5 Ways To Make Holidaying Abroad More Ethical

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{This is a collaborative post}

It’s become increasingly common to set aside international travel in recent years, as the cost of living, the risks of Covid and the environmental toll have all become starkly obvious. Make no mistake, these are all perfectly good reasons to focus more on a staycation or a local holiday and a lesson we can all learn is that there is beauty and interest on our doorstep. From now on, hopefully, the dial will be turned in favour of more domestic travel, but it would, however, be a shame to become totally insular and miss out on the delights that can be experienced in other countries. A good way forward could be to focus on more ethical ways to see the world and contribute to tourist economies.

Can you travel internationally without compromising on your principles? Yes, but it will take a little more effort. Is it worth it? Yes, it certainly is. Below, we’ll go into some of the ways you can satisfy the more ambitious parts of your wanderlust without having to silence the ethical voice that keeps you on the straight and narrow, as well as recommending some places you can see while doing so. Safe travels (for you and the planet)!

Focus on the local

Just as you can favour local economies at home and keep your carbon footprint to a minimum, overseas travel can offer you opportunities to do likewise. The best way of doing this is to visit destinations outside of the tourist season and keep your focus on the local area. If you go to France, it doesn’t have to be all about heading to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower. There are innumerable delightful French villages that you can reach without even stepping on a plane - and while there you can eat at independent local restaurants, travel by public transport and stay in family-owned accommodation such as B&Bs.

This way, you contribute to the local economy of these areas, conserve the natural character of the communities and experience the genuine uniqueness of your destination - and all without having to queue for hours to see something you’ve seen thousands of times on TV!