Truly responsible tourism means connecting with people

When we discuss responsible tourism and sustainable travel, we often focus on the big ticket items – a reduction in carbon emissions, or progress towards net zero. While global sustainability goals are essential, their impact can feel abstract. To truly inspire travellers, we must show how responsible tourism transforms lives – one person, one community at a time.

People are inherently interested in other people and can engage in real world stories on a much deeper level than with figures on a spreadsheet. When we see responsible tourism helping someone gain the confidence to run their own business or find pride in sharing their culture with visitors, tourism can make its most meaningful mark. 

It’s easy to overlook, but every trip we take leaves a mark – not just on the photos in our camera roll, but on the communities we pass through and, on an even deeper level, every individual life that the holiday touches in one way or another. 

This provides an extraordinary opportunity – some might say obligation – for travel operators to support, encourage and adopt life-changing schemes for those who live and work in the places we visit. 

Through our ‘Cares’ initiative at Travelsphere and Just You and work with Planeterra, we’ve seen first-hand how simple additions to an itinerary can lead to powerful change. On specific tours, guests are encouraged to visit enterprises that highlight and preserve the heritage of the region they are visiting. 

For example, it could be a visit to the Koto restaurant in Vietnam, a social enterprise that helps disadvantaged young people to train in hospitality, or the Sthree Craft Shop and Café in Kandy, Sri Lanka, which provides employment and skills training for women in the local community.

Personally, I’ve seen the positive change that responsible tourism has in action. Last year, I had the chance to visit the Salaam Baalak Trust in India, which is an organisation that offers safe housing, counselling, education and support to over 5,000 children in New Delhi. On some of our India tours, our guests can visit for a walking tour with a guide who has been part of the trust.

Hearing first-hand the stories of how children have had their lives dramatically improved brought to life what a privilege it is for us to travel and something that should not be taken for granted. 

When we travel, we are far too often hidden from the hardships and challenges people face; it’s like social media – an edited highlight reel. 

For me, the Salaam Baalak Trust showed the impact we can have on people’s lives simply by making the decision to travel with an operator that helps to give back to the community. There is of course a place for all types of holidays, but when you can change someone’s life by simply being conscious about the operator you place your customer with, then I think that is something we can all agree is a positive.

Ultimately, responsible tourism matters. Travel is more than simply escapism – it’s about connection and empathy. It’s a chance to leave behind more than footprints and take away more than souvenirs. The future of travel isn’t just about where we go, but how we show up when we get there.