Travel can be a wonderful experience that opens your eyes to the world around you, but it can also involve some uncomfortable ethical questions. For example, how do you know whether the tour company you’re booking with has a history of treating its staff well? How do you avoid being exposed to exploitation or unsafe working conditions when volunteering abroad? And how can you ensure that the impact of your trip is positive rather than negative? Travel can have a big impact on both the people and places we visit. When done right, travel can be an uplifting experience that leaves you feeling inspired to see more of the world and help others in need. However, when done poorly, travel might make you feel guilty for leaving home for a week, or leave you questioning if your hotel maid was treated fairly. 

Thankfully, there are several ways to make sure your next trip is ethically sound. Here’s what you need to know.

Consider the supply chain

The people and places we visit can be impacted by our travel, and it’s important to consider the supply chain when planning your trip. For example, if you’re visiting a national park, you’ll want to know if the park is receiving enough funds to keep the park running, or if the money is ending up in the pockets of corrupt officials. In the same way, if you’re volunteering abroad, you’ll want to know if your school is receiving enough funds to keep the lights on, or if the money is going towards paying an administrator’s salary. By considering the supply chain, you can determine whether the people and places you visit are benefiting from your travel.

Research your travel providers

If you’re booking a tour or a vacation, you’ll want to do your research on the travel provider. Ask questions about the staff, the treatment of their employees, and how the company impacts the places you visit. You can check out Ethical Traveler, a website that ranks companies based on their ethical practices. You can also try to book with a local tour company or a smaller, privately owned business.

Look for accreditation and certification

Depending on your travel plans, you might want to look for accreditation and certification. For example, if you’re planning to visit a non-profit in developing country, you might want to make sure that the non-profit is accredited by the United Nations or other local or regional NGO or government.

Be wary of voluntourism organisations

Voluntourism has become big business in recent years, with companies popping up left and right to offer you the chance to volunteer abroad. However, voluntourism has been criticised for several reasons, such as encouraging people to feel like they’ve “done something” for the world without actually doing much, and encouraging people to contribute to a “white savior complex” in which privileged people swoop in to “save” people in need. If you’re considering volunteering abroad, make sure that the organisation you’re booking with is legitimate and will provide you with the skills and training you need. In the same way, if you’re volunteering domestically, be wary of organizations that charge money for volunteer positions.

Ask yourself some hard questions

As you’re booking your trip and planning for your adventure, ask yourself some hard questions about your motivations for travel. For example, are you traveling for education and growth, or are you traveling to tick off a bucket list item? Are you traveling because you want to help people in need, or are you traveling because it’s on your bucket list? In the same way, ask yourself if your travel plans are sustainable. If your plans involve flying to a distant location, you might want to reconsider. Flying is both unsustainable and unethical, since it contributes to carbon emissions and climate change.

Travel locally, and with intent

If you’re worried about the ethical implications of your travel, you might want to consider traveling locally and with intent. For example, you can travel to a nearby town and volunteer at a local non-profit, or visit a nearby national park and contribute to keeping it clean and maintained. By traveling locally and with intent, you can make sure that your travel has a minimal impact on the world.

Final Thoughts

Travel can be a wonderful experience that opens your eyes to the world around you. However, it can also involve some uncomfortable ethical questions. For example, how do you know whether the tour company you’re booking with has a history of treating its staff well? In the same way, how do you avoid being exposed to exploitation or unsafe working conditions when volunteering abroad? Thankfully, there are several ways to make sure that your next trip is ethically sound: Consider the supply chain, research your travel providers, look for accreditation and certification, be wary of voluntourism organisations, and ask yourself some hard questions. Ultimately, travel can be an uplifting experience that leaves you feeling inspired to see more of the world and help others in need. However, it’s important to make sure that your trip is ethically sound.