There are different ways to describe what I call responsible tourism. Some say sustainable tourism, others ethical tourism, for example. Others use the term authentic tourism. Similarly, when we say we only recommend and use responsible tour operators, this may cause confusion.
To start off, these are all part of the same idea: traveling in a way that is respectful to local people and the environment, and not in a way that takes advantage of people in different economic situations.
Searching for Responsible Tour Operators
I look for three things before using or recommending a tour operator. First, I figure out where their owners are based. Community or locally-owned operations tend to have more at stake in making tourism sustainable than a large chain.
Second, I see if there is anything they are doing above and beyond standard practice. This varies by location. So you can imagine lots of research goes into this second point. Sometimes I find really amazing places like an ecolodge that grows its own food or a hostel made of 100% recycled materials.
Other times small things make a place stand out. One example is a hotel in Lima that provides clean water for guests to fill up their reusable bottles. In a desert city like Lima, anything that contributes to fewer one-use plastic bottles is worthy of my time and money.
Speaking of money, the third thing I look at is the price. I get immediately suspicious of the cheapest operators and hotels (which doesn’t mean they are necessarily bad).
This is especially true for finding responsible tour operators on the Inca Trail, where porters and guides are not guaranteed good salaries. This is despite their incredibly deep knowledge and special skill set! If a price is too good to believe compared to other mid-range and lower-mid range options, that is a sign someone is taking advantage of an employee.
These three rules are not hard and fast. For example, many hotels have low rates since they are family run operations and so the employees, as the owners, make 100% of the profit. So, it depends, and much more research is needed before I use a service or recommend it.
But these are what I have in mind when making reservations of my own and when recommending something on Gringo Inca. This way we can ensure the local environment and economy are healthy and hopefully even strengthened by our travels.
Be Part of the Best Trend- Earth-Friendly Tourism!
You can check out our recommendations for the Inca Trail and where to stay in Peru to have a responsible trip yourself. Better yet, email us at gringoinca.com to create an adventure you can feel good about!
Warmest wishes~ Brad