5 Mistakes To Avoid During Your First Trip as an Eco-Tourist

Traveling to foreign countries is an exciting experience and can be very rewarding. However, many eco-conscious consumers feel guilty when traveling. Their feelings are understandable, because traveling does increase your carbon footprint. In fact, 8% of the global carbon footprint is due to traveling.

You will need to be diligent when traveling if you want to be more sustainable. You will have to avoid a number of mistakes if you want to both lower your carbon footprint and avoid stressful situations.

Common Mistakes to Avoid as an Eco-Tourist

The eco-tourism sector is growing at a rate of 10-30% a year. However, many people still don’t know how to be eco-tourists.

There are certain mistakes that you should avoid when traveling abroad for the first time. You will need to be even more careful if you are trying to be a responsible traveler. The following mistakes can cause a lot of issues.

1. Failing to Use the Most Sustainable Means of Transport

There are a number of reasons that traveling is bad for the environment. The biggest is that the most common forms of transportation leave a large carbon footprint. Airplanes are some of the least environmentally friendly ways to travel.

You will want to use the most environmentally responsible transportation options during your trip. If you can walk or bike to your destinations, then you should do so. You will also want to compare different airlines for their carbon footprint. Some airlines have started doing a lot more to protect the planet, so you will want to do your research.

2. Leaving your passport, money, and other important documents unsecured

The first mistake is not having a secure place to keep your passport, money, and other important documents. The best way to do this is in a safe or, even better, hand-sewn into your clothing (in the armpit).

Make sure you have multiple copies of all your important documents hidden around your body. If you need help getting a passport, you can use the services of the passport agency. It will help you with all the matters related to the passport and other crucial travel documents.

Another good idea is to leave some cash with people who will be traveling with you or someone else who can get to it easily in case you lose everything else when trying out some crazy new adventure like bungee jumping.

3. Pick the Most Sustainable Destinations

You will also want to choose the eco-friendliest destinations for your trip. We have a list of four great sustainable places to travel.

There are a lot of things that you should take into consideration when looking for a place to travel. You want to find a community that is making inroads on promoting sustainability, so you can reward places that focus on the environment. You will also want to find places where you can easily get around and enjoy the area without harming the planet. This includes visiting cities with a good public transportation system, great eco-friendly restaurants and places to visit in nature so you don’t have to harm the planet for recreational activities.

4. Confusing currency exchange

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when traveling abroad for the first time is confusing currency exchange. This is because there are so many different types of currencies used around the world, and it’s hard to keep track of them all!

Luckily, there are ways to avoid this problem. First, make sure you have the right currency before leaving your home country. Many credit cards offer travel insurance benefits that cover lost or stolen cards and fees incurred from exchanging foreign currency at an airport or other location outside your bank’s network. If possible, this might be something worth considering if you want to save some money while traveling abroad without getting ripped off by banks every time they charge their high exchange rate fees.

4. Falling for common tourist scams

The best way to avoid falling for a tourist scam is to be aware of what common scams look like. For example, some people find themselves being approached by a man who claims he’s lost his wallet and needs money for transportation home. If you think someone is about to try and scam you, take a closer look at their story and see if there are any inconsistencies. If they are lying or making things up as they go along, this will become clear very quickly.

If you’re not sure that a person is telling the truth, don’t offer any money. If they are telling the truth, then there will be an opportunity for them to prove it in some way. For example, if they say that their wallet was stolen and they need help getting home, ask them for the name of their hotel or the nearest police station.

5. Assuming that your phone provider offers the same services abroad

It’s a common mistake to assume that your phone provider offers the same services abroad. While some providers may offer international roaming, others don’t, and in some cases, you may not be able to use your phone at all. In addition, you may have to get a new SIM card that works with local networks in the country where you are traveling.

Be Sensible as an Eco-Tourist

It is important to remember not to get too caught up in the details and just enjoy your trip as an eco-traveler. You can enjoy traveling without harming the planet if you take the right steps. There is so much to see and do, so don’t let these mistakes keep you from enjoying yourself!