Towards Responsible Travel
Responsible Tourism
We hear so much about Responsible Tourism these days, but what does it really mean? It is certainly more than just opting not to have your hotel towels changed every day. Officially,
Responsible Tourism requires that operators, hoteliers, governments, local people and tourists take responsibility, take action to make tourism more sustainable. Liz King Bespoke Travel takes this responsibility seriously and only works with travel partners who share the same ethos.
The aim is to ensure that our travel minimises negative, environmental and social impacts on the places we visit and benefits local people economically. We should be mindful of the working conditions of humans and animals alike and, where possible , choose places where local people are involved in the decision making and running of the places they work.
Ethical Luxury
The big question is whether ethical luxury travel is an oxymoron. I believe you can travel in style by making informed decisions about how often you travel, whether the luxury hotels you visit are taking steps to improve their sustainability and social responsibility.
We can also make sure we do our bit by using local tour guides and taxi drivers, shopping for local souvenirs, using refillable water bottles and boycotting single use plastics.
Increasingly, five star hotels offer the opportunity to get involved with local community development and conservation. You might be able to help out at a local school or building project.
I always encourage my clients to take appropriate gifts out in their luggage and use the empty space on the return to bring back locally made gifts. Make sure you are taking the right gifts to the right destination by consulting Pack for a Purpose.
