The 10 myths about responsible travelling
Many people perceive responsible travel to be about paying a lot of money to stay in a mud hut on a deserted island somewhere in the middle of nowhere. But taking a responsible holiday doesn’t need to be like this. Here we take some of the common myths about responsible travel and expose the truth!1. It's all organised tours
Many of our holidays are organised tours but if that’s not your thing there are plenty of other responsible holiday ideas on our site. We have a selection of independent day tours that you can take, some overnight tours and lots of accommodations so you can plan your own independent adventure and still have a thoroughly responsible holiday.
2. You have to rough it
Not all responsible holidays are about sleeping under the stars or staying in homestays with the locals. Luxury holidays can still be responsible. If you would like a comfortable holiday with a bit of luxury then we have a great selection of holidays for you to choose from. Whether you are travelling on your own or with your family, looking for a bit of culture, safari or a beach holiday we have a range of tailormade and luxury tour operators that can help you find your dream holiday. Our luxury holidays aren’t all luxury beach resorts (although we do have a few!), we have some really unusual luxury holidays that will impress your friend such as hot air ballooning in Turkey or a tailormade Eritrea holiday .
3. It’s expensive
This is possibly one of the greatest misconceptions about responsible travel. Responsible travel doesn’t have to be expensive. We have budget accommodation from just £2 a night . As many of the communities we work with are in rural and agricultural areas even a small amount of tourism bringing in a small amount of income can really benefit the community. We have a wide range of responsible budget holidays including accommodations, safaris, cultural and adventure holidays. Our budget holidays include inexpensive versions of the classic holidays such as the Inca trail, the Great Wall of China and the Galapagos islands as well as some more adventurous holidays such sea kayaking in Croatia and a Vietnam train journey . We also have some unusual budget accommodations such as a retro caravan park in the Pyrenees and a homestay accommodation in Thailand. Whatever your budget and your requirements are we should have something that appeals to you. And don’t forget, if you find something that seems close to your requirements but isn’t quite right, make an enquiry anyway as our operators might have the perfect trip just waiting for you.
4. You can only go to remote, third world countries
Responsible travel is about your and the tour operator's actions and behaviours rather than where you go. It doesn't matter if your going to the Europe, United States or Ethiopia, either way you should be careful with your waste, be respectful of the local culture and your visit should benefit the local community. We have holidays in countries all over the world from Austria to Zambia and Alaska to Vietnam so where ever you want to go, you can take a responsible holiday.
5. You can’t be a responsible traveller in the UK
If you’re not keen on flying or if you’re trying to reduce your carbon footprint by reducing your air miles then we have a great range of responsible UK holidays for you to choose from. Holidays in the UK are great for the environment as travelling is reduced and holidays in rural areas (especially farmstays ) can really benefit struggling farming communities. Many people often overlook the UK as a holiday destination as it’s not as exotic as visiting some far flung destination. But there’s so much to see in the UK that it’s unlikely that many people have seen all there is to see. We have some great UK accommodations on the site such as tipis in Wales , a houseboat in Devon, and a lighthouse in Scotland.
6. It's all hard work, you can’t do any fun activities
Responsible travel isn’t all about volunteering. Volunteering is a great way to contribute to conservation projects and community development but you can have a responsible holiday and contribute to the local economy without volunteering. We at responsibletravel.com believe that you can still take the holiday that you want to whether it’s skiing , diving , trekking or a cruise as long as the tour operators are running the trip in a responsible manner. We also encourage our travellers to behave responsibly whilst on holiday (and at home). Check out our criteria for operators to be on our site here . 7. You can’t travel with kids, its only for young people
Many people want to take their children on holidays somewhere a little different rather than the usual busy beach resorts that are traditionally offered as family holidays. Our responsible family holidays range from relaxing holidays and accommodation suitable babies to activity and adventure holidays . We also have holidays that we keep teenage children entertained and a range of holidays suitable for single parents .
Many gap year and volunteering trips are targeted at people in their 20s but most responsible holidays are suitable for people of all ages. Whether you are eight or eighty we will have a great holiday for you to enjoy. If you’re keen to travel with people the same age as you, just ask the tour operator. For the over 50’s we have a selection of holidays just for you.
8. A holiday can't be responsible if you have to fly there
Many people think that any holiday that involves flying is immediately bad for the environment and therefore can’t be responsible. We at responsibletravel.com believe that being responsible means more than feeling guilty about your flights carbon emissions. By using local guides and local accommodations and buying local products whilst on holiday you can bring income to remote or rural communities that mass tourism rarely benefits. We also encourage travellers to offset the carbon emissions of their flight using our carbon calculator. This means that money is invested in carbon reducing initiatives around the world. Read our view on flying here.
9. You can’t have responsible city breaks
Even trips to cities can be responsible. Our city breaks stay in locally owned accommodations and show you the culture and heritage of the city. Whether you are looking for a weekend in Prague or a few days in Tallinn, our city breaks tours and accommodations offer more responsible option to those looking for a classic short break.
10. It doesn’t benefit anyone, it's just good marketing
Responsible travel isn’t all marketing; we believe it’s a better way to travel. Responsible tourism aims to increases the positive impacts and minimise the negative impacts on travel. We at responsibletravel.com are committed to the cause and for every holiday booked through us we give £1 to charity . We only advertise holidays that minimise their environmental impact and will benefit and bring employment to the local community. This means that all of our holidays are responsible in many different ways; from a community run camel safari in Tanzania that finances local building projects to an English B&B that uses solar power to make hot water. So whatever budget and requirements you can still travel responsibly and make sure that your holiday benefits the local community and has a minimal environmental impact.
If you're not from the UK but also don’t want to travel too far from home then check out the holidays we have in your country and neighbouring countries. If you are flying to your holiday destination, don’t forget to offset your carbon emissions with climate care.
Now you know what responsible travel is, find your own responsible holiday here.
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