Impactful travel
Article from 7 August 2026
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What is impactful travel?
Impactful travel is travel that considers the impact of travel consciously. This type of travel aims to create a positive effect on the places visited. The idea is to leave a destination better than prior to the visit.
This type of travel is eco-conscious and includes activities that support local people.
What are the examples of impactful travel?
- Contact with local community (accommodation, restaurants, regional food, activities)
- Eco travel (lowering carbon footprint, prioritising public transport, cycling, eco accommodation)
- Slow travel (visiting fewer locations and taking time in one location rather than moving fast from one spot to another)
What is positive impact travel or positive impact tourism?
Positive impact travel is a way of travelling that aims to leave a destination better than you found it.
The idea is to create lasting benefits for the destination, communities, and environments, natural resources, and cultural heritage.
For example, it takes care of natural environments (a ticket to enter a natural reserve goes to preservation and taking care of the reserve). Or tourism money directly goes to the people who live there.
What is low-impact travel?
A low-impact travel tends to minimise its environmental impact. It means exploring the world while keeping your carbon footprint small.
What is responsible travel?
Responsible travel means travelling with a sense of responsibility for how we travel and awareness of our impact.
The idea is to minimise negative impacts, maximise positive contributions to local communities, respect local cultures and ecosystems, and support sustainable, locally led initiatives that continue even after you leave.
What is ethical volunteer travel abroad?
Ethical Volunteering puts the needs of the community, instead of the volunteer’s personal experience first.
These programs:
a) are led by local organisations,
b) provide long-term impact,
c) promote responsible leadership,
d) maintain clear safety measures, policies, and pre-departure training and orientations.
Why Freepackers?
Freepackers provides educational travel, teen summer camps, and international volunteering across 37 global destinations.
Programs combine language immersion, humanitarian work, and eco-conservation with local NGOs, supported by their non-profit initiative focused on accessible, sustainable mobility.
Do you have any questions?
What is PlanetaFirst?
Planeta First has a clear goal: to redefine the way we travel and discover the world. Designed as an alternative to mainstream tourism, our itineraries are for those who want to explore a country consciously: with meaning, human connection, and a positive impact.
Each itinerary is organised and supervised by a local NGO, run by people from the country who understand local realities and work alongside communities.
Planeta First offers four main itinerary families:
- Cultural: discover traditions and the country’s history, with immersion and exchanges with locals.
- Spiritual: enjoy moments of relaxation (yoga, meditation) for a full reconnection and a calmer trip that’s just as rich in discoveries.
- Adventure: explore the country and its landscapes on treks, and take part in sports activities to enjoy nature and wildlife.
- Road trip: travel across a country to understand its full richness through itineraries designed to reveal its depth and diversity.
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