responsible travel

Wonderful World hopes you will join us in encouraging the development of a tourism industry which is both socially responsible and fair to local communities, and environmentally sustainable. We've drawn up a simple but by no means exhaustive list of travel tips that we believe will help achieve this important objective. Please do e-mail us if you have other suggestions that you feel should be added.

before you go

1. Recycle all your holiday brochures when you’ve finished with them or pass them on to a friend
2. Remove any packaging from clothing, toiletries etc. before you pack and recycle if possible.
3. Consider compensating the environmental impact of your flight with our carbon offsetting scheme

on your holiday

1. Please don’t have your photograph taken with any wild animals (such as lions, tiger cubs, monkeys, bears, snakes and exotic birds.
2. Coral is extremely fragile and takes a decade to grow. Don’t step on or remove any coral when swimming or diving and avoid kicking up sand as it can suffocate and kill coral polyps.
3. Enjoy local food cooked with local produce as much as possible.
4. Minimise waste by reducing the use of plastic bags and water bottles (bring your own water filter bottle or purifier) and take your used batteries home with you.

shopping

1. Conduct bargaining in a light-hearted and courteous manner and bear in mind that a small saving to you could be a significant amount of money to the seller.
2. Please don’t buy products made from endangered plants or wild animals, including hardwoods, corals, shells, starfish, ivory, fur, skins, teeth, reptiles and turtles. For more information on endangered species and the WWF-K Souvenir Alert Campaign visit www.wwf-uk.org
3. Don’t give money to street beggars.
4. Re-use plastic bags when shopping or buy cotton shopping bag.

exploring the area

1. Consider using public transport, bicycles and walking for some journeys.
2. Use local guides and taxis. This helps to support the local community.
3. Always ask permission before taking pictures of people.
4. Displaying expensive jewellery or cameras, particularly in very poor communities may distance you from the culture you’ve come to experience.
5. Dress modestly in public places and religious sites.
6. Please do not pick flowers and plants or collect pebbles and seashells.
7. Consider taking a bag when trekking to pick up litter.