How big is your footprint?

The point of a holiday is to have a good time, but if it’s relatively guilt-free as well, that’s even better. Perfect ecotourism would ensure good living for local inhabitants while not detracting from their traditional lifestyles, encroaching on their customs or spoiling their environment. Perfect ecotourism in South Africa probably doesn't exist, but everyone can play their part. Here are a few points to bear in mind:

• Think about where your money goes and be fair and realistic about how cheaply you travel.Try and put money into local people’s hands – drink local beer or cool drinks rather than imported brands, use South African owned and managed companies wherever possible.
  
• Haggle with humour, not aggression. Remember you are likely to be much wealthier than the person you are buying from.
  
• Think about what happens to your rubbish and use biodegradable products. Be sensitive to the limited resources of water, fuels and electricity.
  
• Help preserve local wildlife and habitats by respecting rules and regulations, such as sticking to footpaths and not standing on coral or buying products which are made of endangered animals and plants.
  
• Don’t treat people as part of the landscape – please ask before taking photo’s.
  
• Learn a couple of words of the local language and be mindful of customs and norms. Not only will it enhance your travel experience but it will draw a smile and a little respect.