Gold Bluffs Beach, Northern California, near Redwoods National Park Note: Some of this is reiterated from my travel philosophy segment on my about page. However, I also added links and additional details that I believe will help others interested in sustainable tourism develop their own ethical travel goals and succeed in traveling as ethically as possible. As a travel blogger, my goal is to engage with the world in an ethical, sustainable manner. What do I mean by this? I recognize that I am a guest in each place I visit, and that as a guest, it’s my responsibility not to leave any place worse off than when I arrived. I believe in the importance of caring for this world, our beautiful home, and all those who inhabit it. To do this, I have three goals when traveling which help me travel sustainably. My first goal in travelling sustainably is to always engage with the local community to ensure that the money I spend truly benefits them. This can range from supporting local organizations which address issues specific to the community, such as poverty, to simply making sure that I support locally-owned businesses over foreign establishments which may not provide much in the way of economic support to the community. It can be time-consuming to do this all on your own, but thankfully, there are some websites that have been recommended to me that make this goal easier. For example, visit.org is an organization that helps you find ethical tours or cultural activities that seek to uplift the local communities you visit, not exploit them. In addition, World Animal Protection has a variety of resources on how to plan a holiday that doesn’t negatively impact animals. Baby Kris in Yulara, learning boomerang- and spear-throwing from an Anangu guide. 2014. Secondly, I seek to learn about and from the local culture. For me, travel is an ideal way to open your eyes to new ways of living, to experience new ways of being that you perhaps hadn’t considered before, and to gain a better appreciation for the people in this world. In learning from the people I visit, I feel it’s important to do everything within my power to not abuse their culture. This includes paying attention to what is and isn’t considered respectful, and listening without complaint when I’m told not to do something. My third goal is to do no harm to the local people or environment. Essentially, I do my best to not exploit others or contribute to the degradation of culture or the environment, but instead seek to learn from the people and places I visit, and support them in sustainable ways. The entrance fee to Avebury Stone Circle, England, supports the ongoing preservation of this historic site. 2017. In the end, it all comes down to being respectful. If we’re willing to put in the time and effort to not harm the people and places we visit, if we do our part to travel in an ethical way, I believe we can succeed in traveling respectfully. I know that I’ve made mistakes in the past, and that I will undoubtedly make mistakes in the future, but by following these rules and keeping respect as a fundamental value while traveling, I believe I can succeed in traveling as sustainably as possible. Perhaps I can even make the world a bit of a better place while I'm at it.
Want to learn more? Here are some links I found useful when I was first starting out:
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Hi, there! Call me Kris. I’m a world traveler, author and artist working to showcase the world's beauty and inspire you to find your confidence to see the world!
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