Eco Travel
If you’re booking accommodation through ecobookers.com, it is highly likely that not only do you wish to travel to a beautiful new destination, experience the local culture and marvel at the natural beauty, but that you want to do so in a responsible way.
It is well documented that travel and tourism can have a detrimental effect and that many places have been impacted negatively by mass tourism, but that doesn’t have to be the case. The impact of eco-tourism can be beneficial to local communities by bringing in investment and work opportunities and by helping to preserve culture and traditions. It can also be of benefit to natural habitats by assisting with conservation and education efforts. In addition to this, responsible travel encourages cultural exchange and understanding.
Getting there and around
Many of the accommodations featured on this website will entail overseas travel, possibly flying, in order to reach them and this travel will result in carbon emissions. Whilst we don't believe that travel should be banned, we do believe that measures must be taken to reduce carbon emissions and their effects.
One of the first steps you can take with regards to airplane travel is to reduce the number of flights you take each year. Maybe you could replace some of your overseas trips with breaks nearer to home, or travel to somewhere accessible by public transport (try www.seat61.com for tips on train travel).
As take-off and landing are the worst time for carbon emmissions, you could also try to avoid stop-overs en-route when you fly to an overseas destination.
When choosing your airline you could check out their eco-policies. For example, Virgin Atlantic are investing in more fuel-efficient jets and Virgin boss, Sir Richard Branson, has pledged all profits from his travel companies over the next 10 years to help fight global warming.
Finally, you could choose to off-set your carbon emissions through a carbon-offsetting scheme. The theory behind this is that you calculate your carbon emissions with a carbon calculator, and pay money in to a scheme which prevents or removes an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide elsewhere. Defra are in the process of developing a code of practice for this type of scheme, but until this is ready see the following information with links to carbon offset providers :- http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/carbonoffset/index.htm
Before you go
Once you’ve decided on your destination and sorted out your flights, there are a few things you can think about and prepare for before you go.
Firstly, you can research the cultural does and don’ts of the local population. For example, in some countries it is rude to point at things with your feet, to touch people on the head or to drink alcohol. By researching things such as this before you go, you can be respectful of people and their culture when you arrive.
Dress code is also an important factor – if you are travelling to a country where it is disrespectful to show certain parts of the body, it’s best to know this before you go so that you can pack accordingly.
Learning a few words of the local language before you go will help you to interact with the local people.
You may also want to look into local methods of transportation so that you can transfer to your accommodation and travel around the country both conveniently and responsibly e.g. take public transport instead of a private taxi to reduce carbon emmissions.
If you plan on taking tours during your holiday you could research local companies who use local guides and try to protect the environment, rather than booking trips with companies who give nothing back to the local communities.
And of course, you can use ecobookers.com to find an eco-friendly accommodation and review its policies, ensuring it meets your criteria.
While you’re there
When you arrive at your destination, the important thing is to make a positive rather than a negative impact by being culturally and environmentally aware.
Cultural considerations
You could find yourself in a very different situation to that which you are used to back home, but you must remember that this is normal life to the people who live it, so be open-minded.
Traditions, culture, religious beliefs, clothing and food may all be very different to what you are used to but be respectful. Respect people’s wishes and ask before you take photographs. Try getting to know people - you may learn something about their way of life and they may be able to give you insider info on where to go and what to do that you won’t find in the guidebooks!
When you are buying goods, using services such as tour guides or eating in restaurants, try to spend money that will benefit the local communities.
Giving money to people begging is not usually encouraged as it does not promote self-sufficiency, although this is down to your own ethical beliefs. However, if you do want to give something back in a more sustainable way, some of the hotels featured on this website are involved in projects where you can volunteer and others will be able to give you advice on how you can help. Another option is to book a volunteer project as part of your trip - more advice on this can be found at iGapyear.com.
Environmental considerations
The majority of eco-accommodations have processes in place to recycle, conserve energy and water and to limit damaging waste. You can help them along by using water and energy as efficiently as possible e.g. don’t leave taps running or lights on unnecessarily, by taking shampoos etc. with you that are bio-degradable, by never littering and by recycling anything you can (if there are no facilities for recycling certain products e.g. plastic bottles, where you are, take these home with you to recycle).
So that you don’t upset the natural balance or cause erosion, stick to marked trails (both when walking and driving) and don’t take any souvenirs from along the way.
Also, don’t buy anything that has come from an endangered animal species, or a protected species of plant and don’t support shows where animals are used for entertainment.
These are just a few ideas to help you to be a responsible traveller, which will not only benefit the area you are visiting, but which will also help you to get the most out of your experience. Enjoy your trip!
