It can be easy to feel bad when you decide to travel to certain places in the world. Some of the most beautiful locations across the globe are also some of the poorest, with people struggling to live a life similar to the one that you enjoy at home. This leaves a lot of travelers with a sense of remorse for the places they visit, feeling as though they should have done something to improve the areas that they visit. Of course, this can be a challenge, but this article will be exploring some of the best ways to make your trips more socially conscious.
Avoid The Worst Places
For some people, simply avoiding places that will make them feel this way will be the best option. While your tourism will support the locals that you see when you go to certain places, this can also have the opposite effect. Going to North Korea, for example, will have very little impact on the people living in this country. In fact, it’s more likely that you will be funding the lifestyles of the elite in places like this when you decide to travel to them. This can be a hard choice to make, but it can also be a sensible one.
Volunteer
You don’t always have to avoid places to make a difference when you are traveling. Some locations around the world will be filled with communities that will welcome you with open arms, especially if you want to help them to improve their lives. Taking the time to volunteer in Tanzania would enable you to do just this, all while making your adventure much cheaper in the process. You will have to be willing to work hard when you do something like this, and this means that it won’t be a traditional vacation. Of course, though, this won’t stop you from seeing the part of the world you’re visiting, and may even give you a better insight into local lives.
Support Locals
You don’t always have to be so extreme when you’re traveling to have a positive difference in the areas you visit. In many places, simply supporting local businesses will be one of the best ways to make your trip more socially conscious. For example, rather than using big chain restaurants or supermarkets, you can look for much smaller businesses that are operated by people living in the place you’ve visited. Much like volunteering, this can give you a much better idea of how local people live, all without stopping you from enjoying your vacation in the ways that you want to.
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to make travel more socially conscious. More and more people are taking this approach in the modern world, and it can be easy to enjoy an adventure that meets your ethical needs without having to compromise on the things you see. You just have to be willing to work a little harder along the way.
Bonnie is always on the road with some amazing adventures ahead. Her favorite continent is South America and she’s passionate about culture-focused traveling and ethical and sustainable tourism. During her time in university as a research assistant for a sociology professor, she realized she can’t fully understand cultures from a safe distance. She quit her job to become a full-time “voluntourist,” which brings her to places where she can immerse in local communities and support their causes. On top of writing, one of Bonnie’s priorities is offering women advice on how to stay safe while solo backpacking.