Conscious travelling is the art of travelling mindfully and respectfully as you explore new locations and discover some truly exotic destinations around the world. This concept of conscious travelling was created by Anna Pollock, who is considered a change-maker in the international travel community. She insists on the importance of being conscious as you enjoy luxury travel experiences across the globe.
When you decide to become a conscious traveller, you start to develop a heightened awareness of the impact that your travelling has on the environment. Additionally, conscious travelling includes being mindful of your visit’s effect on the local community and their economy.
With this increased awareness, you can focus on making better, more respectful decisions while travelling with a luxury travel company like SevenTravel. Here are some ways you can become a conscious traveller.
Ways to Become a Conscious Traveller
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Learn about the destination
When planning out your luxury travel experiences, the first thing you should do is learn about your destination. Regardless of whether you’re travelling to the other side of the world or simply a nearby island, it is essential to educate yourself about the culture, customs and ways of the place you’re heading off to.
Let’s consider a few examples. If you’re planning out a spiritual trip to Indonesia, you should know that it is obliged to keep your knees and shoulders covered when visiting a temple. Similarly, if you want to enjoy the street food of Beijing, it would do you well to know that burping is considered a sign of gratitude.
The beauty of our world lies in our uniqueness, and respecting your destination enough to learn how it differs from your country is a great way to become a more conscious traveller.
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Travel during off-peak season
When you’re considering your next luxury holiday destination, consider visiting it during the off-peak season. Some of the world’s most popular tourist spots are suffering from extreme effects of ‘over-tourism’, which has caused a strain on the local community, culture and environment.
As a conscious traveller, it is your responsibility to be mindful of all three of these entities. So, if you wish to travel to a popular tourist spot, try to do it during the off-peak season so you don’t worsen the strain. You might even find that it is a better experience since there will be no long queues and overcrowded areas full of people.
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Pack smart and light
As a traveller, packing is an area where you have the utmost control over your carbon footprint. Therefore, you should do your best to minimise it to better the environment. Conscious travelling requires smart and light packing. So, instead of choosing different outfits for every occasion, try only to pack the essentials and pick out items that you can repurpose throughout your trip.
Not only will this reduce your carbon footprint, but it also makes your luggage more manageable. Packing light ensures that there isn’t excessive packaging and weight causing vehicles to work harder and consume more fuel. You also won’t need to spend hours unpacking, and your conscious travel will be a great success.
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Buy and eat local
Once you’ve reached your destination, you should consciously spend your money on local businesses. Since the host country has welcomed you as their guest, it is your social and moral responsibility to give back by spending on local businesses to help the country’s economy.
Most fancy resorts and giant hotel chains offer a comfortable place to stay, but they aren’t locally owned. So, you can request your luxury travel company for hotels and chalets owned by the locals for conscious travelling.
Additionally, you can practice eating at local restaurants and small corner side shops instead of fast-food chains. Not only is it a great way to support the local economy, but you also get a chance to experience the country’s traditional food in its truest form. Be sure to try out street food and local cafes as they usually serve the best food.
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Work on being an eco-tourist
Lastly, conscious travel requires you to be an eco-tourist. Eco-tourism is a term that has been around a long time, but unfortunately, people are yet to accept and implement it fully. Being an eco-tourist means that you do your best to reduce your carbon footprint throughout the trip. You should also avoid using single-use plastics and carry reusable tote bags for your shopping.
If your luxury holiday destination includes adventure-filled hikes and other activities, carry a water bottle around that you can refill. You can also pack steel straws and cutlery to avoid using plastic ones.
Climate change is genuine, and it affects every single country around the globe. No matter what city you choose for your next travel destination, the effects of climate change will be quite evident there. So, do your best to travel consciously and be mindful of where you are.
Happy Travelling.