For over 15 years, our mission at Travel Sense Asia has never been just about showing travellers the highlights. It’s about helping them understand the deeper layers of each destination – respectfully, responsibly, and sustainably.
“We are not just the pathfinders, we are the caretakers too.”
That belief guided every step of our recent company trip through Central Vietnam. We used this journey as a living lab to test, reflect, and improve how we embed sustainability and responsible travel into every part of the experience.
Environmental responsibility – Leaving fewer footprints
The most visible – and sometimes overlooked – impact of tourism is on the environment. That’s why, from the very start, our journey was designed to prioritize eco-consciousness. Before the trip, we created a Responsible Travel Checklist for every team member, focusing on small actions that add up to real impact and reduce our environmental footprint.
What responsible travel practices did we follow?
1. Reusable water bottles, always: Every team member brought their own bottle and committed to using refill stations at hotels and rest stops. Not a single single-use plastic bottle was purchased on this trip.
2. Say no to plastic bags: While shopping at local markets and villages, we politely refused plastic bags. Most of us brought cloth totes or reused packaging, and vendors appreciated our efforts.
3. Clean as we go: Each member took personal responsibility to pick up litter and leave each place as we found it.
These aren’t just checklist items – they are mindsets and habits that help us become travel professionals. Thus, these practices can be a stepping stone toward our bigger goal: aligning with the sustainability standards set by Travelife for Tour Operators.
Social responsibility – Connecting with respect and purpose
Responsible travel isn’t only about landscapes – it’s about people and their community. At every destination, our Travel Sense Asia team prioritized mutual respect, cultural sensitivity, and genuine human connection. That means not turning communities into “performers” for tourism, but engaging with them as equals.
What responsible travel practices did we follow?
1. Cultural engagement through creativity: In Hue, we held a friendly competition where each team produced a short music video inspired by local folk songs, filmed within the Imperial Citadel. This was not just a team-building game, but a way to honor and reinterpret traditional culture in a fun, modern format, while respecting space regulations.
2. Historical awareness: In Quang Tri, we designed a crossword challenge using real wartime history as clues. This educational game encouraged deeper engagement and reverence for the site – a far cry from casual sightseeing.
Economic responsibility – Supporting local, the right way
Responsible travel is not just about protecting what we see – it’s also about empowering those who live there. On this journey, we were intentional about where we spent, who we supported, and how we contributed to the local economy.
What responsible travel practices did we follow?
1. Buy local, eat local: From handicrafts to foods and beverages, we consciously chose community-run stalls, family-owned eateries, and cooperatives over convenience chain stores. Every purchase became a vote of support for small-scale entrepreneurs.
2. Story-first marketing: As amateur content creators, we took photos and videos with consent, always asking before we documented someone’s face or space. Our goal was not just to capture visuals, but to tell the stories behind them – stories that support community identity and tourism appeal at the same time.
At the core of economic sustainability is fairness and dignity. This trip reminded everyone of us at Travel Sense Asia that giving back doesn’t always mean charity. Sometimes, it simply means paying fairly, tipping generously, and choosing thoughtfully.
Final Thoughts on Our Responsible Travel Practices
This company trip in Central Vietnam was a turning point for us at Travel Sense Asia. More than ever, we understand that responsible travel isn’t something we do once a year – it’s something we must live and model every day, with every tour we design and every traveler we guide. It’s why we’re proud to be working towards full certification with Travelife.
In a world where tourism can often be extractive or careless, we choose a different path that preserves, respects, and empowers. And we walk that path not as trend followers, but as committed professionals who know that the future of travel depends on what we do now.
