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H E R O by travelling responsibly
It's that time of the year, when you can pack your bags and jet off to a beautiful beach, a wonderful city or explore a new culture. As part of being a Muslim traveller, we believe we have a responsibility to provide a positive impact on the places we visit. Being socially and culturally aware when you travel, and understanding your impact on the places you visit can make a huge difference to making sure your children, and their children, and even their children will be able to enjoy the same experiences you will.
Being aware of the impact you can make can make a significantly positive impact on both your travel experience and the locals who often are dependent on tourism. If just a fraction of the millions of travellers each made a few small changes to the way they travel then we can create preservation for generations to come. It just takes a small amount of time to make a few adjustments to create a change.
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We take into consideration economic, societal, environmental and cultural issues when promoting new and current destinations. Where possible, we encourage local involvement and provide financial support for economic, social or environmental projects that will benefit the local communities through our very own Serendipity Foundation Establish guidelines with our partners to ensure wildlife is protected and preserved in areas of wildlife viewing. Reflect our halal friendly ethical approach to travel to our day to day operations in our offices by encouraging the use recyclable material, reducing energy use and creating a paper free environment. We aim to develop long-term relationships with our local partners so that the economic benefit is ongoing. Using locally owned, environmentally and socially responsible accommodation wherever possible and have a preference for local guides and drivers. Whenever you book a trip with any of our brands, we pledge ÂŁ5 per person to the Serendipity Foundation to support incredible projects around the world. Thank you for making a change to someone's life and whilst you're away, here are a few other ways you can continue to help.
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Do a little research on the destination you're travelling to. It's always handy to know a few of the local words, but it makes such a huge impact on the locals when they feel you've taken the time to appreciate their culture and language.
Take a reusable cotton bag with you, which you can take to the local markets, the gym, the beach or to use on the plane. This will help tackle plastic waste and multi-use your carry items!
Choose reef-friendly sunscreen and nontoxic insect repellent. Coral around the world are being harmed by some of the chemicals in traditional sunscreen, which washes off into the water in huge amounts. Choose sun protection that is certified reef-friendly!
Someone flying from London to New York and back, generates roughly the same level of emissions as the average person in the EU does by heating their home for a whole year. So after your main international flight, think about overland travel options like trains or other methods of transport. You can always offset your carbon emissions at MyClimate
Always ask if it’s OK to take a person’s photograph, and be aware that flash photography can be damaging to artwork
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It’s estimated that as much as 90% of what visitors spend can leave the destination country. Rather than buying a Pepsi or Coke, try a local brand or eat in locally owned restaurants. Most likely, local produce would have been used which then feeds into the economy of the region. You can also encourage community initiatives such as handmade crafts by buying locally produced souvenirs. Things are much more authentic missing a 'Made in China' sticker (unless you're in China of course!).
Meeting local communities provides such a genuine insight to your destination you simply won't find on a commercial excursion. Here at Serendipity we have a growing number of projects around the world supporting the wellbeing of children from Sri Lanka to Thailand. Our projects aim to keep children in education, to help them achieve their dreams through opportunities we often take for granted. If you would like to visit one of our Serendipity Foundation projects, or would like some advise on how to give back to the social environment of your destinations, simply get in touch with one of the team.
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It takes anywhere from 450-1000 years for a PET bottle to decompose in our oceans (which is where many end up). Many airports have water fountains, so simply fill up and see how many bottles you can avoid using in a trip and avoid single use plastics.
Remember to turn off lights and electrical equipment in your room if you’re not using them, and turn off air-conditioning units when they’re not needed or when you leave the room.
Do you change your towels daily at home? Didn't think so. If your hotel has a policy for reusing sheets or towels, try to support this as often as you feel you can. This will save water, energy and reduce the number of chemicals entering the eco-system.
Water can be a precious resource, so try to keep your usage of it to a minimum, both in your hotel room and whenever possible throughout your trip.
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Take your litter with you. Seems simple right, but recycle as much as you can (which can be tricky in some places) or take it back to your hotel to discard responsibly. Mr Turtle really doesn't want metals and plastics to swim through dude.
Never buy souvenirs made from animals, eat exotic meats, or support cruel animal practices. It's amazing how many items you can still find from animals that are critically endangered from the Far East to parts of Africa.
Riding elephants, being photographed next to a Lion, charming a snake, trained monkeys or teasing a crocodile; ALL NOT COOL. Avoid attractions where animals are kept in captivity and be aware of money making traps designed to put the most discomfort on wild animals.
When visiting national parks and nature reserves, stick to set paths in order to preserve natural habitats and leave animals undisturbed. Also remember not to take Corals, Shells or anything that belongs to the sea. If you see some rubbish in the sea, help by picking it up, even if it's not yours.
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It’s estimated that as much as 90% of what visitors spend can leave the destination country. We try to ensure that as much as possible stays in the local area by supporting community-run and locally-owned businesses. Try to eat in locally owned restaurants and order local drinks and produce rather than international brands.
Keep a light heart and a big smile when bargaining, and try to remember that small amounts can mean a lot more to the vendor than to you. Don't lead sellers down a path just to 'try your skills' and only engage in a purchase if you're serious on buying.
Obviously use your discretion with this one, but begging can take all types of guises; from child exploitation to larger networks of organised groups. If you really want to help out, perhaps offer the person some food or water instead. Also try and seek out local organisations who work with under privileged people in the area and ask if they require any assistance.