responsible tourism gifts

16 sustainable gift ideas for travelers 2022

Nov 15, 2022 • 6 min read

Find a gift for the sustainable traveler in your life.

Looking for a gift for someone who loves travel and is keen to make sustainable choices? We've got you covered. 

From reusable bags for shopping Europe's best markets to toothpaste and shampoo that minimizes plastic and luggage that is stylish, useful and incredibly eco-conscious, we're happy to recommend these products and even more excited to find more companies every year broadening their practices and embracing ethical consumerism.

1. Baggu reusable bags

Recommended by Sarah Stocking, Lonely Planet editor $14

These reusable bags have been a staple in my luggage since my New York City aunt introduced them to me 20-odd years ago – she would stash them in her handbag so she always had a shopping bag, just in case. My grandmother and I thought it was genius, and they've traveled with me ever since. Sure, there are other brands, but Baggu is the most reliable, plus they’re easy to clean and come in all kinds of sizes and colors. No more plastic shopping bags for me!

2. Pela phone cases

From $59.95

Pela is a sustainable and eco-friendly company to watch and these phone cases are dreamy. Stylish and useful they are 100 percent compostable making your dream of a plastic-free life one step closer to attainable. Using state-of-the-art engineering and materials, Pela is working towards creating products that contribute to a waste-free future and that is a mission Lonely Planet definitely endorses.

3. Bite toothpaste bits

Recommended by Sarah Stocking, Lonely Planet editor $12

Is mine the only family that gifts dental hygiene equipment for Christmas?  T hese toothpaste bits  come in recyclable and reusable containers so you don't contribute to the billions of toothpaste tubes clogging the waterways. Now is the perfect opportunity to give them a try.

4. Spiraleaf shampoo and conditioner bars

These package free shampoo and conditioner bars are surprisingly effective, and you can use them to the very last sliver, so they're much better for the environment than bottles. Another bonus? They don't explode en route and leak all over your favorite lotions.

5. Stojo 16oz collapsible coffee cup

Recommended by Sarah Stocking, Lonely Planet editor $20

A colleague came back from a trip to Australia  and suggested everyone in the office purchase one of these collapsible cups – apparently they’re all the rage there. We love that they fit into a neat little disk (so easy to store in your backpack or handbag!) and have a straw. It’s been great to feel environmentally responsible while indulging in coffee drinks.

6. Patagonia Black Hole duffel

Recommended by Sarah Stocking, Lonely Planet editor From $159

These duffel bags are truly phenomenal. We have one of each size and use them as luggage for four people – I can wrangle a kid and manage two of them fairly easily. They’re lightweight, easy to pack and allow you to carry a ton; they’re comfortable to wear as backpacks, no matter the size, and the straps are easy to attach; and they’re made from recycled materials, which is a win for our family.

7. NorthFace Women's City Breeze Rain Parka II

We love NorthFace for their awesome gear and forward-thinking approach to ethical consumerism, and this parka only proves our point. Wind-proof, waterproof and sustainably made from recycled materials, it has a stylish A-line cut for city breaks, and it’s rugged enough to stand up to rainy hikes in the wilderness as well.

8. Scoria Travel Essential cork yoga mat

From $69 (currently reduced to $59) 

In our mission to explore everyday, it's important to honor our practices while traveling, and with a company ethos encouraging playfulness alongside environmental awareness, Scoria is a brand we here at Lonely Planet can get behind. ​​ This yoga mat is thin and packable, and, made from sustainably harvested cork and rubber with no plastic packaging, it packs a serious eco-friendly punch with its easy-to-carry prowess.

9. Stasher bags

Recommended by Anne Zalatoris, Lonely Planet lead account manager From $8

These reusable, non-toxic bags are the perfect replacement for Ziplocs or Gladware. They're great for on-the-go snacking and come in an array of cute colors, plus they're dishwasher-safe (so easy to clean!) and microwave-safe too. You can even put them directly in the oven.

10. Offbeat 

The perfect book for a travel enthusiast - this coffee table book delves beyond the classic bucket list; picking 100 amazing places away from the tourist trails.  Packed with practical  first timer tips and stunning images, it will make you want to head straight to the Departure Gates.  

11. Dieux Skin Forever Eye Mask 

Recommended by Sasha Brady, Lonely Planet editor From $25

Myself and senior news editor Melissa Yeager are obsessed with these reusable silicone eye masks to make us look more alert after a red-eye. Unlike most sheets masks, these don’t come with additional wasteful packaging and can be reused after every use so they’ll last a long time. Simply drench them in your favorite serums and eye gels and hold them close to the under eye area for maximum absorption.

12. The Sustainable Travel Handbook

This practical and inspiring guide , the latest in our popular Handbook series, motivates travelers to take a responsible approach to the impact of traveling. Whether you’re looking to reduce your carbon emissions, enjoy more a responsible wildlife-watching experience, harness culinary tourism for good or enjoy an eco-friendly city break, this guide has got you covered. 

Packed with easily-digestible advice compiled by a sustainable travel expert, eco-conscious travelers will be introduced to a wide variety of destinations offering culture, wildlife, luxury, adventure, wellness and much more, as well as subjects such as the development of electric transport, how to reduce your plastic waste and the best ways to visit explore sacred indigenous culture respectfully.

13. Coalatree Kachula adventure blanket

Recommended by  Kesi Irivin , founder of Kesi To & Fro  $52

I love the Kachula adventure blanket because it's so versatile: it's a water-resistant blanket, pillow and poncho, all in one – convenient to travel with and easy to pack. Made entirely from recyclable goods, it'll keep you cozy whether you're on a plane or watching Netflix on the couch.

14. The Little Market handwoven bath towels

Recommended by  Erin Lenczycki, Lonely Planet photo editor $58

Backpacking with microfiber towels gets tiring, and they don't work well for the beach. I bought some of these handwoven towels instead, and now I'm obsessed: they're lightweight, dry incredibly fast and feel so luxurious like I'm on the French Riviera, not Coney Island. Plus, they're made by an organization dedicated to sustainable employment, access to healthcare and a savings fund for the creators.

15. Solo New York Re:move duffle

Recommended by Jenn Chan , luxury travel, beauty and style expert and on-air host $76

I've finally found the best weekender duffle bag , and it just so happens to be stylish, eco-conscious and ultra-lightweight too! Made from recycled PET bottles and other recycled materials, this travel essential has a clever compartment for absolutely everything.

16. Byta stainless-steel tumblers

Recommended by Anne Zalatoris, Lonely Planet lead account manager $29

Byta's 16oz tumbler is the perfect size for water, coffee or even outdoor cocktails on the go – high quality, cute and sustainable, it fits perfectly in cup holders and keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. (Ice doesn't even melt!) Pair it with one of the brand's stainless steel straws, and customize it with your name or a phrase. And if you need something bigger, the 30oz version is great for hot yoga and hiking.

More gift guides for every type of traveler

Travel gifts for under $25 Travel gifts for under $100 Luxury travel gift guide 2022 Travel gear and tech gift guide 2022

This article was first published Nov 15, 2020 and updated Nov 15, 2022.

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Eco Friendly Products , Most Popular Posts , RESPONSIBLE TOURISM , TRAVEL GEAR

15 eco friendly gift ideas for responsible travelers: a sustainable gift guide.

While we talk about responsible travel , sustainable travel , eco-conscious travel, and so on, why not try to find sustainable gifts for the travel lovers in your life?

There are plenty of eco-friendly gift ideas for travelers that are actually useful so you know they will be appreciated.

There is nothing worse than receiving a lot of crap travel presents that you will never fit in your backpack. Because let’s be honest, when you try to fit everything into your backpack you want to make sure you fill it with useful stuff.

After all, you are going to carry all that around while you are traveling.

To make the best possible list of useful, eco-friendly travel items you can get for responsible travelers I asked the experts themselves what their top sustainable gift ideas are. Read on for top tips!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase through one of those links, I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.

Table of Contents

3 reasons why you should always look for sustainable gift ideas and shop only useful stuff

The environment

Reducing plastic waste and waste in general has become critical for the environment. Especially in holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day, several tonnes of unsustainable wrapping is thrown away. Think about it! It was used to wrap a present, ripped open and thrown away.

Further, unfortunately, most of the presents given are not used. I know, I have received heaps of stash throughout the years that the giver thought were cool things to give me, and maybe they were, but at the end of the day, I didn’t really need it. So it just stayed in a drawer for a few years until I did a clean-up and threw it away. Those gifts actually just created more waste at the end. Therefore, be mindful of buying useful gifts that the receiver will actually want, need, and use.

When you buy a thoughtful gift that is both useful for the person you give it to and gives back to the community or the environment, you will put a big smile on the receivers face. No doubt.

With all the tonnes of waste that goes into nature, including the ocean, the ones paying the price are the animals. With buying eco-friendly products as gifts you assure that you don’t contribute to ruining their habitat and poisoning their oceans.

Plant trees to create habitat for animals from the convenience of your home

Eco friendly gift ideas

Find the best eco friendly gift ideas with this sustainable gift guide. Everything you find here has been tried and tested by avid travelers and are products we love!

Florious packing cubes

What better way to organize luggage than with packing cubes? Whether you’re looking for a useful gift for a true backpacker or someone that doesn’t go anywhere without their rolling suitcase, packing cubes are great!

It makes it so easy to stay organized and always know where everything is. Florious is fantastic. They are made from only recycled materials and come with a bag for dirty laundry. No one wants that mixed with their clean clothes.

I love packing cubes and wish they existed when I backpacked full-time.

Buy Florious packing cubes here

Marley Chant Bluetooth Speaker

Recommended by Daniel of Layer Culture

When looking for eco friendly gift ideas that you want to ensure any frequent traveler will love, be sure to check out the amazing range of Bluetooth speakers and audio systems on offer from The House of Marley.

As an avid traveler myself, I have found the Marley Chant extremely useful for sharing my musical tastes with others, and in many cases, being the lifesaver in any impromptu social gathering. The Marley Chant is perfect for hostels or during picnic-style environments where some background music is always welcomed.

All of Marley speakers are designed for the sustainably-minded music lover and made from earth-friendly materials.

Buy the Marley Chant Bluetooth speaker here

Stojo coffee cup

Recommended by Annabel of Smudged Postcard

Millions of coffee cups are thrown away each day around the world so a reusable cup is something every coffee drinker should carry with them. There are plenty on the market but the collapsible silicone cup created by Stojo is particularly appealing as it squashes down to a very small size making it the ideal travel item for those who don’t wish to carry a bag or have little space to spare.

The Stojo collapsible coffee cup comes in a range of colors from stylish dark grey to fun bright colors such as sky blue and grass green. The cup is a perfect eco friendly gift for anyone with a conscience about their coffee habit.

Buy the Stojo coffee cup here

Vegan Tapas Tour of Madrid

Recommended by Wendy of The Nomadic Vegan

Why not give away an eco-conscious experience? And why not in Spain?

Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water pollution, and many other environmental problems, so the most effective single action we can take as individuals is to stop supporting the animal agriculture industry.

Tapas are a quintessential part of the Spanish culinary tradition and something everyone who visits Spain should experience. Traditionally, most tapas feature ham and other animal products, but don’t worry! Vegan, vegetarians and eco-conscious travelers don’t have to miss out. In fact, the vegan food scene in Madrid has exploded in recent years, and there are now so many vegan options in the city that it’s hard to know where to start.

That’s where Madrid Vegan Travel comes in. This local startup company is run by a vegan madrileña who loves taking visitors around her city and sharing with them her favorite spots for vegan tapas in Madrid. The tour focuses on the lively Malasaña district and includes stops at four of the neighborhood’s bars and restaurants.

You’ll be amazed at how these local businesses have veganized traditional Spanish dishes, including everything from  patatas con carne  (“potatoes with meat”) to calamari! I’m still dreaming about that calamari and have yet to taste anything like it. 

Book a vegan Tapas Tour in Madrid here .

Bear in Mind logbooks

Recommended by Leah of Officer Travels

Every traveler is in search of the perfect way to document their travels but if you’re anything like us, you never seem to ‘have the time’ to sit and write an in-depth diary day by day. Which is why we fell in love with the Bear in Mind logbooks.

Each day has sections to fill in – including sections for daily costs, activities and even what food you ate – making it quick and easy while still enabling you to jot down those important memories, it even has a little pocket at the back for those of us with hoarding tendencies… but that isn’t the sole reason we love them.

The Bear in Mind logbooks are made from stone paper, a process that uses rock waste from quarries and a lot less water than traditional tree paper. The stone paper is also unbelievably durable, it’s waterproof and rip-proof (it’s true! We tested it) so once your memories are safely written down they’re not going anywhere! On top of all this, they have several different ‘themes’ to match your style of travel. Backpacker, food, hiker, diver… they have one for everyone and they’re all ecofriendly!

You can get Bear in Mind journals on their official website .

An alternative is this small eco travel journal with a bamboo pen

Eco-friendly sunscreen

Recommended by Emily of Two Get Lost

Living by the sea has made me ultra aware of just how important it is to protect it and all the incredible wildlife that calls it home. 

14,000 tons of sunscreen are thought to wash into the oceans each year and the toxic chemicals found in most off the shelf sun creams are contributing to destroying the world’s coral reefs.  

There is an answer to staying safe in the sun and protecting our oceans. Tropic sun cream is 100% mineral and completely free from the toxic chemicals that are harming our seas. 

It comes in SPF 15, 30, and 50 and is packed with nutritious botanical extracts, which soothe and hydrate while shielding skin from UV rays.

There is also a tinted sun cream, great as a light foundation, and an enriched sun balm for those sensitive areas like lips, ears, and eyelids. As an added benefit it is extremely gentle on sensitive skin and water-resistant.

An alternative is the eco-friendly and reef safe sunscreen Kokua Sun Care .

Adopt a donkey

Why not give a sustainable gift that gives back to animals as well as brings joy to the person you give it to?

El Refugio del Burrito , part of the British organization The Donkey Sanctuary, rescuing donkeys from all over Spain, lets you adopt a donkey for only 5 Euros a month. The money you pay goes to assuring that the adopted donkey and the other rescued donkeys and mules at the sanctuary get the care they need.

It is also possible to visit and volunteer at El Refugio del Burrito, so with an adopted donkey, maybe you inspire the travel lovers in your life to travel to Spain and maybe even volunteer with the animals.

Adopt a donkey here .

Eco friendly soap & shampoo bars

Recommended by Marta and Milosz of BackpackersWro

We are not proud of the fact that for many years of traveling, we have used disposable mini-versions of cosmetics.

Now we are doing our best to discover the world sustainably. In almost all the shops around the world, you can find ecological and handmade cosmetics packed in reusable tins or boxes.

A soap or shampoo bar in a beautiful tin is an excellent sustainable gift idea for any eco-conscious traveler.

They last for a long time and once finished, they can buy a replacement with no packaging and put it in the reusable tin. Finally, they will not get confiscated at airport security so you can place them in your hand luggage.

Get your shampoo bar and soap bar

United By Blue 25L Rift Pack

Recommended by Bret Love & Mary Gabbett of Blue Ridge Mountains Travel Guide

We’re big believers in buying experiences over things, but the simple fact is that sometimes you need things in order to have good experiences. That’s where we look for products that 1) are made in the most sustainable and ethical way possible, and 2) are made by manufacturers who give back to the planet in some concrete way.

That’s one of the reasons we love United By Blue, a certified B Corp that prides itself on sustainable materials and ethical manufacturing, and also cleans one pound of trash from the ocean for every product purchased (over 2.13 million pounds to date).

Their 25L Rift Pack backpack is made from 100% recycled polyester and is available in five stylish designs. All of them are lightweight enough to carry all day and feature lots of pockets for storage. It’s perfect for weekend getaways or everyday usage, and rugged enough to stand up to even your outdoor wildest adventures.

Get the United By Blue 25L Rift Pack here

Find more recommended eco-friendly backpacks here .

Lifestraw filtered water bottle

Recommended by Stephen of A Backpackers Tale

One gift any eco-conscious family member or friend will love is a Lifestraw water bottle. On the outside, Lifestraw might look like an ordinary water bottle, but it is much more than that. Lifestraw is a personal water filtration system. And makes water from anywhere in the world, from a puddle in a remote forest to a faucet in India, drinkable.

And while this might sound too good to be true, data backs it up. Lifestraw removes over 99.9 percent of water-borne germs, parasites, and bacteria. It’s also a gift that keeps on giving as the Lifestraw filters 1,000 gallons of water and lasts for an entire year before it needs to be replaced.

As travelers, this helps us cut down on waste in countries where we can’t drink tap water. No more buying tons of bottled water to stay hydrated and wasting tons of plastic. Imagine not throwing one plastic bottle away for a year, and how good that will feel. Lifestraw is bound to please the eco-friendly travel addict in your family.

Get a Lifestraw filtered water bottle here

For anyone traveling with their dog: Biodegradable poop bags

Recommended by Candy of Boogie The Pug

If you’re traveling with your dog, there’s one important item you’ll need to bring everywhere with you: poop bags!  Help any pet traveler reduce the environmental impact of dog waste and the amount of plastic going into landfills by gifting them compostable poop bags. When your dog has to go, they gotta go, and it’s up to travelers to keep their destinations clean and dog poop free. It’s an item they’ll always be in need of and most certainly use, and it makes a great stocking stuffer. But before you purchase your eco-friendly gift, take a closer look. Many companies are known to deceive consumers by claiming their product is biodegradable when it’s not. In 2015, the Federal Trade Commission busted 20 poop bag companies for this. Make sure the bags you’ve picked out meet the ASTM D6400 criteria, which is only given to products that can actually be composted, like ECO-CLEAN Poop Bags Biodegradable, made of plant-based materials.

Buy biodegradable poop bags here

Bamboo utensils

Recommended by Katherine of Tara Lets Anywhere

A set of bamboo utensils is a great sustainable gift for travelers. Bamboo, in particular, is a good material for use for a couple of reasons: it’s natural and biodegradable, it has natural antibacterial properties, and it is eco-friendly.

With a bamboo utensil set, you can forego the use of plastic utensils and straws. It can be used for casual take-outs or travels especially to developing nations such as Asia, where plastic waste is a huge problem.

Personally, I love my bamboo utensil set as it’s not only eco-friendly, it’s also stylish! I love the natural look of each piece. It’s also lightweight so I can easily pack them in my shoulder bag or backpack. As a gift, it’s a budget-friendly option and there are a lot of stores selling one starting at $10.

Get your bamboo utensils here

Stainless Steel Razor

Recommended by Sophie of The Wanderful Me

If you’re looking to get your favorite traveler an eco-friendly and sustainable gift this year they’ll use everywhere and anywhere, consider stocking their stuffing with a handy stainless steel razor!

A seriously practical gift, I use my own stainless steel razor weekly. A ridiculously awesome way to reduce one’s plastic usage, a stainless steel razor eliminates any need for those nasty landfill-clogging plastic razor heads, as well as any plastic bottles of shaving cream (I’m continually blown away at how smooth a shave is with one of these babies!).

While a stainless steel razor might not be the most heart-warming or thoughtful gift, it’s surely something your eco-friendly travel lover will use over and over again in the future! 

Get a stainless steel razor here

Reusable Snack Bags

Recommended by Catherine of Traveling With The Littles

If you are looking to buy an eco-friendly gift for travel lovers, then look no further than reusable snack bags. 

Reusable snack bags are great because you can buy a big bag of snacks (pretzels, trail mix, crackers, fruit, treats), and parse it out into smaller snack bags.

This not only saves on packaging (not buying individual serving sizes) but also helps the environment because you are not using disposable baggies. 

Reusable snack bags come in a variety of material options, with many options available on Amazon. An additional benefit to reusable snack bags is that many of them are quick-dry and dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.

Lastly, consider using reusable snack bags for other things besides snacks, including lunches, toiletries, and organizing electronics chargers.

Buy reusable snack bags here

Grayl water bottle with filter

Recommended by Stephanie of Sofia Adventures

One of my favorite tips for travelers who want to cut down on waste during their travels is to bring a reusable water bottle. However, I suggest going one step further and getting one that comes with a filter. My favorite is the Grayl water bottle. The filter allows you to filter your own water and thus drink tap water when it might otherwise be unsafe or unpalatable.

Most places in Europe have clean and safe drinking water, but when you travel into the country or on small islands, this isn’t always the case. If you always have one with a filter, then you don’t need to worry about looking up the rules in different places on your trip.

Buy a Grayl water bottle here

Patagonia Down Sweater Jacket

Recommended by Jenny of Campsite Vibes

One of the best sustainable gifts that also keeps you warm and is perfect for winter, is the Patagonia Down Sweater Jacket.

I’ve worn it in 15-degree weather with a fleece underneath and have been nice and toasty! Since it has 800-fill-power down, it’s designed to keep you warm (the higher the fill power, the warmer you’ll be).

Patagonia focuses on creating quality products that are also as environmentally friendly as possible. The jacket is lightweight, packs up small and is windproof.

Patagonia uses recycled down and recycled polyester ripstop shell to reduce waste and make it as ethical as possible. The recycled down is Advanced Global Traceable Down.

Get a Patagonia jacket here

More recommendations for useful travel items

Read: 20+ Useful and unique travel gifts for world travelers!

Read: 20 best travel books to fuel your wanderlust

For camping enthusiasts: The ultimate eco friendly camping gear list

Pin it for later!

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2 thoughts on “ 15 Eco friendly gift ideas for responsible travelers: A sustainable gift guide ”

Great collection! I see some excellent gift ideas here! ?❤️

Glad you found it useful! Good to see other eco-conscious travelers out there!

Comments are closed.

Traveling Tulls

Eco-Travel in Retirement – Nature and Sustainable Luxury Travel

35 Tips for Responsible Tourism: a Complete Eco Travel Guide

Sustainable Travel … Is it possible to be both an environmentally responsible world traveler? Can we explore the world without causing harm to the planet and its cultures? The answer lies in the concept of responsible tourism, which seeks to strike a balance between fulfilling our travel desires and safeguarding the environment and culture for future generations. In this article, we’ll delve into the essence of responsible tourism, its significance, and discover changes we can make to travel in a more eco-friendly way.

I love travel and I love nature, so I’ve always tried to travel ‘green’. But years ago I learned what responsible travel really is. While staying at an eco-resort, I looked for gifts to bring home. The shop’s manager kept suggesting baskets made by the local people, but I chose bracelets (easier to pack). I remember her displeasure but didn’t really understand until we were leaving the country and I saw these same bracelets in every shop in the airport. Those bracelets were imported just for the tourists. My purchase hadn’t supported the local community at all. How was this wildlife reserve to be sustained if the community didn’t profit from tourism?

Table of Contents

Travel will always have an impact on a destination .

Many people ask if it’d be better if we all just stayed home and reduced the carbon emissions from travel? Though this seems logical, in fact tourism is one of the most significant incentives towards preserving the natural and cultural treasures of the world. Without the travel industry most of the nature reserves throughout the world would have been converted to farmland.

The impact of travel on destinations cannot be denied, but whether this impact is beneficial or detrimental depends on how we travel. Irresponsible tourism can damage fragile ecosystems, exploit local communities, and lead to cultural dilution. However, when done responsibly, tourism can bring economic benefits to an area, improve the standard of living for locals, and ensure the protection of natural and cultural treasures.

Examples of sustainable tourism show promise in many countries around the world. In these countries, the tourist industry has committed to high standards of environmental development, education, and coordination with the local communities. And the results have been remarkable. Since Costa Rica began its sustainable development programs, unemployment has fallen below 10%, and the quality of life in the country has risen to among the best in the world.

What is Responsible and Sustainable Tourism?

• The World Commission on Environment and Development defines sustainable travel as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,”
• The World Tourism Organization defines it as the “management of all resources in such a way that economic, social, and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity, and life support systems.”
• From the Global Sustainable Tourism Council : “Responsible travel refers to the behavior of individual travelers aspiring to make choices according to sustainable tourism practices. The behaviors usually align with minimizing the negative impacts and maximizing positive ones when one visits a tourism destination.”

Responsible tourism definition in simple words

For our purposes, responsible tourism means travel that is a positive experience for both the tourist and the local community. Responsible tourists plan their travel (and behave on the trip) to support sustainability.

Sustainability occurs when three factors – Social justice, Environmental protection, and Economic viability – are in balance. These factors are often called the three pillars of sustainability. Tourism that is sustainable protects the natural environments and the cultural heritage, addresses climate change, minimizes plastics and waste, AND expands economic development in the area communities. Responsible tourism doesn’t make life more difficult for the local community.

Easy Eco-Friendly Travel Tips

It can be overwhelming to look at the challenges of our world and try to figure out how we can address them. We can’t ‘fix’ things ourselves, but if we work on our own ‘little bit of good’, together we will make a positive impact. This wisdom from Reverend Tutu is as relevant to traveling as to everything else.

Start where you are. Make a small change in your travel style today, and, when you’re ready or can afford it, make a bigger change later. Every step towards being a responsible tourist helps.

Here are our sustainable travel tips, beginning with the easy, inexpensive, and often FREE (🐸) things you can do:

Sustainable Travel Tips: Baby Steps

Eliminate/reduce single-use plastics.

• Carry a reusable water bottle.
• Avoid plastic bags by bringing your own shopping sack from home. 🐸
• Remove packaging from products (& recycle) before leaving home. (Some locations don’t have resources for recycling.) 🐸
• Fill reusable containers with your preferred shampoo/conditioner from home. 🐸
• Say no to plastic straws and plastic bottles🐸 Bigger Steps : purchase (or assemble) a packable cutlery set. pack some reusable straws, eliminate items that contain microplastics from your travel AND home cleansing routine.

Save water with small changes

• Take shorter showers 🐸
• Turn off water when brushing teeth, or shaving 🐸
• Reuse bath towels and linens (put the Do Not Disturb sign on hotel doors)🐸

Conserve electricity

• Turn off lights when you leave a room. 🐸
• Raise (or lower) thermostat when possible. 🐸

Don’t Litter!

• Carry out all your trash and dispose of it responsibly.

• Every pound of luggage adds to your airlines fuel expenditure and airplane emissions. National Geographic breaks down the cost of everything you carry on a flight here: The Hidden Costs of Flying
• Bigger Step : as items in your wardrobe and gear wear out, replace them with travel-friendly options made with sustainable fabric materials . Clothing that is lightweight and odor resistant will reduce the weight of your luggage and the necessity or doing laundry

Research potential activities

• Respect the local cultures and traditions- look for authentic opportunities to interact with locals. Dress respectfully and adhere to local customs. Remember, we’re guests in their home.
• Avoid unethical wildlife experiences – enjoy the area or observe wildlife at a respectful distance. Wildlife lovers, look for ethical travel experiences to enjoy, such as visiting the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya , where orphaned elephants are raised before being reintroduced to the wild.
• Avoid tourist attractions that lack authenticity, such as factory tours disguised as selling opportunities. Often these activities do not represent the local culture.

Be camera smart

Don’t be photo obsessed. Travel is about more than the photos you post on social media. Take time to enjoy the surroundings with all your senses. But when you’re ready to take a picture:

• Be aware while taking pictures. Don’t stand in the middle of the street to take a picture. Don’t take selfies with wild animals.
• Be respectful. Don’t take selfies at somber memorial sites.

Support LOCAL

• consult and hire local guides – check online for recommendations on local tour operators. We found a guide for a bird watching tour in Portugal by consulting a Lisbon birding club online.
• buy from regional artisans to support the local economies rather than hitting the tourist kiosks where the majority of items are imported.
• Be aware of the food resources in the area you’re visiting and eat as the locals do. Importing food to suit a western diet is expensive and unsustainable. Visiting Argentina? have a steak! Visiting Bermuda? skip the steak and have seafood instead. Making conscientious choices to eat what is local and available is one of the best ways to travel green AND eat great food.

Respect the local people

It might seem like common sense but apparently many people forget their manners when they’re traveling. Responsible travelers don’t make the locals’ lives more difficult.

• Learn a few words in the local language.
• Always ask permission before taking a person’s picture. And ask if it’s OK to share to social media. Be particularly respectful of children’s images.
• Respect the locals’ privacy. Don’t use drones or other annoying technology in neighborhoods or on crowded streets.
• Learn about the region’s cultural norms before you leave home.

Basically follow the golden rule – ‘do unto others as you’d want them to do unto you.’ If you wouldn’t want someone filming social media reels on your front yard, don’t do it on theirs.

For help finding eco-sustainable travel products consult our gift guides, Eco-Friendly Gifts for Travelers and Stocking Stuffers for Travelers .

Sustainable Travel Tips: Big Steps

For a step-by-step guide to planning a responsible trip (and our case study); read How to Put Together a Sustainable Travel Plan

Deciding on your destination

• Avoid over-tourism spots, and areas where human rights are threatened. over-tourism puts a huge strain on the resources of an area, raises prices for locals, and sadly is often destroying that which brings travelers to the area. Research your destination to find better places to visit.
• Choose slow travel. Traveling slow means you stay in one destination for a long time. This is a great way to really learn about a country and its people, and it’s much more eco friendly as you’re not continuously moving and changing lodgings.
• Travel in the off-season if you are heading someplace suffering from over-tourism. Added bonus- this ensures income for local communities during what may be their lean times.
• Travel is an opportunity to ‘vote’ with your wallet. If you have reservations about a country’s policies or human rights issues, don’t go.

Choosing your lodging

• Skip the all-inclusive resorts. Staying (and paying) for the all-inclusive aspect of these resorts discourages the traveler from patronizing local restaurants and shops. There is also a significant amount of food waste at these resorts.
• When possible, stay at a locally owned hotel, rather than and international chain hotel, to bring benefits to the local economy. (Avoid tourism leakage )
• Investigate whether your lodging choice employs local people.
• Many hotels and lodges are committed to green practices, have signed the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge, and certification programs acknowledge this. Check their website, and user reviews, before booking. Beware of greenwashing, where a business spends more on marketing their green practices than actually putting them into action.
• Book through a website like bookdifferent.com which monitors hotels for sustainable practices

Choosing your transportation option

• M- minimize – can you reduce the distance? can you combine trips to save repeat journeys?
• A – active – can you reach your destination, or explore at your destination on foot or bicycle? 🐸
• P- public transport – can you take public transportation to, or around, your destination? Trains are the most sustainable form of long distance travel.
• S- share a ride. Not usually possible on a trip, so I’d change S to sustainable vehicle. Check to see if there are sustainable options like electric or hybrid cars if you’re renting a vehicle away from home.

Fly direct whenever possible

• The most airline fuel is used for takeoff and landing. Direct flights may be more expensive but spend a little bit extra to lower your carbon footprint and your travel time!

Cruising – Do or Don’t?

• Research cruise lines carefully before booking. Some small ship lines have invested in more efficient engineering and have adopted environmentally friendly practices to lessen the negative impact of their cruises.
• Add a few days to the beginning and or end of your cruise to support, and enjoy, the country.
• Patronize local restaurants and artisan shops on shore days.
• Consider booking a shore tour directly through a local agency. We’ve done this many times when we’ve traveled with friends (shared the expense). Added bonus is you can organize the tour to your interests and avoid the tourist traps. See our posts on Dubrovnik and Rhodes .

🐸 – free (or almost free!) and easy ways to be a responsible traveler.

Offset some of your travel by reducing your carbon footprint at home .

Responsible Tourism Examples – the good news

Several countries have made strong commitments to developing responsible tourism. Here are just a few responsible travel examples that illustrate areas of success:

• The Republic of Palau requires that visitors sign a pledge promising to respect and protect the island’s natural environment and culture. This pledge, signed on arrival, is addressed to the children of Palau.
• Sweden ranks #1 for sustainability by Euromonitor. Its programs for renewable energy and water sources are very successful.
• Slovenia has won many sustainability awards and was rated the best place for green travel in 2019. Ljubljana won a sustainable tourism award as part of the selection for the 2019 European Capital of Smart Tourism. We visited Slovenia several years ago and were impressed by how completely litter free it is!
• Costa Rica’s certification of sustainability process is being adopted around the world. Additionally, Costa Rica leads much of the world in reforestation.
• The United Republic of Tanzania has dedicated 38% of its land to conservation.

Care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all, our most pleasing responsibility – Wendell Berry

Getting the Tourist to Travel Responsibly

In most cases people travel to enjoy a different part of the world. Whether they are looking for a pristine beach or anticipating walking in ancient ruins, the tourist has placed a value on their chosen destination. Recent studies reveal that a vast majority of people want to be more responsible in their travel. They are increasingly conscious of the potential harm caused by over-tourism and the environmental impact of carbon emissions from travel. While the desire to travel more eco-friendly is strong, many travelers are challenged to do it.

According to a survey conducted by Booking.com survey the primary concern regarding eco-friendly travel was the perceived cost. 42% of the respondents said that the added expenses associated with sustainable travel were keeping them from adopting green travel practices.

Following closely behind was the lack of knowledge about sustainable tourism practices. Nearly a third of respondents shared their desire to travel in a more responsible way but felt they lacked the necessary know-how to do so.

Let’s take advantage of people’s desire to travel responsibly and share practical ideas on how sustainable options can be both easy and budget-friendly! Learning to travel responsibly is just the beginning. Once we’ve made positive changes to our own journeys, we need to share the experience with others. Help them to see that it’s easy and rewarding to travel in an environmentally friendly way. Together we can be a positive force in making travel more sustainable.

Additional Information on Responsible Tourism – definitions, and challenges

Ecotourism: is sustainable travel the same as ecotourism.

The term eco-tourism was coined in the 1970s and is loosely defined as responsible travel in natural areas. Thus, eco travel is a type of sustainable travel, focused on nature. Promoting responsible eco travel in natural areas, e.g., safaris in Africa, or trekking in National Parks , is the most effective way to ensure that these natural areas, and the wildlife living there, will survive.

Irresponsible tourism

Irresponsible tourism can happen anywhere but is on the rise with over-tourism. When travelers seeking the perfect Instagram shot climb on a historic fountain, or stray off the trail in a National Park, the fountain or the environment can be damaged. Likewise, when travelers leave trash or graffiti behind, the sought over destination is spoiled for the next visitor.

• Unintended irresponsible tourism happens when travelers take risks which can end up requiring their rescue. Check the weather before heading into the mountains, keep a respectful distance from wildlife, follow the guidance of rangers, etc.

Mass Tourism

Mass tourism is a somewhat negative term for affordable group travel. This includes inexpensive group tours, cruising, etc., anything that has opened the door of travel to most people. Before the onset of mass tourism, travel was a luxury of the wealthy. The grand tour was a fixture in ‘upper-class’ families, a coming-of-age adventure for (primarily) young men. But when companies like Thomas Cook began offering reasonably priced group tours, the world became accessible to ‘regular’ people. To my mind, this is a good thing, but it is not without its negative effects.

• on many mass tourism trips, the revenue stays with the operator. Travelers don’t stay at locally owned hotels, or frequent local restaurants. If you do choose to cruise, or book a group tour, make sure to have a meal or two at a local restaurant. You’ll have a more authentic experience and give back to the host communities.

Over-tourism

Over-tourism happens when popular destinations gets more tourists than they can accommodate sustainably. The experience is detrimental to the tourist and the destination. The tourist can’t enjoy the view of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice with a hundred selfie-sticks in the way. And the people of Venice can’t go about their regular life with so many people jamming their pathways, and local shops turned into tourist traps. This is a major issue for the city. In fact, over-tourism often leads to the locals being displaced from their communities due to rising costs of rent, essentials, and utilities.

• over-tourism often centers the traveler on the big attractions while missing the genuine city they’re visiting. For example, visitors to NYC crowd Times Square and miss the fascinating neighborhoods of the city. They come away feeling that NYC was just tall buildings and neon lights, rather than a living city.

Regenerative Travel – the sustainable future of travel?

With all of us doing our part to travel in a responsible way, the tourism industry can begin to generate regenerative travel – travel that actually improves an area for nature and the local population. We have an opportunity to make our favorite places in the world even better for future generations.

Tourism leakage

Tourism leakage is when the money generated by tourism actually leaves the country, with little benefit to the local communities. The infrastructure of tourism – roads, airports, etc. – are maintained by the local economy which in some cases may only get 10-20% of the tourism revenue. For more information read What Is Economic Tourism Leakage? How to Prevent Its Negative Impact

It’s gratifying that many destinations, and businesses, have committed to sustainability, but it is essential that we, as tourists, do our part by being responsible travelers. By making simple changes in how we plan our trips, what we pack, and how we engage with the local communities, we can have a huge impact in protecting what we love .

Please share your eco-friendly travel tips in the comments. But also share with your friends and family. Spread the word on how easy and rewarding it can be to travel sustainably.

Amy Tull and Team

• Amy Tull and Team https://travelingtulls.com/author/gramma2chance/ Into the Wild: Planning Multigenerational Trips in National Parks
• Amy Tull and Team https://travelingtulls.com/author/gramma2chance/ Nature and Birding in Costa Rica: a World of Strange & Wonderful Beauty
• Amy Tull and Team https://travelingtulls.com/author/gramma2chance/ How to Survive a Long Flight: be comfortable even in Economy Seats (2024)
• Amy Tull and Team https://travelingtulls.com/author/gramma2chance/ Best Time to Travel to Machu Picchu, Peru: a traveler’s guide (2024)

Amy, a writer on responsible bucket list travel, is your reliable source for insightful travel advice. With a career background in libraries, and a degree in biology and mathematics, Amy's approach to travel is rooted in meticulous research and planning, and her commitment to eco-conscious adventures.

Amy’s dedication to sustainable travel practices, including efficient packing techniques, ensures that every adventure leaves a positive impact on both the environment and the traveler's well-being. Trust Amy to guide you towards meaningful and eco-friendly travel, making the most of your retirement years.

A lifelong New England resident, Amy is also the source for insider tips on travel in the Northeastern U.S.

• Amy Tull https://travelingtulls.com/author/amy-travelingtulls/ 101 Unique Things to Do in Boston: an insider guide to hidden gems
• Amy Tull https://travelingtulls.com/author/amy-travelingtulls/ 25 Tips to Conquer Travel Anxiety: How to Make Travel Easier (and almost stress-free!)
• Amy Tull https://travelingtulls.com/author/amy-travelingtulls/ Easy Elegance: 3 Capsule Wardrobe Templates for Travel Planning
• Amy Tull https://travelingtulls.com/author/amy-travelingtulls/ Navigating the Amazon and Caribbean with Viking: An Honest Review (2024)

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26 thoughts on “ 35 Tips for Responsible Tourism: a Complete Eco Travel Guide ”

An overview of sustainable travel. Thank you 😊🌍

This is such a great guide! I’ve been trying to focus on sustainable travel by staying in eco lodges, taking sustainable modes of transportation and eating from small local farmers. I love all of the recommendations you include for both small and big steps!

Eating locally sourced food is such a huge benefit to the community. Thanks!

Love these tips! I definitely need to start doing more research on the green practices of the the places I’m staying at

This is such an interesting read. As someone who travels frequently I try to do my best to reduce the impact I have, but it certainly isn’t always easy. I love the idea of regenerative travel and this is something I’ll definitely look into more. Thank you for providing such a useful resource.

It really can be a challenge.

Thank you so much for this post. It’s so important that we travel sustainably and responsibly. I loved learning about what destinations are doing for sustainability. I had no idea that Sweden and Tanzania are doing so much to do good for the planet. Thank you again!

It’s wonderful to see countries stepping up like this, isn’t it!

I’ve recently been trying to travel in a more sustainable way, so I really enjoyed reading your post! Thanks for sharing all these tips!

Great tips, and love that you graded them from easy, beginner steps to upgrades – it does reflect that change is not an overnight process.

On all-inclusive resorts, I rarely choose them because indeed, you never get out of them once you’re in! But one context when I would be on board, is if I’m going to a place that’s remote, such that the lodge or resort has to plan to supply you in advance, and where keeping you mostly contained in the resort is a good thing for the environment (for example, in a protected habitat).

Definitely! Most ‘Eco-lodges’ are contained as you’re in a remote location. I guess When I hear “all inclusive” I’m thinking beachy all-you-can-eat resorts…

An in-depth post supplying great information. I have also been to Ljubljana and noticed its “green credentials”. I try to find hotels and lodges that take sustainability seriously. One I recently stayed in had done away with individual shampoos etc and converted to refillable containers. A small step but a good one to reduce plastic waste.

All these little steps are great. Though recently I was frustrated in getting paper straws at a restaurant where everything else was swallowed by plastic.

Great guide! Whenever I read any posts on sustainable tourism I pick up more that I could do & this is one of the better posts I’ve read. I particularly like your comment at the start about tourism being essential for the sustainability of culture & historic monuments. So much to consider, thanks for sharing.

Thanks Sue!

I loved this thoughtful and well researched post. I particularly loved how you laid it out in attainable goals for travelers. thanks.

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Thank you for a great guide! As someone who is disabled, I wish there were more easy ways to combine eco tourism with accessible travel. I focus on what I can, but it would be nice if the two were easier to combine.

Hi Kristin, yes that is definitely a challenge. I know the U.S. National Parks are making an effort but most ecotourism destinations are not accessible.

There can never be enough said about sustainable travel. It is such an important topic and we have such a great chance to make an impact here. Lovely post, very comprehensive!

This is a thorough and super helpful post for understanding a complex issue – balancing the benefits of travel with the concerns of over-tourism and destruction of natural resources. I learned many new things from reading this: greenwashing was a new term for me.

Thank you for so much information it is fantastic… as we travel more…I am mindful of all the things mentioned here and moving us to travel more sustainably… thank you for your help

These are all such great sustainable travel tips! I always try to support locals when I travel and bring reusable toiletries with me.

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10 gifts for a responsible traveler

What are the best gifts for a responsible traveler? What could you give yourself to make your every trip and every holiday even greener?

We know how much the choice of the means of transport as well as of an eco-friendly accommodation is fundamental in determining the impact of every trip, but it is good to consider each of our purchases, always trying to respect the environment. So, if you are looking for a gift for a person who loves to travel and spends their time organizing holidays and leaving, or if you are the recipient of the gift, here you will find the perfect solution. Here are our 10 gifts for a responsible traveler !

A stainless steel thermal bottle

No more plastic bottles. An insulated bottle is certainly among the cheapest, but welcome gifts for a responsible traveler. They can keep the liquids inside them both hot and cold for many hours, they are available in many versions and many colors and above all they are ecological!

A travel diary for lifelong memories

The great traveler Ibn Battuta said: “ Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller “. So why not give a nice notebook where you can write down memories and feelings? Fortunately, there are now many ecological options on the market, from diaries made with recycled paper to those that have paper made from the waste of industrial kiwi processing!

Ecobnb Gift Cards: the best gifts for a responsible traveler

What’s better than giving a trip to an inveterate traveler? Among our ideas for gifts for a responsible traveler, we couldn’t skip the Ecobnb Gift Card. It is a digital coupon that allows those who receive it to book stays in over 3000 green accommodation facilities, from eco-hotels to organic farmhouses, from tree houses to mountain resorts.

Bamboo toothbrushes as gifts for a responsible traveler

We all travel with a toothbrush, but why buy plastic ones? Opt for bamboo toothbrushes, even as gifts for a responsible traveler. You can also find those with a very comfortable travel case, which is completely eco-friendly too!

Portable bamboo cutlery for green packed lunches

For the traveler used to picnics and packed lunches during their hiking, a nice, green, and functional idea could be the portable cutlery kit, in bamboo. No disposable tools, but durable and environmentally friendly items.

A sustainable sunscreen to protect the sea

Finally, sun creams that are attentive to marine life are starting to appear in all the shops. In fact, we know how important it is to protect your skin from the sun, but also the devastating impact that some ingredients have on the sea and its ecosystem. If a friend is going on a summer vacation, give them eco-friendly sunscreen.

Solid cosmetics and shampoos make beautiful gifts for a responsible traveler

Easy to carry, even on a plane, with incredible fragrances, respectful of skin and hair, and made with natural ingredients: solid cosmetics are beautiful gifts for a responsible traveler and above all an easy way to say goodbye to plastic bottles and polluting products.

A washable face mask to be protected and ecological

In some countries there is an attempt to return to a sort of normality, using face masks less and less. But it is still important to continue to protect yourself and others, and therefore always have a mask at hand. Surgical ones, however, also represent waste that is difficult to dispose of. So it’s better to opt for a fabric mask, perhaps even personalized.

Solar chargers, useful gifts for a responsible traveler

Wherever you are, a charger for your phone that runs on solar energy: an ideal gift for those who can’t be without social media and for technology lovers, even on the go.

A backpack made of ecological material

An evergreen among travel accessories, the backpack could not be missing among the gifts for a responsible traveler. To find the green alternative, just pay attention to the materials. There are those in recycled fabric, those in natural cork, or even those made by recycling advertising banners, broken umbrellas, bicycle tires, and waterproof textile supports.

Do you have any other gift ideas for a responsible traveler?

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UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

#travelenjoyrespect, global code of ethics for tourism.

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The Responsible Tourist

• Background of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism

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To facilitate the understanding of the principles of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism by tourists, a more user-friendly text and format of the leaflet “The Responsible Tourist and Traveller” was prepared in 2005 by the World Committee on Tourism Ethics . In 2020 the World Committee on Tourism Ethics revised the 2017 version of the Tips for a Responsible Traveller to include updated recommendations relevant to ensuring safe and secure travel. Said revision, took place during the first semester on 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Responsible Tourism was defined in Cape Town in 2002 alongside the World Summit on Sustainable Development. This definition, the  Cape Town Declaration  is now widely accepted and was been adopted by the World Travel Market in 2007 for  World Responsible Tourism Day .

Responsible Tourism is about "making better places for people to live in and better places for people to visit." Responsible Tourism requires that operators, hoteliers, governments, local people and tourists take responsibility, take action to make tourism more sustainable.

The World Travel Market has adopted the Cape Town Declaration definition of Responsible Tourism for its World Responsible Tourism Day which encourages the industry to take responsibility for making tourism more sustainable and demonstrate their responsibility.

The Cape Town Declaration recognises that Responsible Tourism takes a variety of forms, it is characterised by travel and tourism which:

• minimises negative economic, environmental and social impacts;
• generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities, improves working conditions and access to the industry;
• involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life changes;
• makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, to the maintenance of the world's diversity;
• provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues;
• provide access for people with disabilities and the disadvantaged;
• is culturally sensitive, engenders respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence.

Behaviour can be more or less responsible and what is responsible in a particular place depends upon environment and culture.

Garry Wilson, Mainstream Product & Purchasing Director, for the TUI Group argues in an interview specially recorded, for Cape Town and Africa, that Responsible Tourism is now core, mainstream business for TUI.  Video

If you're interested in learning more, check out this video where Dr Harold Goodwin breaks down his definition of Responsible Tourism:

There are some useful forums on Responsible Tourism

Responsible Tourism Practitioners IrresponsibleTourism Responsible Tourism News

Key Responsible Tourism Documents

2001  UNWTO Global Code of Ethics

2002 The Cape Town Declaration  is the founding document of the Responsible Tourism Movement

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How To Be A Responsible Tourist In 11 Tips (Even If You Can’t Travel)

• Post category: Slow Travel / Travel Blog

Each one of us can start today with small changes to become a more responsible tourist.

Traveling isn’t the picture-perfect activity that can often be displayed on social media.

It can be messy and difficult, especially when you start to take a closer look at the impact of over-tourism.

Serious damage has already been done to certain cultures, environments, local economies, etc., which creates an urgency to change what we typically know as ‘travel’ to responsible, sustainable travel.

Here are 11 ways to start being a responsible tourist, even if you are only traveling locally or not at all.

Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links that will cost you nothing extra but offer me a little commission for any purchases made. This helps me continue to offer helpful tips. Thank you so much for your support.

11 Ways To Start Being A Responsible Tourist

1. Think Before You Act

First and foremost, to be a responsible tourist, you have to think before you act.

Most of the travel practices that are considered ‘normal’ can be destructive in ways that people do not realize.

Before you take action, it is essential to learn about common travel mistakes that can keep you from having meaningful experiences.

Stop to think about how you can start to apply these practices in your own life.

2. Find Local Activities & Experiences

In 2020, many people who normally traveled internationally started exploring their local area.

I think it was surprising for many people when they realized that they had some amazing places in their backyard the whole time.

If you haven’t hopped on the local travel bandwagon, I suggest that you do.

Take advantage of whatever you have nearby. There is probably more than you think that is just begging to be uncovered.

As you are being a tourist in your town or region, make sure to think outside of the box too because there are probably a lot of activities you didn’t know existed.

3. Look For Locally Sourced Gifts

Since more people are looking for safer ways to travel that are close to home, gifts for van life and road trips are becoming popular.

Plus, it always feels like birthdays and holidays are always right around the corner too, so why not try to support the local economy while you’re at it.

Finding one of a kind, local products might seem daunting at first but it is all about where you look.

Think about what your area is known for.

For example, when I was living in Ireland, a great present to give would be local whiskey or gin, locally made products from wool, coffee from a local roaster, sea glass jewelry, or some locally made soap.

Check out local boutiques, local markets, and you can even find amazing handmade presents online through Etsy .

4. Leave No Trace Principles

Leave No Trace (LNT) are guidelines to follow as you travel and explore the outdoors.

7 LNT principles that will help to preserve and protect the beautiful places that you will explore locally:

• Plan ahead and prepare
• Travel and camp on durable surfaces
• Dispose of waste properly
• Leave what you find
• Minimize campfire impacts
• Respect wildlife
• Be considerate of other visitors/travelers. 

There are a lot of small mistakes that could be made if you aren’t versed in LNT.

Though I say ‘small’ mistakes, they have serious consequences to ecosystems, historical structures, archaeological sites, etc.

Learn more about LNT with this guide or this guide .

5. Try Housesitting

Though many people jump to hotels or Airbnb nowadays, there are so many ways to score free accommodation that needs to be talked about, housesitting especially.

Believe it or not, Housesitting is a legitimate way for responsible tourists (who also love pets) to save on accommodation costs during a staycation.

The great thing about house sitting is that you can find them close by which makes them perfect to save a buck while locally traveling.

The experience does more than save money on your staycation though, it is a sustainable and safe way to explore nearby but with a different twist.

Check out housesitting opportunities near you.

6. Switch To A Sustainable Drinking Source

One of the easiest actions to take towards being a responsible tourist is to rethink your drinking sources.

By not buying single-use drink bottles and coffee cups, you will be making an important step towards being more sustainable.

For the rugged adventurers, I always suggest Nalgene water bottles since they are BPA free and can withstand practically anything. Throw it off a canyon, I dare you.

In case you are unsure of the water quality, carry around this small but powerful LifeStraw water filter or even their nifty filtered water bottle .

If you are a coffee fiend like myself, then you can understand the importance of having that morning cup(s).

Make a sustainable investment into a reusable coffee mug ; it’s handy for everyday life and when you’re on the road too.

Here are some more ideas for going plastic free !

7. Support Local Food

One of the biggest parts of any travel adventure is the food.

Responsible tourists should think about where they grab a coffee or eat out for dinner because these actions are crucial to helping the local economy.

Checking whether a cafe or restaurant is locally owned, operated, and staffed is more important than you might realize.

When you support these businesses, you are putting your money into the local economy. 

Usually, when you support a national or international chain restaurant or cafe, the money will leave the place where you spent it and end up lining the pockets of some bigwig far away.

Whether you travel internationally or locally, this is essential to keep in mind, plus it wouldn’t hurt to pass up Starbucks and McDonalds for some wonderful local cuisine.

An amazing online platform to help you get into the local foodie scene is Eatwith .

Connect with locals by visiting local markets together, attend a local taught cooking class, or share a meal in a local home.

They even have virtual classes which are great if you can’t travel right now. Use code CD2C35BB for €10 off!

8. Treat Yourself

Not everything about being a responsible traveler needs to be about rules all the time.

You have to enjoy your travel adventures too.

Even if you are traveling locally, getting yourself a fun travel gadget can help to spice up your adventures. 

Treating yourself to a new hiking pack or even a mini drone can lift your spirits, invigorate your sense of adventure, and give you a different perspective on familiar places.

If you are heading once again to your favorite tried and true local hiking spot, a drone will give you a new viewpoint too.

9. Follow The Rules

Now that I’ve told you that responsible tourism isn’t all about the rules…

No, but seriously, it needs to be said.

Trespassing on other people’s property, throwing waste along the side of the road or into the water, interfering with wild animals for photos, not taking safety seriously at dangerous tourist attractions, trashing accommodation properties, etc. are all things that are the opposite of being a responsible traveler.

Usually, these types of things are warned against with signs and yet those are easily ignored.

So if you see others blatantly disregarding tourism guidelines, please *kindly* say something or report it.

Responsible travel is not only following the guidelines but speaking up when others aren’t.

Responsible travel means that no matter what you believe about masks and COVID, if you choose to travel (even locally), please adhere to any guidelines put into place.

10. Make Your Health A Priority

Whether you’re into responsible travel or not, health can fall by the wayside for any traveler that gets caught up in experiencing and adventuring.

For far too long, I was concerned about saving money to travel more instead of taking care of my health while traveling .

I look back now and regret how I ate because I would return home and feel terrible and drained.

Unfortunately, cheap food tends to lack nutrients (there are some exceptions) that you would get from a balanced diet.

Maybe it’s because I am older now, but I value my health over saving money.

I would prefer to spend fewer days if it means I don’t have to eat like a college student while traveling. That might sound crazy to you, but to me, it sounds responsible.

Being a responsible tourist doesn’t just pertain to how you treat others and the environment, it also applies to how you treat yourself.

11. Shop Locally

We’ve already talked about eating out locally and buying gifts that are locally sourced, but one of the biggest things you can do is something that you have to do to survive anyway – purchasing food. 

When I say shop locally , you might think I mean the extreme of only purchasing from small local stores.

These places often have to charge higher prices to make a profit and stay open.

I know and understand that not everyone can afford to pay those prices, though if you can then you definitely should.

A more affordable alternative that I propose is #15 in How To Be A Slow Traveler .

If you do need to shop at bigger chain stores, try to buy products and brands that are produced near you in your state, region, province or country.

Many products will be the same price or a small bit more expensive to purchase the local brand.

For example, I used to shop at Aldis in Ireland.

It was great about stocking local brands and products so I could shop affordably and still support local businesses.

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How to Be a Responsible Tourist

November 21, 2021

Travel can be an amazing force for good in this world. But it can also cause a lot of harm. Here we discuss the idea of how to be a responsible tourist.

Table of Contents

We can all probably agree on what makes a bad tourist. But how about what makes a good one? Even if you prefer to think of yourself as a traveller rather than a tourist, the question remains the same.

And it’s a question I’ve pondered for year after year on the road.

The Importance of Travel

Overall, people love to travel. Not everyone, for sure, but most people. When it comes to deathbed wishes, while no-one wishes they’d spent more time in the office, many, many people wish that they had travelled more. As a former doctor, I lost count of the times that I heard patients yearn to travel, tired and breathless, expressing their sense of loss at leaving the world unseen and unexplored.

Beyond the natural human desire to travel, sustainable travel brings many benefits. Not only do I believe that travel can be a force for good but I’ve built my life’s work around that concept.

The Good and the Bad

But I’m also realistic. The travel industry, and the tourists that come with it, can also cause everything from annoyance and inconvenience to deep suffering and harm.

So when Intelligence Squared and the World Monuments Fund invited me to join an expert panel to talk about “how to be a good tourist” the time seemed right to put my thoughts down in one place.

Here is my initial guide on how to be a responsible tourist. It’s a starting point, a cyber bookmark that I will add to month on month, year on year, bringing you more examples, more resources and more ideas.

But for now, it is a start.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

What is the Difference Between Responsible Tourism and Sustainable Tourism?

To most people, they sound the same and, to be honest, for most people, that’s as far as you need to go.

But for travel and tourism industries and organisations, there is a subtle difference.

Sustainable tourism talks about how tourism needed to be beneficial for the environment, the economy and the local and visiting populations. It refers to the industry as a whole.

Responsible tourism talks more about the actions taken by individual people, businesses and destinations as they try to create that important model of sustainable tourism.

It’s often put this way: that sustainable tourism is the strategy and responsible tourism, the tactics.

How to Be a Bad Tourist

Let’s face it, trying to be good can sound just plain dull. Sometimes, it’s easier to make a point by being bad. Here’s how not to be a responsible tourist.

• Dress inappropriately.
• Make no effort at all with local language and customs.
• Walk wherever you want without looking up or gauging reactions of people around you.
• Get angry if someone tries to explain something to you.
• Block pavements, group areas, escalators and generally be oblivious to people trying to go about their daily lives.
• Drop litter. everywhere.
• Smoke where you shouldn’t, drink where you shouldn’t, have sex where you shouldn’t. Smuggle drugs and other contraband items.
• Expect and demand food just like the kind you have at home. Complain if it isn’t there. In fact, complain a lot.
• Laugh and point at different clothes, customs, food, dance, the lot.
• Look bored and talk through important ceremonies, museums and processions.
• Try to steal important artefacts or wildlife and smuggle them home
• Ignore rules about what to put in the toilet.
• Ignore advice about what sunscreen or shampoo to use to protect the water and marine life.
• Make a lot of noise in nature reserves, bang the glass at aquariums and shine torches around delicate turtle breeding grounds.
• Ignore safety advice and then put other people at risk when you need to be rescued.
• March into someone’s house and treat it like a petting zoo
• Shove your camera in front of someone and continue to take photos of them even when it’s clear they don’t want you to.
• Feed animals all kinds of junk. Extra points if someone asks you to stop and you continue.
• Give children sweets or money on the streets.
• Press people to answer questions that invite them to criticise their government in places where that can lead to jail or worse.
• Pressure your guide to break the law on your behalf so that you can get a better photo/ experience/whatever.
• Don’t bother learning the rules of the road when you travel – just use the same rules as at home.
• When driving, be sure to ignore the speed limit and park to block access to people who live there.
• Use any pretty location as an instagram backdrop no matter whether it’s someone’s home or somewhere religiously significant or poignant.
• If in doubt, shout.

A Word About the Word Locals

Local communities, local food, local initiatives. These are all useful ways of describing people, cuisine and projects. Using just the word “locals” to talk about people is more controversial.

While some people relish the use of the word, others find it dehumanising, patronising and, depending on context, racist.

It’s a term I’m trying to weed out of my writing as I do not want to cause harm like that in any way.

How to Travel Responsibly

So, now that we’ve covered some real life obnoxious examples, we can start talking about how to be a responsible tourist.

Truthfully, there is no one perfect way. There is no way to avoid any and all problems except by staying at home. And, if you ask me, that is also irresponsible as it robs the world of the fundamentally important exchange which occurs when you mix populations and perspectives. I write more about that here, with these five ways that travel actually helps the planet.

But, there is a lot that you can do.

Prepare Before you Travel

Even before you leave home, you can take plenty of steps towards being a responsible tourist. Here are some starter ideas:

• Brush up on the local customs, especially around food and clothing.
• Learn a few words of the language. Start with hello, thank you, please and excuse me.
• Buy a reusable water bottle to cut down on plastic while on the road.
• Pack some reusable cutlery, whether bamboo or otherwise, to cut down on disposable single use items.
• Make sure you have reef safe sunscreen.
• Try to book accommodation in locally run places where possible, with eco friendly credentials.
• Make sure you take out adequate travel insurance .

You may also find this guide handy for preparing for an international trip.

Don’t Be an Ass

I hate to be so blunt, but simply put, don’t be an ass. Treat people how you would like to be treated and imagine that you live in the destination (and have to face people again) rather than are just passing through.

Read back through all the ways you can not be a responsible tourist and take them to heart. Most of them involve treating people with respect and behaving humbly when you are the one in a new environment.

Get Involved Locally

A key component of being a responsible tourist means that it matters where you go and what you do when you get there. Don’t just hide away in a huge corporate hotel or ship. Instead, try these ideas for getting to know the area, culture and customs.

• Visit markets
• Take walking tours
• Take a cooking class and share a meal
• Stay away from the tourist centres for sleeping and eating
• Walk off the beaten path. Here are some ideas as to how you can get off the beaten track.
• Visit places in small groups (ideally fewer than 8)

Try to Ease Overtourism

Overtourism, as the name suggests, refers to the damage done when too many visitors congregate in one place time after time, day after day.

While some of the problems are about the issue of crowds, others involve the erosion of local culture, the pricing out of local people from their homes and other infrastructure issues involving waste disposal and environmental damage.

Here are some tips to avoid the crowds. Use the other sections to find out more about how you can better engage with local communities.

• Get up early. Seriously, even in Venice and Petra, you can have the place to yourself if you get there first.
• Wander off the beaten track. Again, here are some tips on getting off the beaten path.
• Go in the off season.
• Only see the must-sees you really want to see.
• Consider staying in a nearby neighbourhood or city.

The Cape Town Declaration

Drawn up in 2002, the Cape Town declaration talks about responsible tourism as a model which:

• Minimises negative economic, environmental, and social impacts;
• Generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities, improves working conditions and access to the industry;
• Involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances;
• Makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, to the maintenance of the world’s diversity;
• Provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues;
• Provides access for physically challenged people;
• Is culturally sensitive, engenders respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

As we probably all know by now, to combat climate change, we need to reduce our carbon footprints.

And the big issue here involves flights. It’s a controversial topic with no easy answers.

I mean, it’s an easy answer if you live somewhere with good public transport and plenty of paid leave from work and other responsibilities. It’s not so easy for everyone else.

Research from the aviation industry looks promising; it is likely that carbon neutral flights will become available within our lifetime. But right now, they are far from that.

Short vs Long Haul Flights

Given that most fuel is burned during take off and landing, as a gross simplification, short flights are worse than long haul per passenger mile. But long haul flights burn more fuel overall.

So, while some people have different guidelines, these are mine to help minimise this damage.

• Avoid short haul flights where possible
• Stay longer in a destination if possible
• Think hard before booking that flight
• Aim to reduce your carbon footprint in every other sphere of your life

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint Beyond Your Flight

Don’t forget that there are many ways to reduce your carbon footprint while you travel, such as:

• Walking instead of driving
• Ordering local food instead of imported food
• Closing doors and windows, switching off lights etc
• Using reusable water bottles, cutlery and so on
• Stay in an Eco-Lodge where possible

Your Carbon Footprint at Home

For most of us, we spend more time at home than we do travelling. When it comes to reducing our carbon footprint, for example, we can have a powerful impact on that at home as well as abroad.

While the aviation industry is responsible for around 2% of manmade carbon emissions, it is responsible for only 12% of total transport carbon emissions, while road transport contributes 74% of the transport total.

Added to that, the fashion industry contributes 10% of all carbon emissions (that’s right, more than flying and shipping combined) and the internet contributes 3.73% (again, more than flying.)

Now, these are not straight forward comparisons, of course. Everyone needs clothes while not everyone will take a flight each year, or even in their lifetime. But it does show that fighting climate change is about more than just aviation.

So, remember to do the basics like:

• Insulate your home
• Wear second hand clothes where possible
• Reduce, reuse, recycle
• Walk or cycle instead of driving where you can
• Lift share or use public transport instead of driving
• And you can find more information on how to reduce your carbon footprint here.

Be Generous With Your Time

Sure, it’s important that your funds get into the local economy. But when it comes to the question of how to be a responsible tourist, travel isn’t just about financial transactions.

Be courteous and generous with your time and your presence. Where possible, reply to conversations and allow people to take photos of you. Stay safe and street smart, of course. But most people who approach you will be genuinely curious and want to learn more about who you are and where you came from. Just like you do when you made the decision to travel.

Use Your Voice

Powerful solutions to the world’s problems usually involves change at a governmental or corporate level. Because of this, it’s easy to feel discouraged and powerless in the face of inequality and climate change.

But you, as a customer, have many ways to bring about that change.

Hotel managers listen to feedback. If enough customers start asking for the same thing, they’ll start to do it. They will then feed that back up the chain and, voila, a huge change can ripple out from those few small initiatives.

Here are some ideas:

• Simply ask what the hotel is doing to promote responsible tourism
• Decline straws and ask for reusable water refills
• Ask about the artwork on the walls and ask about local artists
• Ask for and about local food

Conundrums in Responsible Travel

You’ve heard the saying that no good deed goes unpunished. Well, nowhere is that more true than in the world of responsible tourism.

Look out for the following pitfalls.

Giving to People in Need on the Street

It’s an understandable human desire to want to help someone in need. Unfortunately, such well meaning action can lead to horrific consequences.

In several instances around the world, children are removed from school in order to beg on the streets for money. They may be beaten or maimed in order to look more desperate. Orphanages have been founded as money making enterprises, with children taken or sold from the family home in order to populate them to earn money from well-meaning foreigners.

Please, think very, very carefully before you give so as to avoid encouraging these devastating practices. Instead, give to well regulated, transparent charities with plenty of oversight.

Voluntourism and Charities

Unfortunately, well-regulated charities with plenty of oversight aren’t always that easy to find either.

Again, from well-meaning origins and pure intentions can come great harm. In addition to the corrupt “charities” mentioned above, voluntourism can also cause problems.

One of the most common points of conflict involves the use of unskilled labour. I’ve certainly been involved in projects whereby fit and able, but largely unskilled, people have travelled to build a school, a wall, a well and so on.

The problem is that few places are lacking in manual labour and so these projects take work away from local builders and the local economy.

In orphanages and childcare settings, highly vulnerable children are presented with an ever changing roster of unskilled carers, which can cause lasting psychological harm, no matter how loving and kind someone was for the few weeks they looked after the child.

It is a hugely complex area. And I do not believe that we should give up trying to help if we are in a position to do so. But we do need to think deeply about it and consult with experts. Because sometimes our attempts to help can cause deep harm.

Should we boycott certain countries or corporations? Will it make a difference?

This, I believe, is a thorny question. International and consumer pressure can bring about change but it can also cause harm and suffering to populations who are often powerless to bring about the change desired.

Furthermore, blanket bans and boycotts risk alienating populations further and delaying the peaceful exchange of ideas that travel facilitates.

And which country or corporation is blameless?

Personally, I would always rather travel to a destination to try to better understand it but I have colleagues who, for example, boycott countries on the grounds of animal welfare, human rights and other issues.

Living a Responsible Life

Not a perfect life. That would be exhausting and impossible. But a responsible one.

It’s easy to fixate on one issue, such as whether or not you should book that flight. But in the grand scheme of things, that is a small decision. The decisions that we make day in, day out will lead to greater change and a life lived well.

Examples of Responsible Tourism

• Stargazing in the desert at the Feynan Ecolodge in Jordan
• The Juma Eco Lodge in the Amazon Rainforest
• Setting up the Cheese Road in Austria

More on Sustainable Travel

• Start here: how to be a responsible tourist
• Is dark tourism ethical? What you need to know.
• Get inspired by this collection of the best sustainable travel blogs.
• 9 powerful benefits of sustainable tourism (and why you should care)
• The unmistakable emotional meaning of home
• Why you need to know about the cork trees in Portugal
• The importance of doing nothing
• How to find the most ethical travel destinations
• 15 sustainable beach tips for your next trip to the sea

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Mother's Day gifts, cocktail tours and a horse with Louisiana ties wins Kentucky Derby

This week, Mothers Day is approaching, and what better way to celebrate than dinner or the perfect gift. Keep the celebration going with Ascension Parish Tourism's Sweet Spot Cocktail Trail launch. Among some wins in Louisiana, find out which 12-year-old gymnast represented Louisiana and placed fourth in regional gymnastics championships, and celebrate with three Shreveport natives after their horse won the 150th Kentucky Derby.

Brunch, gifts, and cocktail tours

The Ascension Parish Tourism Commission launched it's Louisiana's Sweet Spot Cocktail Trail, which includes 15 local establishments. Order the “Sweet Spot Cocktail” at participating businesses through July 31 and receive a stamp in your cocktail trail passport. Passports are needed to participate, which are available at the establishments.

During the trail, when you purchase any 10 of the cocktails, you receive a stamp on your passport, and turn in your passport to receive a gift and to be entered into the Grand Prize giveaway valued at over $600.

Find out about participating locations Ascension Parish Tourism's Sweet Spot Cocktail Trail launches

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Mother's Day is Sunday, and if you're unsure of what to get your mom this year, treat her to a good time at an Acadiana restaurant, or find the right gift to best honor her.  

A study conducted by the National Retail Federation shows which gifts are the most popular this year. On the other hand, for anyone looking for a special outing, such as dinner or brunch, planning ahead is essential to ensure availability. Acadiana offers plenty of spots with special menus and other surprises that are guaranteed to spoil your mom, grandmother, sister or aunt. Check out the list of restaurants offering Mother's Day brunch in Acadiana.

Read more about Mother's Day in Acadiana Mother's Day is approaching. Here are gift ideas, brunch spots in Acadiana to celebrate

Winners Circle: Kentucky Derby, USA Gymnastics

Shreveport native Brent Gasaway, his wife, Sharilyn, and cousin Lance Gasaway are celebrating after the horse they co-own won the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby. The victorious horse, Mystik Dan, held off a late charge to win in front of 156,710 fans at Churchill Downs. It was the first nose margin in a Derby since Grindstone beat Cavonnier in 1996.

Comments from Lance Gasaway on win Mystik Dan, co-owned by Shreveport native, wins Kentucky Derby

A 12-year-old gymnast from Gray rebounded from a back injury in October to beat all her personal bests and place fourth for Louisiana in regionals.

Brianna Pittman represented Louisiana at the 2024 USA Gymnastics Region 8 Xcel Regional Championships over the weekend. Pittman placed fourth overall with a score of 38.1. The USA Gymnastics Xcel program was developed as an alternative competitive program offering individual flexibility to coaches and gymnasts. The goal of Xcel is to provide gymnasts of varying abilities and commitment levels the opportunity for a rewarding gymnastics experience.

Read more about Brianna Pittman's story 12-year-old gymnast from Gray rebounds from back injury, places fourth in regionals

19 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in St. Petersburg, FL

Written by Lura Seavey and Lana Law Updated Dec 24, 2023 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

The city of St. Petersburg, known locally as St. Pete and famed for its perpetual sunshine, lies on the Pinellas Peninsula on the central Gulf Coast of Florida, between Tampa Bay and Boca Ciega Bay. Off the western side of the peninsula is a chain of long, narrow islands with some of Florida's best beaches.

The city is compact and easy to navigate. Many of the top attractions are near one another, making visiting more than one in an afternoon an easy task. St. Petersburg is one of Florida's cultural hot spots with a fine selection of world famous institutions, including the Dali, Imagine, and Fine Arts Museums along with the Morean Arts Center.

However, St. Pete's isn't all about culture. Mere minutes away is St. Pete's Beach and the gorgeous soft sands and warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Turning inland, the city of Tampa is another fun place to explore, with more things to do and great restaurants.

Explore the best places to visit in the city and surrounding areas with our list of the top attractions and things to do in St. Petersburg.

See also: Where to Stay in St. Petersburg

1. Soak Up the Sun at St. Pete Beach

2. the dali museum in st. petersburg, 3. see nature come alive at the sunken gardens, 4. head out to the new st. pete pier, 5. explore beaches and history at fort de soto park, 6. check out the colorful chihuly glass collection, 7. st. petersburg saturday morning market, 8. waterfront arts district, 9. imagine museum, 10. museum of fine arts, 11. enjoy some nature at the boyd hill nature preserve, 12. drive the sunshine skyway bridge, 13. run, walk, or cycle the pinellas trail, 14. weedon island preserve, 15. great explorations children's museum, 16. clearwater marine aquarium, 17. visit john's pass village & boardwalk, 18. take a drive to clearwater beach, 19. sand key park, where to stay in st. petersburg for sightseeing, tips and tours: how to make the most of your visit to st. petersburg and clearwater, map of attractions & things to do in st. petersburg, fl, saint petersburg, fl - climate chart.

Just a 20-minute drive from downtown St. Petersburg is the fun beach town of St. Pete Beach. Home to a spectacular wide and long stretch of soft, golden sand lapped by warm, clear water, St. Pete Beach has been drawing legions of visitors for years. The list of things to do in St. Pete Beach is long, and includes lazing on the beach (of course!), parasailing, fishing, jet skiing, and frolicking in the ocean.

An assortment of accommodation is available, ranging from old-school Florida hotels to condos, right through to luxury resorts. Restaurants along the main street all have outdoor patios, perfect for grabbing a light lunch or a pleasant dinner once the heat of the day has passed. St. Pete Beach is just one of many fantastic beaches along this stretch of coastline; others include Treasure Island, Madeira, Redington Shores, and Indian Shores.

The Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg houses a comprehensive collection of paintings by this Surrealist master, with a total collection of more than 2,000 works of art. Dali's entire artistic career is represented, from his early work in Impressionism and Cubism to later experiments in more "Classical" styles.

Oil paintings, watercolors, original drawings, sculptures, graphics, photographs, and prints are among the exhibits. The Dali Museum Library and Center for the Avant-garde are also housed here, which preserve books, magazines, newspaper clippings, and other important documents related to Dali, Surrealism, and Avant-garde influences.

Address: One Dali Boulevard, St. Petersburg, Florida

Official site: http://thedali.org

The Sunken Gardens began as the hobby of a plumber named George Turner and have evolved into a St. Petersburg institution. First conceived of in 1903, Turner transformed a lakebed into a six-acre tropical garden, which eventually became so popular that he started to charge admission.

The Turner family continued to care for and improve upon the garden, and it was finally purchased by the city in 1999, becoming a community effort. Today, you can walk the paths and enjoy the rare plants, some of which are as old as the garden itself.

You'll have a chance to see tropical flora from all over the world, and enjoy the ambience of waterfalls, footbridges, and even resident flamingos. The gardens also conduct horticultural programs and garden tours, as well as host special events, including weddings.

Address: 1060 Gulf Boulevard, Clearwater, Florida

Address: 1825 4th St. N., St. Petersburg, Florida

Official site: https://www.stpete.org/visitors/sunken_gardens.php

The brand-new St. Pete Pier is a far cry from what used to exist in the same space only a few short years ago. Today the Pier is more than just an extension into the ocean; now it's 26 acres of fun, food, activities, and entertainment.

Blending seamlessly into the surroundings, the pier area is an ideal place to spend an afternoon with the family or an evening out with a group of friends. You'll find six different restaurants ranging from Teak, a fine-dining establishment with fantastic views, right through to the more casual Fresco's Waterfront Bistro offering vistas of the incredible array of pleasure craft moored nearby. For a snack by the beach, pop into the Spa Beach Bistro.

The St. Pete Pier is 3,000 feet long and can be a nice place to visit for a stroll, but it can also feel like a long walk in the hot Florida sun. Fortunately, a tram runs from end to end making a walk out and a tram ride back a popular combination.

Spread throughout the St. Pete Pier area are public works of art , one of the most spectacular being the work by Janet Echelman called Bending Arc . Near the end of the pier is the unique Olnetopia by Nick Ervinck. Also definitely worth checking out is the sculpture of the Benoist Airboat first flown by Tony Jannus in 1914.

Don't worry, you can still fish at the new St. Pete Pier – just walk all the way out to the end, where you'll find a platform. Bait and tackle are available nearby.

Address: 800 2nd Ave NE, St. Petersburg, Florida

Official site: https://stpetepier.org/

Five different keys make up the 1,136-acre Fort DeSoto Park, the largest park in Pinellas County. Most people come here to enjoy the beaches, but numerous nature and recreation trails offer great opportunities for hiking, birding, biking, and rollerblading, and there are also two fishing piers.

The park is named for the fort located on the southern end of Mullet Key , built in 1898 during the Spanish-American War. Remains of the fort can be visited on a self-guided tour, and a small museum with historical information is located in the former Quartermaster Storehouse. Other buildings on-site include civilian quarters, barracks, the bakery, and the former hospital, among others.

This is a particularly popular spot for bird-watchers , home to at least 328 species of birds.

Camping is also popular here. The park has 238 sites just a short stroll away from the beach. Sites have electricity and water; central washroom buildings have flush toilets and showers. The campground has special sites set aside for those traveling with pets. The county has recently upgraded the playground in Campground Area #2, with new features that children will be sure to love.

Camping reservations can be made six months in advance for non-residents, seven months in advance for residents.

Address: 3500 Pinellas Bayway S., Tierra Verde, Florida

Official site: www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_ft_desoto.htm

St. Petersburg is proud to be home to the Chihuly Collection. Found at the Morean Arts Center , the collection is spread out over 10,000 square feet and is housed in a specially designed building. To get the best experience and understanding of the items you are about to see, start your visit by watching the short video on Dale Chihuly's life and his creative methods.

The collection has some of the artist's finest pieces, including Ruby Red Icicle Chandelier, Macchia, Ikebana, Tumbleweeds, and many others. The colors are incredible and varied; the shapes formed are unlike anything you've ever seen.

For a peek into how these amazing pieces of art are formed, be sure to visit the Morean Arts Center Hot Shop (additional fee). Here, you'll see the artists hard at work blowing glass into fantastical shapes.

Official site: https://www.moreanartscenter.org/chihuly/

St. Petersburg is considered one of Florida's most livable cities for its mild climate, cultural institutions, and overall quality of life. Part of what makes it an attractive place to live are things like the St. Petersburg Saturday Market. Each Saturday, over 125 vendors set up and showcase their goods.

It's an ideal place to collect all the freshest ingredients such as meats, cheeses, vegetables, and sweets for your Saturday night get-together dinner. It's also a great spot to search out that eclectic or unique piece of artwork for that blank space on your wall. Feeling a bit of hunger coming on? You are in the right spot. Over 15 different cuisines are represented by vendors cooking up the tastiest dishes you can imagine.

In addition to all the great shopping, local musicians fill the air with the sounds of music. The market runs from 9am until 2pm. In the fall and winter (October 2nd to May 28th), the market is located at the waterfront at the address below. In the summer, it is located at Williams Park, 301 1st Ave N.

Location: 100 1st Street NE, St. Petersburg, Florida

Official site: https://saturdaymorningmarket.com/

Just back from St. Petersburg's waterfront area is a delightful area known at the Waterfront Arts District, one of five located throughout the city. Stately old trees line the streets, and several city parks provide public space to rest and relax. Park the car and just wander around; you'll be amazed at what you find.

The area is home to many of the city's most popular cultural institutions, including the Dali Museum, the St. Petersburg Museum of History, The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art, along with many others. All are within walking distance of one another.

In addition to the museums, the area is full of shops and restaurants, many of which have lovely shady patios, ideal for lunch or dinner. Walk towards the water past South Straub Park, and you'll come across the St. Pete Pier to your left and Demens Landing Park to your right.

The area is roughly defined as a long rectangle running from Beach Street/1st Street South to 3rd Street and 7th Avenue North and 7th Avenue South.

The Imagine Museum is one of the top museums in the United States for art created out of glass. The museum is the proud home of the extensive Trish Joy Collection of over 1,500 pieces, 500 of which are on display at any point in time. In addition, you'll find other interesting collections, including the spectacular 1,000 Buddha installation.

One of the best ways to experience the museum is to take one of the three free tours included with your admission. The first of the three tours is titled Journey of the Imagination. It is a fascinating multimedia and augmented reality experience.

The second tour is the Introduction to Studio Glass, and details the development of this art form starting in the 1960s.

The third tour, Introduction to International Studio Glass, showcases the evolution of studio glass work in Europe. Tours are generally 30 minutes in length and take place on specific days.

Official site: https://www.imaginemuseum.com/

St. Petersburg's Museum of Fine Arts is considered the premiere art museum in the Tampa Bay area, home to over 20,000 works of art that span 5,000 years of human creativity.

The collection includes Greek, Roman, and Asian antiquities, African art, ancient art from the Americas, and European art. Among the better-known artists featured here are Monet, Rodin, and O'Keefe, and the museum hosts traveling exhibits and temporary galleries.

Collections also include a large photography collection, a gallery of glass art, and a sculpture garden. Docent-led tours are available for full museum tours, and visitors can request tours that focus on the areas that interest them most.

The museum is located in a lovely setting in St. Petersburg's waterfront downtown area.

Address: 255 Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg, Florida

Official site: http://mfastpete.org

This lovely park is a beautiful retreat for those looking for a little nature. The park features six miles of walking trails and boardwalks that explore the area's varied ecosystems, including swamp woodlands and a willow marsh.

The park is also part of the Great Florida Birding Trail and home to the Birds of Prey Aviary, and rangers provide guided tours, which often spot turtles and other wildlife. The park also offers nature camps and picnic facilities and has a playground, picnic areas, and shelters.

A great way to explore the park is to take one of the tram tours. For a modest fee (in addition to your park admission) you'll cover far more of the park in a shorter period of time and learn about the flora and fauna from an expert.

Also on site is a gift shop, and the park hosts annual nature events like a butterfly count conducted by the North American Butterfly Association.

Located on I 275, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge crosses the water at the entrance to Tampa Bay. This spectacular bridge is impressive from a distance but driving across it offers a unique perspective. Stretching 12 miles in total, a little more than four miles of the bridge rises high above the ocean, allowing for large vessels to pass below.

Two main pillars tower above the road, and the high points add some eye-catching drama to the bridge. It took five years to build, and is now considered one of the world's most beautiful bridges. Views of the bridge are particularly beautiful at night when it is lit up.

If the wind is blowing, pull off at the northern Skyway Rest Exit and check out the kiteboarders racing across the water under their colorful kites.

The Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail, created along an abandoned railroad corridor, is a 37-mile-long park and recreation trail, running from the downtown waterfront of St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs.

This multi-use trail is enjoyed by walkers, runners, cyclists, and skaters, and features a number of shops, restaurants, and cafes along the route. To help visitors navigate, nine sculptures mark the various communities through which the trail passes.

One of the lovely areas along the trail is Dunedin , a quaint town that has preserved its village-like atmosphere. It began as a seaport and trading center, and is best known today as the spring training camp for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Honeymoon Island State Recreation Area and Caladesi Island State Park are located just off the coast of Dunedin and offer opportunities for both nature and water sports enthusiasts.

The Weedon Island Preserve covers over 3,000 acres in north St. Petersburg on the shores of Tampa Bay and can be explored on foot via nearly five miles of paths and boardwalks, and by water on designated paddling trails along the waterways.

A great place to start is the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center , which houses a variety of exhibits and resources. This is a free attraction, and visitors will learn about the area's ecosystems, habitats, plants, and animals, and how humans have interacted with nature here over thousands of years. From the center, you can walk out on scenic trails.

If you are interested in paddling or fishing, head to the boat launch area. You can set off from here, and the water is quite shallow in areas. People come here to kayak or stand up paddleboard; kayak rentals are available nearby. Next to the launch is a dock where people come to fish.

This is an excellent place for bird-watching, as well as spotting marine life in the water of this protected flood plain, including stingrays and oysters.

Address: 1800 Weedon Drive N.E., St. Petersburg, Florida

Official site: http://www.weedonislandpreserve.org/

The Great Explorations Children's Museum is an excellent place go on a rainy day, providing a variety of educational activities and fun things to do for younger kids. Children can explore and climb on an ocean-themed play structure, Longo's Cove, or dig in the sand in a beach-themed play area.

Young engineers can build using an assortment of materials provided at the "Build It" tables or stack giant soft blocks to create kid-size structures. Kids can try being a grown-up in the kid-size supermarket, help a sick puppy get better at the veterinarian's office, make "pizza" at the local shop, and learn about safety while exploring the firehouse.

Other interactive areas include an art studio, a theater, and a health and wellness exhibit sponsored by Johns Hopkins.

Address: 1925 4th Street North, St. Petersburg, Florida

Official site: https://greatex.org

Clearwater Marine Aquarium is best known as home to film dolphins Winter and Hope who inspired and starred in the Dolphin Tale movies. Among other residents are sea turtles, otters, pelicans, sharks, and stingrays, as well as an assortment of other fish.

The aquarium has regular shows, which are part of general admission, as well as special tours and activities you can choose as add-ons. One of the most popular is a behind-the-scenes tour, which allows you to see rescued and recovering animals awaiting return to their ocean homes and learn about what it takes to care for these beautiful creatures.

Other offerings include guided kayak and boat tours, which explore various topics, including the ecology of Clearwater Bay and a Dolphin Adventure Tour.

Address: 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater, Florida

Official site: https://www.cmaquarium.org/

Tourist trap or fun place to go shopping and hang out; the jury hasn't made a final determination on this popular attraction. If it's a so-so day or you've had enough culture or beach and are looking for something different, swing by John's Pass. You'll find a boardwalk lined by restaurants with good views over the water and constant boat traffic.

Back from the waterfront is an extensive retail area with over 100 retailers consisting of souvenir shops, ice-cream stands, and places selling things you never thought you needed. Many tour boats leave from here on excursions out into the Gulf of Mexico. Note that parking here is not free, and enforcement is stringent.

Address: 12901 Gulf Lane, Madeira Beach, Florida

Official site: https://johnspass.com/

Clearwater Beach is often rated as one of the top beaches in Florida , and even the United States. Miles of pristine white sand attracts tourists and local sun-seekers, and it's all just a 40-minute drive from St. Petersburg. A number of Clearwater's top resorts look over this beautiful beach.

The Beachwalk , Clearwater Beach's seaside promenade, stretches along the sand and is lined with souvenir shops, restaurants, and other attractions. Another popular spot is Pier 60 , a 1,080-foot fishing pier with numerous amenities, including a large bait and tackle shop, which provides rental equipment to tourists.

Family attractions include a huge beach playground and nightly sunset celebrations with entertainment and vendors

Sand Key Park is located on the barrier island of the same name, and is home to both a beautiful beach and a diverse nature area, if you are visiting Clearwater, it's worth a stop.

The park is part of an ongoing effort to create an artificial reef in the Gulf of Mexico, and also works closely with Clearwater Aquarium to ensure the safety of the sea turtles and their hatchlings.

In addition to its walking trails, Sand Key Park is ideal for bird-watching , where heron, roseate spoonbill, great horned owl, anhinga, and common moorhen nest and feed in the salt marsh.

The park's beach area offers a good range of amenities, including lifeguards during the summer months, concessions, and bath houses. Plenty of rentals are available, so you don't need to lug your own - you can get everything from umbrellas and cabanas to bicycles and kayaks. This beach is also one of the least expensive things to do around St. Petersburg, with only a minimal parking fee.

We recommend these highly rated hotels in St. Petersburg, near popular downtown attractions like the Dali Museum :

• The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club : A 4-star luxury resort, this 1925 landmark property features stylish décor, multiple restaurants, a deluxe spa, and heated outdoor pool.
• Avalon Hotel : This mid-range hotel is located in the historic district and has a funky retro feel. The rooms feature Art Deco décor. Guests have access to an adjacent pool and a free area shuttle.
• Hampton Inn & Suites St. Petersburg Downtown : With affordable rates, a lovely outdoor pool, modern room décor, and free hot breakfast, this hotel checks all the boxes.
• The Inn on Third : This budget-friendly hotel offers quaint décor and antique furnishings.
• Segway through St. Petersburg: Tourists can cover plenty of ground while exploring St. Petersburg by Segway on this guided historic tour . Limited to a maximum of seven people, this intimate tour provides an up-close look at some of the city's most historic spots while a knowledgeable guide provides commentary and answers questions. Safety equipment and Segway operation instruction is included.
• Speedboat Adventure: Tourists can take the wheel and feel the thrill of driving their own speedboat on this two-hour guided tour of Tampa Bay . Communicating with your guide via two-way headset, you will be led past some of the bay's top tourist attractions, including Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Fort de Soto, and Egmont Key, as well as several stops at scenic spots where you can spot marine wildlife like dolphins and manatees. Instruction on boat operation is included.
• Romance on the Gulf: Couples will particularly enjoy this 2.5-hour evening cruise by yacht on the Gulf of Mexico . The cruise features live music and dancing, and passengers can enjoy the views from both the outdoor observation deck and the indoor areas, which feature picture windows to ensure a great view. For those who would like to dine during the cruise, a full-service gourmet restaurant has a wide variety of options.
• Marine Wildlife on Shell Key: Tourists can get a great introduction to Shell Key Island on this two-hour small-group Dolphin Watch and Snorkeling Cruise. The cruise, which offers a variety of departure times to fit your family's vacation itinerary, stops on the shores of Shell Key Island where passengers can choose to swim, stroll on the beach, or snorkel using provided equipment. Guests will also get the chance to look out for sea life on the way to and from the island, including dolphins, rays, and even manatees.

More Related Articles on PlanetWare.com

Family Fun in Tampa: Tampa sits about 45 minutes from St. Petersburg and can be reached via either of two bridges, which span Tampa Bay from one city to the other. Tampa's most popular tourist attractions include Busch Gardens and several other wildlife-focused parks, as well as good museums for families, a historic district, and the Franklin Street pedestrian center. Like many other cities on Florida's Gulf Coast, Tampa is home to several excellent resorts.

Orlando Getaway: While Clearwater Beach is a great day trip from Orlando , tourists staying here can just as easily head inland for a day in the nation's theme park capital. The city of Orlando is home to top family amusement parks like Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, and also close to the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral.

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Commentary | Commentary: Cruising is bad for environment,…

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Commentary | Commentary: Cruising is bad for environment, but improving

Cruise ships are noted for their hospitality, and everyone knows it’s important to stay hydrated, so this was a nice touch. Cruise ships are also noted for food. From buffets to lounge bars and poolside cafes to fine dining restaurants, every food option is available. At each meal or snack, beer and wine in a bottle are available.

Ever the environmentalist, I got to wondering what they did with all the empty containers. With cruise ships now transporting the population of small towns, the waste is enormous.

My ship, the Pursuit by Azamara, sailed with 664 passengers and a crew of over 300. The Icon, by Royal Caribbean, carries 10,000 passengers plus crew. Cruise ships have been estimated to release twice the amount of CO2 into the atmosphere per person than flying and staying in a four-star hotel.

I dialed the front desk and was pleased to discover that an environmental officer is now required on cruise ships in Europe. Duarte, an articulate man of Polish descent in his 50s, was happy to meet with me and show me what they did with all those plastic and glass bottles. I was pleased to find that the captain can lose his license for failing to abide by the environmental regulations, so they listen to the environmental officer. He also said that regulations in Europe are much stricter than those in the United States.

So, what becomes of the thousands of containers that would otherwise clog landfills and end up in our air, water and soil? They are smashed into pieces or crushed flat. All of the glass bottles used on the Pursuit in one week can be crushed into boxes that make up only 3-4 cubic feet. The plastic bottles are squished into a box the size of 1½ cubic feet.  They are offloaded at each port in recyclable cardboard boxes. From there they can be sent to recycling facilities by the local port officials.

Food waste is finely chopped and discarded, at least 12 miles from shore. Human waste is processed by non-aerobic digesters and treated before being discharged. All of this is good, but not standard practice by all cruise ships.

Railroads emit fewer carbon emissions than trucks and ships. Although I drive an electric car, I took the train to and from my home in Boynton Beach to the Miami airport. In Portugal, the train took us from Porto to Lisbon, in comfort, where we boarded the Pursuit. The next time you plan a trip, think about your carbon footprint and leave the old gas guzzler in the garage.

G. Spencer Myers is an author of eco-political thrillers who lives in Boynton Beach. For more information and to read his blog, visit www.EcoBuzzBooks.com. This opinion piece was distributed by The Invading Sea website (www.theinvadingsea.com), which posts news and commentary on climate change and other environmental issues affecting Florida.

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• 'They Took My Gift Away': In Interview, Mother of Florida Airman Killed by Police Describes Shock

The mother of the 23-year-old airman who was shot and killed by police on May 3 said her son was a model citizen and called for the Florida sheriff's office to be forthcoming about his last moments .

Meka Fortson told Military.com in an exclusive interview Thursday that her son, Senior Airman Roger Fortson, had always wanted to serve his country and had dreams of becoming a pilot. She said he had recently returned from a deployment overseas, only to die in his apartment.

"It's a disbelief. Every day, I try to go to sleep early to wake up like it's a dream," she told Military.com. "He just came back from deployment from fighting for us. With everything we got going on in our country, he's fighting for us and he came back to be murdered, slain like that so violently."

Read Next: Police Who Shot Florida Airman 6 Times in His Home May Have Entered Wrong Apartment, Family Says

Roger Fortson lived in an off-base residence in Fort Walton Beach. His special operations squadron at Hurlburt Field in the Florida panhandle flies AC-130J Ghostrider gunships.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office said in a May 4 statement that deputies were responding to a reported disturbance.

But Ben Crump, a high-profile civil rights attorney retained by the Fortson family, said there was no disturbance and that Fortson was home alone May 3, chatting on a video call with another person, who told the attorney that the airman heard a knock on his door.

Roger Fortson, according to the witness, asked, "Who is it?" But he didn't receive an answer. After a subsequent "aggressive" second knock and seeing no one through the peephole, Fortson grabbed his legally owned gun, Crump said.

The Sunshine State has made it easier to buy and carry firearms in recent years, and has created special carve-outs for service members that simplify the process further, such as not requiring troops to take safety courses in order to qualify to carry concealed weapons under a 2023 law.

Fortson was a service member, in his own residence and had no criminal record, Crump said.

In a May 4 statement, the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office said, "Hearing sounds of a disturbance, [the deputy] reacted in self-defense after he encountered a 23-year-old man armed with a gun and after the deputy had identified himself as law enforcement."

Crump pushed back against that narrative and told Military.com no gunfire was exchanged and that Fortson was a model citizen who did not pose a threat.

"The reality is he was the best of us. He was the person who you would trust with a firearm. I mean, he was military trained," Crump said. "So, for them to put out a statement claiming self-defense is just misleading because they're trying to suggest that what they did was justified."

As Fortson was walking back to his living room, police entered the apartment and shot him. He reportedly said "I can't breathe" while on the ground after being shot, Crump said, repeating a witness account of the event.

Police radio audio reviewed by Military.com reported a call for a disturbance at an apartment complex at 319 Racetrack Road around 4:30 p.m. local time.

"Don't have anything further than a male and female; it's all fourth-party information from the front desk at the leasing office," a deputy said on the radio.

A few minutes later, another deputy reported "shots fired, suspect down," and called for emergency medical services.

"Multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, Black male," another deputy chimes in shortly after. Fortson was shot six times, Crump said in his statement.

No other details, including the circumstances of the disturbance that prompted the local deputies to visit the apartment building, were released. Fortson was taken to an area hospital, where he later died. No officers were harmed in the incident.

The sheriff's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday on the attorney's claims. The same sheriff's office received public scrutiny when an internal investigation detailed that a deputy fired his weapon multiple times at a detained suspect after believing the sound of an acorn hitting his vehicle was gunfire, GulfLive.com reported . That deputy resigned.

Crump told Military.com that he wants the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office to admit that it did something wrong and criticized the deputies, saying they didn't identify themselves when they came to Roger's apartment.

"All he did was what many law-abiding, responsible American citizens would have done," Crump said. "And that is when you hear somebody at your door, and you are not sure who it is because you don't hear them identify themselves, you get your legally registered firearm for protection."

Fortson joined the Air Force on Nov. 19, 2019, according to a copy of his service record provided to Military.com. He joined as an AC-130J gunner. He graduated from McNair High School in Atlanta, Georgia, with honors, Crump told Military.com.

The deputy involved was not identified in the news release.

On Monday evening, Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden released a statement saying the department was "saddened" by the incident and called for further investigation into the shooting.

"I immediately placed the deputy on administrative leave and have asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to conduct the investigation that is required in such incidents," Aden said. "The State Attorney's Office will also conduct an independent review. At this time, we humbly ask for our community's patience as we work to understand the facts that resulted in this tragic event."

The sheriff's office declined to provide Military.com the original 911 call, body camera footage or the police report into the incident, citing "the ongoing active investigation" in an emailed response.

Following his death, Roger's mother has received kind words from those who served alongside him. She described him as a rising star in the ranks and an inspiration to his 16-year-old brother and 10-year-old sister.

"He was my gift, and they took my gift away," Roger's mother said. "And they didn't give it to me. God gave me that gift ... and they took my gift away."

Related : Special Operations Airman Shot and Killed by Florida Police During Disturbance in Apartment Building

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At the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST), we’re passionate about transforming the way the world travels. Our mission is to serve as a center of tourism knowledge, empowerment, and action for destination communities. We envision a world where travel benefits both people and the planet, fostering a sustainable, inclusive, and environmentally responsible future for all.

We understand that irresponsible tourism can exacerbate pressing challenges, such as overtourism, climate change acceleration, inequality and poverty, and the loss of biodiversity and cultural heritage. To tackle these issues, we’ve developed a comprehensive 4-pillar approach:

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Government of Canada supports tourism in the Ottawa Region

From: Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

News release

FedDev Ontario enhances three Ottawa region tourism organizations with $530,000 investment

May 10, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario               

With its historic landmarks, natural beauty and cultural festivals, Ottawa is a prime tourism destination in Canada. By attracting domestic and international visitors, the local tourism sector is contributing to good jobs and economic growth in the community and across Ontario.

Today, Marie-France Lalonde, Member of Parliament for Orléans, on behalf of the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario ( FedDev Ontario ), attended the opening of the 2024 Canadian Tulip Festival to announce a combined FedDev Ontario investment of $530,000 through the Tourism Growth Program for the Canadian Tulip Festival , the Ottawa Children’s Festival del la Jeunesse and South Nation Conservation . MP Lalonde was joined by the Honourable Mona Fortier, Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Vanier, and Yasir Naqvi, Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre.

With an investment of $130,000, the Canadian Tulip Festival has added an expansion to the UV-lit tulip garden, located in the ByWard Market, a highlight of this year’s festival. The expansion includes giant artificial flower gardens and displays, all of which are illuminated by UV light at night. This expansion will attract visitors from all over, providing attendees with a large-scale immersive garden and unique pollinator-focused educational experience. It will also draw people to see and shop all the ByWard Market has to offer.

The Ottawa Children's Festival de la Jeunesse will receive a $200,000 investment to expand the festival from a four-day event to five days, which will include the addition of evening events and weekend interactive experiences and performances. This will help to attract new and diverse audiences and communities.

Through an investment of $200,000, South Nation Conservation will revitalize the original Findlay Creek Boardwalk to enable safe and accessible access to the Leitrim Wetland, a significant wetland and biodiversity hotspot for active outdoor experiences. This project also includes the installation of a new trailhead and signage.

The Government of Canada is supporting tourism businesses and organizations that attract visitors to the region while contributing to the local economy and positioning Canada as an all-season destination of choice.

“Our government is pleased to support tourism businesses and organizations such as the Canadian Tulip Festival, the Ottawa Children’s Festival de la Jeunesse and South Nation Conservation, which showcase the unique experiences and attractions of Ontario. These organizations provide distinctive tourism experiences that draw visitors from far and wide to enjoy. Congratulations to all recipients announced today!” – The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

“Ontario’s tourism industry is an incredibly important economic driver and provides jobs for Canadians from all walks of life. Through the Tourism Growth Program, the Government of Canada is supporting local organizations like the Canadian Tulip Festival, South Nation Conservation, and the Ottawa Children’s Festival del la Jeunesse. As we continue to invest in the industry, we’ll help bring more domestic and international visitors to the region to discover all that it has to offer.” – The Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism

“Investments in tourism are not only vital for economic growth, but they also strengthen the social fabric of a community and preserve its unique identity for future generations to enjoy. The investments announced today will draw more visitors to the Ottawa area, fostering a deeper appreciation for Canada's natural beauty and cultural heritage, while supporting the local economy." – Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence and Member of Parliament for Orléans

“Tourism in Ottawa is a gateway to understanding Canada's rich history, vibrant culture, and natural wonders, offering visitors a glimpse into the nation's past and present. The investments announced today are going to have a lasting impact on our city and our local community." – Yasir Naqvi, Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre

“This funding allows the Canadian Tulip Festival to not only continue our free tulip tradition this May, but also to expand our celebrations of spring into another one of the City of Ottawa's iconic tourist draws, the ByWard Market.” – Jo Riding, Executive Director, the Canadian Tulip Festival

“Thanks to this investment from FedDev Ontario, the Ottawa Children’s Festival de la Jeunesse can at last achieve its broad-ranging plans to add programming and reach new audiences beyond our community.” – Catherine O’Grady, Artistic Producer, Ottawa Children’s Festival de la Jeunesse

“We would like to thank FedDev Ontario and our partners for supporting this important community project in the City of Ottawa. Along with the extension completed last year, this boardwalk revitalization will provide the community with safe, accessible access to the Conservation Area and offer excellent learning opportunities about the unique wetland habitat and the plants and animals that thrive within it.” – Michelle Cavanagh, Team Lead, South Nation Conservation

Quick facts

The Canadian Tulip Festival was established in 1953 to celebrate the historic royal gift of tulips from the Dutch to Canadians immediately following the Second World War, as a symbol of international friendship. The Festival preserves the memorable role of the Canadian troops in the liberation of the Netherlands and Europe, as well as commemorates the birth of Dutch Princess Margriet in Ottawa during World War II—the only royal personage ever born in Canada. In 2023, the Canadian Tulip Festival welcomed 416,000 visitors across 11 days.

Incorporated in 1985, the Ottawa Children's Festival de la Jeunesse delivers live performing arts experiences for young audiences to foster creativity while promoting individual expression. Each year, the festival welcomes approximately 15,000 visitors from all over to experience the finest quality theatre, dance and music for young audiences.

Established in 1947, South Nation Conservation welcomes approximately 200,000 visitors each year to its 4,400 km 2 of land in Eastern Ontario. The organization has led hundreds of stewardship projects to protect or improve natural resources.

Delivered by Canada’s regional development agencies, the Tourism Growth Program is providing $108 million, over three years, directly to businesses and organizations to help diversify regional economies by investing in tourism products and experiences that will encourage visitation to and within Canada. In southern Ontario, FedDev Ontario is delivering over $30 million through the program.

Since 2015, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has invested over $415 million in more than 1,440 tourism-related businesses and organizations, estimated to create over 4,700 jobs and maintain over 20,000 jobs. 

Associated links

• The Canadian Tulip Festival
• The Ottawa Children’s Festival de la Jeunesse
• South Nation Conservation
• FedDev Ontario
• Tourism Growth Program in southern Ontario

Edward Hutchinson Press Secretary Office of the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario [email protected]

Media Relations FedDev Ontario [email protected]

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