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The word “tourist” almost sounds negative in my ears after my latest trip to Cambodia with UNF (Swedish youth temperance organisation). Of course I was as much tourist as any other white person there, but seeing the behavior of others made me feel like I could not relate to them. I saw white men sitting in bars, drinking beer with young Cambodian girls. I saw tourists getting a free massage from a child after their dinner at a restaurant (yes, it is true!). I also saw European women getting pedicure at the beach while sunbathing.

I think tourists should think more about what they do during their vacation. How can I, as a traveler, contribute to a sustainable development in the country I am visiting? This was a question we asked to tourists to find out what they thought about it. The answers were not surprising; most of the tourists had not a clue what so ever.

So, here are some tips on responsible travelling:
-Choose train or bus instead of car
-Avoid flights
-Do not drink alcohol. One bottle of beer requires 300 liters of water which is not that cool considering the amount of people that don’t have drinking-water
-Support local production when shopping and eating
-Try to find out about the work conditions for the hotel employees on the hotels you live in

OK, enjoy your next trip!

The views on the blogs are the views of the blog writer, and not necessarily the organization. ACTIVE cannot be held responsible for any possible consequences.