What is Responsible Travel?
What is the definition of the term ‘responsible travel’? It’s travel that benefits places and people. This means that it aims to avoid harming nature and wildlife – where possible having a positive impact – and aims to benefit communities economically and socially.
Travelling responsibly can also create opportunities and improve conditions for people within the destination. At its best, communities are consulted and tourism undertaken in collaboration with local people. Cultural and natural heritage are treated with respect and traditions supported. Above all, a responsible holiday should mean an enriched experience for everyone involved.
We have thousands of amazing, fun, holidays on our site, for every sort of interest and activity. They all fall under the banner of responsible travel in different ways (you can read more about how we screen our trips here).
Your holiday might, for example, use local guides, it might stay in locally owned accommodation, use ingredients from the surrounding area and visit locally owned cafes restaurants – which keeps money in the community and minimises environmental impact. It might visit national parks and sanctuaries that support regional wildlife and biodiversity, following designated paths and working with local initiatives. It might visit local artisans, learn about traditions, and bring tourist money into lesser visited towns and regions.
The people that we work with are passionate about responsible travel, which is why we think our holidays are the best there are.
Travel should be good for you, the places and people that you visit, and the planet. We are the pioneers of responsible tourism and have been trying to square this circle, which isn’t easy, every day since 2001.
Nature and carbon are two sides of the same coin. We can’t tackle the climate crisis without improving nature’s ability to sequester carbon – and climate change is one of the five greatest threats to nature. Our goals are ambitious and in line with international agreements.
Our Impact Report - Tipping the Scales - and 2024 update are a comprehensive overview of how we’re working with our global partners to minimise tourism’s harmful impacts, and maximise the good. They're full of hope and inspiring stories, but they're an honest appraisal of our limitations and learning too.
Read more in our climate, nature and community hubs:
Travelling responsibly can also create opportunities and improve conditions for people within the destination. At its best, communities are consulted and tourism undertaken in collaboration with local people. Cultural and natural heritage are treated with respect and traditions supported. Above all, a responsible holiday should mean an enriched experience for everyone involved.
We have thousands of amazing, fun, holidays on our site, for every sort of interest and activity. They all fall under the banner of responsible travel in different ways (you can read more about how we screen our trips here).
Your holiday might, for example, use local guides, it might stay in locally owned accommodation, use ingredients from the surrounding area and visit locally owned cafes restaurants – which keeps money in the community and minimises environmental impact. It might visit national parks and sanctuaries that support regional wildlife and biodiversity, following designated paths and working with local initiatives. It might visit local artisans, learn about traditions, and bring tourist money into lesser visited towns and regions.
The people that we work with are passionate about responsible travel, which is why we think our holidays are the best there are.
Travel should be good for you, the places and people that you visit, and the planet. We are the pioneers of responsible tourism and have been trying to square this circle, which isn’t easy, every day since 2001.
Our goals
Nature and carbon are two sides of the same coin. We can’t tackle the climate crisis without improving nature’s ability to sequester carbon – and climate change is one of the five greatest threats to nature. Our goals are ambitious and in line with international agreements.
CARBON
We will deliver a measurable
50 percent reduction
in scope 1 and 2 emissions by
2030 versus a 2023 baseline.
We will contribute to a
50 percent scope 3
reduction by 2030
We will deliver a measurable
50 percent reduction
in scope 1 and 2 emissions by
2030 versus a 2023 baseline.
We will contribute to a
50 percent scope 3
reduction by 2030
NATURE
We aim to contribute
to a nature positive
world by 2030
We aim to contribute
to a nature positive
world by 2030
Impact report
Our Impact Report - Tipping the Scales - and 2024 update are a comprehensive overview of how we’re working with our global partners to minimise tourism’s harmful impacts, and maximise the good. They're full of hope and inspiring stories, but they're an honest appraisal of our limitations and learning too.
Climate, nature and community
Read more in our climate, nature and community hubs:
