The Responsible Traveller: A Practical Guide to Reducing Your Environmental and Social Impact, Embracing Sustainable Tourism and Travelling the World With a Conscience

I enjoyed this book because it was a very honest and sobering read. There are two sides to tourism and those of us who travel often often think of our own gains above how much our existence might impact places. This book really made me think. It has a range of options on how we can have less of an impact - and the idea is to pick the suggestions that are best for you. This is especially true on the environmental side. There’s a lot to unpack on the social side too - including issues I hadn’t ever considered might be a problem, like volunteering programmes that might cause more harm than good. I think the key message is to do your research before booking a holiday and just do the best you can. And those are things I will do more of in future.

This book covers both the environmental and social responsibilities you can consider, when making travel/travel experience decisions. The author does a great job of tackling certain important subjects that are not easy to approach, therefore are seldom talked about. The last chapter has some fabulous suggestions of how your future adventures can be more responsible, with some well researched, current and really interesting tips.The overall tone of the book was well received as I did not feel I was being preached to! Instead it has been a very thought provoking read and provided solid evidence that personal accountability is important and that making responsible choices can be simple...... which may actually lead to a more enriched experience!Would definitely recommend to anyone who is planning a trip away. It would also make a lovely gift.

I took this book on holiday with me to read around the pool. A very informative, well written book with loads of info to get me thinking and changing some things I’ve been doing. Well researched and the info is well put into simple terms that even I can understand.Also, the size is perfect. Just what you need to slip into your bag and not have it take up too much space.Would highly recommend if you want to know the impact your travel makes and how to be a more responsible traveller to lessen your environmental and cultural impact on the cities/countries you visit.

I love travel. I also love our planet, our common home. This handy sized book creates a useful internal or external conversation about how we can honour our love, both of travel and of the planet. Clear, informative, intriguing and encouraging. A great present too, for additional constructive engagement with loved ones. Relish this opportunity to think big, from something small but perfectly formed.

The pandemic and the ongoing horrors of the climate crisis have made many of us reassess our life choices. For me, being grounded for the best part of 2.5 years made me reconsider the way I used to travel. Pre-Covid, I used to think nothing of hopping on a short easyJet break for a weekend break in Bratislava, Biarritz or Bologna (I once - and I cringe at the memory of this - flew to Paris for a weekend instead of taking the Eurostar). I would stay in all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean or southeast Asia owned by big US chains, plundering the tepid buffets and wallet-ruining cocktails without ever exploring the amazing local communities on my doorstep. And I cringe now to think of the lack of due diligence I conducted with wildlife tours.And yet... I still can't give up travel; my wanderlust is as insatiable as ever. The thought of spending my treasured 25 days annual leave on a soggy hiking holiday in the Lake District year-after-year doesn't fill me with excitement. How can I balance my love of other countries/cultures with ensuring my travel footprint does as little harm to the planet as possible?Well, this is where The Responsible Traveller comes in. I booked a trip to Bali last autumn, my first trip overseas since you-know-what happened. Looking forward to a fortnight by the beach, I picked up this book for some vacay reading material. And I'm so glad I did!First up, reading The Responsible Traveller was a real eye-opener. I had no idea just how bad the climate crisis is. There's a chapter in here about Madagascar, which recently experienced the world's first climate change-induced famine: truly heartbreaking stuff.But the book is also crammed with so much great advice, from ways to reduce your footprint to helping local communities. During my time in Bali, advice from this book made me seek out sustainability-focused tour guides and operators, respect local traditions more (not wearing shorts to temples for example) and practice mindful photography.Karen Edwards - an esteemed journalist with names like Grazia, the Telegraph and Time Out on her CV - has a winning writing style, explaining concepts such as coral bleaching or carbon emissions in a way that is a) not boring and b) easy to understand. She really is a great writer and sustainability advocate who knows her stuff inside out.The Responsible Traveller has also had a long-term impact on me. I've started to embrace 'slow travel'. Going on holiday less frequently, but staying longer is a far more sustainable way to travel. I've also ditched my bucket-list of must-see destinations: instead of ticking off the over-touristed likes of Venice and Machu Picchu, I'm going to take up Edwards' suggestions of Guyana and the Philippines instead. I'll also be booking holidays in non-peak times too - to help boost the income for locals when tourists aren't around.I'll be flying there on a planet-conscious airline like Cathay Pacific (another one of Edwards' tips) and sourcing local independent accommodation (not a chain!).As Edwards points out, only six per cent of the world's population travels by plane. Travel is a privilege and those of us lucky to experience it must never forget this...So in summary, buy this book - it'll enhance your travel in ways you can barely imagine...--

This pocket sized book is packed full of comments and ideas on how to travel in an environmentally conscious and diligent way. Ideal for anyone looking to travel in a more environmentally friendly way. The case studies are informative and add an additional dimension.

This is a pocket-sized guide to travelling sustainably. It packs up a lot of useful information and some interesting case studies. However, what makes it a challenging read is that it puts a lot of responsibility on the individual eith suggestions that are not always feasible if you don't have a lot of disposable income.

We all love to travel, but do we really think about the impact on all aspects of the environment when we make our travel choices?This book just is just what you need to help you make the best and most informed decisions no matter how near or far you go or what you plan to do.Karen Edwards has done her research so you don’t have to.We can all take some invaluable tips from this - I certainly have!!One to get 🙏💚📚🌏

I’ve been fortunate to travel for most of my adult life and have visited over 130 countries. And I thought myself educated and aware. But reading this makes me realise that I don’t know enough to do enough. What I like about this easy-read, it tries to educate and make suggestions, rather than preach. Yes, it will take some work and perhaps more thought but even small changes to the way we travel will be a step in the right direction. Brilliantly done!