The term responsible tourism is often associated with regulations, requirements and ethics. But before that, there is something more fundamental: awareness. By awareness I don’t mean guilt, obligation, and restriction. I mean, understanding that our mobility, consumption and curiosity have an impact on sensitive destinations. Every trip we make leaves footprints, whether we notice or not. Responsible travel begins with the awareness that our every action, choice and decision affects the future of our destinations even after we have left them behind.
Learn to look beyond Awareness in travel means being able to see more than what we look at. A destination is more than a place, it has an ecosystem, a culture, a local economy and a way of life. When we travel looking at places and people as experiences and services to be consumed, we disturb the equilibrium. Over tourism, depleted resources, distorted culture etc. are not unexpected consequences. They are consequences of unconscious consumption. Awareness helps us to travel, not consume. It encourages us to observe, listen and respect instead of just consuming.
Awareness of our actions This also applies to our actions during the trip. The way we choose our accommodations, the way we eat, the way we commute and the way we interact are all aspects of our footprint. When we travel responsibly, it doesn’t mean that we need to be perfect. We just need to be aware. Every small action repeated consistently makes a difference. When we are conscious of the demand we create, responsibility becomes a part of our travel, not a burden.
Be aware of the culture Cultural practices, traditions and social behavior are not meant to entertain us. They are a way of life. We need to be mindful of the culture of the place we are traveling to. Understand the local customs, learn how to respect them, understand what to do and what not to do. All this helps prevent cultural homogenization. It helps us retain the dignity of our interactions and conversations. Awareness makes human interactions, human.
Be aware throughout your journey Responsible travel is not something we do when we are at our destinations. It is something we need to practice throughout our journey. When we plan our trips, when we travel and even after we get back. We need to be responsible for every stage of our travel. The questions we ask when we plan, the attention we pay when we travel and the memories we carry back home all matter.
