Travelling Responsibly and Sustainably

Responsible tourism actually means many different things. It can feel strange talking about being responsible when you'll be taking long-haul flights but with one tenth of the world's population employed in the travel industry, exploring other countries is still important. The responsible element is keeping it local, whether that's using only local guides (which at Turquoise, we do) and eating the destination's cuisine that has been made only using ingredients sourced from local farms or vegetable gardens. It's also about being aware of the impact you can potentially have on the landscapes, wildlife and people you visit and meet, pairing that with the mindfulness to do something to minimise your footprint.

There are lots of ways you can help be a responsible tourist. Here are just a few ideas:

• Visit less popular destinations. Overtourism is increasingly becoming an issue, so visiting places which welcome fewer visitors will help alleviate those destinations which are overcrowded but also benefit locals which depend on people like you visiting their country. You'll have a much better experience as well!

• Visit out of season. Of course, if you want to visit places which are people, then that isn't a problem. However, we'd recommend visiting out of peak season. The weather is often never as bad as you think and the crowds will be much thinner.

• Stay in eco-friendly hotels. This is becoming easier, with more and more hotels focusing on wide-ranging sustainable initiatives, from the likes of generating their own power to growing their own food and wildlife conservation.

There are plenty of benefits to travelling responsibly. Using local guides and eating a place's cuisine will not only contribute to a more authentic experience for you but also support communities who depend on income from tourism. At Turquoise, through our various local agents, we use only local guides and recommend local restaurants where we can.

Eating food which has been grown just a stone's throw away and staying in eco-friendly resorts will minimise your carbon footprint, helping to preserve these beautiful but delicate landscapes for future travellers. Most of all, you'll be visiting these places with a clear conscience, leaving you to concentrate on enjoying your holiday! You'll feel happy just by knowing that you're doing your bit.

Eco-friendly hotels are places that are committed to protecting the environment, as well as enjoying it. We don't just mean being plastic free or being encouraged to not have your towels washed every day (they're just par for the course these days), but going above and beyond. Some of our favourite eco-friendly hotels employ eco-friendly initiatives like generating their own power, sourcing food from an on-site organic garden and wildlife conservation, as well as consistently looking at innovative ways of becoming even greener!

There are plenty of lots of green destinations which you can visit. Despite it being a city, Singapore's nickname as the 'Garden City' tells you all you need to know about its green credentials, with sky gardens (such as those at the Gardens by the Bay) innovative ways of combating its lack of space! Kenya and Tanzania have brought in blanket bans on plastic bags, while New Zealand is keen to protect its natural splendour by introducing a number of eco initiatives like using geothermal power. With the low-lying nature of the Maldives, many of its resorts have also focused on sustainability.