Travel to Conserve
“As consumers we have so much power to change the world by just being careful in what we buy” - Emma Watson (Hermione)
The pandemic taught us how tourism truly affects and supports the world. “Tourism is one of the world’s largest industries, employing around one in 10 people globally”. This includes hospitality, food and beverage, and air/sea/land travel, just as much as those who work as guides and drivers. As part of the lucky 2% of the world population that has the luxury to travel, it is our responsibility and honour to shape developing nations and tourism hotspots towards a brighter future, and it is fairly simple. However, simple does not mean easy or convenient.
There is not much we can do about the airlines we travel with except for carbon offsetting and being prepared for a low waste flight by bringing your own water bottle and snacks onboard but with a little bit of time and research, you can use your tourism dollar for good by supporting hotels, local cafes, and tour operators who prioritise social, environmental impact and animal welfare.
Here are some issues that are top of mind:
Ethics of elephant conservation centres
Ethics and welfare of dolphins
Orangutans, palm plantations, and palm oil
Zoos
Luwak Coffee
Sex trade (women, ladyboys, children)
Overtourism
Exploitation of Indigenous cultures
Overlooking the disadvantages (vision impaired, hearing impaired, mentally and physically disabled)
Disrespecting local culture
Plastic pollution, including all non-organic trash (chip bags, aluminum cans, etc)
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” - Jane Goodall
When it comes down to where we travel to, where we sleep, what we eat, and how we explore, this is where we can truly make a positive impact, conserve natural environments, and support locals who also integrate this into their daily lives. The places we sleep, eat, and shop can support great local causes like healthcare and education. And when we explore destinations with responsible guides, we can conserve local culture and customs.
Where we travel to
Choosing to travel to offbeat places is the easiest way to conserve. Remember that in the 70s, Bali was offbeat and it was the surfers and the tourism that rose from them that brought back traditions like the iconic Uluwatu and Ubud Kecak Fire Dance and Ceremony. Traveling to villages in the middle of nowhere Vietnam, Laos, and Indonesia gives ethnic minority groups a reason to continue their art of traditional weaving.
We are not saying to avoid the tourism hotspots completely; we just want to encourage everyone to bookend their holidays with them; spend most of your holiday in these off-beat places and recoup with a touch of luxury in touristy places with all the creature comforts. We want to encourage travellers to be the first of their family and friends to take the path less travelled, to come back with inspiring stories for discovery and to be able to share a new perspective of how others live.
Where we sleep
Aside from your international flights, a large percentage of your holiday can be your accommodation. Here are the key things to consider:
Locally owned
Plastic-free and sustainability
Supports local community
So, when you consider your spending power by choosing to support locally owned accommodations rather than large hotel chains, you are putting money back into the local economy, therefore leaving a positive impact. When you stay at local guesthouses and bungalows, a lot of the time, you will get better service and an “arrived at home” feeling because the owners are so proud of their space and want to make sure you have a great stay. If you stay long enough, you might just get invited to the family meals.
For me, choosing your hotel also reflects your overall experience on your holiday. Where you choose to sleep, especially if it's an all-inclusive resort, you will be trapped in their ecosystem. Sure, they make it easy to explore what they have on offer, but it is limited, and a lot of times, they do not change with the times to find improved options. Easy does not mean better. All hotels are shepherding their hotel guests to the same spots, at the same time, in the same order, which always means there is a lot of traffic on the roads and human traffic at the tourist attractions in these dictated windows. See how we explore for more insights below.
What we eat
First of all, please bring a water filter to avoid buying water bottles.
I think the second most important part of travel after connecting with other humans (especially the locals) is the food. Food is a part of culture, and it is the best way to experience a new place. Food represents what grows regionally, especially the spices and flavours, and it is the heart of a place, made with love, recipes passed down through the generations. It is a bit daunting to go into local eateries to know exactly what you are eating; however, it always pays off. As we reconnect with our local friends all over the region, we will be putting comprehensive lists of their favourite local eateries, no English spoken, hole-in-the-wall vibe, and always authentic flavours to each region.
In a lot of the touristic towns, a good way to choose restaurants is also to look up social enterprises that support healthcare or donate to orphanages, hospitality training, or vegetarian and vegan fusion restaurants.
One of the easiest ways to combat both plastic pollution and support locals is choosing to drink fruit juice over a fizzy drink, or local cafes for coffee instead of a Shmarshmucks, or coconut water over a plastic bottle of water. The same thoughts and practices about sustainability at home are a great way to eat while travelling: avoid processed and packaged food, avoid international chains, and eat at local restaurants where, by default, they source from local farmers.
How we explore
Sometimes, all it takes is walking one backstreet away from the tourist high streets. How we explore to conserve is mostly about the intention we put being our movements. If we put the intention of discovery behind everything that we do, we will be brought away from what the crowds are seeing, doing, eating, and staying. If we lean on our own curiosity as an intention for travel, we end up learning more than we could have ever expected. There is so much more to learn and know beyond Joe Schmoe’s beautifully designed blog post. One of the best parts about Southeast Asia is the cost of doing, which makes it a great place to learn anything. If you want to learn handicrafts, Ubud, Jogjakarta, and Hoi An are perfect. If you want to learn how to dive or surf, our preferences are all in Indonesia. If you want to start trekking and getting into adventure, start small with more nature-based hotels and slowly work up from one-night camping to multi-night camping trips.
Personally, I find the diversity of indigenous and ethnic minority culture in Southeast Asia fascinating. There are around 40 different tribes in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, and over a thousand are in Indonesia.
Flores, for the next few years, is our go-to suggestion that ticks off everything that we have addressed above.
Travel to Conserve with Local travel operators and guides
Across this region, there are great local travel operators and guides who do their utmost to protect their part of the planet because they and their community have seen and felt the benefits of tourism.
The financial benefits of tourism and the interactions they have with foreign visitors show them they no longer need to chop down the rainforest for agricultural land; they do not need to hunt the animals; they understand that tourists do not want to see plastic littering the beaches.
The financial benefits of tourism will lead to more people being able to afford education, and education will mean a new generation that will have the tools to learn, understand, and innovate solutions we need to protect our environment.
But that means consciously making a choice to support great local travel operators and guides. Unfortunately, that is also a problem in Southeast Asia. “Eco tourism” and “sustainability” has been greenwashed just as much as in the West. Without hours of research and contacting and speaking with local operators, you do not know whether they are putting in their best efforts, within their means, to make a positive impact in the region they work in. Oftentimes, a lot is overpromised and underdelivered.
This was the biggest reason we started Chickenfeet Travels. We have spent decades in this region developing a broad network of incredible local guides and operators that care for their part of the planet. By choosing to travel with us, you will arrive locally and connect with the guides we have worked for a decade to have a positive impact directly and indirectly everywhere you go: tourism leakage is minimized as much as possible.
Why Conservation is Important
We want to send people out into nature. Nature has a way of working her magic to slow things down and to help us all solve problems big and small. Travel is such a huge part of conservation because, before tourism and colonialism, most of us used to live sustainably off of subsistence farming and subsistence fishing. It is when a huge influx of tourism and with that, the tourism dollar turns into consumerist and capitalist culture. Nature has its seasons, and we have so much to learn from her; the only way to learn is to experience and integrate nature.
Travelling is such a great way to try new things: cook local dishes, learn a new handicraft, learn how to surf, start trekking, and learn how to dive. It seems counterintuitive and it seems unlikely, however, we have seen in time and time again that when our guests spend more energy, especially in nature, they get more energy. Nature has a way to recharge our batteries and our souls and give us the solutions we need.
It is important to put conservation at the top of our minds when choosing where we travel, where we sleep, what we eat, and how and who we explore with. It is all interconnected. Our big hope, with our rising social media presence and information that you can get in these stories, is to build trust in us, trust that we are the most convenient solution to you planning an epic holiday, leaving a positive impact everywhere you go.
It is power in numbers and we all need to be on the right side of history through some conscious and intentional choices. If you are not convinced yet, read about how the hope and change that was brought about from the majority of travellers demanding a better experience when meeting elephants in Southeast Asia.
“Every dollar you spend is a vote for the future we want.” - Anne Lappe
