Responsible Tourism: How to Minimize your Impact

Jul 28, 2025

  -   Filed Under: #adventuretravel | #ecotourism | #Ecuador | #galapagos | #naturetravel | #sustainable tourism | Adventure Travel - 6 minute read.
Contents
Natural Habitat adventures promotes responsible travel

Benefits of Travel

If you have been watching the news or subscribe to travel blogs and social media, you may have seen that protests are increasing in popular tourist destinations all over the world. As a traveler, empath, and animal lover, I want to respect the wishes of locals, minimize my environmental impact, and protect people and animals. As a doctor, I took an oath to avoid harming others and to act with integrity.

So how do we balance this with an insatiable need to wander the earth and explore its every nook and cranny? The benefits of travel are myriad, both to the traveler and to the locals. It expands your worldview and opens your mind, encourages empathy and personal growth, promotes adaptability, increases confidence, improves physical health, so many things… for the places visited, there is job creation, support of local businesses, cultural empowerment, preservation of natural and historic features, and increased revenue for communities.

But I don’t need to convince you to travel if you are reading my blog! You came here to learn how to travel better- to be kind to the locals, the environment, and the animals.

Here are some outfitters I recommend who truly do focus on conservation and taking care of the environment:

  • Natural Habitat Adventures-Teams up with the World Wildlife Fund on small group adventures around the world
  • Viking Cruise Lines is committed to reducing emissions, managing waste, and investing in sustainable technologies
  • Virgin Voyages– their sustainability program is comprehensive: they’ve eliminated plastics, incorporated breakthrough technologies, shifted toward cleaner fuels, reduced waste and water use, and set measurable climate goals.
  • Intrepid Travel– takes a comprehensive, science-driven approach to sustainability that emphasizes reducing emissions, ethical tourism, and environmental restoration
  • Marine Dynamics-will take you cage diving with great white sharks in Shark Alley and are committed to marine conservation.
  • Art of Bicycle Trips-Biking is a great way to cut down on emissions and environmental impact.

 

 

What You Can Do to Minimize Your Impact

Tourists can significantly minimize their environmental, cultural, and economic impact while traveling by following principles of responsible and sustainable tourism. Here are key strategies:

🌿 Environmental Responsibility

1. Choose Eco-Friendly Transport:

    • Walk, bike, or use public transport when possible.

    • Offset carbon emissions from flights through credible carbon offset programs.

2. Reduce Waste:

  • Avoid single-use plastics; carry a reusable water bottle, utensils, and shopping bag.

  • Recycle and dispose of waste properly.

3. Conserve Resources:

    • Turn off lights, air conditioning, and water when not in use.

    • Reuse towels and bedding in hotels to reduce laundry impacts.

4. Respect Wildlife:

    • Don’t feed or touch animals in the wild.

    • Avoid activities that exploit or harm animals.

🏛️ Cultural Sensitivity

1. Respect Local Customs:

    • Learn basic local phrases and customs.

  • Dress appropriately for the culture and places of worship.

2. Be Mindful of Photography:

    • Ask permission before photographing people.

    • Don’t take photos in restricted or sacred areas.

3. Support Local Communities:

    • Buy local crafts and eat at locally owned restaurants.

    • Choose accommodations run by or benefiting local people.

💰 Economic Responsibility

1. Choose Ethical Tour Operators:

Go with companies that support fair wages and community initiatives.

2. Avoid Overtouristed Areas:

Travel during the off-season or explore lesser-known destinations.

3. Pay Fair Prices:

Avoid haggling excessively—ensure locals earn a fair income.

🧭 General Tips

  • Educate Yourself Before You Go: Understand the destination’s environmental and social issues.

  • Be a Role Model: Encourage other travelers to act responsibly.

  • Leave No Trace: The only thing you should leave behind is a positive impression.

There are many excellent resources travelers can use to learn about and plan sustainable, responsible trips. Here are some of the best websites, organizations, and tools:

🌍 Websites & Organizations

1. Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)

  • Website: www.gstcouncil.org

  • Sets global standards for sustainable travel and tourism.

  • Offers lists of certified destinations and accommodations.

2. Sustainable Travel International

  • Website: www.sustainabletravel.org

  • Offers insights into sustainable travel practices, conservation efforts, and carbon offsetting.

3. Travelife

  • Website: www.travelife.info

  • Certifies sustainable tourism businesses and provides guidance for travelers to identify ethical providers.

4. The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)

  • Website: www.ecotourism.org

  • Offers educational materials and global best practices in ecotourism.

5. Tourism for Tomorrow (by WTTC)

  • Website: www.wttc.org

  • Highlights companies and destinations that promote sustainability through their annual awards.

🛏️ Sustainable Accommodation Platforms

  • Bookdifferent (www.bookdifferent.com): Compares hotels based on environmental impact and carbon footprint.

  • EcoBnB (www.ecobnb.com): Connects travelers with eco-friendly lodgings across Europe and beyond.

  • Green Pearls (www.greenpearls.com): Highlights sustainable hotels and destinations globally.

🧳 Apps & Tools

  • HappyCow: Helps find vegetarian, vegan, and eco-friendly restaurants worldwide.

  • Too Good To Go: Reduces food waste by connecting travelers to surplus food from restaurants and bakeries.

  • TripZero: Helps offset the carbon footprint of hotel stays.

📚 Educational Resources

  • UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization): Publishes reports and guides on sustainable tourism trends.

  • Lonely Planet – Sustainable Travel Hub: Offers travel tips and destination guides with sustainability in mind.

  • Responsible Travel Blog (www.responsibletravel.com): Articles and guides about eco-conscious travel.

Ethical Treatment of Animals

Being a responsible traveler means ensuring that your tourism choices don’t harm animals. Many attractions look ethical but aren’t. Many cultures have different views of how to use animals- not everyone carries Princess Fluffington the Pomeranian in their specially made Kate Spade purse/dog carrier and tucks her into her 4-poster canopy bed (You know who you are… Allison :D). Don’t judge others by your own values, but don’t compromise those values either!

Here’s how you can be sure that animals are treated well at tourist sites:

✅ How to Tell if an Animal Attraction is Ethical

First of all, anytime you see those people holding macaws in cruise ports, think of where they came from. They were captured in the wild, and probably not handled humanely. Many of the species are endangered and have very specific nesting requirements. Not only are their lives miserable, but taking them from their natural habitats impacts the survival and health of the species.

Skip the photo ops with monkeys, tiger cubs, snakes, iguanas, camels, koalas, etc… these animals are obviously not in their natural habitats, and paying for these photo ops encourages people to capture more animals for these purposes. I have had photos with snakes and camels, but I have learned since then and regret doing it.

Sorry, but PLEASE don’t swim with captive dolphins.

So sorry to be a buzzkill… please skip this common bucket list item.

  • Swimming with dolphins in captivity is unethical. Period. Some places “greenwash” their lingo and call themselves dolphin-friendly or dolphin sanctuaries, but they still allow touching and swimming with them, keep them in captivity, and value profit over the animals’ welfare.

  • Watching dolphins in the wild, at a respectful distance, is the best way to go.

  • Look for eco-certified operators and conservation-focused experiences.

*Also be aware of the products you buy– anything made from parts of animals like shark fins, rhino horns, and elephant tusk ivory is a big no-no- poachers who obtain these items often do so in brutal ways with no regard for the health or comfort of the animal. Even earrings made from real bird feathers are a problem- they aren’t finding these feathers on the jungle floor- they are finding the birds and taking the feathers from their bodies.

1. No Direct Contact or Riding

  • Avoid: Elephant rides, tiger selfies, dolphin swims, or holding wild animals.

  • Ethical: Sanctuaries that do not allow touching or riding, and let animals roam freely.

2. Rehabilitation Over Entertainment

  • Choose sanctuaries and rescue centers focused on rehabilitation, conservation, or reintroduction to the wild.

  • Be wary of any facility where animals are made to perform tricks or are always on display.

3. Space & Natural Behavior

  • Animals should have plenty of space to move, natural environments, and opportunities to behave as they would in the wild.

  • Crowded pens, chained animals, or excessive human interaction are red flags. I’m talking to you Joe Exotic!

4. Transparent Operations

  • Ethical organizations are transparent about their mission, funding, and how animals were acquired.

  • Look for facilities registered with or endorsed by reputable animal welfare organizations.

🐘 Questions You Can Ask or Research

  • Is this facility accredited by animal welfare groups like Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) or ABTA?

  • Do they breed animals for tourism, or rescue those from abuse?

  • Are the animals ever forced to perform or pose with tourists?

  • How do they educate visitors on conservation?

🌍 Trusted Resources for Ethical Wildlife Tourism

  • World Animal Protection – “Wildlife. Not Entertainers.”
    (www.worldanimalprotection.org)
    Offers a global list of animal attractions to avoid.

  • ABTA Animal Welfare Guidelines
    A global standard for travel companies.

  • Responsible Travel
    (www.responsibletravel.com)
    Only lists experiences that meet strict animal welfare guidelines.

  • FAADA (Foundation for the Adoption, Sponsorship and Defense of Animals)
    Offers an ethical tourism seal and database of cruelty-free experiences.

🚫 Red Flags to Watch For

    • Animals performing tricks (circuses, rides, selfies).

    • Poor hygiene, visible wounds, or lethargic behavior.

    • Night visits to see nocturnal animals active (disrupts their natural cycle).

    • Touching or feeding wild animals.

I have been to a few “Animal Sanctuaries” who do not abide by the above guidelines, and I regret visiting those despite having great experiences. I didn’t know better, but now I do. This is a process called “greenwashing,” where these places will use all the buzzwords like “sanctuaries” and “rescues,” but they still allow riding, touching, etc. and often make the animals “perform.” I did the obligatory camel photo at the pyramids and rode them in Morocco. When you know better, do better, and now I know.

 

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