Are you a responsible traveler?

CEBU, Philippines - More than just being the Philippines’ premiere travel and lifestyle boutique, The Travel Club is an advocate of responsible travel as it encourages customers to enjoy enriching experiences while making positive contributions to every destination they visit. 

The Travel Club urges everyone to embrace this new approach and shares the following tips on how to be a responsible tourist:

Surf and plan. In planning your escapade, get information online or request for electronic copies from your travel agency or tour operator to help in paper conservation. Jot down notes using recycled paper instead of printing out info materials and refrain from gathering a lot of brochures and flyers. 

Be informed. Try to get background information on your destination’s people, culture and even environmental issues and see if there’s a way you can help. It would also be good to support local tourist attractions and products to contribute to the people’s livelihood and economy. Doing this can make your journey more meaningful and educational.

Think Green. Did you know that the worst carbon emissions come from a plane as it lifts off and lands? Flying is the largest contributor to environmental pollution. So as a responsible tourist, plan your itinerary wisely to minimize frequency of flying and stopovers. Better yet, check out train travel — it’s more economical, environment-friendly and may even be more adventurous. Moreover, choose a hotel that has green credentials — there are a lot of those these days as more and more people recognize the importance of going green. 

Pack right and light. Always pack right and light. Do not bring a lot of plastics and remove excess packaging that will only contribute to the waste disposal problem of your chosen destination. Bring cloth bags that you can use and reuse for various purposes, from shopping and storing things to keeping your trash. This will help you comply with the “leave without a trace” practice, which is highly recommended especially when you are visiting ecotourism sites.  

Choose your gear. Opt to use travel gear that’s environmentally-friendly. The Travel Club features an extensive array of premium brands that meets customers’ travel and exploration needs while focusing on environmental sustainability as well. 

Sea to Summit, for example, a brand of outdoor travel gear, is one of the founding sponsors of Leave No Trace in Australia and in the U.S. As such it is always inspired to create innovative, lightweight products designed to support the principle of minimal human impact wherever your adventures take you. Similar to this is Eagle Creeks’ Pack-It System, a system of pouches that fit inside your luggage to keep clothes and other stuff organized, accessible and segregated. With these, there’s really no excuse in leaving unnecessary items and even trash. 

On the other hand, Jansport, the Original Outdoor Gear Brand, recognizing the ill effects of PVC in people’s health and environment, has eliminated the use of this substance in making its well-loved backpacks.

Meanwhile, The North Face, designs and produces high performance equipment, apparel and footwear while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and minimizing waste products. Nalgene Outdoor Products, recognized by explorers and adventurers around the globe, also helps reduce water bottle waste by offering high-endurance reusable water bottles. 

These are just a number of eco-friendly brands carried by The Travel Club. With The Travel Club, you can truly be a responsible traveler - one that always tries to make helpful contributions in his or her destination, its people and its environment in every way possible. 

A member of the Primer Group of Companies, the Travel Club is located at Ayala Center Cebu and SM City Cebu,.