Where do I even begin a discussion about travel after what has transpired during the last two years? An activity so many Americans took for granted as a right was suddenly disrupted. The pandemic didn't entirely curtail travel, but it did make it more unpredictable. Most Americans traveled closer to home. When they did travel further afield, they stayed longer in their destination.

Things started to look up last spring with the advent of vaccines. Soon after, the rise of the Delta and Omicron variants dashed plans for international trips. We persevered through yet another period of uncertainty. And now, after our booster vaccinations, it feels like this spring is bringing a sense of renewed hope for the return of the summer vacation. 🤞

One question I think everyone should be asking themselves as they consider their return to travel is, do I really want to travel the same way I did before the pandemic? That's a question the new movie The Last Tourist can help answer.

The film explores how the travel industry can be a force for driving change and can help with alleviating critical issues our planet is facing, such as climate change and human-wildlife conflict. The movie highlights some of the community organizations and projects the tour operator G Adventures works with as examples of how for-profit tour companies can (and should) be doing more to spread traveler’s dollars in the destinations they operate within.

The biggest takeaway from the film is that we as consumers always have the ability to decide where we spend our hard earned money when we travel. As a collective, we have the power and the responsibility to use our wallet to impact change on the world around us. You can find The Last Tourist streaming now on Apple TV.

So what, then, as we enter this next era of tourism, are some of the ways you can be a better traveler? Bruce Poon Tip, Executive Producer of The Last Tourist and founder of G Adventures, shared some tips in a post-viewing Q&A with travel editor Laura Begley Bloom:

• When you're traveling in low income countries, tip drivers, waitstaff, and housekeeping generously.

• Reduce your impact on the environment: refuse housekeeping for the duration of your stay, bring your own water bottle, shut the shower off when lathering.

• Call a prospective hotel and ask what programs they have in place to hire from and support the local community. Where does their food waste go?

• Shop in local markets. Buy ethically-made, locally-made souvenirs. If you see shops in touristy areas selling virtually the same trinkets, chances are those trinkets are imported from another country.

How are you approaching your return to travel? Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear.

I was invited to the New York City screening of The Last Tourist by G Adventures. The opinions above are my own.