14 Simple Sustainable Tourism Tips For Your Next Trip

Last Updated on July 30, 2025

Traveling sustainably doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive—it’s all about making small, thoughtful choices that minimize your impact. Whether you’re exploring locally or venturing abroad, there are simple ways to travel more responsibly.

Here are 14 practical tips to help you reduce your footprint and support the places you visit.

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What is Sustainable Tourism?

The reality is that there are both pros and cons of tourism. The goal of sustainable travel is to minimize the cons, and support the pros.

Sustainable tourism aims to ensure that nature, culture, widlife and history is preserved. This is becoming increasingly important with more and more tourists traveling every year.

With sustainable tourism, we can take full account of the current and future economic, social and environmental impacts of travel, while also addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.

Sustainable tourism is important, because with a sustainable approach to tourism, we can reduce the effects of overtourism, support local and Indigenous communities, protect natural resources and wildlife, and become a more responsible traveler.

When talking about sustainability, I think it is important to remember that around the globe, sustainability might look different. Sustainable solutions we are pursuing here in Canada, for example, might not make sense in other countries.

It is always up to a local community to decide what is best for them: their culture, nature, wildlife and more. 

14 Simple Sustainable Tourism Tips

Are you ready to become a more sustainable tourist? Read on for 14 simple sustainable tourism tips that you can start incorporating into your own travels, now.

1. Minimize Flying as Much as Possible

Flights add a significant amount of planet-warming gases to the atmosphere. For example, taking one return flight can generate more CO2 than citizens of some countries produce in an entire year, which means your carbon footprint goes up exponentially every time you fly.

Air travel is so destructive, that some people actually opt to quit flying entirely. I interviewed sustainable travel blogger Evelina Utterdahl about her choice to quit flying, and the #nofly movement that has started in Sweden. You can listen to that interview right here!

Of course, for many of us it is not realistic to cut out flying entirely. Some of us may have family abroad, or be required to fly for work. If you live in a country like Canada or Australia, visiting another country might not be possible without a flight (or a multi day road trip).

Immigrants must fly to visit home, and some refugees rely on flights to escape conflict zones. Our best approach to sustainable tourism when it comes to flying, is to reduce how much we fly, as much as possible. 

Here are some ways that you can reduce your air travel carbon footprint:

• Most emissions are released during takeoff and landing. You can reduce the carbon impact of your flight by booking a direct flight rather than a flight that includes connections. The less you takeoff and land, the better!
  
• Travel overland rather than booking a flight, particularly when traveling short distances. In some cases, flights are a big time saver, or they’re getting you across an ocean. But wherever possible, take that train (or bus!) instead of the plane!
  
• Fly economy class. Business class fliers leave a far larger carbon footprint, so by opting for economy you can minimize your impact when you do fly.
  
• You can also neutralize your carbon footprint by paying carbon offsets. This means funding projects that remove carbon emissions like reforestation, farm power and landfill gas capture. Make it a practice to donate, every time you fly.

2. Travel Slowly for Sustainable Tourism

Rather than hopping from one place or city to another every 1 to 3 days, spend as long as possible in a place. Spending more time in a place enables tourists to better connect with the destinations they visit. Staying longer means you can get to know the culture and people better.

Tourists can invest more of their dollars in that region, which benefits the local community and economy. And, traveling slowly has environmental benefits – it results in less overland and air travel, which means less CO2 emissions. 

3. Pack Zero Waste and Reusable Products

The goal of a zero waste product is to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfills. As more and more zero waste products become available, zero waste is becoming an accessible way to reduce your environmental impact. In recent years, I’ve introduced zero waste products into my life at home, but also into my travel habits. 

These are my favorite zero waste items to bring traveling, that help with sustainable tourism: 

• Canvas bags, reusable cutlery, and reusable food storage containers. By bringing these items along, I can refuse single use items that I might come across while shopping or dining out. I have canvas bags to use instead of accepting plastic bags, and reusable cutlery for takeout. I like to bring some containers for random things, like leftover food I might like to save. 
  
• Zero waste toiletries. I have always been all about the basics when it comes to toiletries. When traveling, I bring a no waste shampoo bar (I like the ones from Lush!), toothpaste tablets, and a bamboo toothbrush.   

One thing to note? Zero waste offers us a holistic solution to the problem of waste that we as individuals produce. But, the problem of waste going to landfills is much bigger than individuals, it has a lot to do with manufacturing. 

4. Bring a Water Filtration System

The first time I traveled across India I bought tons of bottled water because it was the simplest way to access safe drinking water. Over the course of that trip an immense amount of plastic was tossed out – just from water bottles.

I was cognizant of it because while at home, I never buy bottled water. Instead, I always carry a small reusable bottle that I can refill in water taps throughout my day. After that trip, I decided it was time to give up bottled water while traveling, too.

The solution? A portable water filtration system. Filtering your own water is a sustainable tourism practice because it will reduce how much plastic waste you generate.

There are tons of systems to choose from that suit different needs, but all systems have the same function: they filter contaminants out of water, making it safe to drink. There are tons of options to choose from, Lifestraw is a popular one, especially for hiking and camping. After comparing options, I opted for Grayl. 

Grayl bottles come in two parts: A cup and a filter. To make water safe to drink, you’ll remove the filter and fill the cup with water from anywhere: a river, a lake, a tap, even rainwater.

Once the cup is filled, you insert the fitted filter and slowly push it down. As you push the filter down into the cup, the water is filtered through. Pathogens, chemicals, and heavy metals are removed, and in as little as 15 seconds, tada! Safe drinking water.

So far, I’ve used my Grayl bottle for camping trips around Ontario – like to Algonquin Park and Point Pelee National Park. As soon as it’s safe to travel internationally again (post pandemic!) I will be bringing this bottle along to filter all my water – specifically when I travel to countries that don’t have safe tap water.   

5. Support and Shop at Local Businesses 

One of the most important sustainable tourism tips is to support local people and their communities by investing your dollars in them rather than the corporate companies. This sustainable tourism practice means skipping the Starbucks and opting for a local cafe instead!

By putting your dollars towards local hotels, restaurants, cafes, and other businesses, you can help ensure that the locals in the place you are visiting are directly benefiting from tourism. This helps keep tourism sustainable for a community long term.

A few ways to support local communities include buying directly from markets and artisan shops, eating in small restaurants, selecting locally owned and operated tour companies and staying in locally owned hotels and hostels.

And souvenirs? Many souvenirs are imported from elsewhere. Keep an eye out for souvenirs that appear to be mass produced, and instead opt for souvenirs from local markets or artisans, and follow best practices for responsible souvenir shopping.

If you’re ever unsure about how local a restaurant or hotel is, do a bit of research. Oftentimes online reviews will reveal who is operating or who owns the business, and that’s a great clue to whether it’s local or not. You can also look for clues on the business’s website, or simply ask!

6. Support Local Tourism Operators

Many global tour operators are actively working toward more sustainable tourism practices. There are eco-operators that take steps to minimize their environmental impact, and many tour operators are working toward hiring local guides and supporting local business as much as possible. 

When booking group travel or tours, do a bit of research to see what kind of support the company you’re looking at is giving to the local community. Look at whether their guides are local to the destination you’re visiting, look at whether other staff are local, and look at if they support local restaurants and hotels rather than chains.

When possible, you can also choose to hire a guide once you’ve arrived at your destination. For example, when we traveled to Guatemala to do the Acatenango hike (which gives you views of an erupting volcano!) we didn’t book our guide until we’d arrived in Antigua. Rather than booking a global tour company for our hike, we asked in our hostel to be connected with a local guide. 

7. Practice Responsible Wildlife Tourism

Sustainable tourism means protecting all aspects of a community and environment, including their wildlife. Observing wildlife while traveling is very rewarding, but to do it responsibly you’ll want to stick to observational experiences only. 

When a tour, safari, or sanctuary allows you to interact with wildlife, it’s important to remember that you’re interacting with an animal that has been trained to interact with you. It’s a bad sign if you’re allowed to touch, ride, or hold a wild animal.

Instead, opt for tours and experiences that are observation-based and don’t disturb any wildlife. Seeing wildlife this way is truly magical, because you get to see beautiful animals as they are in their natural habitat. 

The best line of defence when it comes to wildlife tourism is to always do your research, and do it really well. For example, if there’s an elephant sanctuary you want to visit, look at whether or not they allow visitors to touch, feed, or ride the elephants. You can also look at reviews for that sanctuary to learn what other tourists have seen there. If they’ve witnessed maltreatment, it’ll likely be mentioned in the review. 

For more on responsible wildlife tourism, read Your Guide to Responsible Wildlife Tourism

8. Eat as the Locals Do

My severe food allergies often means I can’t safely eat local foods when I travel, and this always disappoints me. Trying local cuisine is such an exciting part of traveling! And eating as the locals do is also a great way to support sustainable tourism. 

This means avoiding big food chains and restaurants, and avoiding imported food and grocery. Instead, shop in local markets for produce, and pop into small restaurants for meals. By doing this, you are supporting the local food chain and you are supporting the local economy. 

I also find that eating local is an opportunity to interact with the local community. While in Hampi, India, my partner and I ate at the same little restaurant every single day. Over the course of the week that we spent there, we developed rapport with the guys who worked the dinner shift.

We chatted with them every evening, sharing what we’d been up to all day. They would tell us about their day, and we learned tons about their lives. By the end of the week we were friends!

9. Minimize Waste in Hotels

Hotel rooms tend to come with many single use items. One way to reduce your impact while traveling is to avoid using these products, and behave in your hotel room like you would at home.

Here are sustainable tourism tips for staying in hotels:

• Bring your own toiletries and toothbrush. This way you won’t need to use the tiny hotel bottles of shampoo, lotion, and other items that are offered. If you can, avoid drinking bottled water that is provided. 

• Hang up your towels so that they can be reused rather than replaced daily. 

• When you leave your room, remember to turn off lights, air conditioning, the television and other appliances.

• Leave the “do not disturb” sign on your hotel door knob so that hotel staff know not to wash linens and towels every day.  

10. Walk, Cycle, and Use Public Transit

Renting bikes, walking, and taking public transport when you’re traveling does more than just reduce your carbon footprint. It’s a great way to see a new place while practicing sustainable tourism!

I love getting around on foot and on public transit when I’m visiting a new place because it creates an opportunity to get outside more, exercise, and save on your travel budget. 

For example, when my partner and I visited Mexico City we made a point of taking the subway system and local busses to get around. Even though Uber trips are super affordable in Mexico City, we found that taking public transport was more fun because we got to experience the city in a local way. We even opted to take public transport for our day trip to the famous Pyramids of Teotihuacan! 

11. Avoid Contributing to Overtourism

Overtourism is when there’s too many tourists in a place and it overwhelms local communities. It is an unsustainable issue that can contribute to displacement of local residents, damage to natural environments, it can endanger protected species, and it can sometimes threaten the local way of life. 

You can avoid contributing to overtourism by traveling to places that are less mainstream or less popular. For example, instead of going to the Thai islands, I opted to visit the Cambodian islands.

Of course, some destinations become popular for a reason, so of course not everyone will be willing to skip spots on their bucket list entirely. If that’s the case, consider second city tourism. All this means is visiting a second, less popular place after the bucket list place.

If you visit Amsterdam, for example, which is a city that has publicly acknowledged they are struggling with overtourism, you can counter that impact by visiting a less popular city as well, like Leiden or Den Hague. By doing this, you spread your tourism dollars further and also help to build up the reputation of other Dutch destinations. 

Want to read more about how overtourism happens, it’s impact, and how to avoid it? Read How to Avoid Contributing to Overtourism

13. Choose Electric Vehicles Whenever Possible

Choosing electric vehicles (EVs) will reduce your carbon output – so whenever possible, book an EV when renting a car, and choose EVs when booking rides in rideshare apps. 

While charging the battery can cause some pollution at the power plant, the overall emissions of EVs are usually lower than those from gasoline cars—especially when the electricity comes from renewable sources like wind. 

Most car rental companies now offer the option to choose an EV. Along with their reduced carbon output, these cars are super quiet and often more affordable to charge than filling up with gas. 

And these days, most rideshare apps make it easy to go green by offering an eco-friendly ride option—just look for the “green” or “electric” choice when booking. It’s a small switch that makes a big difference.

13. Use an Esim Instead of a Physical Sim Card

An eSIM, short for embedded SIM, is a digital SIM card that you can load into your device. With an eSIM, there’s no need for a physical SIM.

Esims work exactly like traditional SIM cards, enabling your phone to connect to cellular networks and access mobile data. 

Unlike physical SIMs, eSIMs can be remotely activated, allowing you to easily switch between mobile carriers or plans.You don’t need to visit a storefront to buy an eSIM, you can purchase them online. The information needed to activate your eSIM is then sent to you over email or via an app.

Esims are super convenient, and they are also better for the environment. Esim technology significantly reduces the carbon footprint associated with the manufacturing and transport of physical SIM cards.

Digitizing the SIM card process results in energy savings and lower emissions, making eSIMs a more eco-friendly choice.

You can get online easily with a quick-to-install eSIM through Airalo. What I appreciate most about Airalo’s eSIM is its simplicity: You can quickly select and activate an Airalo eSIM. 

Selecting, downloading, and activating your eSIM takes less than 5 minutes, and it’s easy to top up your eSIM if you run out of data. You can get started with an Airalo eSIM, right here.

14. Continue Learning About Sustainable Tourism

It’s important to emphasize that responsible and sustainable travel is personal. Some of the above suggestions for traveling more sustainably might suit you, and some might not. And that’s okay. Find a way to approach sustainable tourism that works for you, and continue to be open to learning and to change. 

I have found that my sustainable tourism practices are constantly evolving as I learn more. When I compare the way I travel now to how I traveled even just two years ago, I’ve become much more aware of my impact, and much better at mitigating it (and finding ways to contribute to the communities I visit). 

And, I’m finding that this helps me feel much more connected to the places that I visit – some call this deep travel. The other thing to note is that sustainable models of tourism depend on more than just the actions of individual travelers.

Airlines, tourism boards, local governments, hotel owners, business owners and other parts of the tourism industry have a part to play in it as well. As individual tourists, we can take actions ourselves, but industry solutions are just as important.

Final Thoughts: Sustainable Tourism Tips  

As we’ve learned, sustainable tourism is important. As travelers, we can all play a small part in supporting it. There are simple things that all of us can do on our travels to help reduce our impact.

The easiest way to start? Book the most sustainable options for flights, hotels, tour operators, etc. From there, minimize your short haul flights, travel lightly, pack zero-waste and reusable toiletries, and use a water filtration system to avoid buying bottled water. 

If you enjoyed this blog, you’ll love my newsletter, as well as my Facebook group. You’re welcome to join these communities – would love to see you there!

More on responsible travel:

• How to Avoid Contributing to Overtourism
• Your Guide to Unpacking Travel Privilege
• Your Guide to Responsible Wildlife Tourism
• What is Second City Tourism?