Traveling can connect us to new communities, to our planet, and just to something bigger. Prioritizing thoughtful, ethical travel can make your trip that much more meaningful.

Flight shaming, volun-tourism, mega cruise ships, sustainability - all current hot topics in the travel world.  In this episode of ExtrvaVirgin podcast, we talk to Amanda Kendle, podcaster at The Thoughtful Travel Podcast about the positive and negative impacts of travel; environmental, cultural and economic. Which destinations are taking the effects of over-tourism seriously and implementing strategies to control its impact? We discuss &#39;slow&#39; travel&#39;, voluntary tourism and whether Airbnb has a positive or negative impact on communities.  In the end, do we need to give up travelling or can we be more mindful travellers? Amanda certainly believes the latter and offers her own views and tips on how travellers can tread less gently on the earth.

Mindful Travel With Amanda Kendle

Bruce Poon Tip is the founder of G Adventures, the world’s largest small-group travel company, which takes some 200,000 travelers annually on trips ranging from luxury yachting expeditions for boomers to hostel backpacking excursions for millennials. No matter how different each itinerary may look, they all revolve around the same core themes: cultural immersion, benefiting local communities, and creating a transformative experience for both traveler and host. Indeed, Poon Tip was talking about things like community-based trips and transformative travel long before most people were, and he joins host Bruce Wallin this week to discuss his picks for the best of both worlds: the destinations where your tourist spending has the greatest local impact—and you’ll have a truly amazing, authentic experience along the way. 
One of Poon Tip’s recent projects at G Adventures was to create the Ripple Score, which ranks each trip the company offers based on how much of the trip’s cost stays local. A high score means the majority of the money you spend goes to local hotel owners, transportation companies, restaurants, tour guides, and more. He says that creating the system—and accurately measuring the local impact of each trip—was a huge task that now informs how G Adventures plans every trip. It also made clear which countries are doing the best job at sharing the financial benefits of travel with local communities. 
Those destinations, says Poon Tip, include Egypt, which he believes should be particularly of interest to travelers in 2022. Not only does a large portion of the Egyptian economy rely on tourism, with many people’s jobs depending on the return of international travelers, but Poon Tip says that it is the perfect time to see the country’s iconic sites, free of crowds. Wherever you go throughout the country, he adds, there are a number of high-quality, locally based options. 
Another country with strong community-based tourism is Ecuador, which Poon Tip includes among his favorite destinations for its diversity—from backpacking in the Andes, to diving in the Galapagos, to venturing through the Amazon basin, to exploring the indigenous markets outside of Quito. He discusses some of the issues of going local in Ecuador, including the choice between an LVMH-owned train to Machu Picchu or a somewhat “rough” locally owned option called Inca Rail.
Ecological diversity—and a commitment to protecting that diversity—is a hallmark of Costa Rica, which Poon Tip cites for its high percentage of preserved land, extensive national parks, and gorgeous beaches. He also talks about how Costa Rica is perfect for people at any stage in their “travel career.” 
For travelers looking to have an impact on conservation and sustainability, Poon Tip also suggests the highly diverse—and highly tourism dependent—countries of Southeast Asia. From the jungles and ancient temples of Cambodia, to the beaches of Thailand, to the historic cities and countryside of Vietnam, the region offers a plethora of a community-based travel experiences. 
Learn More:
G Adventures: <a href="https://www.gadventures.com/">https://www.gadventures.com/</a> Inca Rail: <a href="https://incarail.com/">https://incarail.com/</a>
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Learn more about the podcast: <a href="https://www.curtco.com/travelthatmatters">https://www.curtco.com/travelthatmatters</a>
Hosted by: Bruce Wallin
Produced by: AJ Moseley
Music by: Joey Salvia
A CurtCo Media ProductionSee <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

15 - The Ripple Score: Bruce Poon Tip’s Top Destinations Where Your Money Does the Most Good.

My definition of thoughtful travel has come a long way since I named this podcast over five years ago; I’ve also been excited to see a lot more people giving thought to the question of what thoughtful travel means. Episode 245 of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast gathers the ideas of many more people to help us consider this important question.
I chat with four guests about what they think thoughtful travel means, starting with Henry Gold. He emphasises respecting others, especially because you are visiting their home or country. Next, we hear from James Mwenda who focuses on the impact our travels have.
Helena Fox talks about being present in the place you go to, and also discusses ideas of respect and slow travel. My final guest, Vince Dickson, talks about being more open to different experiences, as well as considering the impact our travels have.
Links:
<li>Henry Gold  founder of TDA Cycling - <a href="https://tdaglobalcycling.com/">https://tdaglobalcycling.com/</a></li><li>James Mwenda - Jemu Expeditions - <a href="https://www.jemuexpeditions.com">https://www.jemuexpeditions.com</a></li><li>Helena Fox - <a href="https://helenafoxauthor.com">https://helenafoxauthor.com</a> - her recent novel is “How It Feels to Float” - <a href="https://amzn.to/3kNNfd9">https://amzn.to/3kNNfd9</a> </li><li>Vince Dickson, from Hunu - <a href="https://www.wearehunu.com/">https://www.wearehunu.com/</a> </li><li>The book mentioned by Vince is “Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari - <a href="https://amzn.to/36tSZjw">https://amzn.to/36tSZjw</a></li><li>Join our LinkedIn group for Thoughtful Travellers - <a href="https://notaballerina.com/linkedin">https://notaballerina.com/linkedin</a> or direct to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13984484/">https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13984484/</a> </li><li>Join our Facebook group for Thoughtful Travellers - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers">https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers</a></li><li>Show notes: <a href="http://notaballerina.com/245">https://notaballerina.com/245</a></li>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

245 What Does Thoughtful Travel Mean?

What is colonialism, neocolonialism, and ethnocentrism, and how do these &#34;isms&#34; intersect with travel? Guest Sojourner White joins Erin to unpack these three isms, and explain how and why they are relevant to travelers. 
 
Sojourner is an international social worker and travel blogger, and she hosts an Instagram TV series called “Let’s Unpack That.” In every video she unpacks the meaning behind a term and how it relates to travel. 
 
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GUEST: <a href="https://sojournies.com">Sojourner White</a>


 
Resources 

 

<a href="https://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/research/projects/decolonization-action">Decolonization in Action</a>

<a href="https://nowhitesaviors.org/what-we-do/podcast/">No White Saviors Podcast</a> 

<a href="https://sojournies.com/">Home • Sojournies</a> 

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/thesojournies/">Sojourner | Travel &amp; Lifestyle</a> 
 
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Alpaca My Bags is the podcast that is creating a platform for discussing travel through a critical lens and responsible travel. If you&#39;re a fan of the podcast, don&#39;t forget to subscribe, rate and review Alpaca My Bags! 
 
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CREDITS 
Written and Hosted by: <a href="https://www.pinatravels.org/">Erin Hynes</a> 
Producer: <a href="http://www.kattielaur.com/">Kattie Laur</a> 
Music from Motion Array 
Logo by Christopher McCluskey

S3 Ep69: Lets Unpack Colonialism & Travel

What is our responsibility as travelers to follow politics, current events, and human rights issues in a destination we are interested in visiting? And should we be avoiding places where we believe the government carries out unethical policies? Travel invites us to explore faraway cultures and environments, yes. But it also invites us to look inside ourselves and examine our personal values. This episode is about just that. First we speak with <a href="https://www.anutaranath.com/">Dr. Anu Taranath</a>, a teaching professor on issues of diversity, racial equality and social change at the <a href="https://english.washington.edu/people/anu-taranath">University of Washington</a>. Dr. Anu recently wrote an award-winning book called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Guilt-Trips-Mindful-Unequal/dp/1771134321">Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World</a>.We also call up Simon Lynch, director of sales for Luxury Travel Group, the parent company of <a href="https://www.scottdunn.com/us">Scott Dunn</a>, a conscientious bespoke tour operator. Simon  shares Scott Dunn’s efforts to work with locally owned and operated businesses in each of their destinations to ensure tourism dollars directly benefit communities.

Considering Politics, Human Rights and Inequity When You Travel

Have you ever wanted to take a picture during your travels, but you weren’t sure if it was OK? Or have you come across a traditional performance and wondered whether you should be there at all? In this episode, we explore the sometimes uncomfortable power dynamics at play in cultural tourism—and how to navigate them with ease.ResourcesFor more about Bangarra: <a href="https://www.bangarra.com.au/">https://www.bangarra.com.au/</a> To explore Wild Expeditions Africa: <a href="https://wild-expeditions.africa/">https://wild-expeditions.africa/</a>To learn more about from the World Bank on Indigenous Peoples: <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/indigenouspeoples">https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/indigenouspeoples</a>

Is This Appropriate? How to (and How Not to) Engage With Cultural Tourism

They might be buzz words at the moment, but ecotourism and responsible travel are nonetheless super-important and that&#39;s why Episode 118 of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast is all about how to travel without causing any harm (and maybe even doing some good). 
First up, I chat with my lovely friend Meagan of Malas With A Mission, who is one of my favourite people to talk to about the issue of responsible travel. She has a great attitude to it and is able to educate people about issues like ecotourism, sustainable travel and voluntourism without sounding at all preachy, which is really good skill! 
Next I talk with Deborah Regen who runs a site collating eco-friendly tour operators, a great resource for researching a your responsible trips. Deborah has always loved nature and now wants to help ensure it&#39;s there for everyone to enjoy for a long time into the future.
Finally, I discuss responsible animal tourism with Christine Knight, and particularly the issue of riding elephants. It&#39;s one of those issues which I&#39;m glad to see so much more widely discussed in recent years, and lots of tourists and tour operators changing the way elephants are used in tourism.
Links:
<li>Meagan Hurst of Malas With a Mission - <a href="http://malaswithamission.com/">http://malaswithamission.com/</a> </li><li>Meagan’s Instagram - <a href="https://instagram.com/malaswithamission">https://instagram.com/malaswithamission</a>  </li><li>Deborah’s site EcoTourLinq - <a href="https://www.ecotourlinq.com">https://www.ecotourlinq.com</a> </li><li>Christine’s website Adventure Baby - <a href="https://christineknight.me/">https://christineknight.me</a> </li><li>Join our Facebook group <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers">https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers</a></li><li>Tweet me &#64;amandakendle</li><li>Hashtag #thoughtfultravelpod</li><li>Follow me on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NotABallerina">https://www.facebook.com/NotABallerina</a>   </li><li>Show notes: <a href="http://notaballerina.com/118">http://notaballerina.com/118</a></li>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

118 - Ecotourism and Responsible Travel

Venice, The Maldives, The Great Barrier Reef, The Amazon, and Machu Picchu. These are all places where travelers are itching to go but the reality is they’re being destroyed by over-tourism. In this episode, Nisreene speaks with former NY Times correspondent and Author Elizabeth Becker, who is heralded as of the pioneers in the coverage of over-tourism, for her tips on how we can continue to explore the world less damagingly.

Disappearing Destinations: How to Travel More Sustainably

“Take only memories, leave only footprints.” – Chief Seattle
This quote would be even better if it said, &#34;Leave the place better than you found it.&#34;  We all travel for a purpose.  Let&#39;s all travel WITH PURPOSE!  
On this episode we explore VERY EASY things you can do to help local peoples without changing the pace or purpose of your trip.
Topics include:
Get authentic local experience through responsible accomodations
Reducing or Offsetting your carbon footprint while transporting to your destination
Interacting with local wildlife responsibly
Voluntourism opitons (Habitat For Humanity and Peace Corps)
How to interact with children
Easy ways to take make an impact on vacation
Organizations we like to bring medical and school supplies into countries in need (Not Just Tourists, Pack For a Purpose and Sandals Foundation)
 Special Guest: Matthew Wahlgren.

Responsible Travel - Be A Good Guest with Matthew Wahlgren!

In this episode, I speak with author Jeff Blumenfeld on the topic of voluntourism. We talk about the concept of volunteering while travelling, unravel the negative media attention centered around this word and uncover how one can have a positive volunteering experience that benefits all involved. 
My guest, Jeff Blumenfeld, is the author of &#39;Get Sponsored: A Funding Guide for Explorers, Adventurers, and Would-be World Travelers&#39;, - and the more recent book - &#39;<a href="https://travelwithpurposebook.com/">Travel With Purpose: A Field Guide to Voluntourism&#39;.</a>
Jeff&#39;s interest in volunteering took him to Nepal in 2013 and 2017 where he served as communications director for the Dooley Intermed Foundation’s “Gift of Sight” Expedition ­– an effort to bring quality eye care to 700 impoverished villagers. Prior to that, he volunteered as a chaperone on a high school trip to Antarctica, which he speaks about in the interview.
In August 2020 he was honored with the Iceland Exploration Museum’s Leif Erikson Award for Exploration History and is currently an adjunct lecturer at CU’s College of Media, Communication, and Information.  
Jeff brings his expert knowledge of voluntourism into the interview and shares ways and resources on how we can have a positive, immpactful experience when volunteering.
You can purchase Jeff&#39;s book on Amazon at: <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Travel-Purpose-Field-Guide-Voluntourism/dp/1538115328">https://www.amazon.com.au/Travel-Purpose-Field-Guide-Voluntourism/dp/1538115328</a>

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Socially Conscious Travel

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