Tips for Responsible Tourism on Islands – Leave No Trace

Leave No Trace: Essential Tips for Practising Responsible Tourism on Islands

Put together by the team at Sun Siyam Resorts

The allure of island destinations is undeniable. From their swaying palm trees to their turquoise waters, tropical islands are enticing and awe-inducing. There’s something so magical about these destinations that it’s no wonder so many tourists want to see them for themselves. 

As tourists in tropical destinations, we have the opportunity to get a glimpse into everyday island life. We get to immerse ourselves in different cultures, visit historical sites, engage in exciting activities, admire incredible wildlife and explore off-the-beaten paths but not necessarily without consequence. 

Unfortunately, when tourists like us flock to these islands, it can have adverse effects on the local environment. However, the good news is that there are ways we can travel to these beautiful destinations in a more sustainable way. 

Follow along to learn more about sustainable tourism and how you can embrace these eco-friendly practices on your next island getaway. 

What is Sustainable Tourism?

As lovely as it is to venture to islands and experience all their fascinating aspects, tourism can have a negative impact on the environment and island communities if you’re not conscious of your actions. Non-sustainable tourism can strain a community’s resources, disrupt fragile ecosystems, endanger the local wildlife, increase pollution in the area and even influence the local culture, among countless other negative consequences. 

That’s why it’s essential to practise sustainable tourism when visiting islands. But what exactly is sustainable tourism? 

Sustainable tourism refers to a conscious way of travelling aimed at reducing your impact on the local region. It involves educating yourself about the area, including the culture, history and natural environment and recognizing ways you can minimise your impact on them during your visit. 

Why is Sustainable Tourism on Islands so Important? 

Although tourists can have a negative impact on islands, many of these destinations actually rely on tourism to provide jobs for the locals, support small businesses and contribute to the local economy. These communities often need tourism to thrive, but, of course, not to the extent that it harms them. 

It’s important for you to take a sustainable approach when taking a holiday on islands because it allows you to visit the areas and support island communities without leaving behind a trail of destruction. When you learn to visit respectfully and take special care to preserve during your stay, you can actually have a positive impact on these destinations. 

After all, the goal is to help maintain these incredible island destinations so the locals—and future tourists—can enjoy them for years to come. 

How Tourists can Practise Sustainable Tourism

Just because you’re relaxing on your island holiday far away from home doesn’t mean you can forget about your duty to care for the environment. It’s crucial for you to be mindful of your actions and their effect on the destination. 

Fortunately, it’s actually fairly simple to implement sustainable and green practices while on holiday. Below, we address some of the many ways you can preserve the environment, conserve natural resources, and take responsibility and respect the culture during your stay. 

Preserve the Environment

Many of us visit tropical islands to experience the stunning, untouched landscape. We visit faraway islands to swim around their colourful coral reefs, hike up their volcanos and stroll along their sugary-sand beaches. We trek through jungles, kayak around mangroves and keep our eyes peeled for rare species while soaking in the diverse flora and fauna. 

However, the only way for the island locals and future tourists to continue enjoying these ecosystems is if we do our part in preserving them. A big part of that involves leaving no trace, which means leaving the environment exactly as we found it as if we had never been there in the first place. 

Some ways you can practise leaving no trace include:

• Take all trash and belongings with you 
• Pick up any trash you see along the way 
• Refrain from removing shells, coral, rocks, plants, flowers, animals and any other natural elements from the environment
• Avoid touching, interacting with and disrupting the wildlife 
• Stay on established trails and avoiding restricted areas
• Follow local rules, such as fire restrictions

Conserve Resources

Global warming is a threat to the entire world, but islands are often even more susceptible to its impact. Not to mention, many remote areas only have access to finite natural resources available on their islands, so it’s crucial to protect and conserve them when you can. 

Some of the following are ways you can do your part to reduce your carbon footprint while travelling:

• Bring a reusable water bottle and limit single-use plastic
• Turn off lights and fans and unplug electronics when you’re not using them
• Conserve water while taking a shower and brushing your teeth 
• Recycle
• Use renewable energy when possible, like solar panels and electric vehicles
• Walk or bike when it’s safe to do so
• Stay at green resorts that encourage eco-friendly practices
• Eat locally-sourced food
• Book sustainable tours 
• Choose activities that have low or no carbon emissions
• Consider volunteering with a community-led environmental organisation

Respect the Culture

Unfortunately, tourism can also have a negative influence on local customs and traditions, leading to exploitation and disruptions. Do your research and look for ways to appreciate the culture without interfering with it. If you’re ever in doubt, ask a local for guidance.

For example:

• Educate yourself on local customs and etiquette 
• Research the culture’s history to understand its challenges and achievements
• Attend authentic cultural presentations that don’t exploit the people or their traditions
• Buy traditional artwork from local artisans 
• Honor and respect their sacred spaces
• Avoid engaging in cultural appropriation 
• Don’t participate in slum tourism or poverty tourism, which involves touring impoverished areas
• Ask for permission before taking photos of scared, cultural, or intimate events or celebrations
• Interact with the locals to learn more about their culture

What Resorts are Doing to Encourage Sustainable Practices 

Many of these islands realise the onus is not just on the tourists to help protect the planet and the local community. Everyone needs to do their part. Therefore, many resorts have initiatives geared toward sustainability, such as energy-renewal programs and community development projects.

When booking your next island getaway, look for hotels and resorts that have earned green certificates, like Travelife, which shows they’re gold-certified for sustainability. These accommodations focus on sustainable initiatives, such as:

• Sourcing ingredients from local farms
• Supporting biofarming techniques 
• Promoting biodiversity projects to protect the local wildlife and ecosystems 
• Leading conservation activities like tree planting and coral binding
• Providing training programs for locals to create career opportunities 
• Outsourcing jobs to women’s development committees to provide income for local women
• Offering authentic cultural presentations and demonstrations to educate tourists
• Using biodegradable packaging and eliminating single-use plastic
• Incorporating sustainable solid waste management and recycling programs
• Installing solar panels and solar water heaters
• Using water-saving shower heads
• Offering bicycles and mokes (electric cars) for guests
• Encouraging sustainable and educational tours 

How Green Resorts Make Sustainable Travel Easier for Tourists

The beauty of staying at these green resorts is that they give you peace of mind during your stay. When you book an eco-conscious accommodation, you can rest easy knowing you’re supporting a business that has the local community’s best interest in mind. 

For example, you can dine at the on-site restaurant and indulge in a meal knowing it was ethically sourced from a local farm using sustainable practices. What’s more, you can enjoy a quick shower with the water-saving shower head that conserves water, tour the property in an electric car that’s not polluting the environment and engage in sustainable activities without worrying about harming the ecosystem. 

Go Green on Your Next Island Holiday

No matter how you look at it, tourism does have an impact on the environment, but we’re not telling you that to discourage you from experiencing the allure of island destinations. On the contrary; it’s to empower you to make more eco-conscious travel decisions that can actually make a positive impact.

After all, when you have a better understanding of sustainable tourism, it can transform the way you see and interact with the world. It gives you a greater sense of appreciation for how fragile our planet is and encourages you to seek out ways to explore it in a gentler, kinder way. 

On your next island getaway, keep some of these tips in mind to have a more fulfilling and aspiring holiday on island time.