12 Tips for More Equitable Travel
How to match your vacation to your social justice values. Share a meal in a local household, trade off hosting, walk and talk, lodge locally, spend intentionally, tour responsibily, visit a national park- but take the train, do some citizen science, build a trail in Washington state, etc.
April 1, 2023 | Source: Yes! | by Yasmeen Wafai, Zeb Larson & Carol Pucci
Share a meal in a local household. Eatwith.com and Mealsharing.com connect travelers with people in host countries who love to entertain. Prices vary. Eight other guests and I recently paid $49 each, staying past midnight sharing food, wine, and conversation in the home of a French journalist covering the yellow vest protests in Paris. Saigon Hotpot sets up meals in university students’ homes as well as city and street food tours in Ho Chi Minh City.
Trade off hosting. More than 2,000 households in 48 states and 50 countries participate in the Affordable Travel Club, a Washington state-based hospitality exchange group for people over 40. Hosts offer an extra bedroom, breakfast, and an hour of their time to acquaint travelers with the area. Members pay a gratuity of $15 (single) or $20 (double) per night to defray costs, but most hosts open their homes for the experience of meeting new people rather than the income.