Local Travel. It is a simple concept that most people can understand. You can apply it to local travel within your own community, as well as traveling like a local to destinations outside of your home base.

I recently came across the Local Travel Movement blog, through my connections with WHL, an e-marketplace for local accommodation providers.  While reading about the Local Travel Movement, I discovered their Local Travel Values (as shown below):

• If you are mindful of the local people, you put yourself in the locals’ shoes and discover what they really think.
• If you are mindful of the local environment, you put yourself in the heart of it, feel its beauty and power, and do what you can to preserve it for the future.
• If you are mindful of the local culture, you put yourself in the local mindset and share in activities and experiences as locals do.
• If you are mindful of the local economy, you put your money into local business and ensure that your tourism benefits the right people.

These are exactly the type of travel values I would deem appropriate for supporting sustainable tourism. With all of the different sustainable tourism terminology out there, that I mentioned before, it can be confusing for a new traveler to know how to travel the “best” way. But, the concept of Local Travel seems to fit the bill perfectly.

My challenge to you: keep these Local Travel values on hand and put them into practice when you plan and embark upon your next vacation. You may be surprised to find your travel experience more fulfilling and meaningful than ever before.