What is Sustainable Tourism?

Sustainable tourism, also sometimes called responsible tourism or eco-tourism, can be a confusing topic. This group of articles and web pages simplifies the concept, giving more detail on what exactly sustainable tourism is.

• Defining Respectful Tourism

  Eco, sustainable, respectful, there are many terms here. This article decodes a lot of the buzzwords surrounding sustainable travel and finds out what they mean.

• Making A Difference Through Responsible Tourism

  This infographic explains in more detail about what sustainable/responsible tourism is and how you as a traveler can make a difference.

• Why You Should Care About Sustainable Tourism

  2017 is the Year of Sustainable Tourism, and this beginner's guide is an excellent introduction for those just starting to learn about the concept.

• Redefining Tourism: The Importance Of Sustainable Tourism

  Great article that explains that sustainable tourism isn't just a buzzword, it's an important movement that will help preserve historical, cultural, and natural sites for the future.

• An Open Letter On Sustainable Tourism

  Responsible travel is a choice that we all have when making the decision to go out and see the world. This article discusses how sustainable tourism has a positive effect on a much larger scale than we appreciate.

• The Guide To Sustainable Tourism 2013

  Even though this article is a bit dated, it is a useful downloadable guide for traveling sustainably, all around the world!

How Do You Travel Sustainably?

Once you get a handle on what sustainable travel is, you can start planning how to travel more sustainably! These articles have useful tips on how to be a responsible traveler in comfortable and budget-friendly ways!

• Five Steps To Becoming A More Ethical Traveler

  This article lists five simple approaches to becoming a more ethical and responsible traveler. This is a great reminder that you don't need to use complicated tactics to be sustainable, there are plenty of simple things to do!

• Seven Harmful Traditional Practices Tourists Should Never Support

  This insightful article from Green Global Travel explains the top seven harmful tourist activities that have an adverse impact on the community.

• How Your Trip Can Help Local Communities |

  This is a great piece on how you can make a positive impact on the places you travel! From supporting local businesses to protecting the environment, this list has great ideas!

• How To Travel Sustainably On A Budget

  The truth is that sustainable travel is not all luxury lodges: budget sustainable travel is a lot more accessible than we might think. This a great reminder that you don't need a ton of money to travel sustainably.

• Expert Travel Tips For The Year Of Sustainable Tourism

  Want practical tips for having a positive impact when you travel? To kick off the UN's International Year of Sustainable Tourism, this blogger asked 15 travelers from around the world to share their best tips to help you travel responsibly in 2017.

What About Eco-Tourism?

Eco-tourism, a type of sustainable tourism, is focused on protecting the environment while traveling. These resources will help ensure that your trip is eco-friendly. Read on to make your travels a little greener!

• Make Your Adventure More Sustainable Through Eco-Tourism

  What is Eco-Tourism? Green Global Travel defines responsible travel with ten simple steps anyone can take to make their adventures more sustainable & transformative.

• Eco-Tourism: The Most Fun And Glamorous Way To Go Green

  Greenfuture.io lists five gorgeous eco-tourism locations to get you inspired on taking a green vacation. These places are so incredible you'll be proud that you're helping protect the local environment.

• Ten Things To Avoid As An Eco-Traveler

  This article provides a different perspective on the issue. Instead of saying what to do, it is saying what to avoid doing.

• Four Reasons Why Travelers Should Love Eco-Hostels

  This article from Sustainable Travel Blog, Grassroots nomad, explains why eco-hostels are the way to go for green travelers!

• Green Travel Products And Gear For The Eco-Conscious Backpacker

  This article from Claire's Footsteps lends great ideas to make sure you're traveling with the "greenest" products! This list of eco-friendly travel gear is perfect for eco-conscious backpackers!

• 40 Incredible Eco-Hotels To Visit Before You Die

  This is Matador Networks' ultimate list of the 40 eco-hotels to visit before you die. These are the creme de la creme of the sustainable hotel industry.

• Video: Top 10 Eco-friendly Travel Tips

  This video is a great visual example of 10 tips to travel responsibly, ethically, and sustainably.

How Can You Help Protect The Animals?

One key component of being a sustainable traveler is making sure local wildlife is protected in the location you're visiting. This collection of resources highlights some key things to be aware of to ensure animals are not exploited in any of your tourist activities!

• If You Love Elephants, Don't Ever Ride Them! Here's Why

  The Dodo explains the dark side of riding an elephant on your travels. While it may seem like a fun "bucket list" activity, it's truly a cruel nightmare for the animals.

• A More Ethical Alternative To Elephant Trekking

  Instead of riding elephants, consider an elephant sanctuary. Blogger Helen, from Not Without My Passport, documents her experience at the Elephant Nature Park, a sanctuary in Thailand. These sanctuaries rescue hurt and abused elephants and give them a second chance at life!

• Swim With Turtles On Apo Island In The Philippines

  In the Philippines, you can snorkel with wild sea turtles. The sanctuary protects the beautiful animals from fishing or exploitation from tourist activities. This is one of the few attractions that allow tourists to safely and responsibly interact with wild animals.

• Why We Choose Not to Swim With Whale Sharks in Cebu, Philippines

  Swimming with whale sharks is a popular activity in Cebu, Philippines. However, the crowded boats and poorly trained guides make it a dangerous place for the whale sharks. This article explains why the activity can be harmful to the animals.

Where Are The Top Sustainable Tourism Destinations?

While sustainable travel tips are a great place to start, travelers that want to be more responsible can also look at sustainable destinations. Certain cities, states or countries have initiatives that make sustainable travel even easier!

• 15 Best Sustainable Destinations In Europe

  This article lists the 15 Best Sustainable Destinations In Europe. If you're planning a trip to Europe soon, consider visiting one of these locations to promote sustainable tourism!

• Green Destinations To Check Out

  Green Destinations is a fantastic resource all about sustainable travel. They have not only articles about how to travel responsibly, but also the best destinations for sustainable travelers!

• The Top Ten Ethical Travel Destinations

  This list of the most ethical destinations is a great inspiration for sustainable travelers!

• Top Five Central & South American Eco Resorts

  Boutique Travel Blog lists five eco resorts in Central & South America. These beautiful resorts in Latin America are not only a great spot to stop on your trip but work hard to protect the local environment.

About The Author

• Meet Christine |

  Hey there! My name is Christine and I'm one half of the travel blog Don't Forget To Move. I've always been crazy about travel. In college I studied Global Studies and studied abroad in Cordoba, Spain. Then as soon as I saved up enough money, I bought a one way ticket to Mexico and started my big adventure around the world! Since 2013 my partner and I have been blogging about adventure travel and sustainable tourism all over the world. Sustainable tourism is extremely important to us. We've been to several destinations and seen how extreme tourism can negatively affect a place. But we've also seen how sustainable tourism initiatives can help protect the people, environment and animals. We love finding eco-hostels and animal sanctuaries to visit while we travel and always support local community projects. We hope these resources help you to make your future trips more sustainable!

• About Us

  Want to learn more about my blog and our travels? This about page details how we started traveling, met in Peru and continued our adventures through our blog!

• Don't Forget To Move

  A short video compilation of our travels from all over the world. Inspiration for your travel planning! *Please watch in HD!

• Sustainable Tourism On Don't Forget To Move

  This is the sustainable/ responsible tourism section of our blog, Don't Forget To Move. We have lots of resources for tips on how to travel sustainably and different tour companies that offer eco-friendly tours!

• Bublup

  I made this roll using a new application called Bublup. If you like how it looks and want to create your own, check them out here.