Travellers urged to minimise impact of their trip

Forward planning is the best way to reduce the negative impact of a holiday, an expert has said.

Travellers going on solo holidays or group excursions have been advised to plan ahead in order to minimise any negative impact of their trip.

According to Dan Linstead, editor of Wanderlust magazine, mass tourism often has a negative impact on certain regions through pollution, litter and high water use, so tourists would do well to research their chosen destinations before jetting off so they can enjoy an ethical trip.

He pointed out that tourism chiefs of popular destinations can also do their part to manage tourism intelligently and improve sustainability by limiting the number of visitors allowed to a destination per day or by enacting a month off initiative as Peru's Inca Trail does every February.

Travellers were also urged to buy good guidebooks before setting off on their holidays and book their trips through operators that support ethical tourism.

"If you're going independently, try to support small-scale local businesses, not giant corporations," Mr Linstead said.

"Filter tap water instead of relying on bottled water, which creates huge rubbish problems in the developing world," he added.