Look Inside! Tips to Help You:

— Prepare Before You Leave Home —

— Be a More Responsible Traveler —

— Reduce Your Travel Footprint —

— Make a Positive Impact —

Traveler Tips For More

Responsible Travel

Congratulations on

Booking Your Vacation!

Now that you’ve booked the vacation

of a lifetime, here are some helpful tips on how to have an even

better experience while you’re away.

The Environment! The Earth’s physical environment is

very delicate, and as a traveler you

have a unique opportunity to help

protect some of the more beautiful

parts of the world.

Local Cultures! When you travel, you are privileged

to experience some of the richest

cultures in the world, so do your

best to respect and appreciate them.

Yourself! As you become a Responsible

Traveler, you’ll find your vacation

much more fulfilling, and you’ll have

some great stories to tell when you

get home.

By Becoming a Responsible Traveler,

You Help:

How to Prepare Before

You Leave Home

Turn down your heating! You’ll save a lot of

energy, and you’ll save yourself some money if

you turn down your thermostat before you go.

Remember to shut the timer off too!

Turn your water off! Not only should you make

sure that none of your taps waste water by

dripping, but you can save money on your

hydro bill by shutting your water off entirely.

Start Here! Being a responsible traveler

starts before you leave home.

Cancel your newspapers! Call your delivery

service and have a temporary hold put on your

papers. Remember to have the post office hold

your mail so your postbox doesn’t overflow.

Make sure all your windows are closed! Shut

them all tightly—including your doggie door!

You won’t get drafts sneaking in, and you’ll

save money reheating upon your return.

Unplug your electronics! You will save a lot of

energy (and money!) by making sure your PVR

and computer are off, or unplugged altogether.

And note: standby mode is no power saver!

How to Be a More

Responsible Traveler

Be Conscious! Tourism is the industry with the

largest impact on the environment,

so please do your part to help.

Protect endangered species! Don’t participate

in the commodification of at-risk animals by

purchasing furs or crocodile skin bags, eating

shark-fin soup or tasting endangered species.

Save energy! Make a difference in your

hotel room by opening drapes instead of

turning on lights, or opening windows

instead of using AC. When you leave, turn

off the heat, lights, TV and taps.

Save plastic! Instead of buying bottled

water, bring your reusable bottle from

home and carry it with you. Just make

sure local tap water is safe to drink first!

Recycle! Ask your hotel or cruise ship if they

have a recycling program. Conserve water by

plugging the sink when you wash your face or

brush your teeth instead of letting the tap run.

Respect the ocean! On your diving or

kayaking adventure, respect the aquatic

life around you, and never take anything

from a coral reef or mangrove forest.

How to Be a More

Responsible Traveler

Respect the Culture! Set an example by taking the

right steps to actively respect

local traditions and beliefs.

Develop language skills! Before you go take a

short course on the local language or buy a

phrase guide; don’t assume that locals will

speak the same language as you. The better

you communicate, the more you will learn.

Go local! Ask your hotel or cruise ship if they

use local guides. If not, look for one yourself.

Not only are you supporting his/her livelihood,

but locals are often more knowledgeable.

Donate smart! You may want to give money or

trinkets to beggars or street children, but think

again; this encourages them to stereotype you .

Your generous gifts will be more meaningful

when dispensed through a reputable NGO.

When in Rome, do as Romans do! If you’re

visiting a culture where it’s appropriate to

cover up, then do so. You will often be greeted

by locals with a warmer reception.

Photograph respectfully! Always ask before you

take a photo of someone, their house or store.

And if you do, and you have a digital camera,

show them the picture after you’ve taken it.

Offset your flight! For a small fee, you can

reduce the carbon impact of your flight by

donating to a charity or research organization.

Ask the airline how to do this when you book!

Eat locally! Ask your hotel or restaurant if

they purchase locally; there is a much

larger environmental impact when food

has been shipped overseas than if you go

somewhere with a local supply chain.

Buy local souvenirs! You’re helping the

economy and craft-makers when you buy

your souvenirs at a local shop or market.

This way, you know they are fair trade.

Take the train! Ride the rails or drive whenever

possible; you see more of your host country,

and you expend much less carbon. Consider

biking or walking instead of taking a taxi.

Don’t litter! Beaches and national parks

can become spoiled very quickly with

many tourists coming to visit, so take a

small bag for your littler, and carry it out .

How to Reduce Your

Travel Footprint

A “footprint” is the amount of resources you use (in square

miles) when using a product or participating in an activity.

Have a great trip! When you tell your

family or friends about your meaningful

holiday, you are influencing their choices

too. Keep the ball rolling by giving this

guide to others. Also, do extra research;

we’ve just skimmed the surface! The

more you know about sustainability, the

more impact you will have.

Ask, ask, ask! One of the best things you can do is let your hotel or tour provider know that you place importance on responsibility. So ask your hotel if they have a responsible tourism policy, or fair labour practices. Ask your cruise ship what their waste management system is like; and see if you like their answers!

How to Make a Positive

Impact on Vacation

Now that you’ve learned how to be a Responsible Traveler,

here are some last tips, to make sure our world is there when next you want to visit.

Go independent! Consider being more

selective about your suppliers and

activities. Stay in hotels with good green

ratings, use airlines who are doing their

part, and rent that hybrid car! Individual

vacations don’t have to be more

expensive, and you can still rely on a

travel agent to help you do research.

Bon Voyage!

You can complete the cycle!

This brochure was printed for you on

recycled materials. Please recycle it

when you’re done.

Photographs and all other intellectual material in this Code of Conduct are private property

and may not be used or reproduced in any way, without written permission.