Opinion
Another way to travel is possible: Discover sustainable and responsible tourism
Agrotravel Turismo Responsable was established with a vision for a different kind of tourism than what is mainsatream in Spain. It sees the principles of responsible tourism as the best way to travel. At Agrotravel Turismo Responsable, we believe that tourism should have qualities that contribute to the sustainable social, economic and environmental development of […]
Why aren’t more bloggers writing about responsible (and local) travel?
Most mainstream newspapers and magazines today give periodic lip service to the evolution of travel, acknowledging that more and more travellers consider themselves ‘ecotourists,’ but not really giving their readers enough to feed their ethical penchants. Hamstrung by shrinking budgets, market-deaf advertisers and cumbersome bureaucracy, major travel media look like they’re being outpaced by the […]
Importance of supporting local communities when you travel
While traveling through the Banff/Lake Louise region, I was fortunate enough to experience some of the activities that make the area great. Hot springs, snow tubing and exploring nature were all highlights, but one of my favorite activities was dogsledding with Kingmik Dogsled Tours. Megan is also the owner of Kingmik Dogsled Tours, a business […]
Experience Ukraine as a local: comfort foods, bread, grandmas and bazaars
What foods do you know from Ukrainian cuisine? Is it the borshch that first pops up in your head? No doubt, it is the main representative of Ukrainian culinary talents abroad, beside pierogi, or varenyky as they are called here, and vodka or horilka. However, Ukrainian cuisine extends much farther than that! You won’t find […]
Urban Adventures and the Local Travel Movement
Local travel is what we do. It’s the backbone of our operations, and a fundamental aspect of our day-to-day business. As a strong believer in and practicer of responsible travel, Urban Adventures is committed to its core tenets, which include local travel. As a proud member of the Local Travel Movement, Urban Adventures strives to […]
How to avoid ‘localwashing’ while on vacation
Have you noticed how companies of all sizes are touting their local credentials these days? Whether you are shopping at your local supermarket or deciding on your next vacation destination, advertisements are replete with images of locally sourced fresh food or locally guided unique vacation services. And why not? “Buy local” and “local first” campaigns […]
The benefits of Local Travel in the hills of northern Thailand
The ‘mountain people’ otherwise known as the hill tribes of northern Thailand, came from neighbouring Laos, Burma and China to settle in the remote highlands of northern Thailand hundreds of years ago. Their primitive way of life, as subsistence farmers living off the land in the remote mountain forests, is a cultural curiosity for the […]
The Travel Word’s best local travel pictures of the year 2011
It’s hard to believe another year has gone by. And with it the grace of another 44 incredible Photos of the Week. We are nevertheless once again proud to present our Photos of the Year – the travel pictures of the year 2011 that most captured the imagination of The Travel Word team and a […]
Voluntourism vs. Local Travel – making a (sustainable) difference abroad
Many travellers get to a point in their experience when they want to make a difference in the places they’ve visited. Whether it’s by donating money to a local charity, spending a day at an orphanage, taking a week to help build a school, or spending months working on a local development project, voluntourism has […]
When local cultures aren’t so great
Travel exposes us to many strange sights and experiences. By setting foot beyond our own borders we might explore palaces and temples that we’ve seen before in movies; we might meet people of races we’ve never encountered and see their colourful national dress; we’ll probably hear many languages that we don’t understand. Most of our […]