How to Travel Responsibly in Developing Countries
The first step to becoming a responsible tourist is to learn what it means to travel responsibly in your chosen destination. If you are traveling to a developing country, there are many small things you can do to have a positive impact on the communities you visit.
Many of these considerations are not obvious, even to seasoned travelers. We've put together this list of advice to help you ensure your next trip is a win for both you and your local hosts.
Staying at small homestays helps ensure your spending goes to families of more modest income, rather than hotels run by wealthy business owners. It also makes for a more rewarding travel experience, as small home-based establishments can provide more personalized service as well as the chance to interact with a local family. There are few travel experiences more memorable than being "adopted" into a welcoming host family, where you arrive as a guest and leave as a friend.
Genuine family homestays can be challenging to find, as many of the listings on platforms like Airbnb are actually hotel rooms, and it is often not clear from the description that the room you are booking is part of a large establishment. At Adventure Homestay, we only allow listings for small homestays located in the residential home of the host. If you book through other platforms, ask the host or read reviews to get a sense of the type of the establishment before booking.
