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Get Involved
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Before you go why not....
Learn something about the countries you plan to visit to find out about the culture, politics, geography, religion and local customs.
Try and remove unnecessary packaging from any products you are taking with you, and dispose of it at home first. Recycling has yet to really take off in Latin America so the less you leave the better!
Whilst on your travels remember...
In the market...
- Buy local handicrafts and support local artisans.
- When bargaining remember a small saving for you could make a big difference for the seller.
- Don’t buy ancient artefacts or anything made with endangered animals or plants e.g. hardwoods, shells, exotic feathers, coral, furs or eggs.
Eating out...
- Choose smaller local restaurants, bars and cafes where possible so your money benefits local people.
- Sample the local cuisine using local produce.
Out and about...
- Rember to respect local traditions and culture.
- Ask permission before photographing indigenous people and events, particularly religious processions.
- Ask for an address and send photos to the people you photographed, many won't have photos of their families.
- Simple gifts for children, such as crayons, balloons, colouring books or even a mini football can bring a huge smile to a child’s face. Resist handing out sweets as dental care is, mostly, poor.
- Giving money to children on the street only encourages begging, instead consider donating to schools or local conservation or charitable organisations.
Speaking with people...
Why not try and learn some of the lingo? Speaking a few words of the local language, even if it is just ‘hola’ or ‘gracias’ will change the way people react to you. You’ll get a much warmer welcome and this in turn can enrich your experience and interaction with the local people.
Minimise your environmental impact.
- Stick to the paths and walkways whether you are in the jungle, on a mountain trek or in a Mayan ruin. They are there for your safety and also to preserve the local wildlife and help to avoid further erosion of the landscape.
- Do not pick wild flowers or touch coral as this can destroy local ecosystems.
In your hotel...
- Clean water is a precious resource, so use it sparingly. Try and take quick showers rather than baths as this helps to save water.
- Advise your hotel that you don't need towels or sheets laundered daily. This can save on water and energy.
- Conserve electricity by switching off lights, air-conditioning or heating when you leave your room.
- Use environmentally friendly shampoos and detergents, particularly when you are outside big cities in ‘the wild’ and your shower water is going to end up in a river!
- Try to reuse and refill your drinking water bottles where possible. Many hotels have water ‘garafons’ filled with treated ‘agua potable’ that is perfectly safe to drink. If your hotel does not, why not leave a suggestion they provide one?
Once back home...
If you’ve been moved and motivated by your travels why not consider supporting one of our charities? Read about the charities we support and recommend and how you can get involved.
If you have any feedback from your holiday about aspects relating to responsible travel please let us know – if we’re doing something right we can do more of it, where we or our suppliers are falling short we can try harder. Drop us a line by emailing rt@journeylatinamerica.co.uk.
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