Sustainable Travel Tips

Sustainable travel tips are more important than ever in a world where tourism can both uplift and strain our planet. Luckily, by making conscious choices, you can reduce your carbon footprint and give back to the places you visit. Whether you’re staying close to home or exploring far-flung tropical destinations, every small step counts.

Get inspired and discover how travel can be enriching, not only for you, but also for the planet and its inhabitants. Together, we’re making a difference—one step at a time, one trip at a time. In this blog, we’ll explore practical and inspiring sustainable travel tips. Below sustainable travel tips can help you reduce your environmental footprint and support local communities. It will be easy to enjoy your adventures while protecting the places you love to visit. Check also the region or country page of your destination. There might be specific sustainable tips for that area.

Sustainable Travel tips: Choose Eco-friendly Transportation

  • Reduce your carbon footprint by using public transportation like buses, trains, boats, (shared) shuttles or shared taxis. By traveling with local transport, you support the economy and reduce emissions.
  •  If possible, avoid domestic flights or private cars.
  •  If you cannot avoid a domestic flight, try to choose a direct flight: fewer stopovers mean fewer carbon emissions.
  •  If you need to rent a car, check if hybrid or electric rental cars are available. If you drive yourself, choose a low-emission vehicle.
  •  Sometimes local transportation like ferries or bicycles are great alternatives.

Stay in Eco Lodges and Sustainable Accommodations

  • Choose certified eco lodges, for example:
    +CST (Certification for Sustainable Tourism)-certified accommodations in Costa Rica
    +Global Sustainable Tourism Council members
    +Fair Trade Tourism certified accommodations in Africa
    +Online Eco Rating for Lodging-Offered online on our site. An inexpensive way for lodges to show they practice sustainability.
  • Stay in small eco-resorts rather than large resorts.
  • Find accommodations that take water and energy-saving measures; look for accommodations that use solar or renewable power, collect rainwater, manage waste and hire local staff.
  • Ask about sustainability initiatives – for example, whether they recycle waste, reuse water, or have their own vegetable garden or compost system.
  • Choose small-scale family-run properties: this helps local entrepreneurs and avoids mass tourism impacts.
  • Choose eco lodges that support local communities.
    Once you are at the lodge:
  • Minimize water and energy consumption: re-use towels and turn off lights and fans when you leave.
  • Ask if they separate garbage and where you can deposit your organic garbage like fruit waste.

Eat Local, Organic, and Plant-based Whenever Possible

  • Eat locally and seasonally: avoid imported foods and support local farmers and markets. Try “national” dishes, often locally produced.
  • Choose small, local and often family-run restaurants rather than big, international chains.
  • Don’t use straws in restaurants.
  • Do some research and try to find out if there are seasons during which you are not supposed to eat certain dishes. Perhaps the staff of the eco lodge where you are staying can also advise on this. To give you an idea: think about the reproduction period for endangered fish species. Even if it is on the menu, do not order it. Don’t think “the damage has already been done”. Because if the customers don’t eat it, the restaurant doesn’t sell it, and hence they won’t buy new fish from the fishermen.

Sustainable travel tips to support local ecotourism and local communities

  • Choose socially responsible tour operators that support and work with local communities.
  • Book excursions with community projects, indigenous guides, or NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations).
  • Choose sustainable tours with local guides and small-scale operators. For example, join a guided eco-walk, tree planting or birdwatching tour with a local guide.
  • Avoid tours that involve captive animals or disrupt wildlife.
  • Choose eco-friendly activities: Hike, bike, and take tours that support conservation.

Get involved in conservation

  • Visit or volunteer in responsible nature projects.  All our country pages include a section on small-scale conservation projects. Some you can only visit, but many offer tourists the opportunity to get involved.
  • Consider volunteering at local projects – such as bird monitoring, sustainable farming, or school initiatives. Some eco lodges and organizations offer volunteer opportunities or let you contribute to reforestation projects.
  • Support small local initiatives and participate in beach clean-ups or plant a tree.

Sustainable Travel Tips to Respect Nature and Wildlife

  • Don’t take anything from nature: no shells, plants or rare seeds. Don’t remove plants.
  • Don’t touch, disturb or feed animals. Don’t touch coral.
  • Respect the coral reef; protect marine life from harmful chemicals. Use reef-friendly biodegradable sunscreen when you go snorkeling or swimming. To find a reef-safe sunscreen, look for products that explicitly state they are oxybenzone-free and octinoxate-free.
  • Respect natural areas: stay on trails, take your trash with you and respect wildlife. Follow the rules in protected areas.
  • Respect wildlife: only selfies with wild animals if you’re using a telephoto lens and aren’t close to the animal. No feeding animals outside the guidelines.
  • Visit protected natural areas such as national parks and reserves with strict ecological guidelines.

Shop Consciously and Respect Local Communities

  • Support local communities by buying handmade souvenirs/crafts.
  • Support indigenous communities: buy artisan products directly from them rather than mass-produced souvenirs.
  • Support indigenous communities and buy fair trade products.
  • Avoid coral or shell jewelry – instead, choose handmade souvenirs from local artisans.
  • Respect local traditions – especially in villages or during religious festivities.
  • Buy sustainable souvenirs; no products made from rare wood or animal skins.
  • Respect local cultures: ask permission for photos. Don’t use drones without permission.

Avoid Waste and Plastic

• Limit your plastic use. For example, bring your own cutlery to avoid disposable plastic.
• Don’t litter: bring a reusable bag and a refillable water bottle. In lots of countries tap water is not drinkable. Its best to bring a reusable water bottle with a filter to avoid plastic waste.
• Do not leave any waste.
• Donate or work with local sustainable projects.

Before you go on holiday to another country, it is always wise to do some research on safety. Are there places that you can only visit with an official tour operator? Or perhaps places that are completely discouraged?
Of course, first-hand information is very valuable. But keep in mind that not everything that is said on social media is true. On the other hand, official warnings on the website of the State Department can sometimes be very discouraging.
US citizens can go to https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html

We also recommend you check our Travel resources for the Eco Tourist . The more research you do, the more relaxed you will be while on vacation.