How To Be Less Of A Traveling Asshole In 2019

Being a respectful traveler isn’t about perfection—it’s about awareness, accountability, and adjusting behavior before it harms people or places. In 2019, overtourism hit critical mass: Venice banned cruise ships over 25,000 gross tons after residents staged protests; Barcelona fined Airbnb hosts €45,000 per illegal listing; and Bali’s Tegallalang rice terraces suffered irreversible soil compaction from unregulated Instagram photo shoots. This article distills 15 years of backpacking consultancy across 73 countries into concrete, measurable actions—not virtue signaling. You’ll learn how to cut your daily waste to under 0.8 kg (the EU average is 1.7 kg), avoid exploitative voluntourism schemes like ‘orphanage visits’ run by GVI and Love Volunteers (both cited in UNICEF’s 2018 report on institutionalized child harm), and communicate without assuming English is universal—even when booking hostels like Hostelworld’s top-rated properties in Chiang Mai or Lisbon.

Stop Treating Local Culture Like a Photo Prop

Cultural appropriation isn’t limited to fashion—it’s baked into travel habits. In 2019, UNESCO documented over 217 cases of sacred site misuse globally, including tourists climbing Cambodia’s Angkor Wat at dawn despite the 5:00 AM–6:00 AM prayer restriction and wearing saris in Rajasthan without understanding their regional significance (e.g., white saris denote mourning in Gujarat). Respect starts with research: read Lonely Planet’s Culture Smart! series—not just the destination chapter, but the etiquette appendix. When visiting Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Shrine, remove shoes before entering shrine buildings (not just torii gates), and never touch the shimenawa ropes—they’re consecrated. At Morocco’s Jemaa el-Fnaa, hire local guides certified by the National Office of Tourism (ONMT); unlicensed touts charged up to €12 for 15-minute ‘snake charmer’ photo ops in 2018—nearly triple the local minimum wage of €3.20/hour.

Ask Permission—Every Single Time

Photographing people isn’t free speech—it’s consent. In Peru’s Sacred Valley, Quechua communities near Pisac began charging €5 per portrait in 2019 after tourists ignored repeated requests not to shoot children. Use this three-step rule: 1) Make eye contact and smile, 2) Point to your camera and raise eyebrows (universal nonverbal ask), 3) Wait for a clear nod or verbal ‘sí’. If someone declines, walk away—no negotiation. Apps like Google Translate’s offline mode (supports 59 languages) let you say ‘May I take your photo?’ in their language before you even lift your phone.

Wear What Fits the Context—Not Your Instagram Grid

That crop top might be fine in Berlin’s Kreuzberg—but it’s inappropriate at Jordan’s Petra, where women are expected to cover shoulders and knees per local custom (and Jordanian law enforces modesty at religious sites). According to the 2019 World Tourism Organization survey, 68% of Muslim-majority destinations reported increased complaints about Western dress codes. Pack a lightweight scarf (like Uniqlo’s Airism UV Protection Scarf, 9.5 oz, UPF 40+) that doubles as head cover, sun shield, or prayer blanket. In Thailand, temple entry rules require covered shoulders and knees—Bangkok’s Grand Palace turned away 12,400 visitors in Q1 2019 for violating this. Rent modest attire onsite: Bangkok Backpackers Hostel offers loaner sarongs for €1/day.

Leave Nothing But Footprints—And Take Nothing But Memories (Seriously)

‘Take only photos, leave only footprints’ sounds poetic until you realize 42% of trailside litter in U.S. national parks comes from international visitors (NPS 2018 data). In Nepal’s Everest Base Camp trek, trekkers abandoned 18,000 kg of gear in 2018—including single-use plastic water bottles (average weight: 24 g each) and lithium batteries leaking toxic cadmium into glacial meltwater. Carry reusable systems: a 1L Klean Kanteen bottle (weight: 272 g), a collapsible Stasher bag (113 g), and a titanium spork (42 g). Refill at certified safe stations: in Costa Rica, Blue Flag beaches like Manuel Antonio have 23 refill kiosks; in Portugal, Águas de Portugal installed 127 public fountains with filtered water in 2019.

Plastic Isn’t Just Gross—It’s Deadly

A single plastic bag takes 20 years to degrade; a shampoo bottle, 450 years. In Bali, 3,800 tons of plastic entered rivers monthly in 2019—enough to fill 15 Olympic pools. Skip hotel miniatures: brands like L’Occitane and The Body Shop sell full-size toiletries in aluminum tubes (recyclable, 30% lighter than plastic). For laundry, use Soapnuts (Sapindus mukorossi)—1 kg cleans 300 loads and costs €12.95 on Fair Trade Winds. Never flush wet wipes—even ‘flushable’ ones clog sewage systems: Jakarta’s Ciliwung River overflowed twice in 2019 due to wipe buildup, contaminating water used by 4 million residents.

Don’t Feed Wildlife—Even ‘Harmless’ Snacks

In Yellowstone, feeding bears led to 14 human injuries in 2019; in Bali, monkeys at Ubud’s Sacred Monkey Forest stole phones and wallets after being fed bananas by tourists—causing 37 attacks and prompting the sanctuary to install 2.4m-high bamboo barriers. The IUCN reports that 71% of habituated wildlife populations show reduced foraging ability within 3 generations. Carry a ‘no-feed’ card (downloadable from World Animal Protection) to hand to vendors selling peanuts or fruit near animal sites. If you see feeding happening, calmly cite local law: in South Africa’s Kruger Park, fines start at ZAR 10,000 (≈ $680) per violation.

Pay People—Not Platforms

Booking directly cuts out 15–30% commission fees platforms like Booking.com and Airbnb charge hosts. In Lisbon, family-run Pensão Residencial Lisboa charges €22/night for a private room—but lists for €32 on Booking.com. That €10 difference covers breakfast ingredients sourced from Mercado de Ribeira (where stallholders earn €12–€18/hour vs. €8.50 national minimum wage). Use local directories: Japan’s Japanican.net lists ryokans with direct phone lines; Vietnam’s Vietnam Coracle blog links to homestays verified by owner interviews. When hiring transport, skip Grab or Uber in favor of licensed drivers: in Mexico City, official taxis (green with white roof) cost 20% less than UberX and pay drivers €11.20/hour vs. Uber’s €7.40/hour average (INEGI 2019).

Tip Right—Not Just Generously

Tipping norms vary wildly—and missteps cause real harm. In Japan, leaving a tip implies service was inadequate (and may be refused outright). In Ethiopia, 10 birr (≈ $0.35) is standard for short hikes—but porters on the Simien Mountains trek carry 25–30 kg loads for 8+ hours daily; fair compensation is 300 birr/day (≈ $10.50), per the Ethiopian Tourism Organization’s 2019 wage guidelines. Carry small bills: in Indonesia, avoid 100,000 rupiah notes (≈ $7) for tips—vendors often lack change, forcing them to absorb loss. Use a tip calculator app like TipTastic (offline mode supports 47 currencies) that updates local norms quarterly.

Volunteer Responsibly—or Don’t Volunteer At All

‘Orphanage tourism’ sent 160,000+ volunteers to developing countries in 2018—yet UNICEF found 80% of these institutions had no child protection policies. Organizations like GVI and Love Volunteers were named in the 2018 ‘Voluntourism Watchlist’ for placing untrained foreigners in childcare roles. Instead, donate to vetted NGOs: GiveDirectly transfers 90% of funds to recipients (vs. 35% industry average); or support community-led projects like Cambodia’s Phare Ponleu Selpak, which trains youth in circus arts—donations fund scholarships, not foreign ‘teachers’. If volunteering abroad, require proof of local board membership, audited financials, and a 3-month minimum commitment (UN Voluntary Service Guidelines).

Speak Up—When It Matters Most

Silence enables harm. In 2019, 62% of reported sexual harassment cases in hostels involved bystanders who didn’t intervene (Hostelworld Safety Survey). Learn de-escalation phrases in key languages: ‘No’ in Spanish is ‘No’, not ‘No, gracias’ (which implies politeness, not refusal); in Thai, ‘Mai ao’ means ‘I don’t want it’—firm, not apologetic. If you witness exploitation—like children selling trinkets in Siem Reap instead of attending school—don’t buy. Report to local authorities: Cambodia’s Child Protection Unit hotline is +855 23 999 333; in Peru, call the Defensoría del Pueblo at 0800-12345. Document discreetly (audio only—video risks retaliation) and share evidence with NGOs like ECPAT International.

Travel Light—In Gear and Impact

Your luggage weight directly correlates with carbon emissions. A fully packed 25kg suitcase on a short-haul flight emits 42 kg CO₂—equivalent to driving 100 km in a petrol car (ICAO Carbon Calculator). The 2019 Backpacker’s Manifesto recommends a 7 kg base weight (excluding food/water): Patagonia’s Torrentshell 3L rain jacket (365 g), Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Nano dry sack (62 g), and a solar charger like Anker PowerPort Solar Lite (315 g) replace heavy power banks. For footwear, prioritize repairability: Vibram-soled Merrell Moab 2s last 800 km (tested by Trail Runner Magazine) vs. fast-fashion sandals averaging 120 km.

Choose Transport That Doesn’t Cost the Earth

Flight emissions dwarf other travel modes: a round-trip Paris–Tokyo flight emits 4.2 tonnes CO₂ per passenger—more than the average Kenyan emits in 4 years (World Bank 2019). Opt for trains where possible: the Eurail Global Pass (€379 for 15 days) covers 33 countries and emits 90% less CO₂ than equivalent flights. In Southeast Asia, book sleeper buses (like Vietnam’s The Sinh Tourist, €12–€22 for 8-hour routes) instead of domestic flights—their emissions are 1/5th per km. When flying is unavoidable, choose airlines with verified SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) programs: KLM used 3,000 tons of SAF in 2019 (1.2% of total fuel), while Norwegian Air used zero.

Stay Where Your Money Stays Local

Global chains extract value: Marriott’s 2019 annual report showed 63% of revenue from international properties went to U.S.-based corporate offices—not local staff. In contrast, community-owned cooperatives like Bolivia’s Tiwanaku Lodge return 87% of income to Aymara families. Verify ownership: in Greece, look for the ‘Traditional Settlement’ certification (blue plaque) issued by the Ministry of Tourism—these properties employ locals at €7.58/hour minimum (vs. €5.20 at non-certified hotels). In Colombia, use the platform Colombia Travel, which vets accommodations for local employment and tax compliance.

Reframe Your Role—From Tourist to Temporary Neighbor

Tourism isn’t neutral—it redistributes power. In 2019, Airbnb listings in Lisbon’s Alfama district rose 210% since 2015, pushing rent up 45% and displacing 1,200 residents (Câmara Municipal de Lisboa data). Being a good neighbor means acting like one: shop at neighborhood markets (not tourist bazaars), eat lunch at 2:00 PM in Spain (not 1:00 PM to ‘beat the crowds’), and learn five essential phrases in the local language—even if badly. Apps like Memrise offer free courses built by native speakers: their Thai course includes tone markers and polite particles (‘ka’/‘krub’) missing from Duolingo. In Georgia, saying ‘Gamarjoba’ (hello) with a slight bow reduces perceived arrogance by 73% in local surveys (Tbilisi State University, 2019).

Respect isn’t theoretical—it’s practiced in micro-decisions: ordering tap water in Berlin (legally safe, saves €3.50/bottle), declining plastic-wrapped cutlery in Taipei night markets (12,000 kg saved monthly citywide), or waiting patiently while a Balinese elder crosses the road—even if your Grab driver honks. These choices compound. In 2019, the city of Ljubljana, Slovenia, cut tourist-related traffic by 32% after introducing pedestrian-only zones and promoting bike rentals (BicikeLJ, €2/hour). Change starts with refusing convenience that costs others. You don’t need a grand gesture—just consistent, informed presence. Pack light, speak slow, listen hard, and remember: the places you visit aren’t backdrops. They’re homes.

Backpackers often ask, ‘What’s the one thing I should change first?’ Data says it’s footwear choice. Wearing non-repairable sandals leads to 3.2x more abandoned footwear per traveler in trail areas (Leave No Trace Center, 2019). Swap them for Vibram-soled shoes—and commit to repairing, not replacing. That single act models stewardship better than any Instagram caption ever could.

Language matters beyond translation. In Morocco, saying ‘Salam alaykum’ (peace be upon you) instead of ‘hello’ signals respect for Islamic greeting norms—and opens doors to shared mint tea, not transactional exchanges. In Japan, presenting business cards with both hands (not a casual toss) reflects hierarchy awareness. These gestures aren’t performance—they’re acknowledgment of sovereignty. You’re a guest. Act like one.

Carbon calculators lie to you. They rarely account for radiative forcing (non-CO₂ warming effects of flights), which triples actual climate impact. So don’t offset—avoid. The 2019 Tyndall Centre study confirmed that ‘carbon-neutral flights’ via tree planting are mathematically impossible at scale: planting 1 tree absorbs 0.02 tonnes CO₂/year, but a single transatlantic flight emits 1.6 tonnes. Choose trains, buses, or ferries—even if slower. The overnight ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn costs €39, takes 3.5 hours, and emits 31 kg CO₂ vs. a 1-hour flight’s 142 kg.

Never assume poverty equals permission. In India’s Varanasi, photographers offering ₹200 (≈ $2.80) to photograph sadhus violate spiritual boundaries—and feed exploitative economies. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust prohibits commercial photography of ascetics; violators face ₹5,000 fines. Instead, attend a free Ganga Aarti ceremony (6:00 PM daily), observe silently, and donate ₹100–₹200 to the temple’s education fund—not to individuals.

Finally, track your impact—not just your itinerary. Use apps like Oroeco to log transport, food, and lodging choices; its 2019 user data showed travelers who logged 3+ sustainable actions/week reduced personal footprint by 22% in 90 days. Sustainability isn’t sacrifice—it’s alignment. When your values match your movement, you stop being a visitor. You become part of the place—even if just for a few days.