Our Responsible Travel Tips

Travel and tourism is a natural right of all people and is a crucial ingredient of world peace and understanding. With that right come responsibilities.

Whilst BAOBAB Travel endeavours to follow the principles of our Responsible Travel Policy when we design our itineraries and select the suppliers we partner with, we also request that our clients make use of the destination information and advice we provide to ensure that their holidays have a positive impact on the destinations that they visit.

So whenever you travel, on business, pleasure or a bit of both, please always bear in mind our responsible travel tips to minimise any further negative impacts. Please also refer to our Traveller’s Code of Conduct for more information or check out Tourism Concern's The Concerned Tourist's Guide to our Holidays in their Homes leaflet.

Why not take it one step further and take the Responsible Tourism Pledge! Just click on the logo below when you are ready to take the Pledge!

Customs and Traditions
Always acknowledge local customs and traditions by dressing appropriately and by interacting with local people in a respectful manner. Greetings are very important and it is helpful to know how to greet locals in their native language. Always be aware of religious rituals and customs especially in countries with a Muslim population.

Tips and Bartering
It is important to always offer a fair and reasonable price when buying curios and paying for services. When it comes to tipping guides and lodge staff, use your discretion based on the standard of service offered, as well as advice from your tour operator as a guideline.

Curio Trade
Support local enterprise by buying arts and crafts that are produced locally and in a sustainable and responsible manner. You should avoid buying products that are manufactured from rare and endangered species.

National Parks
Tourists contribute significantly to nature conservation through paying daily conservation fees when visiting national parks and reserves. Your safari should not have a negative impact on the environment and it is important to abide by the relevant rules and regulations of the parks and reserves that you visit.

In order to protect these fragile ecosystems a strict set of rules and restrictions are put into place. These significantly restrict the activities, such as fishing, agriculture, grazing, hunting, allowed within these areas and therefore the livelihoods of local communities. Hence job creation for local people in the emerging tourist industry is essential.

Coastal Tourism
Reef tourism and diving is growing rapidly and is becoming a valuable source of income, especially to developing countries. A successful tourist industry relies completely on healthy coral reefs, yet tourism can easily damage these sensitive ecosystems. Coral reefs already suffer from coral bleaching, siltation, eutrophication, over-exploitation and destructive fishing techniques such as dynamite and cyanide fishing. Construction of e.g. coastal hotels, harbours, and jetties infringe even further onto the rapidly disappearing mangrove habitats and can cause an increase in turbidity and sedimentation in coral reef areas. Sewage from the tourist hotels adds to the already existing problem of organic pollution. Pressures on these valuable and beautiful resources from tourism are on the increase. However, reef tourism also brings benefits such as employment, foreign currency and an incentive for protection & conservation of the reefs. It is therefore of vital importance to look after the reefs both for yourself.