How to be a responsible traveller
Be a traveller, not a tourist. It’s an expression that gets banded about a lot these days, by me if no-one else. But what does it actually mean? If you read travel literature, not just Bill Bryson (good though he is) but Paul Theroux (Louis’ father), Jonathan Raban or Bruce Chatwin, you’re probably a traveller. If you’re more interested in what’s going on the beach or go on the tour to the local Roman ruins but don’t understand (or care) much about them, you’re a tourist. Travellers go to places to discover, relax and learn. Tourists go to places to tick them off a list of places they can say they’ve been to.
Tourism is the world’s fastest growing industry, accounting for 6% of the world’s GDP and providing 10% of the world’s employment. Cheap flights and holiday packages mean that there are few places out of reach of the average Westerner with money to spend. But responsible travelling is not about being an eco-warrior or some kind of evangelist, it’s about doing sensible and, in the end, personally enriching things that benefit everyone.
Get to know other cultures
- Don’t think your way is best, different cultures put different values on things. For example, people in Muslim cultures often avoid eye contact whereas Westerners consider looking people straight in the eye to be a sign of honesty. That’s not the case everywhere.
- Talk to locals and observe what they do. This will give you a good picture of their culture and their lives.
- Take note of local dress and adapt yours accordingly. Even in Western Europe’s sun spots, local authorities are getting twitchy about tourists walking down the high street in their bathing costumes.
- Bargaining or bartering is part of the game, so take it in good heart. Don’t complain that locals get a better price than you do. Your take home is likely to be vastly superior to theirs anyway so you can take the hit.
Protect local communities
- Use local services rather than international corporations. Staying in local B&Bs will be cheaper and far more enriching than yet another faceless international hotel.
- Eat where the locals do. Chances are the food will be better anyway…
- Respect local laws and customs. This is mainly to stay out of trouble, but you could also have a detrimental effect on the local community. When drugs were introduced to the hills of northern Thailand, a new economy was created with obvious effects.
- Buy locally made arts and crafts directly from the source rather than as an afterthought from whatever airport you happen to be passing through. That way, you’ll benefit the local community rather than the airport company’s bottom line.
Obey local laws
Despite what some people may think, local laws apply to everyone, just like at home.
- Don’t work illegally. If you need or want to work, get a permit. Otherwise, you could end up in jail, fined, deported or all three.
- Don’t overstay your visa. You know the tabloid headlines here about illegal immigrants. Overstay your visa and you’d be one.
- Cross borders at recognised crossings. Some countries’ armies get a little nervous about people just walking in through a field, even in good faith.
- Sometimes, it’s just better to keep your hobbies at home. There are plenty of cases of bird watchers, plane spotters and train spotters being treated as spies.
This may be cheesy but responsible travel means more than being a casual onlooker. It means realising that we are all part of a global community and we can all benefit (in a non-patronising way) it.
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