At Selective Asia, we believe in environmentally responsible and culturally responsible tourism. We do our best to ensure that our holidays aren’t an environmental burden on the destinations we visit and are respectful of the people that live there. And we insist that the travel partners we work with adhere to our responsible travel policies too.
We always use local guides and drivers, and work only with local travel partners rather than international conglomerates. By using local guides, we can promise guests that the information they are given is current and genuine. We only use suitable vehicles (we don’t drive large 50-seater vehicles; instead we use vehicles that are the appropriate size for your party). And, where appropriate, we use methods of local transport and shared boats.
In our recommended accommodation, we always include locally and family run properties, and we suggest visiting a range of locally run shops, restaurants, home stays and attractions on most Selective Asia holidays. All trips to visit minority groups, which are included in more adventurous programmes, are set up with the locals’ interests at heart, and the entire community will benefit from your stay, not just one family. And, wherever possible, we include meals or visits to charitable organisations as part of your itinerary.
'Take nothing but the memories, leave nothing but the footprints' - Tiger's Nest, Bhutan.
We believe that responsible tourism falls into three stages.
Before your trip
Research
Research your destination before you leave. Find out about the specifics, these could be ecological, cultural or religious and make sure you respect the local sensibilities. A great place to start is on this site in our Plan your holiday section, elsewhere on the internet and in guidebooks such as Lonely Planet guides.
Caring for the environment starts at home
Often it's the little things that we forget:
Turn the fridge down
Cancel the newspapers
Turn off the hot water
Put lights on a timer rather than just leave on for security reasons
Unplug all electrical items
Packing
When it comes to clothing, plan carefully and take into consideration what others may find offensive in their communities.
Try to avoid carrying items that are enclosed in disposable packaging - can you leave this packaging at home?
Carbon emissions
We encourage all our clients to offset their carbon footprint when flying and have teamed up with the Plant a Tree Today Foundation (PATT). When booking your flights with Selective Asia you can opt to offset your carbon footprint on all long-haul flights.
How do I do this?
For just £6 each way (flights over 4000 miles) you can offset your carbon footprint. Selective Asia will pass 100% of your contribution onto PATT who in turn arrange funding and logistics of the planting projects throughout Asia
Where does my payment go?
You will be helping to fund a range of tree planting projects throughout Asia. Without you, these trees would not be planted, and the additional carbon would still be in the atmosphere.
Example Project
In partnership with PATT and the Forest Restoration Research Unit (FORRU) we contribute towards a project implemented by Chiang Mai University in Northern Thailand. The project involves the replanting of a 20 rai (3.2 HA) plot in the upper Mae Sa valley watershed area in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. The area required replanting due to degradation and fire damage.
Emissions figures are based on distance in terms of CO2 emission factor kg/km and are provided by UK DEFRA. For further information on the Plant a Tree Today Foundation and details of their additional projects, please click here
During your Selective Asia holiday
Try to remember, the western 'way' is not necessarily the right way.
Photography
Always ask before taking a photo of anyone. Pointing at your camera with raised eyebrows will usually suffice. Respect their wishes if they decline your very kind offer. Put yourself in their position and it doesn’t take long to work out why some may say no.
Having said that many people are more than happy for you to take a snap if only to be able to admire the picture you have just taken of them…the wonders of the digital camera! If you get the opportunity, make an extra print and you’ve got a friend for life.
People, Customs and Etiquette
Wow, a minefield…Asia is overflowing with customs and little etiquettes. Please try and adhere to these. Not only will local people feel respected, they will respect you in return, allowing you a fuller experience. You are in their back yard remember.
- Don’t be surprised if local people, especially in more remote regions, treat you with a touch of curiosity, if not suspicion sometimes. Keep an open mind and learn from each experience. One of the great benefits of a Selective Asia trip is that you won’t be turning up with 15 other camera wielding tourists and ‘taking over’ the village for half a day…as a private 'group' you’ll do a great job of blending in!
- Please respect local customs. Read up before you go and you can always ask your guide or a local once you are there, if you’re unsure of anything. Observe, listen and take your lead from locals. In all but the most remote areas, people understand that you come from a different culture and any errors you make will at worse be met with laughter.
- Nudity, scanty or inappropriate dress often causes offence. Modest dress will help minimize the risk of sexual harassment and help to ensure you are treated with respect.
- Formalities such as greetings can be quite different to what you are used to. It’s never a problem to offer your hand but it may be found very amusing – again, take your lead from the locals.
- Please be aware that public displays of affection are taboo in many communities.
- Try not to lose your temper in public, it is considered very rude by many Asian people and should be avoided at all costs. Save the argument for the hotel room.
- Abide by all the laws of the country and community you’re visiting….they apply to everyone.
Caring for the environment
At your hotel:
- Request that your towels are replaced less regularly
- Switch off the lights and air-conditioning when you leave your room.
- Unplug any devices that you are charging before you go to bed.
- Try exploring the streets instead of a sweating it out on a running machine.
On the streets:
- Take care to not litter; most developing countries do not have a refuse collection system.
- Avoid buying items in disposable packaging. Do you really need a bag for those bananas?
- Show people that you are concerned. In the west we are far better educated on these matters than in Asia.
Language
Try and learn a little, even just a basic greeting and thank you. You’ll find that people respond very well to this. Locals will appreciate the effort you are making and your attempts are often a great ice-breaker- more .
Begging
In most instances, we strongly recommend you do not give money or other ‘gifts’ to beggars, no matter how hard it is to resist. Children miss out on a basic education because they are forced to ‘work’ by their parents. In the most extreme cases, they may even be deliberately maimed to increase their earning potential as beggars.
Your guide and locals can point you in the direction of schools you can make a more meaningful donation of pens or other equipment to. These donations actually reach the intended benefactors.
Monks receiving Alms is not considered begging as the monasteries are supported by the local communities. Ask your guide or a local how to go about donating alms if you wish to.
Sex Tourism
An unfortunate by-product of travel in some developing nations is sex tourism. Children are exploited for the benefit of their parents or ‘guardians’. Women are sold, lured or forced into the prostitution against their will.
Selective Asia wishes to advise all its guests to give anything of this kind a very wide berth. Enough said.
Bartering
When bartering, don’t try and squeeze every last drop out of the deal. You are expected to raise your initial offer at least once and in most cases several times. Make a game out of it and you’ll come to enjoy it. Give yourself a reality check every now and again and you’ll realise that you are probably sticking over $0.10…nothing to you but a vital profit margin for the seller.
Religious Sites
Visitors to religious and historic sites should pay particular attention to the following:
- Be sure to dress appropriately. Follow local guidelines
- Be mindful of your manners and local etiquette
- Never remove anything from religious or historical sites: this constitutes theft, not a souvenir.
Water consumption
It is important whilst travelling in Asia to consume enough water to avoid dehydration. It can be very hot and when sightseeing, during any activity and even when relaxing by a pool or on the beach you need to ensure that you are consuming a suitable amount of water (see health and wellbeing). You will find that the vast majority of the drinking water is supplied in plastic bottles and it is important that:
- You dispose of these responsibly. Asia is straining under the levels of waste that it generates. There are ample opportunities to recycle both cans and plastic water bottles. When trekking or cycling, bottles should never be disposed of in the wild.
- Whenever possible, re-use water bottles by refilling with treated water or water sourced from a safe supply.
Wilderness and Wildlife
By travelling with Selective Asia, we appreciate that making no negative impact on the environment is not possible. However, we strive to minimise it. We rely on you and ask you to use your common sense and follow local and international wilderness guidelines.
- If you carry it in, carry it out – please don’t dispose of litter along the way. This includes cigarette butts and used matches, as well as paper, plastic, clothing and food scraps. Fruit leftovers may be biodegradable but they are unsightly and can take a while to decompose. Carry a plastic bag to collect your litter during the day and take it away with you. And if you're happy to set a good example; pick up litter left by other, less considerate individuals.
- Don't feed wild animals - Food scraps should not be considered ‘biodegradable’.
Be aware that rabies and other diseases are prevalent in many countries. Wild animals should never be touched, and we also strongly advise you to refrain from touching domestic animals such as cats and dogs.
- When trekking and mountain biking you should stick to marked paths at all times. This is for your own safety and also helps to prevent unnecessary erosion.
Try to buy any basic products (water, noodles etc) from the local communities you visit rather than carry them in. This helps to support the local infrastructure in a small way.
- The protection of water resources is vital. Please do everything possible to avoid polluting vital water sources when trekking and using home-stays. Listen to your guides and locals when they show you which water to wash and bath in.
Only use biodegradable soaps and shampoos. These don’t contain phosphates. Please avoid using soap and shampoo directly in the fresh water sources.
If bathing or swimming, consider local sensibilities, both in terms of what you wear and the fact you are in ‘their’ water. Bathe downstream from water collection points or villages and, if you’re using shampoos and soaps, lather up and rinse well away from the water’s edge.
Upon return
Please click here for details on the Selective Travel Foundation
It’s all down to sharing your knowledge with others at this stage. Any information, hints and tips that you can pass on ensures that those following in your footsteps will be better educated and more responsible.
You may also want to make donations to groups and charities that work in the region you have visited. Above are several links to the organisations that we believe are truly making a difference to peoples lives, animal welfare and helping to sustain communities. Your donations and help are very much appreciated.