July 12, 2024
How to be a
BETTER
tourist.
Tourism is back, in a BIG WAY, after the nasty C-word that bottomed out travel for a few years. And while that is great news, it also comes with a few unpleasant side effects: badly behaved visitors, pricing locals out of their own cities, and higher environmental impacts. The good news is that there are ways to a better tourist and all it takes is a desire to approach travel more mindfully… Let’s dive in!
TAKE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
Iconic cities like Barcelona, Paris, and Amsterdam will always be on “must visit” lists, but those shouldn’t be the only cities on your list. Similar, lesser known cities can provide amazing trips without the crowds and the strain on your wallet. Instead of starting with a destination, begin by considering the experience you want from your vacation. This will open up a whole host of possibilities that could likely be a better fit. Overwhelmed by that thought? Reach out to me… I adore the challenge of finding the diamonds in the rough!
TIME IT RIGHT
Summer is high travel time, and for good reason: kids are out of school, temperatures are warm, and skies are sunny. But high travel time means you’ll be sharing your vacation experience with hoards of other travelers and adding to the strain on cities in your itinerary. It’s not always possible to avoid peak travel, but my very best travel advice is to travel off-peak any and every time it is possible. The benefit to you as a traveler and to the places you’ll visit is immense.
SHOW RESPECT
…by researching the culture, understanding the norms, and arming yourself with the language before traveling (with a phrase book, translation app, or both!). In Spain, dinner is LATE for American travelers. But by arriving and expecting restaurants to serve me dinner at 5:30, I’m actively choosing not to respect their culture. If late dinners are a problem, I should go armed with snacks or ready to eat a big lunch and have a grocery store dinner, not demand that the country bend to my norms. Other small but significant signs of respect are understanding how tipping works, what types of clothing are acceptable, and approaching locals in their native language (even if it’s in written form in a translation app). Respect is always a two way street and I have found that when I show respect in other countries, it is usually returned ten fold. This one takes a bit of your time, but I’d argue it is time well spent!
PRIORITIZE LOCAL
When possible, eat, shop, and stay in local establishments. Local places not only give you an authentic glimpse of a place, but they can also provide other, amazing recommendations. From hole-in-the-wall restaurants to off-the-beaten-path destinations, some of my favorite memories while traveling are of recommendations from locals to places that I’d never have found on my own.
AVOID DAY TRIPS
Some daytrips can’t be avoided, but when possible I’d always recommend staying overnight in a place rather than just visiting for a day. By staying in a daytrip destination you bring more tourism dollars to the city and in return, you get to see a different, and more lovely side of a place. We experienced this first hand when we traveled to the Cinque Terre region of Italy. By day the five villages were overrun with Daytripper's, but in the mornings and evenings the villages put on a show we won’t soon forget.
STAY IN HOTELS RATHER THAN HOLIDAY RENTALS
This is a hard one for me because I love a good holiday rental, especially for certain kinds of trips. But, I’ve come to realize that while there are some trips that are still best suited for a holiday rental, not all are and for those trips I’ll seek out hotels to lessen the impact on cities as I travel. The fact is that holiday rentals put a strain on housing markets and decrease the availability of affordable real estate, neither of which are good results for local populations. I’ve also begun to find that in some markets holiday rentals are much pricier than local hotels… quite the opposite of how these platforms began in their early years. This doesn’t mean I won’t consider holiday rentals in the future, only that I plan to weigh the pros and cons for each destination and trip before deciding which is best.
KEEP THE ENVIRONMENT IN MIND
To reduce your environmental impact, choose other modes of transport (trains or buses) over flights when possible. Don’t litter or vandalize landmarks. Don’t ignore signs asking you not to enter an area. Recycle when possible. Basically, treat a place how you’d want it to be treated if you lived there! This is not only a sign of respect for a place, but also a way to help preserve these amazing landmarks and spaces for future generations to enjoy.
How are you feeling? Convicted or maybe patting yourself on the back for a job well done? Self-reflection is never easy and I am DEFINITELY guilty of not being a good tourist sometimes, but I appreciate the ability to learn and try to do better next time. You know what they say… practice makes perfect! So if you need to practice being a better tourist, reach out anytime, I’d love to help you find the perfect vacation to practice on… wink, wink.
Travel is the best way to curate joy in your life. Let us help you make your next trip amazing!
How to be a BETTER tourist.
Ways to be a better, more mindful tourist.