Take care of the environment

If you want to visit pristine beaches, breathe in fresh mountain air and wander through a picturesque town with clean streets, you need to care and respect for the environments you’re travelling to and through.

Don’t litter – even better, pick up litter if you see it. If nature calls, do your business responsibly. Don’t leave toilet paper. Protect natural habitats by watching where you walk and sticking to paths. Instead of dune bashing on a four-wheel-drive trip, take an ethical camel trek to explore the desert. And when diving, protect the reefs by tucking in your equipment so you don’t touch or damage the coral.

Get back to nature

In order to protect the environment, we also have to protect its inhabitants. Animals play an important part in keeping ecosystems healthy and so we need to play our part in safeguarding their future. Wildlife trips can be life-changing experiences, but do your research and choose companies carefully. Don’t ride elephants or pet lions and stay away from dolphin tours that lure the animals towards boats with food. Act responsibly by not feeding wild animals and keeping your distance.

There are a number of organisations working to promote animal-friendly travel. PETA (the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has launched awards to celebrate businesses meeting the demand for vegan and animalfriendly travel products. Ryanair won the 2019 Best In-flight Meal for its vegan lasagne, while Virgin Trains got the award for Best Trainline for Vegan Food. There is a growing trend for meat-free, plant-based food.

Gorillas in the mist A mountain gorilla observes tourists in the forest