{"id":18220,"date":"2017-03-21T15:14:55","date_gmt":"2017-03-21T04:14:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures?p=18220&preview=true&preview_id=18220"},"modified":"2025-03-22T01:21:09","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T14:21:09","slug":"the-6-rules-of-responsible-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/the-6-rules-of-responsible-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"The 6 rules of responsible travel"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s being a traveller,\u00a0and there\u2019s being a responsible traveller. As you\u2019d imagine, there\u2019s a big\u00a0difference between the two.<\/strong><\/p>\n

From the way travellers interact with local people, to the way they behave and where they spend their money \u2013 there\u2019s a lot to consider. That said, Responsible Travel<\/a> isn’t hard. Most of it comes down to common sense, simply respecting different cultures and travelling equipped with a head full of sustainable\u00a0street-smarts. In order to preserve our world’s\u00a0stunning landscapes, fascinating cultures and far-flung treasures, responsible travel needs to be a buzzword for anyone planning an overseas adventure.<\/p>\n

Here are six basic rules pulled straight from the RT manifesto.<\/a><\/p>\n

1. Buy local<\/h2>\n

By choosing to invest your money in local services \u2013 be it a restaurant, caf\u00e9, bar, or laundromat \u2013 you are putting money directly into the local economy. If you eat at Maccas every day, the locally run businesses suffer whilst Ronald McDonald gets richer. Its smart-shopping 101: by buying local, you\u2019re directly supporting the country you\u2019re visiting. It\u2019s that simple.<\/p>\n

2. Resist the beggars<\/h2>\n

Seeing people fighting poverty in any country, whether first or third world, is heartbreaking. Travellers can often feel overwhelmed by the terrible conditions some people \u2013 especially children – live in, and feel a sense of guilt about their relative comfort. As hard as it may be, it\u2019s important to remember that you shouldn\u2019t give to beggars in the street as this can inversely impact the local people. In some cases, children skip school or are forced out by their parents, and are even deliberately maimed or drugged to increase their earning capacity as beggars.<\/p>\n

An alternative is to give of your \u2018self\u2019, rather than your \u2018wealth\u2019 \u2013 share a joke or a meal, start a conversation, take a photo or play a game. The same goes for orphanage tourism – a practice that often does more harm than good.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n