When travelling I try to abide by certain rules and code of behaviour to leave as little physical footprint and burden behind me and above all to travel responsibly. Here is a Code to Travel by now unfortunately extinct FAR-and-NEAR Travel Magazine that I find covers a lot of what I believe in:
With tourism as the world’s fastest growing and largest service industry in recent years, fragile populations, economies and environments in many parts of the world are under threat. Over the years, these are some basic guidelines I’ve come up with to help minimize the impact on the cultures and places we choose to visit.
1. Learn about the history, culture, and current issues of the host country before your trip.
2. Educate yourself on local customs and behave, dress, and interact appropriately.
3. Travel with an open mind.
4. Don’t encourage begging by giving money to children. If you want to give, donate money or necessities such as medicines, clothing, and toiletries to local charities and schools.
5. Donate to projects that benefit local communities.
6. When bargaining, maintain a sense of perspective and be respectful of the seller; a small amount to you means much more to the vendor.
7. Conserve local water and energy as much as possible.
8. Do not litter and keep waste, packaging, etc. to a minimum.
9. Support the local economy by: buying locally made crafts directly from markets and shops; eating in local restaurants whenever possible; using local tour companies and guides; and staying in locally-owned hotels and guest houses.
10. Don’t flaunt your wealth (relative or otherwise).
11. Always ask permission before photographing people or their property.
12. Go with the flow and maintain a sense of humor when things don’t go your way.
