What do street kids, human trafficking survivors, and victims of acid attacks have to do with tourism? As we witness the evolution and integration of social purpose in travel, we find more travel experiences charged with a kind of social activism. As innovation and access to these types of experiences grows, the industry may increasingly become a force for social … [Read more...]
How Do You Know Your Travel Money Stays Local?
When you travel, is there any way you can “follow the money” to ensure that whatever you spend on your trip stays local and benefits the communities you visit? This article offers a few ideas on how to do that and highlights some movements and methodologies afoot in the travel industry that might help. … [Read more...]
20 Sustainable Travel Tips: How to be a Good Global Traveler
We think of sustainable travel as a movement of respectful travelers who live at the intersection of deeper travel experiences and caring for our planet and its people. This is a journey of awareness and travel decisions that aim to respect and protect the local environment, culture and economy. These 20 sustainable travel tips are ones you can use every day...whether … [Read more...]
How to Use Social Enterprises to Improve Your Travels…and Make a Difference
If you’re looking for more meaningful travel interactions and are interested in giving something back as you travel, it’s important to understand the concept of social enterprise — what is it, how it works with local communities, and where to find it in the travel industry. … [Read more...]
A Favela Tour in Vidigal, Rio de Janeiro: How to Do One Respectfully and Responsibly
In this piece, we explore the nature and meaning of favelas in Brazil and the ethics of favela tours. Through conversations with residents and community leaders in Vidigal favela in Rio de Janeiro, we consider how community-driven favela tour experiences can create positive social impact and reduce the exclusion and separative otherness of marginalized communities. … [Read more...]
Volunteering and Voluntourism: The Good, The Bad, and The Questions You Should Ask
If you are interested in volunteering internationally or going on voluntourism trip, what are the ethical considerations you should be aware of? Which questions can you ask to better ensure that your actions and any financial contribution are aligned with your values and expectations? That you don't end up doing unintended harm with your goal of helping or "doing … [Read more...]
Child Welfare in Travel: 10 Do’s and Don’ts for Engaging Responsibly
You care about the kids you encounter while traveling, right? Are children ever props in your photos? Do you location tag them? What about giving money to begging children? What about passing out gifts to random kids you meet? What about those school visits? How does it all impact children and their well-being? Can any of your actions cause unintended harm? A … [Read more...]
Traveling in the Age of Overtourism: 10 Ways Travelers Can Help
Accelerating tourism growth and the threat of overtourism are here to stay. This is our advice on how to travel better in the age of overtourism -- tips and actions which will improve your travel experiences and also help to reduce pressure on the places you visit. … [Read more...]
How Social Media Influencers Can Use Their Power to Combat Overtourism
Can social media influencers on Instagram use their sharing and promotional power – something which helped accelerate overtourism – to affect and shift traveler decisions for positive impact? We offer a set of tips and considerations that each of us -- professional influencers as well as everyday social media users – can employ to be part of a solution to overtourism. … [Read more...]
How Your Travels in Madagascar Can Support Conservation and Communities
If you’ve ever wondered whether your travels can make a difference, here's a case study from our recent trip to Madagascar. It shows just how tourism can support conservation, sustainability and community development. … [Read more...]
