Most Customers search for a comfortable way to reach their destination. For this, they’ll look for the best transportation or taxi service provider. If you are planning a guided tour, then you might also try to hire a reasonable and trustworthy car/taxi for a safe and secure journey. You might not be in no mood […]
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Most Customers search for a comfortable way to reach their destination. For this, they’ll look for the best transportation or taxi service provider.
If you are planning a guided tour, then you might also try to hire a reasonable and trustworthy car/taxi for a safe and secure journey.
You might not be in no mood to search for and drive a rental car. If that’s the case, then the first transportation option that might come to anyone’s mind is public transportation. It’s inexpensive and accessible. They, however, tend to be very slow and crowded.
A second option is hiring a car or taxi service.
What many people fail to consider is booking a car. Ride Transfer Direct offers the best professional car rental services at fixed rates. It’s an alternative to other ride-sharing and public transportation options.
Here are 5 Reasons why Book an airport taxi Service.
Instant Tour Guide & Schedule Pickup Online
If you’re new to the city, drivers can be your instant traveling guide. It’ll bring you to the city’s most visited places. This will give you a chance to really get to know about the best places all over the Country.
No matter how much online research you do, how many guidebooks you look through, there’s nothing quite like a good old-fashioned word-of-mouth tip-off from someone who lives in your tour destination.
When you are in a hurry and you can’t afford to wait here is the kicker, you can book online. One of the biggest benefits of airport taxis or cars is that they have extremely successful booking websites. Just click the “book online” button on their website and schedule a pickup.
Your desired car or taxi will be waiting for you at the international airport when you arrive.
Save your Time & Money
Online car/taxi service saves a lot of time for your tour.
Assume you have arrived at the airport and are waiting for the taxi. Some of them may not want to go to the location you want so you end up wasting your valuable time. Rather what you can do is simply book your taxi online through platforms like Ridetransferdirect.com and avoid wasting your time.
Our airport car service saves you time. By this, you can save your destination time and money also.
In case your flight gets delayed or canceled, you can change your car booking status at any time.
It helps you save money as well.
Cheaper Travelling & Easy to book
You can book your taxi or car easily from the airport to your desired destination. Or, from your tour destination to the airport.
When you’re planning to book a car/taxi, you might have to wait for hours until the driver is available. But, with a car, you won’t have to wait long because car services take prior bookings as per your benefit. This is a hassle-free transport option.
If you don’t schedule your car ride in such situations, then you might end up missing your flight.
With technology evolving these days, most taxi/car services have become much easier to make a reservation. Ridetransferdirect.com gives you a way to receive an instant quote for any Tour within seconds by entering your Tour destinations.
Above all, you can get discounts by being a first time and loyal customer.
Travel Safely with a Taxi Service
Customers can hire a trusted service without worrying about personal safety and exploitation at hands of the taxi or car drivers. How?
First-time customers decide to check the credibility of the company. What do other customers have to say about a taxi service?
How will they know that the airport taxi/car service will drive them to the right destinations on time, safely, and at the most affordable price?
Well, Ride Transfer Direct is an acceptable and reliable airport car booking company. If you pre-book an airport taxi/car for international airport transfers you will save yourself from the stress of finding a reliable, safe and reasonable airport car at the airport.
You will also be able to reach an airport like Benidorm airport From Marbella airport on time and at a reasonable price.
No Surcharges & Travel Anytime, Anywhere
When we talk about surcharges, sales tax and airport charges vary greatly from state to state and from one country to the next.
Unfortunately, you likely can’t avoid state and local sales taxes in many countries. The value-added tax (VAT) can be as high as 25%. Many local governments also charge fees to fund their own local development projects, such as meeting centers or sports stadiums.
When you book your car through an online platform -like RideTransferDirect.com – there will be no hidden fees or charges applied to any of their taxi/car services or tours. All costs are conveyed in the booking process. This is a reasonable reason why most tourists prefer to travel by booking a car online.
Bio: Manish Ambaliya is a writer at Ridetransferdirect.com. Manish has started writing articles on topics like car rental, trip planning, traveling, and so on. Manish believes that sharing is caring and that’s the reason they are writing something new every day.
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As conscious citizens & travelers, we must always be concerned about our dear Mother Earth. If you think about it, you travel across her face, and She is the host to your journey; without Her, we could not find the unfolding adventures that attract and feed our souls. We have found some valuable resources for […]
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As conscious citizens & travelers, we must always be concerned about our dear Mother Earth. If you think about it, you travel across her face, and She is the host to your journey; without Her, we could not find the unfolding adventures that attract and feed our souls.
We have found some valuable resources for you to use and publicize, all of which are dedicated to responsible travel and care of our environment.
Responsible and Sustainable Travel Resources
Books
Sustainable Travel: The essential guide to positive impact adventures (Sustainable Living Series) Pre-order
By: Holly Tuppen
This book offers sustainable and attainable advice for those who want to make a difference in the way we experience the world, be a force for good through traveling. Also, 2% of the revenue generated from the book’s sales will be donated to the World Land Trust.
Lonely Planet Code Green: Trips of a Lifetime That Won’t Cost The Earth
By: Kelly Lorimer- Lonely Planet Publications
The first “green travel” book to be published by Lonely Planet includes dozens of “responsible travel experiences” and provides traveler information on responsible and eco-travel. Lonely Planet also runs a discussion board on responsible travel at http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com
The Sustainable Travel Handbook
By: Lonely Planet
The latest in Lonely Planet’s handbook series is the practical and inspiring guide that you are looking for. It is packed with easy-to-digest advice from culture, wildlife, luxury, adventure, wellness, and more from known travel destinations to off-the-map regions of the world.
Websites
Earth Day Educational Resource Library
www.earthday.org/education-resource-library/
EARTHDAY.ORG is an organization that aims to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. This organization has different resources from organizing events, providing toolkits, timelines, lesson plans, online quizzes, and many more resources to expand your knowledge in restoring Mother Earth.
Goodwings
Goodwings aims to spread knowledge and educate people with traveling Net-Zero. They discuss CO2 emissions compensation and removal. And they advocate the importance of planting trees as the most cost-effective way of removing carbon from our planet.
Impact Travel Alliance
An organization that aims to promote travel in a way that empowers local communities and has the power to protect and improve our Earth. Impact Travel Alliance believes sustainability should be applied in a traveler’s journey, no matter the budget, style, and destination visited.
International Ecotourism Society
A well-established nonprofit group that conducts research, publishes articles, provides consumer information, and has a directory of members around the world. With Rainforest Alliance, it recently started an ecotourism certification standards program.
Sustainable Travel International
www.sustainabletravelinternational.org
Formed three years ago to bridge the gap between research and consumer information and to promote sustainable development and eco-friendly travel. Offers a carbon offset program and last month started an eco-certification program that will follow standards laid out by the International Ecotourism Society.
Responsible Travel Handbook
Created this year for the Educational Travel Conference meeting, this lengthy guide has a wealth of contributors and information. (Click on responsible tourism to download).
Better World Club
The environmentally conscious alternative to the American Automobile Association, offering auto and bicycle road assistance, has resources on hybrid car rentals, green lodging, and carbon offsets.
Let us join and use these groups when planning our trips. By raising our level of consciousness and employing ‘green’ tactics and travel itineraries we will, each in our own small way, be contributing to a healthier world where we act as stewards to the environment while discovering the rich and breathtaking rewards of travel.
I hope you explore the above resources as well as share them with your network for a better world.
I know it’s early, but Happy Earth Day!
Let’s save these “dying” destinations.
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*In honor of what this week means, I’ve written this post. We’re headed into a week of celebration, family, and gratitude. I want us all to remember our “why,” our purpose. I hope everyone enjoys their holiday and safe travels to those who are traveling. Have you served your destination today? Support the community you’re […]
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]]>*In honor of what this week means, I’ve written this post. We’re headed into a week of celebration, family, and gratitude. I want us all to remember our “why,” our purpose.
I hope everyone enjoys their holiday and safe travels to those who are traveling.
Have you served your destination today? Support the community you’re visiting through volunteer opportunities and so much more. You may be limited for time, but it’s evident that a trip to a new destination is always a beautiful experience. Interestingly, giving back while on your vacation makes the experience much more fulfilling.
Rather than just casually visiting your dream city or town and enjoying the scenery and natural resources present, you can choose to positively affect the community and its people while at it. By so doing, you nicely combine your love for travel with the goal to assist and support other places. What can be more reaching?
Taking on such a huge opportunity is exciting, but can also be intimidating. It’s no easy feat as the learning curve is steep. You’ll be dealing with different personalities from all over the world. However, with a few tips at your fingertips, you’ll be good to go. Here are 4 ways you can beautifully impact your dream destination through volunteer work and more.
Embrace the culture
Your first step to making an impact in any destination is to embrace the community’s culture. Naturally, locals appreciate it when visitors can really just blend in and embrace the environment. They tend to easily warm up to a visitor genuinely interested in their way of life.
Culture shock is inevitable, however. It affects others at different rates and times. So when you find yourself in a new place, with time, familiarity, and thorough research, you can overcome it.
Still, get in there. Start with the basics, curb your inner excesses, and embrace where you are. Pay attention to the rules, traditions, and processes going on around you, and try to follow along. Eat their special delicacies, try to learn the language, or you could ask for help from a local or tour guide.
Note: Don’t try to know more than the local people. Always be a student and absorb what is happening around you.
Engage in social workshops
Communities organize social workshops to help grow their localities. These do not only apply to only local communities but also major cities too. Most communities develop and engage in programs that anyone, regardless of where they come from could work with. These programs stretch across humanitarian resources making sure that people give voluntarily and not by force. Some of their programs could include teaching at a local school, assisting small business owners, or conserving nature.
While traveling in your destination, you can get involved in one of such workshops. A lot of people tend to feel extremely happy giving their all generously through social workshops. It gives a sense of gratitude. Looking for memories? Indulge yourself then. You’d be surprised what you and the local community will gain from the experience.
Support the locals
The locals are one of the easiest means through which you can add spice to an environment. This attests to the fact that they are the first point of contact, therefore they play an important role in impacting your stay and vice versa. Do you want to make an impact? Get acquainted with them, patronize their local businesses, initiate conversations with them.
Rather than storm a fancy, exotic restaurant, patronize the local eateries. Indulge the mailman, the delivery guy, hand out tips to the steward. Buy artworks from that upcoming artist. The sole purpose is to enjoy your stay while also leaving footprints in that community. Don’t get lost in the superficial aspects of your travels.
Seek voluntary work
Planning ahead can provide you with the best opportunity to partner and assist a local organization. You have a set of skills. Thus, you can volunteer abroad and support a community with those skills. While most organizations have a minimum period of one-week to volunteer, you can make arrangements that will work best for you and them. Plan months in advance and work with leading platforms like GivingWay that connects prospective volunteers with local organizations.
Just do it. There are countless places looking for future volunteers like you. This is the chance to see how the community operates and what it means to be a member. I will never regret my own volunteer experience.
Looking for volunteer opportunities? Choose one of these 8 destinations!
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When’s the last time you went on an outdoor adventure? And, I mean spent significant time? It’s probably been a while and with good reason. Yet, the outdoors has a number of benefits that the indoors doesn’t. Well, first you get to breathe the fresh air. Also, you can reconnect with nature, non-man made items, […]
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When’s the last time you went on an outdoor adventure? And, I mean spent significant time?
It’s probably been a while and with good reason.
Yet, the outdoors has a number of benefits that the indoors doesn’t.
Well, first you get to breathe the fresh air. Also, you can reconnect with nature, non-man made items, artifacts and particles beautifying your space and life.
I could go on and on, but I want to get to the best part of this post.
Merrell, a rugged outdoor footwear brand, has partnered with Mind, a mental health charity, to help people engage in outdoor adventures and explore the outside.
Are you down for the cause?
I hope so! Keep reading for more insight and ideas on going on outdoor adventures, and exploring your local area.
But first, here are the facts:
According to Mind’s research:
“More than half of adults (60%) and over two thirds of young people (68%) have said their mental health got worse during lockdown.”
“Just over two thirds (68%) of young people said that their mental health had got worse during lockdown, with this rising to three quarters (74%) of people aged 18–24.”
“Young people are more likely to have experienced poor mental health during lockdown than adults.”
“People with experience of mental health problems are more likely to see their mental health worsen as a result of coronavirus restrictions.”
“Although they are less affected than those who have experienced mental health problems, more than one in five (22%) young people and adults who have not experienced mental health problems prior to the pandemic said that their mental health was poor or very poor during lockdown. Just over half of young people (57%) and adults (53%) without experience of mental health problems had a lower than average wellbeing score during lockdown.”
For the full statistics, go to Mind-Mental Health Emergency.
Here are the reasons people have been affected:
During the pandemic, we saw a number of actions taken by governments across the world.
Lockdowns.
Travel restrictions.
City ordinances/restrictions.
Curfews.
And more.
At the basis of these actions, the fundamental part of life was also restricted. Human Interaction.
We are social creatures—a phrase we’ve heard dozens of times in our lives. But, I honestly didn’t know the depth of this phrase until this year. Did you?
Mind’s research concluded several things from its participants. Some of the main mental health challenges were:
“Not being able to see people (79%), not being able to go outside (74%) and anxiety about family and friends getting coronavirus (74%)”
Boredom. “Boredom was a major problem for young people; 83% said it had made their mental health worse.”
“Loneliness has also been a key contributor to poor mental health – particularly for young people. Just under three quarters of young people (72%) said loneliness had made their mental health worse.”
And, I agree with these results. Why? Because I’ve felt them too. You may have as well.
I shared my own struggles with you in the past month to show that it’s ok to not feel ok.
Travel is Therapeutic. I Will Not Be Shamed for My Self-Love Getaway
How has the coronavirus pandemic affected you?
How going on outdoor adventures may help you cope:
Merrell and Mind have partnered up to run the initiative: Hike From Home.
Hike From Home “inspires everyone to explore new, local walks from their doorstep as a means to enjoy time outdoors during the pandemic as well as supporting mental health and wellbeing.”
So, the question is: do you like hiking?
Hiking could have a positive or negative connotation depending on the person.
So, those of you who don’t like going on outdoor adventures, science shows that spending time outside and exercising “can aid both physical and mental health.” In fact, “ecotherapy, a type of therapy which involves doing activities outside in nature, has been shown to help with mild and moderate depression.”
And, the outdoors is not just for those with mental health concerns. It’s for everyone.
Personally, being outdoors has improved my mood. It also helped me release anxiety during these uncertain times. I’ve been able to appreciate the things in life that I take for granted.
Hike From Home is especially a personal journey for those who want to reconnect with themselves on a deeper level and be present in the moment.
‘I’ve been reconnecting through walks with the family, for us, it’s been discovering new routes from our doorstep and spending quality time with the kids. When the treadmill of normal life stops, it has afforded us more time to explore new things, and we’ve found walking around our local area, finding new cool places a necessary break from the same four walls,” says MistaJam, who has been challenged with mental health concerns and ultimately supports of the Hike From Home initiative.
So what do you say? Are you down to hike?
For more information visit the website or to make a donation, visit the JustGiving page.
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It’s time for a reality check. We’ve been homebound for a while now and it’s time to reflect on our past behaviors, which will help to improve our future habits and decisions. As you read this guest post [a lovely person who didn’t want to be named but deserves all the credit], think about the […]
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It’s time for a reality check.
We’ve been homebound for a while now and it’s time to reflect on our past behaviors, which will help to improve our future habits and decisions. As you read this guest post [a lovely person who didn’t want to be named but deserves all the credit], think about the ways that you can help local communities, here and abroad, to prosper outside of traditional means and sources.
The world is full of wonders, and we all hope for the chance to see a few of them during our lifetimes. Tourists flock to destinations far and wide seeking exceptional experiences and lasting memories, but sadly, memories fade, so most travelers want to bring back something solid they can keep, a memento that won’t change over time.
This common desire has resulted in a profusion of trinket vendors and souvenir shops infesting any locale that draws tourists, marring the beauty of the place and detracting from its historic or natural authenticity.
The objects sold in such stalls and stores are typically poor quality, and generic enough to vary little from one site to the next aside from the printed name of the location it was purchased being stamped somewhere on the object. The shops are unsightly, the items of little value, and the vendors barely earning enough money to get by.
So what’s the solution?
Anecdotal research suggests that the majority of travelers value their experience and seek a way to commemorate it, so it stands to reason that people would prefer a unique, personal memento to a cookie cutter style trinket, which is where photography comes in.
Is there any better, more personal way to immortalize a moment or a memory? Studies show that people are more comfortable spending money on something they perceive as valuable, and unique photographs provide a way for vendors to offer a service that will be more appreciated and therefore more profitable.
I have traveled a lot, and everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve encountered the same vendors inhabiting different bodies, desperate to make a sale, peddling their wares as aggressively as possible without using actual force.
These ubiquitous little shops and stalls pop up like mushrooms, offering slight variations on the same basic merchandise, and they are almost never selling anything that I or anyone else I know would actually want.
Pop up tents and tarps, blankets on the ground strewn with odds and ends, corner units in brick buildings barely large enough to walk into side by side with another person. They sell an endless array of magnets, cheap jewelry, snow-globes, postcards, plastic toys, mugs, baseball caps, tacky t-shirts, souvenir socks, and bumper stickers.
If you’ve been in one of these places, you’ve been inside them all, and though occasionally you get curious and check to see if maybe you’re missing something, after a very short time you learn to avoid them whenever possible. That does not, however, indicate a desire to return home with nothing to show for the journey you’ve made.
In a makeshift hut situated along the banks of Venice’s Grand Canal, a man named Rhasmeeet passes his days hoping to meet his sale quota and bring home enough money to feed his family. His stall is constructed of wooden poles and a stretched canvas awning which offers him a bit of respite from the Italian sun. The items he has for sale are the standard tourist trinkets, and not in high demand.
Rashmeet is Bangladeshi. He came to Italy 7 yrs. ago wanting the same thing we all want, a decent quality of life and a brighter future for the next generation.
He lives in a cramped apartment with six members of his extended family. His living situation is not comfortable or ideal, but it is also far from uncommon. Rhasmeet didn’t leave Bangladesh due to a natural disaster or civil war, he left because Bangladesh is overcrowded, opportunities to earn fair wages are limited, and providing his children with basic needs is almost impossible. He wanted to make money and send it home so his children could grow up with a higher standard of living than he did.
Coming to Europe is the best option many young merchant immigrants have to provide for their families. In some cases, it is the only option. He has been in Venice for two years, and admits that he does not earn a satisfactory income operating the stall.
The opulence of Venetian art and architecture contrast starkly with Rhasmeet’s obvious poverty and the quality of the products he is able to offer. He is one of at least 6 other vendors offering nearly identical items visible from the center of Plaza san Marcos. There are others, but they are selling food, which is delicious, or imitation Venetian glass, which is less exquisite than the real thing but also more affordable.
There is also a man surrounded by an army of pigeons, which he is somehow able to coerce into perching upon passing tourists, at which point he snaps a photo of the individual with his feathered friends on their arms, shoulders, and heads. The pigeon guy is, by far, the most popular vendor, and I have to admit, the pigeon thing is clever. Most people, however, don’t have the advantage of a flock of friendly fowl willing to do their bidding.
Rashmeet admits that most people are either suspicious of him and his clothes or entirely disinterested, although he does have some marginal success selling bottles of water and packaged snacks. It is rarely necessary for him to replenish the non-food product manufactured goods. He seemed reluctant to discuss the provenance of the items, but it is safe to assume that his supplier is not inclined to be overly selective with sources of labor or scrupulous about quality.
So, why do these souvenir shops exist? Because they have to.
Even if they are not especially profitable and even if most tourists pass them by without stopping, there are bound to be a few takers. Some tourists do patronize the trinket stalls, and almost every traveler is guilty of bringing home at least one obligatory shirt or mug.
I admit to humoring my son’s request to bring him a snow-globe from every place I go. I would prefer to purchase a more meaningful, culturally relevant gift, and when possible, I do. However, there are far fewer locations to purchase presents that are culturally relevant than there are those to purchase, for example, my son’s beloved snow globes.
Plenty of people want pictures, but the right shot can be elusive. Hiring a professional can put a serious dent in your travel funds.
Selfie-sticks are obnoxious, embarrassing and should never be used by anyone who has already graduated from junior high school.
You can pass your precious phone off to a stranger and ask them to snap a quick pic, providing you speak the local language or manage to nab a random passer-by who speaks yours. Or you can try SnapMob or many other pop-up startups that offer travel photography. Because photography is an art. Make yourself and your memories the subjects.
Vendors will always be at these locations, there will always be a ready supply of Eiffel tower flasks, Leaning Tower of Pisa coffee cups and there is nothing wrong with this, but I think if we teach these vendors there is more money in learning skills and providing photos it would benefit all of us, travelers.
Personally, I know I would rather have a beautiful picture of my family at a spectacular location rather than a magnet that says come to Pompeii or any other random place. I am not naive; I don’t believe adding an additional income source to vendors will limit their reliance on cheap plastic but it will maybe give Rashmeet more money in his pocket and make his life and the lives of his loved ones more comfortable.
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What is destroying the world’s most popular destinations? People, I’d say. Komodo Island, a popular destination in Indonesia, has been temporarily closed after “nine men were arrested on suspicion of selling more than 40 Komodo dragons for about $35,000 each” recently reported in the Washington Post. Komodo dragons, which have been around for thousands of […]
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What is destroying the world’s most popular destinations? People, I’d say.
Komodo Island, a popular destination in Indonesia, has been temporarily closed after “nine men were arrested on suspicion of selling more than 40 Komodo dragons for about $35,000 each” recently reported in the Washington Post. Komodo dragons, which have been around for thousands of years, are now listed as a vulnerable population. Until the Indonesian government sets up proper protections and laws, not only prohibiting contact with the closely endangered species, the island will remain closed.
It is not ok to encroach upon a wildlife’s territory and habitat for personal, professional, or monetary gain. Like taking selfies and photos of a baby dolphin, separated from its mother, without regard to whether it can breathe above water for more than 15 minutes. Yes, it’s ok to interact with nature, but that doesn’t mean you can damage or intrude on its way of life. Just stop it!
But wait, there’s more.
Is it true that Walruses are jumping to their deaths because of Climate Change? Or is it the cause of “Catastrophic” Floods? Or making allergy season less tolerable year after year?
These are valid questions as a result of humans burning carbon-based materials and fossil fuels, or worse, the US government skepticism of climate change. This isn’t the burden of one government or one people-group, but rather us all. All 7.7 billion of us, and especially those with the privilege and opportunity to make laws, create policies, travel, and create awareness around the world.
With Earth Day around the corner, on Monday, April 22nd, frequent travelers remind us of how overtourism, climate change, pollution and more will cause many destinations to no longer to exist in 10, 20, 50 years or more.
Let’s take a look at the world’s dying destinations according to frequent travelers. They’ll examine places they’ve seen and traveled to AND provide recommendations on how we can combat the negative impacts of mass tourism, pollution, and climate change.
The Effects of Overtourism in…
Amsterdam
Tourism in North Holland has resulted in over 30 million overnight stays in 2017 alone, an increase of over 9% from the previous year. That’s an average of 82,191 overstays per night of the year. (Source: Provincie Noord Holland)
I lived in Amsterdam and many of the older houses still have single-frame windows. It can be really disruptive to have a crowd of tourists on a segway talking loudly outside your home on an early morning. Similarly, many tourists would go up and down my street, which was made of cobblestone, with a suitcase en route to an Airbnb on my block. The noise (in addition to the tourists who would yell on my street late at night) bothered all the neighbors, so much so that they put up a sign banning tourists (as a joke) on the street.
In general, the overtourism
Amsterdam needs to regulate things better. Amsterdam is finally stepping in to regulate shops opening up in the City Centre and Airbnbs. I worry that it’s a bit too little too late. The city of Amsterdam has imposed some fees on cheaper accommodation that go back directly to the city of Amsterdam, however, it might not be enough to account for the impact of tourism.
Regulations regarding preventing shops from being turned into tourist-focused shops should be expanded outside of the center to prevent more neighborhoods from turning into Amsterdam Centre, which lacks many of the smaller stores that people need to go to on a daily basis. At this point, this is regulated in the City Center, but not outside of it.
Forcing illegal tourist housing onto the main housing market would be a great start for improving the housing crisis in Amsterdam. The housing market is too tight and the financial incentive to turn it into a guesthouse is higher than it is to allow tenants inside. I believe that rethinking hotel regulations might be in the interest of the city long-term.
Karen Turner, WanderlustingK
Instagram: WanderlustingK
Barcelona
Spain is a popular European destination in general, but Barcelona in specific is severely suffering from overtourism. I understand why everybody wants to visit it because it is such a beautiful city that offers so much to do and see, but the overly high amount of visitors is slowly keeling it.
During high season, you can see millions of tourists all around the city, and you can feel how overcrowded it is. Using the Metro to get around is unbearable, visiting iconic landmarks like Park Güell is not enjoyable as it should be, and even doing something simple as strolling around can be frustrating.
It’s a problem for both travelers who are trying to enjoy their trip and locals who want to live a normal life in their hometown. Locals are so annoyed by this situation that you can see a lot of signs in the city that say “Tourists, go away!”
Unfortunately, the overtourism in Barcelona is not an issue that only occurs during summer. It has become a problem all year round that’s getting out of control.
Both travel bloggers and Instagrammers can make a huge difference when it comes to overtourism. Foremost, we all should be more diverse with the photos we post to Instagram. People are inspired by them, and seeing the exact same photo of a popular location taken by multiple successful Instagrammers causes people to want to hop on a plane just for the sake of taking that same photo too.
Apart from that, our photos should be real. It’s easy to show only the glitz and glamor side of the city, but if people saw photos and videos of all the crowds, I bet they wouldn’t be so tempted to book a trip to Barcelona.
We should also inspire people to explore other destinations. With a beautiful photo or blog post about another city that is both interesting and easy to get to, we can convince people to choose an alternative destination. Since summer is the most problematic time in Barcelona, we can also encourage people to visit the city off-season.
Or Amir, My Path In The World
Instagram: My Path In The World
China
I visited the Great Wall of China last year in 2018. Stretching for thousands of kilometers, China’s mighty wall was built to defend the onslaught of attacking armies, but it’s the hordes of tourists that occupy it these days.
Some sections are still intact, other sections of the wall are sprayed with graffiti, theft has taken their toll, bricks that have historic engravings on them are sold, and according to the local guides, 35% of the fortification has disappeared due to natural erosion and human damage.
The guide mentioned that only about 6% of the Great Wall is in good condition. Can you imagine, a local heritage with over 20,000 kilometers is in danger. Local governments should provide subsidies and education to encourage local residents to get involved in their protection.
Jolien of My Bucket List Project
Instagram: My Bucket List Project
Bali, Indonesia
Because of its popularity, Geena Truman and Nadia Crowe, both provided their personal observations from time spent in Bali. From 2000, tourism in Bali has spiked at 5 million tourists a year. Is tourism destroying the environment?
The massive spike
Bali was once a tropical paradise filled with rich cultural practices, pristine beaches, and lush green rice fields. Today, with the massive spike in tourism, Bali is at best-overcrowded and westernized. At its worst, its beaches are littered with garbage and its coral reefs suffering from pollution.
Authentic attractions in Bali have been replaced by Instagram Cafe’s and lines of tourists all waiting to snap the same photo. Most markets now sell overpriced versions of the same goods and a lot of the cultural practices have simply become a show for the tourists. The tourism economy swallowed Bali and took away all the authenticity of the island.
The best way to combat this is to get off-the-beaten-path. North Bali is still relatively untouched. More difficult to access and much more rural you’ll find some semblance of what life in Bali used to be like. Gushing waterfalls surrounded by luscious jungle and small communities of Indonesians who have kept the rich cultural traditions alive.
A visit to Menjangan island (off NW Bali) will give you the private white sand beaches you were dreaming of. The best way to change the negative impact we have had on Bali is to seek the unexplored and leave the beaten tourist track behind.
Geena Truman, Bartender Abroad
Instagram: Bartender Abroad
Growing up in Bali
I have family in Bali, my dad lives there and has lived there for over 12 years. That means that I’ve been going to Bali since 2007, it seems like a lifetime ago, and it certainly looks like it. I still go to Bali fairly often, and I love it there, it’s my second home. But when I look back on how things were when I first started going there, and I see things now, it makes me so sad.
Droves of tourists come to Bali every year, and it’s understandable because Bali is gorgeous. But there’s a complete lack of respect from tourists of local traditions, the land, and the people. I feel like often people come to Bali either to party, or to beef up their instagram, and as a result, it’s now completely polluted by plastic, food waste, light pollution, noise pollution, air pollution. It’s an entirely different place, if I’m being honest, and whilst I love it there because it’s where I grew up, I get so annoyed hearing people trying to move/go there. Bali can’t handle it.
Thankfully, the government, the locals, and a select few expats who’ve made Bali their home, have started to realise that Bali is crying out for help. A lot of the local businesses are moving away from single-use plastic, and are trying to move towards more sustainable business models. As a tourist, I can completely understand the allure of Bali, the waterfalls, the beaches, the lifestyle, but honestly? Give it a miss, Indonesia is filled with incredible hidden gems, we haven’t even begun to touch the surface on how spectacular other parts of Indonesia are.
Yes, Bali is a great place, but be the better person and avoid it. Try Lombok, Lake Toba, Jogja, or Sumatra instead. I guarantee you aren’t missing out on much, and you’re likely to find very similar, untouched settings elsewhere. Give Bali a couple of years to recover, to be able to revert its declaration that they’re in a state of garbage emergency. Give it time.
Nadia Crowe, Eco Wanderland
Instagram: Eco Wanderland
The Effects of Climate Change in…
The Amazon Rainforest
Squirrel Monkey; Photo Credit: Judith Wuestner 
Area 0; hoto Credit: Judith Wuestner
The Amazon Rainforest is the most important tool to reduce carbon dioxide of our polluted world. Due to big industries (oil, palm oil, cattle, soy, wood, …), the growing demand of food (due to overpopulation and overconsumption) and capitalism, the Amazon Rainforest is highly endangered. If the deforestation continues in the same speed as it did so far, we may have 30 to 50 years left until it is completely gone, and with it thousands of animals, plants, unique ecosystems and indigenous tribes.
I live in the Amazon Basin of Ecuador and can see the impact of deforestation, driven by industries, every day in my neighborhood. Reading news of more and more species on the endangered lists is breaking my heart. Nothing should destroy this beautiful, peaceful natural heritage, the rainforest is the most important and beautiful place on earth!
We can make a change in our everyday behavior of consumption. Means less processed and convenience food (it is full of palm oil), less meet (which requires big amounts of land for cattle farming plus cattle food, as well as the production of CO2 by the cattle itself, eat regional and seasonal (to reduce the amount of fuel needed to ship goods from one place to another) AND support local small eco-tourism projects.
These projects are a sustainable way to protect big areas of land from deforestation, illegal logging and selling to any industry. Further, these projects should involve indigenous communities and local people and provide work, education, transportation
The agency respect-travel made it their subject to protect the rainforest and carry out the message to people all over the world. Their approach is, that people care more about things they have seen and been to, rather than “only” seeing pictures of destroyed places. see it – love it – care for it is what they follow.
Judith Wuestner, Respect Travel
Facebook: Respect Travel
New Zealand’s Glaciers
New Zealand is home to over 3,150 glaciers – an impressive number for such a small country. Most of those are on the South Island, including the two largest and best-known, Franz Josef and Fox Glacier. I was lucky enough to get to visit Fox Glacier in person. It was my first time on a glacier and while it was an awesome experience, it was also bittersweet. “Last-chance tourism,” they call it.
It’s one thing to know that the glaciers are melting; it’s another entirely to see it with your own eyes. As we hiked across Fox Glacier, our guide pointed out a stunning waterfall thundering down into the valley. “That’s glacial melt,” he said. “There used to be a hanging glacier up there, but it’s retreated so far that you can’t see it anymore.”
Advancing and retreating is a natural cycle for all glaciers, but recently that balance is shifting. Man-made climate change has been causing rapid melting of glaciers globally. In the face of this dire news, some researchers implied that New Zealand’s glaciers weren’t in danger.
Unfortunately, long-term data from Franz Josef and Fox glaciers show that the recent advances are still part of an overall downward trend (see
Already, the glacier tourism industry in New Zealand has had to make changes. Back when they first started giving glacier tours, a guide could lead tourists right up onto the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers from the valley floor.
When I took my tour, the only way to approach the glacier was in a helicopter. Tour companies who work with the nearby Tasman Glacier are starting to push cruises, taking advantage of the lake that has formed from meltwater at the glacier’s terminal face.
Thanks to its urgent, “last-chance” nature, glacier-related tourism in New Zealand has been growing almost as rapidly as the glaciers have been shrinking. It’s a bit of a gamble, though, since if the glaciers retreat too far, all that tourism will grind to a halt.
So, what can we do to stop the glaciers from disappearing altogether? Focus on greener, cleaner energy. We need to reduce emissions so that we can keep the earth from getting any warmer. Unless we’re able to reverse the global warming trend of today’s climate change, there’s not much hope for the glaciers.
Meghan Crawford, Expedition Limitless
Instagram: ExpeditionLimitless
Great Ocean Road, Australia
Arguably the most visited stop on the Great Ocean Road is the Twelve Apostles. These striking rock formations – some towering up to 50m high – are a result of rising sea levels and tidal erosion with the irony being that this inevitably will also be the death of them.
Unfortunately, many people do not see the issue as they brush it off as nature taking its course. In many ways, this is true however with over 2.5 million visitors also driving the Great Ocean Road a year, it can be argued that without proper tourist infrastructure to this area humans are also contributing to this problem and the blame does not purely lie with nature.
With only 8 of the 12 Apostles now still standing and the ice caps melting at an alarming rate, it can only be expected that the tide will creep closer to the Great Ocean Road, eroding it’s already exhausted structure as well as these natural landmarks on route. Having driven the road last month, at numerous points the road is only metres from the shore.
Aesthetically, this is incredibly beautiful and an unforgettable experience to drive with ocean alongside. Yet logically, it will be a handful of years before the ocean reaches this road resulting in local access cut off and future generations unable to witness this beautiful scenery.
So how can you help? It was only in 2005 when the 9th apostle collapsed into the sea, with the remaining 8 deteriorating daily. On the one hand it’s a race against time to see these natural wonders before they are gone completely but on the other, we need to take responsibility for the causes of their demise. Action needs to be taken now instead of the financial and environmental burden handed to future generations.
When visiting the Great Ocean Road park in the designated spaces and do not ignore signage when areas are closed for regeneration. Keep to designated tracks to avoid further erosion of the road and destruction of the scenery surrounding it. Play your part in voicing the effects of climate change and proactively persuade those still in disbelief that it is very real and changing the world around us at an alarming rate.
Lauren Hay, Faramagan
Facebook: Faramagan
The Effects of Pollution in…
The Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s greatest natural wonders so it’s no surprise that approximately 2 million people visit the Reef each year. Obviously, this amount of tourism is putting considerable strain on the delicate ecosystem within the reef. Tourists are polluting the reef with poisonous sun cream and bodily secretions which are lethal to the coral and algae. Over half of the Great Barrier Reef has been declared ‘dead’ due to coral bleaching.
As our global problem with climate change worsens, the temperature of the ocean is rising unnaturally high causing the reefs algae to be destroyed and the coral to starve this is known as coral bleaching. Much of the inner part of the reef is just a sad skeleton of colorless coral compared to its former glory.
I, myself was disappointed to see the famous reef in such a desperate state when I went on a snorkeling trip while visiting Cairns. We were taken to the outer part of the reef which is supposed to be in much better condition but it was evident that coral bleaching had occurred there too.
Sadly, I think that some parts of the Great Barrier Reef will never recover from the intense coral bleaching. However, we can help to prevent further coral bleaching by trying to reduce our carbon footprint to reduce our impact on global warming! There are many online resources to help you cut down on Co2 emissions to help save our oceans, so there really is no excuse! In addition, we need to educate people about the threats facing the Great Barrier Reef especially tourists who wish to visit the reef.
More enforcement needs to be put in place to prevent people from wearing sunscreen while in the reef (just wear a wetsuit that covers your body) and rules put in place so people don’t touch or break the delicate coral. Finally, we need to be more conscious of single-use plastic. It is estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans and this just isn’t good enough.
Say no to plastic bags and straws and anything plastic that can only be used once. Plastic does not simply disappear it ends up in our oceans and takes decades for it to biodegrade. If we all do our bit we can keep natural wonders like the Great Barrier Reef alive so that our future generations can enjoy them too.
Rhianne Hill, Living
Instagram: Living Wanderfully
The Effects of Government in…
Aral Sea, Uzbekistan
The Aral Sea, which is split between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in Central Asia, has been shrinking since the 1960s. The Amu Darya River has been feeding the Uzbek side; however, the river has been diverted for irrigation purposes since the Soviet Era. First, the former Soviet Union heavily produced cotton in Uzbekistan, a water-thirsty crop. In most recent years, other countries like Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan have been increasing their water consumption from the Amu Darya River for their own developments.
The overuse of the Amu Darya reduced the water flowing into the Aral Sea to almost nothing. Today, the sea has been receding to just a small stretch of water and is expected to disappear entirely in the years to come. This led to the destruction/disappearing of the fishing industry in the Aral Sea, a lakeshore now about 900 km from its former fishing pier in the city of Muynak, leaving a dried and dusty “seafloor” in its wake where abandoned and rusty ships lay as a sad reminder of the Aral Sea environmental and economic crisis.
Kazakhstan has built a dam completed in the early 2000s that separates the Aral Sea into two areas. As a result, Kazakhstan is home to the North Aral Sea, whereas Uzbekistan has the South Aral Sea in the Karakalpakstan autonomous region.
Since the completion of the Dike Kokaral concrete dam by Kazakhstan, the water coming from the Syr Darya river has helped the water rise to a healthy level. Fish has returned, as did the fishing industry. An incredible recovery that has happily surprised many scientists.
However, a similar success might be hard to replicate in Uzbekistan as the water from the Amu Darya River crosses different countries before reaching the Aral Sea. Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan had engaged into common efforts in 1984 to support an Aral Sea Basin Programme. The lack of actual commitments from these countries has so far been preventing a positive outcome.
One a smaller scale, Uzbekistan has started a project that sees the planting of bushes in the former Aral sea floor to limit the desertification and the creation of sand storms.
Patricia Pagenel, Ze Wandering Frogs
Instagram: Ze Wandering Frogs
To learn and do more, sign up to the join the Earth Day Movement. Want to impact wherever you travel positively? Find out what you can do and how.
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Volunteering is a way to get the most out of your experience. Volunteers are sought after around the world! So, you can fully immerse yourself in the culture of the destination while supporting a community’s needs. Here are some travel destinations around the world where you can work with children, families, and communities and enjoy […]
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]]>Volunteering is a way to get the most out of your experience. Volunteers are sought after around the world! So, you can fully immerse yourself in the culture of the destination while supporting a community’s needs. Here are some travel destinations around the world where you can work with children, families, and communities and enjoy the sights of a beautiful country.
Madagascar
If you enjoy being outdoors and working with your hands or teaching, you can spend anywhere from 2 to 14 weeks vacationing on this island nation off the coast of southeast Africa while participating in various volunteering opportunities including building and renovating schools, bathrooms, and wells, protecting endangered habitats, and teaching English to a community.
Romania
Enjoy the sights of Romania’s beautiful terrain, castles, medieval towns, mountains, and forests while helping out at an orphanage in Valea Screzii, a small village near the Carpathian Mountains. You can volunteer on the farm or play and work with the children, and if you’re a licensed doctor, you can volunteer at the small clinic in the orphanage.
Seychelles
Develop first aid and CPR skills as a volunteer with the Marine Conservation Expedition when you travel to the islands of Seychelles. Go scuba diving while learning how to identify fish and coral in the Indian Ocean, visiting and diving amongst tropical islands, and enjoying fun dives
Spain
Have you always wanted to travel to Spain? Do you also want to teach English to adults? Then travel to Spain and immerse yourself in the community where you get to enjoy a free week in one English-speaking village as a volunteer. All you have to do is have conversations in English with Spanish adults who are there to practice and improve their English.
Dominican Republic
Are you a registered medical practitioner? Volunteer by participating in medical outreaches in the cities of Jarabacoa and Santo Domingo. Enjoy the natural beauty of mountains and rivers and a breathtaking scenery and visit historical landmarks, museums, and parks when you travel to the Dominican Republic.
China
Travel to the ancient Chinese city of Xi’an in the Shaanxi Province, where you can volunteer to teach, work with special needs children, or be part of a summer outreach program. In your spare time, you can decide to go sightseeing and shopping and learn about the community.
Tanzania
The country is known for its vast wilderness areas, safaris, and islands. Enjoy the sights of this beautiful East African country from the city of Arusha where you can volunteer to stop the abuse and neglect of animals by working with animal welfare; supporting access to education; or participate in women empowerment by supporting women who have suffered from abuse.
Note: Beware of practices considered exploitative and unsafe for the animals. Don’t contribute to the negative impact of animals.
Ecuador
Travel to Ecuador, where you can explore colonial cities with dazzling architecture in the capital city of Quito, visit national parks, forests, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Galapagos Islands, engage in adrenaline-pumping activities such as kayaking in the town of Tena. At the same time, you can choose to volunteer with the local community in the conservation of animals and rainforests, you can also work with children (not orphanages) or teach English.
It’s been three years since I’ve volunteered in Ecuador. Learn more about my experience!
Open to other destinations? Then, search for various volunteer opportunities via the GivingWay platform.
Pssst…but before you go, just remember you’re not a hero AND you’re not saving people. Many see volunteering abroad in a negative light. It’s always good, however, to be aware of how you portray your experiences and your efforts. Want more information on whether Voluntourism is bad? Check out advice from one of my fellow Givingway’s ambassadors!
Also, Also…if you’re serious about volunteering abroad, click here for your volunteer doubts and concerns checklist.
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