According to the World Tourism Organization, tourism accounts for roughly 10% of global GDP. Travelling mindfully means contributing directly to local economies and reducing the environmental footprint of your journey.
For us, travelling has never simply been about moving from one place to another. It has always been about genuinely connecting with the places we visit and respecting them as much as we can. Over time, sustainable travel has become our natural way of travelling — not a rigid set of rules, but an approach built on conscious choices, curiosity, and care.
When we travel within the same continent, we try as much as possible to avoid flying and use trains, coaches, or other shared transport instead. When we cross oceans, we prefer to stay longer in one country, limit internal flights, and really sink into a place rather than skimming across its surface.
One of the things that shapes our experience of a trip most deeply is accommodation. Over the years we’ve moved away from large hotel chains, preferring more local alternatives. One of the most meaningful has been Couchsurfing — a platform that connects travellers with locals who offer a free place to stay. It’s far more than “finding a bed”: for a few days you step into someone else’s daily life and see a place through their eyes.
We also seek out homestays and small family-run guesthouses — more authentic, more human, and with a direct, tangible benefit to the local economy.
We steer clear of international chains and places designed exclusively for tourists, choosing instead local markets, street food, and small family-run restaurants. Eating local isn’t just the more responsible option — it’s also one of the most immediate ways to understand a country: every dish carries its traditions, its landscape, its cultural influences.
One of the simplest and most underrated ways to travel sustainably is simply to walk. Moving on foot forces you to slow down, notice details you’d otherwise miss entirely, and inhabit urban and natural spaces rather than just passing through them. Whether you’re crossing a city on foot or following a trail deep into the countryside, walking completely transforms how you experience a journey.
Travelling sustainably, for us, also means genuinely trying to embrace and understand cultures, religions, and customs that are often very different from our own. Every country has its own rhythms, its beliefs, its traditions. Engaging with that diversity demands an open mind and real respect — and it’s often those encounters, more than any landscape or monument, that end up changing the way we see the world.
In many countries it’s possible to stay for a while by volunteering or taking on small local jobs. This approach has a double value: it reduces the cost of travel and offers an even deeper immersion into the everyday life of a place. You’re no longer an outside observer — you become an active part of a community.
Travelling sustainably doesn’t mean giving up great experiences. It means living them in a more authentic and respectful way. It’s not about chasing perfection, but about an attitude: observe more, consume less, and give real value to the people and places you encounter along the way.