How to Be a Better Traveler in the Caribbean
As the Caribbean slowly reopens, vow to quit committing travel sins, not only against nature but also the locals. Rethink your impact. Be that conscientious traveler whose actions today increase the odds of a better tomorrow. It’s not about the shame game, but sustainability.
Sometimes you get a second chance. That time is now. During the pandemic, with humans mostly huddled at home, the earth is breathing and healing. The air and sea are less polluted, wildlife is thriving.
Here‘s how to be a better traveler.
- Know the country’s pandemic protocols
Travel is a privilege, particularly now. When you walk through a country’s open door, respect the house. Before leaving for vacation research the island’s protocols. “You don’t want any surprises,” says Carol Slee, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Sunset Resorts in Jamaica.
If you know what to do, follow through and observe the rules. “When you follow the rules the hotel staff doesn’t have to ‘police’ guests,” says Slee.
Your misbehavior can have significant consequences. “It’s essential to be cognizant that our islands don’t have the same resources as the United States to care for our residents if our visitors don’t follow the procedures outlined by the government and cases rise,” says Slee.
Take for example Barbados. According to Visit Barbados, visitors are required to wear a mask at all times inside the airport and must undergo a health screening. In addition, it is strongly recommended that travelers take a COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours of their trip, as they will need to present evidence of a negative test in order to pass through immigration. Those who are unable to present this documentation will be tested upon arrival and quarantined for 48 hours, or until they receive their results. Travelers are also required to complete an Embarkation/Disembarkation Card (ED Card) 24 hours prior to their trip, which can be filled out via email or online at www.TravelForm.gov.bb. For more details, visit Barbados Travel Protocols.
Each country is different. Generally, you can find everything you need to know on the country’s tourism website.
2. Be mindful of waste
“The number one thing that I would advise travelers going to the Caribbean is to bring a reusable mask instead of disposable ones. As was seen in Brazil recently, there are tons of disposable masks ending up in the ocean in countries all over the world. These floating masks are a new water pollution threat that happened as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Torben Lonne, diver and chief editor at DIVEIN.com, which focuses on scuba diving and eco-friendly travel.
“Even if you are careful to dispose of them in the garbage, many developing nations still don’t have the adequate means of recycling the masks or disposing of them correctly. A cloth mask is zero-waste, recyclable and is pretty much the same as wearing a disposable one in the open air, without polluting the planet.”
Instead pack a few cloth masks. Do bring a reusable water bottle with a filter in lieu of purchasing bottled water, which creates waste. Pick up any plastic you find on beaches and be mindful of your own litter. Visit the national parks to support their conversation efforts.
Satwinder Singh, CEO of Citrus Holidays, points out, “People love traveling to the Caribbean because of its beautiful natural surroundings. It’s important to protect this environment. There are some things you can do to help with this when visiting. For example, while it’s usually necessary to fly to your destination, you could choose to buy a carbon offset. This is a donation to a project which works to reduce CO2 emissions, balancing out the pollution you’ve caused by flying.”
- Avoid culture clashes
It’s not enough just to do right by the environment. Go a step further and do no harm to the folks who welcome you warmly into their world.
One cultural “sin” that Mary Chong, a travel writer with the Calculated Traveller says she sees every time she visits the Caribbean are tourists wearing bathing attire outside of the resorts and outside of the beach. “A rule to travel by should be that if you feel it inappropriate to go shirtless or wear a skimpy bathing suit downtown in your home city, then it isn’t appropriate to dress like that to walk around a Caribbean Island unless you are at the beach.”
Ella Moore, a travel blogger for ManyMooreMaps.com stresses the importance of supporting locals. Get beyond the resort and into the community, to support the shops and restaurants. “I learned to research beforehand recommendations for awesome local restaurants, bars and tours. Not only are these experiences significantly cheaper than resort-organized excursions, but they also directly benefit those who live in the area. Supporting a locally-owned business without any middleman makes a huge difference to the local area, and getting outside and exploring the destination you’re staying at helps to break down the common tourist mindset of ‘anything outside the resort is dangerous’,” says Moore.
Breaking down barriers and getting tourists engaged in the local culture, rather than using it as an aesthetically pleasing backdrop, is absolutely necessary going forward to build a sustainable future for the Caribbean, she says. “Besides, getting out of the artificial setting of the resort teaches you so much more about the islands! Conversations with locals, local music and local flavors all offer their own takes on local culture and spread the positive impact of tourism to more individuals and locally-run businesses, rather than international corporations,” says Moore.
Ideally, pay in cash instead of credit or debit card when possible. The lenders often charge fees that cut into a business’ profit. Use local ATMs to easily get local currency.
Not only be thoughtful of who you spend your money with — local farmers, artisans, restauranteurs and small business owners, but also consider what you’re purchasing. Brad Nahill, president of SEE Turtles laments that tortoiseshell souvenirs are sold in the Caribbean and elsewhere. “These are made from the shell of the critically endangered hawksbill turtle.” SEE Turtles, a non-profit in Portland, Oregon that works to protect these species through ecotourism.
Go the extra mile. Eileen Loh, a social media director and senior online advertising specialist with Imaginal Marketing Group in Playa del Carmen on the Caribbean Sea, says even if tipping isn’t a standard practice where you’re visiting or if traditionally tips are small, think 20% or more, especially now. “Most of the people serving you didn’t receive help from the government financially during the lockdown and this is their first income in months and their income is a fraction of what it was pre-pandemic.”
The bottom line, “They might be smiling, welcoming and appear carefree, but they’re struggling. You can make a huge, positive difference.”
Doing good and the right thing, should be priority number one for post-pandemic travel through the Caribbean and elsewhere. Spread the love.