on eco-tours.

Not only are these holidays fun and relaxing, they make you feel good about your trip afterwards, too.

Eco tourism allows you to directly benefit the people and places you visit by supporting conservation and protecting cultural heritage, without destroying the local environment.

But you’ve got to do it right.

Just because a resort or hotel SAYS it’s green, it  doesn’t necessarily mean that it  truly is.

So here’s how to make your next trip eco friendly.

Planning for Eco Tourism

As for any enjoyable holiday, you need to do a little planning before you go.

Apart from being practical it’s also fun. I LOVE researching places to go to!

Transportation

When you’re planning an eco friendly vacation, you need to decide how you will get there.

Eco tourism begins at home! The greenest trips are closer to home, so look around your area – there are probably loads of wonderful things to do that everyone else loves, and you haven’t done because they’re nearby!

If you are travelling further, don’t immediately assume that you need to fly.  There may be greener alternatives.

green train luxury for eco friendly travelFor example, I adore train travel, because the journey becomes part of the holiday – you get to see the scenery, and it’s a LOT less cramped! Plus, it’s often just as quick when you factor in the waiting times and security checks at airports now.

Or perhaps a ferry or cruise ship will work – again, much more space to move around and you get fresh air. Or even a coach trip – there are some really luxurious ones now if you wish.

If you do need to fly, offset your trip (here’s how to offset)

Accommodation

You will find hotels, lodges, hostels, camp sites, caravan parks and resorts on every continent which follow eco friendly practices and support eco tourism.

Pay particular attention to their

  • water use
  • waste management
  • energy conservation
  • heating / cooling practices
  • cleaning products

Local sustainable food is also important, as is their interaction with their local communities.

You can still be eco friendly even if you want luxury accommodation.  By choosing wisely, you can have a great holiday without doing damage – it simply comes down to understanding your responsibility towards the environment.

By all means use the internet to search for eco friendly accommodation.

But once I’ve narrowed it down to a couple of options, I always like to research the properties myself thoroughly, before making a booking.  Sometimes (not often, but sometimes) I’ve found that the Mission Statement or web page on “Our Sustainability Journey” in certain hotels might be full of great ideas which are not put into practice on a daily basis.

So research, and network with others who travel green and get their personal recommendations too.

Before You Leave

Remember these quick tips to reduce your impact even further:

eco tourism eco friendly travel pack lightPack lightly:  It’s miles easier on you when you travel light – carrying heavy bags is a pain. It’s also more eco friendly –  it uses more fuel to carry more weight, so your car will use more petrol the more you transport, and it’s the same with planes.

(It’s estimated that an extra 10 pounds or 5kg per passenger uses an extra 350 million gallons of jet fuel each year!).

Pack a reusable water bottle.  It will help to avoid / reduce the need to buy bottled water which is expensive and bad for the environment, as well as reduce your waste.

At home: turn your water heater off or down to Low, and adjust your heating or air conditioning to minimum.  Turn the water off from outside the house (to prevent possible flooding if there’s a leak while you’re away), and turn off all electrical and electronic devices by unplugging them (or using a smart strip) so that they don’t draw power while on standby. You’ll be practicing eco tourism at home as well as on vacation!

At The Hotel / Lodge / Resort / Cabin

While you’re away on holiday, of course you’ll want to continue all your normal green living practices, with a few changes due to your location.

Wherever you are staying, utilise these eco tourism tips:

  • When you leave your hotel room, turn off the climate control, lights, TV and radio and close the curtains.
  • Participate in hotel linen programs, or let the hotel know that it’s not necessary to change your sheets and towels frequently.
  • Place your recyclables in the appropriate bins.
  • Keep the bar soap wrappers and take partly-used bars of soap home.
  • Let hotel management know that you want them to conserve and that you want to participate.
  • Instead of leaving bathroom lights (and fans) on all night, pack small LED night lights for hotel stays – preferably solar powered.
  • If the hotel provides newspapers, pass yours on to someone else, or leave it in the lobby for another reader. Ask the hotel to see that it’s recycled.
  • Be sure to turn off exercise equipment, whirlpool, Jacuzzi or tennis court lights when you’re finished with them.
  • Some hotels have an electronic system for your bill via the TV. Use it to view your invoice and approve it, and so reduce paperwork.

Local Transport

How will you get from the airport or port to your accommodation?  A shuttle bus or public transportation is more eco friendly than a private transfer, and you get to meet others too.

Where possible, walk or bike to your appointments, shopping, and local attractions.

eco tourism Eco friendly vacation scooter hireRent a scooter – they’re fun and much more green than a car.  If you have to rent a car, make it a small, efficient vehicle.

Sightseeing

When you’re exploring the area:

  • Choose restaurants that serve organic and locally grown food and produce
  • Don’t use or carry plastic items, reduce paper consumption and conserve water
  • Of course you won’t litter
  • Don’t collect sea shells, beach stones, coral, soil or plants
  • Don’t buy animal products (e.g. ivory) – you may be supporting poaching
  • Respect the local heritage and culture
  • Buy local products and crafts to bolster rural incomes
  • Sponsor local support groups and volunteer for community service so that the local people benefit from your travel. If you are a nature lover, consider volunteering to help preserve the culture and ecology of your destination

Make a Difference!

Eco  tourism and responsible travel is all about minimizing the negative impacts of travel on our environment, and increasing the positive impact.

An eco friendly vacation is a perfect way to enjoy different places while respecting and preserving the environment for our future generations.

With eco tourism, you CAN make a difference – even on vacation!

Please spread the word about eco tourism and encourage more people to care while on holiday. Sharing buttons below and right – thank you!


Tags

eco tourism, eco travel, ecofriendly holiday, ecofriendly travel, ecofriendly vacation, green holiday, green travel, green vacation, travel


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