Traveling is natural and healthy. Tourism? Not so much.

These days, “tourist” has become a dirty word and with good reason. It has an almost colonialist ring to it. Tourists go somewhere because they have the time and disposable income to do so, often just to entertain themselves. Meanwhile, the planet is literally burning, the climate is changing, and inequalities are growing. At best, tourism exploits local culture; at worst, it erases it entirely. It is a form of mass consumption and it’s destroying the very places it attracts. All of this to say that to be a tourist and to be a traveler are not inherently the same thing.

That’s precisely why DON’T BE A TOURIST members forgo the renowned landmarks, tourist meccas, when they travel. Instead, they seek out the hidden gems frequented almost exclusively by locals.