Embracing Sustainable Travel Trends: 5 Tips For Planning A Conscious Holiday

Planning holidays is sometimes more fun than the holidays itself! Selecting destinations, sites to see, restaurants to dine at, and places to shop...the world has so much to offer. But sometimes making minor tweaks ensures we make the right choices that, in the long run, protect our planet. That is conscious travel. 

A conscious traveller is more aware of the available options and puts effort into finding and selecting destinations, accommodations, and activities that meet their conscious travel criteria. They consider factors such as sustainability, local community engagement, and cultural preservation when planning their trips.

The main thing about a holiday plan is when to go. Our key suggestion for major tourist destinations is shoulder season travel: Overcrowding can pose significant challenges and cause harm to the natural environment and the social fabric of a location. Environmental damage is a key concern when tourist sites become overcrowded. Therefore, the optimum time to travel to popular tourist destinations is what is called the ‘shoulder season’ – that time right before and after the peak months of travel when local businesses are engaging with tourists but the crowds have either still to arrive or have departed for the season. Crowds are thinner, hotel rates are lower, the weather is still ideal and you’re seeing everything you wanted to.

Some other tips shared by Karl Vazifdar, Co-Founder, of TealFeel:

Buying local: One of the thrills of holidays is shopping! Large global brands are now available in every large city so the novelty is lost. We suggest exploring local brands, small boutiques, and neighbourhood markets. You won’t only find hidden treasures but you will come back with a lovely story as well. Supporting local businesses ensures that the local economy that depends on tourism benefits the locals who live there. 

Cultural engagement: It’s a privilege to immerse oneself in another culture and by doing so you’re witnessing first-hand another person’s way of life. Travel gives us an opportunity to learn and understand another culture and if done with empathy, the traveller can be richer for the experience. Having meaningful human interactions with other people is a deeper learning that we appreciate at the time. Those conversations with vendors, restauranteurs, cab drivers and waiters will teach you more about the local landscape than any guidebook ever will. 

Local cuisine: Food is a huge part of a holiday – luxurious breakfasts, pit-stop lunches, leisurely dinners and many snacks and treats in between. We tend to overindulge on holidays and rightly so. Step into a local restaurant to try the local cuisine, ask questions about unknown ingredients, and try unfamiliar dishes. You’ll be rewarded with some tastes you may find a bit strange but glad you tried to others you wish you could bottle and take back home with you. Local farmers' markets are a fabulous insight into the lives of the city and town you’re visiting. Try cheeses, spices, breads, fruit, and produce you’ve never heard of before and you’ll have added something to your cooking repertoire and travel tales.

Tread consciously: “Walking is the ultimate travel adventure. You never know where your feet will take you”. The best way to explore any place is to use the best conveyance we’ve been given, our two feet. Pack your sturdiest shoes and plan each day with purpose – cross bridges, gardens and parks, residential streets lined with family homes, bustling promenades, shopping streets, town squares, business districts, and more. The best way to feel the vibe of a place is to walk its streets. And of course, the added benefits are that you’re saving the environment while making yourself healthier (and hungrier:)!