There is a growing realisation that travel and sustainability need not necessarily be at loggerheads. More and more people are tuning in to the exciting possibilities of ethical and sustainable communities worldwide. Becoming part of a global community and travelling to these sustainable destinations is one way to avoid the unethical horrors of mass tourism.
Tribewanted is a sustainable travel and local enterprise company which has shown that travellers can make the world a better place. This company started in 2006 by creating a crowd-funded sustainable community on Vorovoro, Fiji which was handed back to the local community in 2011. The business model is that an online ‘tribe’ of members contribute funds towards the establishment of sustainable communities in amazing places, in return for which members can stay at sites for a discounted price and can, if they wish, help out when they visit. What to do at sentosa singapore
There are three sustainable communities to date: the one on Fiji, one in Sierra Leone, sadly not available to visit for the time being due to the Ebola epidemic but still funded by the company members, and the latest project, an idyllic farm community in Umbria.
Tribewanted is just one example of a general trend towards more ethical and sustainable travel. There seems to be a growing sense that participatory and engaged travel are the way of the future. It seems clear that not only our fossil fuels but also the lifespans of mass tourism and greed-driven travel are finite.
There is a certain irony in the fact that it takes the very modern world of the Internet and social media to bring people together who then show that simplicity is the key to sustainability and happiness. This melding of modern with very low key and traditional ways of life are, in my opinion, the future of sustainable travel.
Engagement is key, not just with like-minded others in the web but also with local communities. If local people are not committed to and involved with any ecological projects or sustainable travel ventures then they are very unlikely to succeed. When you visit a Tribewanted community you do not have to work – participating in the day to day running of the community is optional. But many people do choose to have a holiday with a bit of a difference and get stuck in.