How to plan a holiday that benefits everyone involved - including the planet, The i Paper

Sustainable travel is not one genre of travel, nor is it a set of criteria; it is a mindset that can be applied to every trip. Having a positive impact could mean being more discerning about where we go, favouring destinations with strong environmental credentials, and places that put locals first.

By choosing a specific tour, hotel or operator, we can show solidarity with a marginalised part of society, or champion places suffering from a natural or human-made disaster. In cities, our choice of hotel might help to fund green innovations, or we could help to break down prejudices on a migrant tour. We can even use our travels to help save a species from extinction.

Community tourism

Sharing a meal with strangers, or catching a glimpse of an indigenous ritual – it is meaningful interactions with people that often make travel experiences life-changing.
There are plenty of experiences that connect travellers and communities. This could be through visiting a locally owned lodge or a homestay. But is this enough? According to the UN World Tourism Organisation, only five dollars of every $100 (£72) spent in developing countries stay in its economy.

The most exemplary responsible travel experiences do more than foster connections; they make communities stronger and help people to become financially and socially independent.

Learning from one another and exchanging skills is a great way to foster genuine connections. Skill-sharing also has a much more profound positive impact than token volunteering experiences.

Before embarking on any form of volunteering, contemplate what your most valuable skill is, and explore where and how to share it with those that need it most. Look for specialist organisations that set up placements for specific professions, or turn to charities that advertise skill shortages. For example, in Nepal, there’s a shortage of psychologists to deal with child-trauma and human-trafficking victims.

To create a lasting impact and empower local people, look for placements or holidays that facilitate training or workshops. Go in with an open mind and be prepared to learn just as much as you put it.

First published in print. Read online here.