Social Responsibility

As travelers, one of the most exciting aspects of visiting another country is experiencing a new culture. We get the opportunity to learn about the history of places around the globe, participate in local events, and experience traditions and cultural practices first-hand. But, we also have a responsibility as global citizens to travel ethically and only participate in socially responsible tourism. 

I knew very little about the black rhino when I first arrived in Africa. In fact, I knew next to nothing about African wildlife in general and even less about the impact of hunting in Zimbabwe. After three years guiding on the continent, black rhino poaching is now a problem with which I am very familiar.

Discover an animal lovers paradise while helping with a worthy cause at Magic Mountain on Greece's Andros Island.

Whitewater rafting in crystal clear waters. Horseback riding through the tall prairie grass. Purple mountains as the backdrop for local craft breweries. Sounds like a dream, but it’s actually Montana.

As selfies with tigers, primates and other wild species front Instagram and Facebook feeds, tourists are now forced to question the morals and ethics of their encounters with captive animals.

Since 2008, when the main city George Town was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, tourists flocked to Penang to savour the food, see the sites, and indulge in ‘heritage tourism’. Every day, you can see walking tours searching for the Insta-famous street art peppered across the Heritage Zone. However, heritage tourism is a double-edged sword; what they think is cultural heritage is, in fact, a brilliant tourism campaign promoting the historic image of Penang at the cost of the locals who live it.

When it comes to Indonesia, you might wonder how islands like Java can compete with the likes of Bali.

Lush rainforest and land transformed for millions of years by volcanic activity, all spread across 520 square miles of protected space. Welcome to Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park!

Breckenridge, Colorado, best known for its world-famous ski resort, had a plastics problem. Every year visitors flock to this charming historic mining town to enjoy schussing and sledding down the slopes. What do they leave behind? Sleds.

Do you believe in ghosts or vampires? On today’s show you’ll meet two people that do—a paranormal photographer and a writer who traveled along dracula’s trail.

Our trip could be labeled volunteering since the primary purpose of the trip was to serve. “Voluntourism” - tourist travel with a volunteering component - has become increasingly popular in recent years as a way to make travel more meaningful and give back to the places visited. 

More and more of us are becoming aware of the impact our carbon footprint has on the globe and are already taking steps to limit this.