Friday, August 23, 2024
Reading Time: 3 minutes
There are several ways to decide if your trip was a great travel adventure. You could consider how great the local cuisine was, how luxurious the hostels were, the unique memories and adventures you had along the way, or the memorable sights. Since we’re however in the 21st century where any activity’s “green” credentials are becoming increasingly important, there is one more index that could help you decide how great your trip was. This index is how sustainable or eco-friendly your trip was.
Today, eco-friendly tours are popular given the world’s obsession with green practices in every area of life, and rightly so. By 2060, we will be competing for precious natural resources with 10 billion others and sustainability looks like the way to keep this battle for survival less bloody.
Sustainable tourism practices strive to limit the human effect on the natural environment at all stages, from teaching guests cultural sensitivity and how to be mindful of the natural environment to providing sustainable accommodations. All of this protects the sustainability of natural resources for future generations.
In this article, we examine the trend of environmentally responsible travel, providing useful advice and activities that let visitors interact properly with natural sights. Follow through to discover how you may be more environmentally conscious on your next trip.
Enjoying the beauty of the Australian Wilderness
Australia was the location of about 3 million vacations last year, proving to us that it’s a popular travel destination. Records also show that one of the mistakes many tourists make while visiting the wide brown land is focusing on Sydney and ignoring other great spots outside of the capital. One of such great spots is the Australian Outback or Wilderness.
Two mind-blowing facts about the Outbacks that might spur you to action are it’s one of the world’s top spots for stargazing and it contains the only verified fossilized dinosaur stampede in the world! Are your bags packed yet?
Since we’re talking green, here are some eco-friendly ways to tour the Australian wilderness. By participating in activities like supervised bushwalks, swimming with eco-certified operators, or birding using responsible conservation procedures, tourists can discover the famous Outback, the beautiful lakes, or the Kangaroo Island. The experience is improved by selecting lodging and tour companies that follow sustainable policies, such as employing sources of clean energy, cutting waste, and assisting with local environmental efforts.
There are many wildlife cafe spots available where you can drink and eat while watching the animals and there will be signs to tell you how far you can interact with them. For example, you may not be able to feed or touch them. Also, tourists can boost the local economy by patronizing indigenous-owned companies that offer genuine cultural experiences.
Sustainable Transport Options
Bicycles will always be a more sustainable option, even on your vacation. You can explore the sights on your bike with your family or in tour groups to make it more adventurous. You could also take night rides for a magical experience. If you’re not exactly bike-inclined, you could still get around using more sustainable options like buses, trams, and trains, which have become a very popular way of touring in recent years.
Find Eco-Conscious Accommodations
By carrying out research on hostels and hotels before making your bookings, you can find out if their sustainability practices are right for you. Here are some features these resorts have. They usually recycle water from sinks and showers for the gardens, use solar power to heat water, and have low per-occupied-room electricity consumption. They also help community animal conservation efforts.
Alternatively, you could skip the hotels and be a proper nature traveler by camping. However, remember to only set up camp in the designated area and adhere to the leave no trace guidelines.
Sustainable eating
Please save the planet and use recyclable bags and containers on your next trip. Also, eat at restaurants and eateries with sustainable dining options. You could do your research to make sure the sustainability practices in their ads are not just mere buzzwords but actually reflected in their operations.
Always follow the Museum Rules
Now and then, there is always a badly behaved tourist in the news for defacing an ancient landmark. There was this time in 2022 when a couple from America was caught etching their names onto the 2,000-year-old Arch of Augustus, which is located next to the Colosseum in Rome. There are so many other examples of intentional or unintentional vandalism on vacation trips and you begin to wonder if travelers need to take a refresher course in basic decency before visiting anywhere.
Part of sustainable tourism is handling the collections you are allowed to touch with care, not touching artifacts you are not allowed to, and following all other rules to the letter. You could also take things a step further by picking up a local craft or patronizing local artists.
