-->
Planning a trip that qualifies as sustainable travel takes a bit of planning. If you spend a little time determining where and how you will travel, you can help considerably in reducing the impact that your visit will have on your destination. Following are a few tips that will help you to plan sustainable travel that gives you peace of mind and helps you to thoroughly enjoy your trip.
1.     Buy locally – This is a major plus when visiting foreign countries and tourist locations. Buying from local vendors helps to stimulate the economy in the region you visit. Instead of buying from large, corporate owned stores, consider purchasing from smaller stores that are locally owned and operated. The prices may be a bit higher than national stores but you have the satisfaction of helping to sustain the area that you are visiting.
2.     Do a bit of research – Before you visit, take the time to research the area and find out what issues you may need to be aware of. In some areas, children sell t-shirts and other items on the street. While it may seem like you are helping out families by purchasing from these children, the truth is that in some countries the children are forced to work by larger companies. Child labor laws are different in every country so take the time to look into issues in the area that you plan to visit before you arrive.
3.     Take along a guide when you sightsee – Local guides provide tours to earn money. If you are interested in visiting some sights, hire a local guide. This will help the economy and will help you to be certain to see the best of the region where you are traveling. Local guides will know all of the best places to eat, sleep and enjoy other activities. They may even be able to show you some sights that are not listed anywhere else you may look.
4.     Leave the car at the hotel – If you are hiring a car, consider leaving the car at least one full day while you are there and walk or take local transportation to where you want to go. By not driving for one full day you are significantly lowering carbon emissions and helping to protect the environment. You can also consider choosing lower impact activities for a day. Think about your impact on the activities that you do consider. For instance it may be perfectly fun and exciting to take a camel ride but if the camels used are being mistreated in any way, this should not be something that you support. Spend time researching and planning your trip to ensure that you choose sustainable activities at least part of the time that you are traveling.
Sustainable travel is not difficult nor does it mean that you cannot enjoy yourself when you travel. You simply have to take a bit of time to plan activities beforehand and ensure that you are not leaving a negative impact on the area that you are visiting.
This article was written by Enerfina, an independent market intermediary in the renewable energy sector. For more information on heat pumps and ways that you can make a positive impact, visit our website today.

271 replies on “4 Ways You Can Enjoy Sustainable Travel”