Why Slow Travel Is The Smart (And Responsible) Way To Travel

A look at what slow travel really means, highlighting its sustainable qualities and showing how experiencing local communities and cultures in an unhurried and immersive way, can offer connection at a deeper level.

From the Grand Tour of the 18th century aristocracy, to the package holidays boom and the Hippy Trail of the 70s, the way we travel has evolved significantly over the years. Nowadays, with greater awareness of the importance of sustainability, the concept of slow travel is gaining popularity.

What is slow travel?

The origin of slow travel can be attributed to the slow food movement, which was born in Italy in the 1980s. The slow food movement was a response in protest against fast food and the opening of McDonald’s first outlet in Rome.

The aim of this now global movement was to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions, counteract the rise of fast life, and reignite people’s interest in the food they eat.

Now take these principles and transfer them to the travel industry and you have the slow travel movement.

Slow travel aims to encourage travellers to take a step back from their bucket lists and embrace the local culture and the local communities. Slow travel is an immersive experience that allows you to connect and experience a destination at a deeper level.

This applies to travellers whether they are on holiday for a week in a destination, or whether they are travelling long term while working remotely teaching English online or doing other remote jobs.

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What are the benefits of slow travel?

Slow travel is more sustainable

Slow travel or slow tourism is the basis of responsible travel, and therefore, the most sustainable option. The obvious benefit is that you can reduce the environmental impact of your trip by sticking to exploring one destination, instead of whizzing around multiple places.

By staying in one place for longer, you also get to live like a local, to become part of the local community, and to contribute to the local economy.

It creates more meaningful experiences

When you get to know a destination well, you get to experience the local culture and local communities at a much deeper level. This deeper travel gives you the opportunity to have more meaningful experiences and create memories that you will treasure for a long time.

You make stronger connections

Because you are spending longer than a day or two in one destination, it’s easier to immerse yourself into the local way of life. That way you get the opportunity to create stronger connections with local people, the place itself and the local culture.

It gets you out of your comfort zone

Slow travel will likely throw a few challenges your way that you’ll have to overcome. From having to communicate in a different language, to adjusting to different cultural customs, or trying local delicacies you would never even consider back home. It will push you to get out of your comfort zone, but it will be so worth it!

It is more affordable

As you are not moving from place to place as much, you can save a ton of money on transport. And not only that, by staying longer in a destination you can get longer-term accommodation on sites like Airbnb and Booking.com, which is always cheaper than changing every couple of nights.

You can say goodbye to ‘travel burnout’

Do you know that feeling of getting home from a trip and needing a holiday to recover? That is ‘travel burnout’ and it’s real. When you try to see and do as much as possible in a short period of time it can be exhausting, so it often ends up being a negative experience. Throw out the bucket list and embrace the pace of the local culture!

How to ‘slow travel’

Spend longer in a destination

This is the obvious way to do it. And the best way to be able to do this is by getting a job that allows you to travel for longer and at your own pace. A lot of travellers and digital nomads choose to go down the route of getting TEFL certified and teaching English online.

You can get the TEFL certificate by taking a 120-hour online course where you can learn how to teach online or abroad. As it’s online, you can take the course at your own pace from home before you set off on your travels, or even while you are on the road.

The TEFL Org is the most experienced and accredited TEFL course provider in the UK, and once you complete the course, you receive your certificate.

The course is normally £319, but TEFL Org are currently offering a 50% discount to my readers, so that makes it only £159.50! All you have to do is enter my discount code: ‘BROGANABROAD’.

Book your discounted TEFL Course
with my 50% off discount code ‘BROGANABROAD’

When in Rome, do as the Romans do

Get to know people who live in the destination and get the inside scoop from them. Find out where they love to hang out, their favourite places to eat, and any other tips for getting to know your temporary home.

Visit local markets and find out about what local food you can try and cook yourself at home, or try your local cafe and join your neighbours for breakfast or lunch. There are a lot of ways you can immerse yourself and become part of the local community.

Don’t overplan

It’s good to have some sort of rough plan when visiting a new destination, but don’t overdo it by trying to tick off a long list of sights and activities. I’ve done this myself and it’s draining, you miss out being in the moment, and over time you will forget a lot of those experiences. 

The ones you will remember the most are those that happened unexpectedly. So leave a few things up to chance and you will have much more enriching adventures.

Embrace discomfort

When I say discomfort, I’m not talking about physical discomfort or roughing it up. I am referring to pushing your own boundaries and putting yourself in situations out of your comfort zone. Use your travels as a chance for personal growth.

Whether it’s haggling in a Moroccan souk, or staying in an agriturismo in Italy where you have to socialise with locals, saying yes to opportunities will open the doors to experiences that you would have never imagined.

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Disclosure: This post has been created in partnership with TEFL Org. As always, all views are my own.