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Tour2.0 | Blog | How to be a responsible and respectful traveler

How to be a responsible and respectful traveler

Travelling exposes you to new ways of thinking, ways of seeing the world and presents alternative perspectives from different cultures. Every country and community will have a set of customs, norms and traditions that might differ from your own. For that reason it’s important to familiarize yourself with the culturally specific norms of the place you’re visiting to make the journey more enjoyable and of course not to offend your host nation or community. While we can’t account for all the contrasting customs and traditions of the world, we can give you few tips that apply universally and which we think will make you a grade-A visitor.

First things first: if you’re on a guided tour, absorb every morsel of advice and instruction from your tour guide. As a local s/he will be perfectly placed to tell you what’s kosher and what’s not. Also, they’ve most likely done the tour a handful of times so they know what they’re talking about. If you’re still unclear on certain protocol after your tour guide has run you through some of the most common FAQ’s then don’t be afraid to raise your hand and ask.

Some Don’ts to consider:

1. Don’t take pictures of people without their permission. This is an ethical consideration. It’s kinda voyeuristic and problematic in so many other ways. Generally people aren’t so hot on not knowing where their image will land up, in some cases it also makes people feel like objects. Usually people are friendly and only ask that they be extended the basic courtesy of being consulted before you snap away. Explain who you are, what you’re doing there and why you want to take a picture of them. You’ll be surprised how open people are once you’ve done this and in many cases locals might even approach you for a photo-op.

2. Don’t wonder off from the group. This is something that will most likely be covered as a basic point by your tour guide. This doesn’t just slow down proceedings and eat into your fellow travelers’ experience of the tour, but is also a very basic safety issue.

3. Don’t give handouts. This is not the most responsible course of giving. Remember that you are on a tour and not on a humanitarian mission. Most of the people you will encounter might have some small stake in the tour you’re on. The earnings from the tours often go back into the community. The people you encounter are often hard at work making you feel welcomed and sharing their lives. If you would still like to make some sort of donation to the community, speak to your tour guide to find out what the best course of action is and whether or not this would cause offence.

Some Do’s to consider:

1. Ask loads of questions, no matter how small or seemingly inconsequential they might be. You’ll only benefit from knowing more.

2. Apply basic empathy to all situations and you’ll most likely make the right decision most of the time. Remember that if you’re going on a community tour, the margin for offence is often very thin. You are in someone else’s space and need to be observant of that fact. Flip the tables as much as possible and ask yourself if you would appreciate certain behavior if you were the host. This means be as respectful and open as possible, and do not take for granted that your worldview might be remarkably different from your hosts’.

In general you’ll do well not to forget the golden rule: when in doubt, ask, ask, ask – and you will receive helpful answers.

“While we can’t account for all the contrasting customs and traditions of the world, we can give you few tips that apply universally and which we think will make you a grade-A visitor. ”

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