responsible
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 […]
Why does making sustainable travel choices matter?
Your travel choices make a difference, now more than ever before. Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world, employing more than 235 million people worldwide and generating some 9.2 percent of the global GDP. Whether it’s booking a sustainable hotel or supporting locally-owned businesses, making sustainable choices will contribute to the well-being […]
Responsible Tourism Week 2012: Planeta hosts global unconference
Fall in love with responsible travel from February 13-19, 2012, as Planeta.com hosts Responsible Tourism Week 2012, the annual, week-long online unconference, an inexpensive way to broaden and deepen conversations about travel and tourism. 2012 is the fourth year for Responsible Tourism Week (read more about the event in 2011 and 2010) and we expect […]
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 […]
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 […]
Going local in Chile!
Traditional tourism, sitting on a comfortable bus and taking pictures of the main landmarks of a place can certainly be fun and interesting. But there’s nothing better than going in deeper into the local culture of a destination and exploring off the beaten path. At least that’s what I try to do whenever I travel […]
Linking Cultures Through Sustainable (and Local) Tourism in Celebration of World Tourism Day
Do you believe travel can be a force for good? Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNTWO) has celebrated World Tourism Day on September 27th to bring awareness to the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political, and economic value. “World Tourism Day is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of […]
Stories from a local traveler
I don’t need to go anywhere except my front porch to encounter life in its finest form. Living in Los Angeles has forever redirected my reasons and motives for traveling. When I travel, I often think of my LA days as a reference point for the type of openness, ingenuity and experiences I seek to […]
Local communities in Ecuador
The Local Travel Movement clearly express why we should travel local. However how do you get your connection with the locals and how do you know that there is a benefit for both? This is a question that comes up every time when I am planning my trip. However in Ecuador these questions are not […]