I’m one of those firm believers that travel is one of the main ways to bridge differences, promote shared humanity, and support solutions. Unfortunately there’s a lot of “green washing”, or companies pretending to be more “green” than they actually are because they see it as a business opportunity. So, I decided to create a quick checklist of factors to consider when deciding to engage in an ecotourism activity. This is by no means a complete list, or an exact science. When in doubt, I default to #s 9 and 10.
- Is the activity respectful of local customs?
So, there are two main types of ecotourism – cultural and environmental, and sometimes these lines are blurred. Overall, respect is paramount. If the activity doesn’t present local people’s customs in a respectful, empowering, positive, and educational light – walk away. I find it useful to do some research on the local culture, language (thank you FUS for that one), and customs before arriving so I have an easier time distinguishing things that might not fit.
- Are people or animals ‘on display’ or are you truly visiting them in their normal environment (or, conversely, if you are visiting them in their normal environment, is it a scenario that is respectful and empowering)?
This one is usually pretty easy to spot, but sometimes can be deceptive when companies try to spin their reasons for keeping lion cubs (check out Blood Lions before you consider participating in any direct contact activities with cats, particularly lions – and remember the parallels to other animals). Are people dressing in traditional clothing they wouldn’t otherwise wear just to show you? This can be a bit of a fine line as sometimes people are understandably proud of their cultural heritage and want to show it off, but in my opinion – if it’s just for me then it’s more of a show and less of a local custom that I could be exposed to.
- Does the activity support effective management of natural resources or wild spaces?
There are some seriously cool organizations with unique ecotourism models that help promote effective management of wild spaces or research that otherwise would go unfunded. Usually, these organizations are quick and loud about promoting this as it’s an awesome model that should be promoted. A great example of this is Wildlife ACT – we highly recommend them!
- Do the funds for participating in the activity go back to the community or back to the management of the natural resource?
Organizations who use a revolving funding model generally promote this to their clientele. Sometimes, a certain percentage will go back to the community or the reserve management or whatever the entity may be. This is an easy question staff should be able to answer if it’s not promoted publically.
- Is the activity or company run by a private entity that just hires locals, is it run by a collective, or is it run by locals?
This might require some digging, but similarly to #3, typically if an ecotourism company is locally or collectively owned, they will promote that. I often find that the harder I have to look for things like ownership, the more reason I have to stay away. A good example are the Mokoro excursions in the Okavango Delta.
- Is the program or activity certified by an external entity?
Check out the organization’s website or storefront – do they advertise their certifications or registrations with external entities? This sort of external validation, as long as it’s a third party validation, is useful.
- Did you Google reviews and research the industry before deciding to participate?
Do some homework! You’re probably researching the companies before participating anyway so take a bit more time and check out the reviews and feedback from people who have participated in the activities before.
- Is there a way you could learn about the topic in a less exploitive manner?
Are there alternatives that are less ‘showy’? If so, there’s probably a reason for that and worth a second look at whether you want to participate.
- Would you do it if you couldn’t post a photo on Instagram or Facebook?
This is one of absolute favorites and is so simple, yet telling – particularly for activities that clearly fit on the “avoid” side of the moral compass for me – i.e. most activities with children, direct contact with animals, etc. When considering activities with people, I highly recommend following the @NoWhiteSaviors account on social media.
- Does it feel right?
This is the simplest, yet the most important. Think critically and trust your gut. If you’ve read this far you’re likely already interested in doing the “right” thing – it’s just a matter of doing the work and overall I find that when I’m in doubt, I don’t engage.
The best part? In my travels I’ve found that ecotourism reputability is typically increasing and there are so many opportunities to participate in innovative and exciting activities that help local communities, enable you to make lifelong friendships, and contribute to lasting solutions.