Ecotourism is often misunderstood.

Whether we choose to accept it or not, the planet has never been unhealthier and sick as today. May be not as individuals, but as a species, humans are a huge burden on the environment. We often get so engrossed in our daily lives, its troubles and joys, that we don’t see the mindless damage we cause the planet in the smallest of our actions.

As a global community of travelers who actively interact with local communities, localites.co feels the need to talk about eco-tourism, and what it really means.

Ecotourism is the responsible and hence the acceptable way of traveling, that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of local people, and involves interpretation and education. It is supposed to benefit the travelers and hosts.

Members from our community, the wanderers are either playing host or playing guest to a land that is dear to us. We would like to take the time to talk about how we play these roles while keeping in mind the values of ecotourism.

We often make a clear idea about how we want our life to be, the jobs we would do, the house we would live in and then if there is time left, may be travel around a bit, without realizing that as we neatly jot down this plan, there is no way we know if we really have so much time in hand. Death is certain; it is life that is arbitrary.

If you have hired a localite to travel the city of your choice, you have already taken your first step towards eco-tourism, by supporting a member of the local community in your travel adventures.
Ecotourism works on the principle of building environmental and cultural awareness.
We encourage our travelers to actively interact with your localite and show cultural curiosity with respect and an open mind. We encourage our localites, the hosts to initiate conversations about their culture, its values, history and significance, social issues and social reforms, that are the driving forces of the life of the city.
People in the community can encourage and guide travelers to use public transport, and reduce their carbon footprint in the city.
Traveling with locals comes with the opportunity to inquire about the kind of harm tourists usually inflict on the local environment. We all keep in mind the common ethics such as not consuming single use products simply because they are “travel-friendly”, not littering, and disposing of waste responsibly, etc. However, a local can tell you more about the harm you might be causing to their nature unknowingly and help you find ways to avoid it. Simple communication and clarifying can go a long way.
A major enemy to our planet and society is capitalism and mass production. It is way more sustainable to buy any products from local producers than to buy it from mass produced outlets. Locally produced items from food to clothes or even souvenirs come with a low carbon footprint, an income to the local communities, and options for purchasing products with no or sustainable packaging. As tourists, we often tend to over rely on mass produced outlets to be safe with our purchases. However the real spirit of traveling and ecotourism is in immersing yourself in your host country and its culture.
The principle of eco-tourism encourages travellers to minimize their physical, social and psychological impact on the host city or country. This would require are travelers to simply be kind and tolerant towards the indigenous community. On the other hand, localites can help our visitors to go through experiences that would raise sensitivity in the travelers on the city’s environmental, social and political climate.

Ecotourism is often misunderstood. We hope our beloved community now realizes that it is not just about traveling to “natural” places or traveling without plastic water bottles, but a lot more than that. We hope to see our community operating with love, respect and curiosity as this platform gives you the ultimate opportunity – to have your own localite – that helps you be a good eco-tourist on your entire adventure.

Join the global community of localites and support and understand how ecotourism can help our planet and make a better future. Download the community app from Google Play or App Store and start your journey today!

Thanks for reading.

Have a good day!
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