San Francisco, Maui, Miami and Los Angeles – fine family vacation spots, right? They’re also believers in the future. These four cities join 170 others signed on to honor 37 criteria for sustainable destinations. One list for hotels; another for destinations. Gives me a good reason to pick them over other places when debating family vacation destination choices.
“Sustainable travel” might seem a little stuffy, but the lists, created by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, are intended to develop a worldwide way to focus on helping the places we visit and the people who live there, never harming or overlooking their essence.
Just paying a little attention, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council says, can launch a big difference. They share broad brushstrokes like:
- Sustainable management
- Socioeconomic impacts
- Cultural impacts
- Environmental impacts
I like to remember that visitors like me are an important source of income for many communities located in extremely biodiverse and fragile areas.
In India a few years ago, my tour guide on a hike was a used-to-be poacher. Thanks to sustainable tourism practices, he could now make a living, abandoning the poaching as a way to support his family.
In the Yucatan, near the ancient Mayan site called Coba, I met a pottery teacher helping a little community stop clear-cutting their forests for fuel to sell for a meager living. Instead, they were becoming artisans, selling lovely works to tourists. The forests can grow again.
So what’s a traveling family to ask? Rainforest Alliance embraces The Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s 37 criteria and offers the rest of us a list of ideas.
At the hotel: Ask about environmental policies and practices. Does the hotel support community development or conservation projects?
Language: Learn a few words of the local language and use them.
Dress: Learn about local conventions and dress appropriately. Modest dress may be important.
Behavior: Be respectful of local citizens’ privacy. Ask permission before entering sacred places, homes, or private lands.
Photographs: Be sensitive to when and where you take photos/video of people. Always ask first.
Environment: Never touch or harass wildlife. Always follow designated trails. Support conservation by paying entrance fees to parks and protected sites or making a donation.
Wildlife or forest products: Never purchase anything derived from protected or endangered wildlife or plant species.
Pay a fair price: Don’t engage in overly aggressive bargaining for souvenirs. Don’t short-change on tips for services.
Buy local: Choose locally-owned lodges and hotels. Use local buses, car rental agencies, and airlines. Eat in local restaurants, shop in local markets, and attend local events.
Hire local guides: Enrich your experience and support the local economy. Ask guides if they are licensed and live nearby. Are they recommended by tour operators?
Girlfriends Spa Day at Natural Body
This is a terrific post! I haven’t traveled much since the baby was born, but I lived overseas for a few months, and all of these suggestions are a wonderful way to respect the culture you are visiting! 🙂