independent traveller
Urban Adventures and the Local Travel Movement
Local travel is what we do. It’s the backbone of our operations, and a fundamental aspect of our day-to-day business. As a strong believer in and practicer of responsible travel, Urban Adventures is committed to its core tenets, which include local travel. As a proud member of the Local Travel Movement, Urban Adventures strives to [...]
How to avoid ‘localwashing’ while on vacation
Have you noticed how companies of all sizes are touting their local credentials these days? Whether you are shopping at your local supermarket or deciding on your next vacation destination, advertisements are replete with images of locally sourced fresh food or locally guided unique vacation services. And why not? “Buy local” and “local first” campaigns [...]
The benefits of Local Travel in the hills of northern Thailand
The ‘mountain people’ otherwise known as the hill tribes of northern Thailand, came from neighbouring Laos, Burma and China to settle in the remote highlands of northern Thailand hundreds of years ago. Their primitive way of life, as subsistence farmers living off the land in the remote mountain forests, is a cultural curiosity for the [...]
Free tours by locals in European cities!
Residents of some of the most popular cities in the world are happy to share their city with you. But they want it represented correctly of course! So Locals really are giving you their all in introducing their city to its visitors. We’re introducing United Europe Free tours, which is a network of the best [...]
The Travel Word’s best local travel pictures of the year 2011
It’s hard to believe another year has gone by. And with it the grace of another 44 incredible Photos of the Week. We are nevertheless once again proud to present our Photos of the Year – the travel pictures of the year 2011 that most captured the imagination of The Travel Word team and a [...]
Traveling with a Local Bedouin across the Arabian Sands of Oman
Oman is a country with an amazing array of activities and sights. Tours of some of the country’s highlights are certainly not to be missed: from the Grand Mosque in the city of Muscat to the forts and canyon-like scenery of the Nizwa region. There is something for everyone in Oman, whether on a self-drive [...]
Go Local Iceland linking up with great partners
Yes, we’re proud to announce that we happen to meet and get connected to great people on our journey to support the Local Travel Movement in Iceland and spread the idea of GOING LOCAL in Iceland. Now it’s time to share the overview of those, we’ve got hooked up to and we encourage you to [...]
When local cultures aren’t so great
Travel exposes us to many strange sights and experiences. By setting foot beyond our own borders we might explore palaces and temples that we’ve seen before in movies; we might meet people of races we’ve never encountered and see their colourful national dress; we’ll probably hear many languages that we don’t understand. Most of our [...]
Going local in Chile!
Traditional tourism, sitting on a comfortable bus and taking pictures of the main landmarks of a place can certainly be fun and interesting. But there’s nothing better than going in deeper into the local culture of a destination and exploring off the beaten path. At least that’s what I try to do whenever I travel [...]