The Travel Manifesto

A blueprint for change: small acts lead to big impacts

Our mindset, choices, and purchases can have a major impact when we travel. Here's a guide to keeping that impact positive

A travel manifesto can be a handy tool for finding ways to make your travel kinder, more conscious, immersive, responsible and sustainable, little by little. It's not a mandate for changing everything straight away, or a strict set of rules to which you must feel your travel always complies. It's a gentle guide to inspire ideas and new considerations when you venture to places new and old. A reminder, that small acts can make big impacts; perhaps you choose one, perhaps several, it's up to you.

  • Be curious

    Travel is a huge opportunity to learn – about the places we visit, and about ourselves. Let’s meet the locals, ask questions, and keep our eyes and our minds open to new perspectives and ways of life.

    A smiling woman with a camera around her neck stands among a group of people in colorful traditional attire in an outdoor setting.

  • Appreciate, don’t appropriate

    We approach local customs and traditions not as a novelty, but as an important part of the local heritage. When we take part, we make sure to do it with the goal of learning and understanding.

    A woman dressed in a traditional Japanese kimono holding a yellow paper parasol stands on a stone-paved alleyway lined with wooden buildings and lush greenery.

  • Travel wiser

    We respect the local laws and customs. We avoid putting ourselves in danger. And if something bad does happen, we do our best not to be burden on the local health system. I can provide travel insurance through a partnered broker - please ask!

    A person sitting on sand in front of the Al-Khazneh (The Treasury) in Petra, Jordan, illuminated by numerous candles at night.

  • Be respectful

    We learn the local etiquette and avoid causing offense through our words or actions. We respect elders. We know how to dress and behave at religious sites. We ask before taking photos. We always remember we are a guest in someone else’s home.

    An elderly woman with gray hair, wearing a brown traditional outfit, prayer beads, and a head covering, holds her hands together in a prayer position.

  • Seek connection

    We make an effort to be more than a spectator. This means engaging with the local community. Learning a few words of the local language. Taking a cooking class or a dance lesson. And remembering that a smile goes a long way.

    Children in a wooden structure holding colorful toys and smiling happily.

  • Take it slow

    While it’s tempting to see as much as possible, we understand slowing down and spending a longer time in one town or region lets us really get under the skin of a place. Slow travel is more sustainable, too. It can also be safer.

    A woman leaning out of a moving train with her hair flowing in the wind, surrounded by lush green trees and vegetation.

  • Don’t endanger or exploit

    We avoid any activity that treats people as a tourist attraction. We steer clear of wildlife experiences where animals are forced to interact with people, and we seek out operators that are committed to ethical practices (operators that don’t exploit their workers, flout environmental laws and regulations, or mistreat animals).

    An underwater scene featuring a sea turtle swimming near coral reefs with sunlight shining through the water.

  • Tread lightly

    If we think a destination is amazing, let’s help ensure future generations can experience it too. Make sustainable choices whenever possible, from accommodation to tour operator to sunscreen.

    A person walking alone in a vast desert with sand dunes, leaving footprints behind, under a hazy sky.

  • Buy locally and responsibly

    Many places rely heavily on tourism to keep their economies strong. Let’s make sure our currency goes to support local communities instead of conglomerates. Seek trips that local guides, eat in locally owned restaurants, and shop at local stores and markets. Spending locally isn’t just helpful, it’s fun and really connects you to the magic of a destination.

    A market scene with a vendor selling dates and nuts to a customer. The vendor is smiling and handing over a box of dates. The background shows various dried fruits and nuts displayed on shelves, with a scale and signs with prices in the background.

Why not create your own? If you're planning a trip and want to incorporate some simple sustainable or responsible travel ideas, book a call and we can tailor to you.