globalhelpswap - Responsible Travel Blog

A travel blog that shares tips on culture and adventure for responsible travellers

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • DESTINATIONS
    • AFRICA
      • – Kenya
    • ASIA
      • – China
      • – Indonesia
      • – Japan
      • – Myanmar
      • – Nepal
      • – Philippines
      • – Sri Lanka
      • – Thailand
    • AUSTRALIA
    • EUROPE
      • – England
      • – Finland
      • – Iceland
      • – Ireland
      • – Portugal
      • – Spain
      • – Turkey
    • NORTH AMERICA
      • – Costa Rica
      • – Mexico
      • – Nicaragua
    • SOUTH AMERICA
      • – Argentina
      • – Brazil
  • Travel Blog
  • Experience
    • Adventure
    • Culture
    • Stay
    • Taste
    • Wellness
  • Volunteering
  • About Us
  • Work with us
    • Contact Us – globalhelpswap

Why 2017 will be the most important year in travel

January 10, 2017 by Paul Farrugia 1 Comment

Goodbye 2016, most people will be glad to see the back of you. Hello 2017, what do you have in store for us then? 2016 brought some seismic changes around the world and no matter what side of the political debate you are on, we can all see that a lot of communities are divided. There are many reasons why these divisions are happening, ignorance being the most common one.

Why 2017 will be the most important year in travel

A great way to stop ignorance is to travel. The more you see of the world and its people the more knowledge you have about different cultures and why we should celebrate our differences, not fear them.

2017 is the UN’s year of sustainable tourism. Sustainable / responsible tourism is something very close to our hearts. We believe the more we travel responsibly, the better the trip becomes. Responsible travel encourages us to interact with the communities in the countries and cities we visit. This is key to breaking down our fears and prejudices.

Why 2017 will be the most important year in travel

The Russian family who gave us a bed for the night

Our own travel experiences are a perfect example of how interaction with locals can change beliefs. Before we visited Russia we presumed that the people wouldn’t be helpful and that they would take a dislike to us. On the contrary, during our 3 weeks travelling the country the Russians turned out to be some of the most helpful people we have ever come across. People constantly helped us with directions, one man shared his dinner with us because we foolishly presumed there would be food on a train journey and one woman even let us sleep in her home when the hostel we booked was full. It’s hard to have an accurate impression of a country or its people unless you have visited a place and truly spent time with locals (staying in an all-inclusive hotel doesn’t count).

Why 2017 will be the most important year in travel

The world we live in is not made up of us or them, it’s just us. We live on a ball of rock hurtling through space at 1,000 mph. Astronauts can’t see borders from the international space station, all they see is a stunningly beautiful planet we call home.

The world population will increase to 9 billion by 2050 and with global warming impacting huge areas of the planet, we have to accept that we are living in a world where mass migration is going to be with us for decades to come. This isn’t a new phenomena, humans have always migrated for one reason or another, be it because of the climate like the last ice age or to explore and discover new lands. Now we can either put up walls and fear the inevitable or we can sit with our brothers and sisters and try to work out what we can do together. History has shown us that when the human race works together we can achieve great things.

Why 2017 will be the most important year in travel

Plane travel is cheaper than ever. In only a few hours you could be in a completely different city where the language is alien, the food more spicy and the temples of worship like nothing you’ve seen before. You’ll also find that like you, the locals want to be happy, healthy and loved. And if you take the time to get to know them you’ll see that there is more that makes us similar, than there that sets us apart.

So in 2017, let’s all make a vow to “get out there” more. Let’s sit with the tea seller and chat with them about their lives, let’s visit a different house of worship and experience the spectacle of communal prayer, and most importantly, let’s get rid of our prejudices by seeing for ourselves the world we live in and making our own minds up about our fellow human beings.

#LoveYourTravels

Paul Farrugia

Paul Farrugia is a an avid traveller and blogger. When he is not travelling he likes to spend his free time reading, going to festivals and sitting down enjoying a nice glass of red! If you would like to reach him send him an e-mail to [email protected]

https://globalhelpswap.com/

Filed Under: Culture, Responsible Tourism

Comments

  1. Eileen says

    January 10, 2017 at 12:44

    Wow that is so true when your in a different country mix with the locals, great read

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

HI! WE’RE KAREN & PAUL

We're thrilled you've made it to our virtual home.

We're a couple in our 30's with a BIG passion for travel. We are on a mission to show the world that responsible travel can be easy, comfortable and very special. From swimming with whale sharks, to eating at a local's house in Burma we are constantly on the lookout for great stories to share about responsible, local and authentic travel. Enjoy!

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required


globalhelpswap.com will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing. Please let us know all the ways you would like to hear from us:


You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at [email protected] We will treat your information with respect. For more information about our privacy practices please visit our website. By clicking below, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.

We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp’s privacy practices here.


Directory of Volunteering Opportunities Abroad

Are you looking for more meaning when you travel?

Do you want to give back to the communities you visit or help preserve the places you see? Do you want to help the animals you see suffering on the streets?

Volunteering is a great way to really understand a destination, interact with locals and meet like-minded travellers. Plus you build up your skill set too.

This first edition of globalhelpswap’s Directory of Volunteering opens up these opportunities and much more.

Categories

© Copyright 2014 globalhelpswap · All Rights Reserved ·

Privacy Policy     Terms & Conditions     Contact us