Lost and Found in Patagonia Argentina
In the first part of his South American journey, Mark Bibby Jackson travels through Patagonia Argentina to discover what it is about this remote region that continues to draw the…
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In the first part of his South American journey, Mark Bibby Jackson travels through Patagonia Argentina to discover what it is about this remote region that continues to draw the…
In a country full of images of Genghis Khan and exoticism, Mongolia Travel has found its place firmly on the adventure travel map. Tegan Chapman travels there for a colourful…
After trekking in Nepal, Mark Bibby Jackson returns to Kathmandu to travel to the ancient capital of Nuwakot, itself devastated by the Nepal Earthquake 2015, to catch up with a…
With jet black hair that defies her age slicked back in a tight bun, the woman wrapped in a midnight blue sari smacks her lips over her gums. Pointing curiously…
Portugal is renowned for its fresh fish, Craig Hales gives his advice on how to prepare the best fish barbecue, so long as you have a little time to spare…
The sturdy truck we have spent the last four-and-a-half hours in jerks to a halt on a muddy patch of grass at the edge of dense jungle. The torrential rain…
Travel Begins at 40 founder and editor, Mark Bibby Jackson sets out his view of what the future face of tourism should be…
Responsible Tourism expert Mike Haynes questions whether community based tourism is the right model for Myanmar…
Our man in Central Asia, Johan Smits, travels to the Fann mountains to discover wonderful trekking in Tajikistan and even takes his parents along with him. Our hired minivan emerges safely…
In 1994, Mark Bibby Jackson first went trekking in Nepal, in 2017 he returned as a more mature traveller to discover the beauty of Annapurna unspoilt. Nepal has always held…
Once forbidden to the West, Myanmar, or Burma, has seen a dramatic recent rise in tourism that threatens its intrinsic charm. Mark Bibby Jackson examines the booming sector and discovers…
Sick of tropical heat, Mark Bibby Jackson sets off to the Arctic Circle, only to discover there is no escape from the light in the land of the midnight sun…
Dolphins, ibises, butterflies and elephants: Mark Bibby Jackson discovers that slow tourism is mandatory when communing with nature in Cambodia’s wild side. Wild Side: Dolphin Watching The Irrawaddy Dolphin is one…
Set at the meeting point of Laos and Myanmar, Thailand’s “Golden Triangle” is set to become the country’s next tourism hotspot. Words by Mark Bibby Jackson. My trip starts mundanely…
When we established this website part of the ethos was to provide a trusted source of information on responsible travel and ethical travel for the over 40 traveller.
For us, ethical travel covers a wide ambit from sustainable and responsible travel to ecotourism, but basically it means forming a partnership with local communities in a two-way process, rather than exploiting them.
One such measure is to refrain from using plastic bottles while travelling or at least to minimise your use of single use plastic. I still reuse the same plastic bottle I purchased down a supermarket somewhere many months down the line.
A great example of how responsible tourism can work well is community-based tourism. This should mean that not only does the local community share the sustainable benefits of tourism but that it has control of the direction that the tourism takes as well.
Responsible travel and sustainable tourism are often seen as being pretty synonymous. Read more about sustainable tourism. We also have a series of articles in our #sustainablesunday series.
Unfortunately, there is a danger of ethical considerations becoming part of a meaningless PR-driven CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) exercise. However, our intention is to highlight those tourism companies that are really trying to make a difference. Working together we can make a difference too. And if you’d like to carbon offset your trip, we’ve written a guide for that too, clarifying the potential pitfalls of carbon offsetting.