We're passionate about Southeast Asia. We love the beautiful landscapes, the vibrant colours, the culture and the people we meet. And we're very welcome too; tourism employs more people than any other industry worldwide. In our destinations, many families rely on tourism as their only source of income.
But it is very important to consider the impact tourism can have on the communities we visit, so that future generations too can have the privilege of travelling to these fascinating and unique places. At Faraway Holidays, we're firm advocates of responsible travel.
What is responsible travel?
Responsible travel isn't about compromising enjoyment, or quality. It's about ensuring that we directly benefit the local communities we visit, and ensuring we preserve their cultural values. And importantly it's about sustainability; enabling generations to come can also enjoy travelling here too without being a burden on the environment of the places we visit.
At Faraway, we have taken a number of steps to ensure we promote responsible travel wherever we can.
As part of our portfolio we offer a wonderful selection of locally owned hotels that directly benefit local families and communities. All our ground handling companies, guides and drivers are locally owned, rather than by large international organisations.
Our guests can play a big part too. We encourage our customers to respect the local environment by preserving local resources and respecting local cultures and traditions.
Here's how you can help, and enrich your holiday experience at the same time:
Find out about and respect local sensibilities
A wonderful part of any holiday experience is finding out about the local culture and traditions. Why not read up about your destination country with a guide book? Respecting the local dress code, avoiding extravagant displays of wealth and asking before you take a photograph can help. Learning a few words of the local language can go a long way too.
Add to the local economy
Why not sample a local restaurant or buy locally crafted goods? Bargaining is commonplace in many of our featured countries, but remember, what is a little to you is a lot to local traders, do don't drive too hard a bargain!
Consider environmental issues
We're not asking you to spend your time on holiday worrying about environmental issues. But a few simple considerations can make a big difference.
Why not use environmentally friendly detergents and shampoos? This may help prevent local drinking water supplies from being polluted. Also use the minimum amount of water possible. Fresh, clean water is scarcer than in our own country.
It goes without saying that you shouldn't leave any litter. But additionally, many of our featured countries have poorer provision for waste disposal than we do. You could consider removing any unnecessary packaging from your goods before you leave the UK.
Carbon offsetting
Climate change is set to be the major issue of our generation. With the impact of climate change becoming increasingly obvious, governments have realised the need for urgent action. However, treaties and legislation alone will not save the planet, we all have a vital role to play in reducing the amount of greenhouse gases released into our atmosphere.
Faraway Holidays has linked up with ClimateCare to offer passengers the opportunity to offset the greenhouse gas emissions of their flights through a payment to schemes that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the same amount. These projects include renewable energy, energy efficiency and forest reforestation projects across the world.
Please use ClimateCare's carbon calculator to work out the emissions from your flight and the amount of money you should contribute.
