When we visit beautiful places it's natural to want our holidays to have a positive impact on local people and their environments, and this is no different when going on a sports holiday. It’s a privilege to be able to enter and experience some of the world’s extraordinary habitats, whether it’s through climbing Everest or diving coral reefs. However coral reefs for example are under extreme threat, and if we want to ensure that our kids can enjoy the same wonderful experiences then we need to dive responsibly. Similarly, our mountains are some of the most pristine natural environments in the world. These wilderness areas provide enjoyment for a great many tourists and local people, as well as livelihoods, money and jobs for communities. These habitats, cultures and livelihoods must be conserved for the future.
To help you be a responsible, as well as an active traveller, we have compiled some tips to make sure that your sports holiday is responsible.
Choose your tour operator and accommodation carefully Ask to see your sports tour operator's policy for responsible tourism. All responsibletravel.com members have to have one. Make sure it explains how they minimise environmental impacts and support the local economy. If they haven't got one they probably are not taking it seriously.
Plan to stay in locally owned accommodation, rather than accommodation owned by overseas tour companies - unless they can convince you that they provide significant local employment, train and develop local people, use local services & produce, and that the accommodation has been built to exceptionally high environmental standards. Ask your hotel/accommodation our
10 simple questions to see if they really are eco!
Getting there greener Plan your route to minimise carbon emissions - travel by train and public transport where possible, and minimise internal flights. Try our
lower carbon travel holidays, or there are some great ideas for train travel
here If you can’t get to your sporting holiday without avoiding flying altogether, then minimise flying time and stopovers - the worst carbon emissions are emitted during take off and landing.
Read our view on flying
here Consider your sport Instead of going skiing on graded slopes which have a large
impact on the environment , consider ski touring,
cross country skiing or
snowshoeing . They are less dependent on graded slopes and ski lifts and create less environmental impacts. responsibletravel.com has a great selection of these holidays
here .
Sporting holidays often have the advantage of involving human powered activities such as
walking , cycling,
kayaking etc, which carry a low carbon footprint.
Cycling or walking is also a great way to meet local people on their terms and reduce pollution and carbon emissions, and for all other journeys try using local transport. Respect the natural habitat of animals and plants by taking care not to damage vegetation, knocking off branches or damaging shoots. Many areas are out of bounds to protect the natural habitat of animals and plants - not just for safety reasons so avoid unnecessarily interfering with them, which includes feeding wild animals. Anchors cause serious damage to reefs. Ask your skipper if they will be using a mooring, and about how they ensure the reefs will not be damaged. If
diving , make sure that your point of entry to the water is away from fragile corals, it’s all too easy to damage them as you enter. Practice your buoyancy over sand before moving towards corals and reefs. Even the sand kicked up by fin kicks close to corals and vulnerable organisms can damage them. Look don’t touch. Even robust looking corals and polyps can be destroyed by the gentlest touch.
Think local - Read up on local cultures and learn a few words of the local language - travelling with respect earns you respect
- Ask your tour operator/hotel if there are useful gifts that you could pack for your hosts, local people or schools
- Ask your tour operator whether there are local conservation or social projects that you could visit on your trip, and if/how you could help support them
- Buy local produce in preference to imported goods. Eat in local restaurants and use local guides and services - you'll discover more about local culture and lives, and they will earn an income
- Respect local cultures, traditions and holy places - if in doubt ask advice or don't visit.
- Remember that local people have different ways of thinking and concepts of time, this just makes them different not wrong - cultivate the habit of asking questions (rather than the Western habit of knowing the answers). For more ideas on deeper and more responsible travel see here .
All the little things - Remove all excess packaging - waste disposal is difficult in remote places and developing countries
- Ask your tour operator for specific tips for responsible travel in your destination
- Do not buy products made from endangered species, hard woods or ancient artefacts. Do not buy gifts or souvenirs that are made from corals, shells or hardwoods. If you witness trade in these items report it to www.earthdive.com via their science log.
- Use water sparingly - its very precious in many countries and tourists tend to use far more than local people
- Avoid tourist attractions which have questionable animal welfare credentials. For more information about animal welfare issues check out our travellers tips for animal friendly holidays here
When you get back Write to your tour operator or hotel with any comments or feedback about your holiday, and especially include any suggestions on reducing environmental impacts and increasing benefits to local communities. You will find independent holiday
reviews from travellers on many responsibletravel.com holidays.
If you've promised to send pictures or gifts to local people remember to do so, many are promised and not all arrive! Finally, enjoy the memories, reflect on your experience and start planning your next trip!
