Dropping the package

More tourists than ever are making sure the money they spend on holiday ends up with the communities they visit and not simply in the pockets of western travel companies. Sarah Hanson reports on the growing number of responsible travellers

The traditional package holiday may be a dying breed. The latest trend is for responsible travel—tourism that benefits the local people, the environment and wildlife, as well as holiday-makers. Since the millennium, Justin Francis, managing director of online travel agency responsibletravel.com, has noticed a rise in the number of travellers wanting to take responsibility for the impact they have on destinations.

“Holiday-makers—particularly well informed holiday-makers—understand they are travelling to some of the most beautiful but most vulnerable parts of the world,” he says. “They know they are making an impact and they want it to be positive.”

Amanda Marks, who runs fair-trade travel company Tribes Travel, has noticed the same trend. “Responsible tourism has really gained momentum in the last five years,” she says. “Ten years ago people were interested in saving the rainforests and wildlife. The focus in the last five years has been on people.”

From gap-year students to professionals, from families to retired couples, Francis reckons that “light-green” travellers, as he calls them, now make up 15-20 per cent of the market. Like consumers who try to buy organic produce and recycle when they can, these travellers want to do their best for the local environment while on holiday. But many are also looking for a more authentic holiday experience. “People are bored of being cooped up all day in a luxury resort,” says Francis. “They want to get out and discover more about the local people and culture.”

Light-green travellers choose to use local guides rather than ex-pats, thus gaining a better insight into local culture and boosting the local economy. For the same reason, they might spend part of their holiday in local accommodation, go out to experience local food and buy crafts from the local market, instead of from the hotel.

But wouldn’t it be much greener if we all took holidays a bit closer to home? “The flight is the most environmentally damaging part of a holiday,” agrees Francis. “But you have to look at the entire trip and its impact. Tourists spend £2bn in developing countries—a lot of which trickles down to the local population. If people don’t travel, people can lose their jobs and livelihoods.”

According to Francis, tourism can even help the environment:  “While developed countries can afford to set aside national parks, developing countries can’t afford to sustain them without money from tourism.”

Damage limitation

You can help fight global warming by offsetting the pollution caused by air travel. Climate Care is an organisation that enables you to balance out your share of a flight’s emissions. The money raised is used to fund projects around the world that absorb or reduce greenhouse gases elsewhere. For more information visit the Climate Care website at www.climatecare.org

Where to go?

Tanzania
A 10-day safari makes the most of the variety in northern Tanzania. See and feel the real Africa, combining lodges and canvas. Meet the Maasai as guides on walks in an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Price From £1,750, not including flights.
www.tribes.co.uk

Peru
Spend 14 days exploring Peru’s Amazon rainforest and the world of the Incas, with the option of a short walk on the Inca trail. Not only will you be taking the strain off the Inca train, you’ll stay in Cuzco where you can donate to a local orphanage.
Price From £1,581, including return flights from London.
www.exodus.co.uk

Zambia
What could be more environmentally friendly than a 10-day walking safari? One third of Zambia’s land is protected as national park and it specialises in low impact, small group, walking safaris.
Price From £2,837
www.sunvil.co.uk

Ecuador
Spend 14 days visiting the colonial city of Cuenca, the Cotopaxi National Park and then stay in the Kapawi or Yachana lodge, in the heart of the rainforest. All profits from Yachana go back into various local projects, including a medical clinic and a school transport scheme.
Price from £2,170 based on two people sharing, including international flights.
www.lastfrontiers.com

Scotland
To really cut flight emissions, try a walking holiday in the mountains of Scotland. Learn about the history, the opportunities and the pressures facing the area—both environmental and socio-economic.
Price From £295, depending on trip and duration.
www.responsibletravel.com