Travel has changed drastically in the last decade, with the rise of social media and Instagram fuelling the shift to a ‘look at me’ and selfie focused way of travelling, as if travel itself is only real if it is…
Travel has changed drastically in the last decade, with the rise of social media and Instagram fuelling the shift to a ‘look at me’ and selfie focused way of travelling, as if travel itself is only real if it is…
Travel in general is a very positive thing, both for the traveller and for the destinations they visit, but what happens when the sheer level of tourism threatens the very places travellers love? What happens when overtourism becomes a burden to a destination? And what can travellers do to help solve the problem of overtourism?
Lalibela is a small town in northern Ethiopia that despite being a significant pilgrimage site for Coptic Christians and a UNESCO world heritage site, has yet to be hit by mass tourism. But as travellers wake up to the beauty of this region and start arriving in larger numbers, the local population are already taking steps to make sure that any future influx of tourism has a balanced, positive impact on the local population.
This past month I have taken a plastic free travel challenge with Better Places Travel to reduce the amount of single use plastic water bottles I use when travelling by using refillable water bottles as much as possible, with the ultimate aim of going completely single use plastic bottle free. But it wasn’t as easy as I first thought. Did I succeed?
There is always the temptation on any gap year or backpacking trip to ty and fit as much in as humanely possible, but that isn’t always the best thing to do. Here’s why you should slow down, take your time and really soak in the culture, the atmosphere and the experience of the places you are visiting.
Local tourism is more than just the latest buzzword, it is a very real and tangible way of travelling that has a positive impact on not only the wider environment, but also the local people in the destinations we visit.
Responsible and sustainable tourism is becoming increasingly accepted as the gold standard in travel as travellers are becoming increasingly independent,starting to question and demand more responsible tourism practices and less likely to turn to the traditional tourism industry. Here are ten reasons why that momentum should continue.
With sustainable travel becoming increasingly popular, how do you know if the travel choices you make are truly responsible, or if they are just falling victim to a cynical marketing ploy by big business? Here is everything you need to know about making eco friendly travel choices before you set off on your gap year.
Elephant Safaris are a major part of Sri Lanka’s eco tourism industry, but are they all as responsible as they claim to be?
Animal and wildlife sanctuaries are a huge part of the gap year industry now, with countless travellers, backpackers and tourists alike all hoping to get up close and personal with some of their favourite wild animal. But not all of these sanctuaries are what they seem and many often do far more harm than good. Read on and learn the real truth behind many of these so called sanctuaries.