Why Travel Locally

Over the past couple of decades we’ve seen many more people choosing to travel to an even more diverse range of places. With this increase, has come a rise in the identikit travel packages, owned and run by globalised companies. There is another option though, an option which has a far greater positive impact on the destination – travelling local.

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Why would it benefit me?

Be it an active holiday, or a cultural tour, everyone wants to get the most out of their holiday. If you choose to travel with a local company, you are immediately put in front of local experts, people who have lived there all their lives and know the area like the back of their hand. These are the people who can take you to places not featured in that well-worn guide book!

If I’m on holiday then for sure I want to see the great landmarks in that area, but I also want to find the best restaurant frequented by the locals, where the best curry or fish soup can be found – why wouldn’t you?! It is this very local knowledge which, for us, can make or break a holiday.

Does it help anyone else?

Ok, so we love the local travel, but we’re not the only ones to benefit from it. By actively choosing the local operators it is far more likely that the money you spend stays in the community, that it supports local businesses, and isn’t leached into the pockets of rich Western shareholders. It’s fair to say, that many places charm is brought about by the people who make the place what it is – the local people!

Positive impacts don’t stop there though. By choosing a local company, whether it be a Nepali Teahouse or a surf shack on a Mexican beach, you are recognising the local culture and customs that have shaped the area over millennia. If we are moving towards a world where every hotel is the same, trying to match what we are assumed to desire from a hotel, we are losing cultures of hospitality and we are losing the charm and personality that can come from a local, independent business. By choosing those local travel options you are saying ‘Yes, this is a culture we want to explore and experience’.

How do I really make a difference?

The thing is, the blame doesn’t lie with the big corporations – they are merely supplying the demand we as consumers have created. By choosing to stay with a large hotel chain you are reinforcing the impression that this is what should be supplied.
By travelling locally you are supporting the work local people are doing, encouraging their enterprising spirit and communicating to them that they are creating a desirable product – this is something that should be encouraged!

So there we have it – travelling locally really can be a great experience, and not just for you. In this interconnected world in which we live, it is up to us all to help preserve heritage and local environments. What was once a distant place is now coming ever closer, becoming our local. Next time you’re on the lookout for a holiday, have a think about whether travelling with a large international company is what you really want. Dig around, explore and help make the world a better place!

At Much Better Adventures we are trying to find the world’s best local, independent and ethical adventure operators!

Tags: cultures, curry, customs, fish soup, hospitality, independent business, landmarks, local businesses, local company, local knowledge, local travel, locals, millennia, personality, pockets, shareholders, surf shack, teahouse, travel packages

Category: Travel Tips