How to Travel More Responsibly in 2027: Five Choices That Actually Matter

Travelling more responsibly in 2027 starts with the decisions you make before arriving. Check the claims businesses make, support people rooted in the destination, choose experiences that contribute to conservation, give wildlife space and take time to understand the place you’re visiting.

At Eagle Wing Tours, we offer guided whale and wildlife watching experiences from Fisherman’s Wharf in Victoria. From the start, we have  believed that responsible tourism depends on measurable action, local knowledge and honest communication, and we’ve developed Eagle Wing Tours around those principles.

What Does Responsible Travel Mean in Practice?

Responsible travel means considering how your trip affects the environment, wildlife and people who live in the destination. It includes the businesses you support, how you behave in natural spaces and whether the experiences you choose contribute to the long-term health of the place.

Responsible tourism also considers who benefits from your booking, whether environmental claims are supported by evidence and how a business works with local communities.

Travellers don’t need to be sustainability experts. Clear information about ownership, environmental practices, wildlife policies and community contributions can tell you a lot about a business.

How Is Responsible Travel Different From Sustainable Travel?

Sustainable travel generally focuses on reducing negative environmental and social impacts. Responsible travel describes the choices businesses and visitors make to support that goal. Regenerative tourism asks how travel can contribute to the recovery, resilience and stewardship of a destination.

The terms overlap, so the action behind them deserves the most attention.

A business may measure emissions, reduce waste or improve energy efficiency through its sustainability work. Responsible tourism may include supporting local employment, sharing cultural knowledge respectfully and following wildlife-viewing regulations. Regenerative efforts may contribute to habitat restoration, research, education and long-term community stewardship.

Eagle Wing’s Net Zero and Nature Positive commitment reflects this wider approach. The company became Canada’s first carbon-neutral whale watching company in 2009 and now holds Net Zero Gold Tier recognition. Its current strategy aims to minimize or eliminate operational impacts while supporting marine research, restoration, education and community stewardship.

Which Five Responsible Travel Choices Make the Biggest Difference?

Five choices can make a trip more responsible: verify environmental claims, support locally rooted businesses, choose experiences that fund conservation, respect wildlife-viewing rules and learn about the destination. Together, they connect everyday travel decisions to stronger outcomes for communities and natural environments and can be applied anywhere, whether you’re choosing a wildlife tour, accommodation, restaurant or activity.

1. Check the Evidence Behind Environmental Claims

Look for specific actions behind words such as “green,” “sustainable” or “eco-friendly.” A credible business should explain what it measures, which targets guide its work, how its practices are verified and what it plans to improve.

Useful evidence may include current sustainability reports, measurable targets, third-party certifications and named environmental partners. Certifications provide standards travellers can investigate independently, while transparent reporting shows how those standards influence daily operations.

Eagle Wing’s commitments include Biosphere Certification, GreenStep Platinum, 1% for the Planet and participation in Canada’s Net Zero Challenge. Its current targets include a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030 and net-zero operations by 2040. Its sustainability page outlines the programs and practices behind these credentials.

2. Support Businesses Rooted in the Destination

Businesses with deep connections in the community can keep more tourism spending connected to the destination. They may also provide deeper knowledge of regional conditions, wildlife, history and community relationships.

Consider whether the business employs local people, works with nearby organizations, uses regional suppliers and represents the destination with care.

This applies across an itinerary. A community-run accommodation, neighbourhood restaurant or independent guide can introduce you to stories and perspectives that are easy to miss through larger tourism channels.

Eagle Wing Tours is based at Fisherman’s Wharf in Victoria and has built deep roots in the community. Its captains, naturalists and educators bring years of experience working on and around the Salish Sea. That depth of knowledge helps guests understand how wildlife, habitat, weather and coastal communities are connected.

3. Choose Experiences That Fund Conservation

Look for a clear connection between the price of an experience and the work being supported. Strong programs identify the contribution, the organizations receiving it and how those funds benefit the destination.

This support can take several forms. Some operators collect a per-guest conservation fee. Others donate a percentage of revenue, provide equipment to researchers or contribute staff time to local projects.

Eagle Wing was the first operator that introduced a per-guest wildlife conservation fee in 2013 and has participated in 1% for the Planet since 2011. Through these commitments, guest contributions and the Wild 4 Whales Foundation, Eagle Wing and its guests have helped raise more than $1.8 million for marine conservation.

More than 25 organizations receive support through this work, contributing to research, education and habitat protection around the Salish Sea. Explore the full list on Eagle Wing’s conservation initiatives page.

4. Give Wildlife the Space It Needs

Responsible wildlife viewing follows local regulations, maintains appropriate distances and allows animals to continue their natural behaviour. Before booking an experience, review how the operator approaches wildlife and how it sets expectations with guests.

A responsible operator should be able to explain:

• Which local regulations and professional standards it follows
• How guides monitor wildlife behaviour
• How speed, noise or group size is managed
• What guests should do during an encounter
• Why specific species or behaviours can never be guaranteed

These principles apply on land and water. Stay quiet, keep your distance and respect wildlife’s space. Remain on marked trails, secure food, never feed wildlife and follow guidance from local experts. A photograph is never worth crowding or disturbing an animal.

For marine experiences in the Salish Sea, the Pacific Whale Watch Association provides science-based guidelines covering viewing distances, vessel speeds, sonar use and clear travel corridors for whales. Eagle Wing is also WCA Approved, an international third-party certification recognizing responsible whale and wildlife tourism operators. Our vessels are independently tested for underwater noise as part of our ongoing work to reduce their acoustic impact on marine wildlife.

5. Learn About the Place You’re Visiting

Choose experiences that help you understand the destination’s wildlife, ecosystems, culture and communities. Local interpretation can explain why a place matters, how it has changed and what visitors can do to care for it.

Before travelling, learn whose traditional territory you will visit and how local Indigenous communities prefer their histories and cultures to be represented. During your trip, look for museums, community organizations and guides who share knowledge with context and respect.

Education is central to Eagle Wing’s approach to ecotourism. On our tours, naturalists interpret the Salish Sea as an interconnected ecosystem shaped by whales, porpoises, seals, sea lions, sea otters, seabirds, forage fish, coastal habitats and coastal communities.

That work also extends to the Exploring the Salish Sea education program. Since 2018, this award-winning program has connected more than 14,000 local students with their big blue back yard through classroom learning, hands-on activities and time on the water.

How Can One Booking Have a Wider Impact?

One booking can support local employment, conservation, research and education when a tourism business has established systems connecting revenue to those outcomes. Ask where the money goes, how the experience is managed and what contribution remains in the destination after your visit ends.

Five questions to ask before any booking:

• Is the business clear about its environmental practices?
• Is it rooted in or meaningfully connected to the local community?
• Does part of the purchase support conservation, research or education?
• Are wildlife encounters guided by regulations and animal behaviour?
• Will the experience help you understand the destination more deeply?

Clear answers make it easier to choose an experience that matches your values. They also help separate meaningful commitments from broad marketing claims.

What you learn on one trip shapes how you travel next. Understanding wildlife-viewing rules, habitat protection or the relationships within an ecosystem changes how you explore every natural place after that.

Make Your Next Trip Count

Check the evidence, support local knowledge, follow the money, respect wildlife and choose experiences that deepen your understanding of the destination.

To see how these principles are applied in Victoria, explore Eagle Wing Tours’ four pillars of conservation, sustainability, research and education, learn about our Net Zero and Nature Positive commitment or browse current whale and wildlife tours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Responsible Travel?

Responsible travel considers how a trip affects the environment, wildlife, culture and economy of the destination. It includes choosing transparent businesses, respecting local guidance, reducing avoidable impacts and supporting experiences that contribute to conservation, education or community well-being.

How Can I Tell Whether a Tourism Business Is Sustainable?

Look for measurable targets, current reports, independent certifications, named partners and specific operating practices. Credible businesses openly explain what they measure, reduce, fund or improve. Current evidence is more useful than general claims such as “green” or “eco-friendly.”

Why Should I Choose a Locally Operated Tourism Business?

Local businesses can keep more tourism spending connected to the destination and provide knowledge grounded in the region. Also consider how the company employs local people, works with community organizations and represents local wildlife, culture and history.

How Can Tourism Support Conservation?

Tourism can support conservation through per-guest fees, annual revenue commitments, direct donations, research partnerships and education programs. Look for clear information about where contributions go, which organizations receive them and how the work benefits the destination.

What Should I Look for in a Responsible Wildlife Tour?

Choose an operator that follows wildlife-viewing regulations, maintains appropriate distances, manages speed and noise, and employs knowledgeable guides. Ideally, look for independent third-party certification as a responsible wildlife tour operator. The company should also set realistic expectations and allow wildlife behaviour to determine the encounter.

Is Whale Watching a Responsible Travel Activity?

Whale watching can be a responsible travel activity when the operator follows science-based viewing practices, minimizes disturbance, provides knowledgeable interpretation and contributes to conservation or research. Review the operator’s current policies, local partnerships and credentials before booking, including whether an independent third party has certified it as a responsible wildlife tour operator.

What Is Regenerative Tourism?

Regenerative tourism aims to contribute to the recovery and long-term resilience of a destination through habitat restoration, research, education, stewardship and community relationships. Look for evidence of these commitments and their results on the business’s website. Without specific, measurable actions and transparent reporting, regenerative tourism is only a claim.