Best Practices for Eco-Tourists to Follow in 2023

                                                           Shutterstock Photo License - Zivica Kerkez

Sustainability is becoming a more focal part of our lives. It is being integrated into many different elements of society, including the travel industry. Last year, a survey showed that 80% of global tourists feel sustainable travel is important.

The last several years have reshaped our perceptions of vacations and traveling. Now that we are planning a trip and booking our flight tickets, it’s the ideal moment to learn how to travel sustainably while still enjoying our vacations.

Although more eco-friendly travel places are being created, it is our responsibility to promote eco-friendly travel. When you think about it, traveling sustainably is not that tough. With a few adjustments to your travel routine, you can travel sustainably. All that is needed for eco-friendly travel is some simple logic and a feeling of responsibility.

What exactly is sustainable Eco travel?

Sustainable tourism is about making choices that have a positive effect on the region, its residents, and the environment instead of harming them. You can concentrate on the topics that are most important to you by creating an approach to responsible tourism to meet your values.

Nevertheless, responsible travel practices need to include a variety of sustainability practices, if feasible. This includes supporting neighborhood shops, and respecting the environment and cultural traditions of the destination. It may seem like there are many factors to take into account while searching for a vacation, but the best part is that it’s never been simpler to change your perspective to follow an approach that is more socially and environmentally responsible.

Be a trendsetter rather than one who leaves a trail of waste and pollution. Here are a few quick tips to help you be eco-aware and travel sustainably in 2023.

• Keep Tickets Off The Printer

Begin your eco-friendly travel experience with one easy rule: don’t print tickets. These days, electronic tickets are accepted by every ticketing agency, travel company, movie theatre, and even public transportation system. It is unnecessary to spend paper printing a one-time usage document like a ticket. To buy and show tickets, use the relevant app on your smartphone. Save paper and lessen your waste while you travel.

• Refrain From Using Plastics

Plastic waste is a very big problem for the environment. Therefore, all consumers need to take steps to minimize plastic waste as much as possible.

Plastic use must be avoided if you wish to travel sustainably. Since certain items still need plastic, such as damp clothes and shoes, getting rid of plastic completely might be difficult in practice. You can begin lightly. Instead of carrying a plastic water bottle, choose one made of stainless steel. Utilize strong jute sacks. Traveling and being environmentally conscious are not mutually exclusive.

• Nature Must Be Respected

Nature and eco-friendly travel are closely related. The majority of eco-tourism locations are either near or inside flourishing natural regions. It is your duty as a responsible traveler to make sure you don’t upset the fine balance of these ecological areas. Act with thought first. Avoid damaging plants or plucking flowers since even these harmless acts may have significant effects.

There are a lot of great destinations for eco-tourists in the United States. You should also try to find great eco-tourist destinations when traveling abroad.

• Avoid Disturbing Wildlife

The most significant casualty of our careless behavior is wildlife. Numerous species have already reached the point of extinction as a result of widespread deforestation, resource extraction, and willful eradication of their natural surroundings. Never disturb wildlife while it’s around, whether it’s at a zoo, nature reserve, or wildlife sanctuary. Many reckless visitors are known to poke and intimidate animals to get a response from them. Animals that experience it go through severe emotional pain. Only observing, and doing so carefully from a distance to avoid shock or disruption, is what a sustainable traveler does.

• Make Use Of Public Transit

For transportation needs while on vacation, unless you’re doing a road trip, you’ll need to rent a car. When possible, travel greener by using public transportation. Although it may not always be a viable option, this offers several advantages. You get to know the locals while saving money on the rental fee and lessening your environmental impact.

• Do Not Leave Litter

The largest problem that all tourist locations deal with is littering. Despite the abundance of trash cans, it is a grim fact at all well-known tourist attractions to see trash thrown about carelessly. As a responsible traveler, do your part by making it a routine to have a trash bag with you when you go sightseeing. Put all of your waste in it until you return to your hotel.

• Always Camp Responsibly

Camping in the great outdoors is enjoyable. Not many travelers can understand the pleasure of escaping from it all and residing in the middle of nature. You must make every effort not to disrupt the environment while you are in it. Keep some things in mind if you want to travel sustainably. Be very cautious while starting a campfire since forest fires are a genuine risk. Before you go, properly put out the fire. Put all of your waste in a bag and carry it with you when you go. To prevent wild animals from becoming used to easy meals, don’t leave any food behind.  Use biodegradable toilet paper and dig deep pits for your toilets that are remote from the main part of the campground and drinking water sources.

• Learn To Enjoy Slow Travel

The infrastructure that allows for quick travel was not always available to previous generations. The concept of slow travel is becoming more popular among thoughtful travelers today, despite the choices for getting anywhere quickly. Slow travel entails exploring the local people, cultures, cuisine, and arts rather than hurriedly moving from one location to another. It also entails using public transportation such as trains, buses, or treks rather than idly flying or driving from one location to the next without spending the time to establish connections with any particular location. After all, shouldn’t traveling be about enjoying the present moment while simultaneously having a positive influence on the environment?

• Eat And Drink Responsibly

The best part of every vacation is the food. Support family-owned companies wherever you can, and look for restaurants that work with local farmers to make your culinary explorations sustainable. Eating locally grown, in-season products can lessen your carbon impact and give you a genuine sense of regional cuisine. Nothing could be better than being able to enjoy regional foods sustainably.

Source: Diana Hope (Blue & Green Tomorrow)