We’re now in Morocco, our first destination in Africa, and have had a chance to reflect on our current and previous travels. Our experiences in developing countries have given us a unique glimpse into the challenges that many face when meeting life’s daily requirements. Whether you travel for business or pleasure, you likely interact with communities that depend on tourism to help support their economy. When appropriately distributed, the money tourism brings to a community can dramatically impact the quality of life that residents experience. We’ve outlined several tips below to help ensure you have a positive experience, and provide a positive impact on the communities you visit.

  1. Ensure that your money stays within the local community. If possible, try to avoid businesses run by overseas companies. Stay at locally run hotels, visit locally owned restaurants, and shop at merchants where products are created and sold by residents of the community. If you choose to participate in a tour, find one that’s locally run and gives back to community. These souvenirs and experiences will likely be more personal and memorable, while also supporting a range of industries in the community.
  2. While it may be tempting to give a quick donation to an individual on the street, restrain from giving handouts, especially to children. It’s often hard to walk by someone in need and know that your money or gift could help them. However, giving handouts ultimately leads to dependence on further handouts. Children are often pulled out of school to beg on the street for their parents. Giving handouts only encourages this behavior and limits the child’s future potential.
  3. If you wish to make a donation, find a legitimate NGO or charity in the community. Many organizations work to create sustainable programs that help residents become financially independent. Guidebooks often provide a useful list of successful organizations in the area of your travels.
  4. Negotiate fair prices for goods and services. By regularly overpaying for certain services, tourists often price out locals. For example, when tourists artificially inflate the price of taxis, locals are no longer able to afford them. Similarly, when specific careers move up the pay scale, other industries not directly impacted by tourism suffer. Ultimately, more locals focus on this artificially inflated career path, limiting the number of individuals entering other high paying professions that require further education. This leads to a less educated and diverse population and an unbalanced economy that is dangerously dependent on tourism.
  5. Don’t support government run businesses in politically corrupt countries. Additional money given to these governments only strengthens policies that have historically harmed the citizens. If possible, find locally run businesses that allow your money to stay within the community. While you do not have to avoid all travel to countries with poor human rights records, you should still be sensitive to where your money goes.

For many communities tourism has provided a positive economic jolt that brings outside currency to a locally maintained economy. When traveling, keep in mind that your actions can have a direct impact, either positive or negative, on individual lives and entire communities. Remember to enjoy your travels and continue to learn from the cultures around you.