How To Make Your Travel Spending Benefit The Local Community Most

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We usually forget how much impact we can have as tourists. It’s the same mindset that makes us complain about being stuck in traffic, without accepting the fact that we, too, are helping to create it by being present on this road, also in our vehicle.

As such, it’s not until we sit down and think about how we’re spending our money abroad that we realize most of it is going toward chains, brands, and booking platforms with headquarters thousands of miles away.

Now, that’s not always a terrible thing. Global commerce is what makes tourism viable in the first place, and you’re still helping someone keep their job, for example. Yet if you’ve ever walked through a local market and been offered handmade goods by someone who clearly poured their heart into the craft, you’ll know there’s something different about contributing directly to the place you’re in. It’s less transactional, and there’s a small connection there.

So in this post, we’ll think about the often quite significant ways your travel spending can support the communities you visit, and make your trip feel that much more grounded and worthwhile while you’re at it:

Book Accommodation That’s Owned Locally

Chain hotels can have their place, and there’s no shame if you want to book one. After all, they’re reliable, usually clean, and you know roughly what to expect. That said, they also tend to funnel your money elsewhere, with only a sliver going to the people who run them on the ground. If you want your nightly rate to actually support the local economy, you could think about looking for a family-run guesthouse, an independent B&B, or a locally owned boutique hotel with some fun history behind it.

Not only are these places often full of life, but they’re also staffed by people who can give you actual advice about the area, or meet the locals hosting immediately. You can still check for reviews in advance to make sure you’re not just heading to a random place..

Dine At Restaurants That Source Ingredients Nearby

It’s often quite comforting to stick with what you know, especially when menus are in another language or you’re just really craving a burger or fries. Yet one of the easiest ways to ensure your travel spending stays in the community is by choosing restaurants that buy from local farmers, markets, and fishmongers too.

Some places will proudly display their suppliers on the menu or the wall,  and that’s usually a good sign. That way, not only your money stay within a tighter circle, but you’re also getting the freshest ingredients possible, and probably a more interesting dish than you’d get from an international chain anyway. Even if you’re not a foodie, trying the local cuisine is fun and can challenge you in small ways, and you might just find your new favourite comfort dish by accident.

Shop From Artisans & Street Markets

You’ve probably seen the same souvenir magnets in three different countries by now, and that’s often because lot of gift shops bulk order their goods from the same places. If your goal is to bring home something that actually reflects where you’ve been, we’d recommend trying to avoid some of the less homely places along the high street and head to a local market. For instance, you’ll know when the authentic rugs are present and when they’re not.

Don’t forget in these places you can often speak directly to the person who made it, and that alone is worth it. The money you spend here doesn’t go through corporate accounts, you’re actually keeping someone’s livelihood present.

Hire Guides & Join Tours That Are Run By Locals

Tours are often a great way to learn about a place without having to read four Wikipedia articles and a translated map, but not all tour companies are the same. Many are essentially big operations that fly guides in from elsewhere, or follow the same rigid plan without much heart behind it, and you can tell they’re just going through the motions.

There may be local guides or those you can go on to support the cultural initiative of the country, like with some run by the local museums. Just by being there you’re helping them to justify the program continually and you’re also helping someone make a living doing something meaningful, so you’ll probably come away with a few extra memories because of it.

Use Local Transport When You Can

There’s no judgement if you find it easier to Uber everywhere or rent a car so you don’t have to think too hard about getting from A to B. But when you can, choosing local trains, trams, buses or even ferries can both lower your carbon footprint and keep more money flowing into public infrastructure as appropriate. It’s true that some transportation or options may be publicly owned, but not always.

In cities with strong transport hubs, such as Paris’s Gare de Nord, for example, you can drop your bags at gare du nord luggage storage, jump on a train, and explore without dragging a suitcase behind you. Moreover, in this case French rail is nationalised, so you are helping to keep up public infrastructure with your use as opposed to renting a car from a private firm.

Tip Fairly, Even If It’s Not Mandatory

Tipping practices vary wildly from place to place, and it’s always a good idea to check the local customs so you’re not wildly over- or under-doing it. That said, even in countries where tipping isn’t necessarily expected, leaving a little extra for service staff, hotel cleaners, or delivery people can be a nice gesture. This is just an optional suggestion, don’t think you’re obligated to, and make sure you check because some countries might even take it as bad manners. That said, it’s hard to deny that helping a business out or a restaurant staff for the night because they gave you good service really does help.

With this advice, you’ll be certain to make your travel spending benefit the local community most.

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