Staying informed, respecting others, and practicing responsible travel will be essential as the Golden State reopens.
How to Travel Responsibly in California During COVID-19 Recovery
Kind Traveler joins Visit California in its call for safe and responsible travel throughout the state this summer and beyond. We support the Responsible Travel Code asking visitors to travel with RESPECT by committing to seven best practices when exploring the Golden State:
- Roam Responsibly
- Educate Myself
- Safety First
- Preserve California
- Embrace Community
- Celebrate Culture
- Teach Others
A Responsible California
The code marries the imperative to travel safely amid the coronavirus pandemic with California’s ongoing effort to encourage visitors, tourism industry partners and Californians to create a sustainable and respectful environment for all. As the code’s preamble pinpoints, “Respect is the key to keeping each other safe and all of California’s precious and fragile beauty protected, today and tomorrow.” The code is published on the newly launched VisitCalifornia.com as part of the Responsible Travel Hub, found at visitcalifornia.com/respect.
Travel Kindly in California
The tenants of Visit California’s Responsible Travel Code are reflective of Kind Traveler’s mission: to empower travelers to positively impact local communities and the environment in the destinations they visit. Through Kind Traveler’s Give + Get booking model, travelers unlock exclusive rates and perks upon a $10 nightly donation to a locally designated charity, or to a charity of choice.
As a California-based public benefit corporation with more than 30 Kind Hotels in California and 19 California-based charities working to preserve California, celebrate culture, and drive community impact, Kind Traveler is honored to provide a diverse and innovative set of responsible travel offerings for safe and sustainable travel in California.
Helping Communities Heal
A $10 nightly donation to California-based charities, from San Francisco, Sonoma County, Los Angeles, Orange County, Palm Springs, and more, will go a long way when booking hotels with Kind Traveler in advancing community impact and environmental sustainability.
For example, in Sonoma County, a $10 donation to Redwood Empire Food Bank will provide 20 meals to individuals in need. As another example, a $10 donation to Russian Riverkeeper will help clean 250 lbs. of trash out of the Russian River. Find more inspiration on the positive impact you can make in Sonoma County with Kind Traveler through an innovative sustainable travel initiative launched with Sonoma County Tourism.
Related: Do More Than Travel in Sonoma County
When it comes to visitor safety, Sonoma County Tourism encourages visitor safety through its new Safe Travels Promise, a set of guidelines to protect the wellbeing of the local community and visitors.
Reopening for Leisure Travel
“The tenets of our Responsible Travel Code speak to both preserving California and to the safety of our communities and visitors as the state begins to reopen for leisure travel,” said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California. “We hope this code can serve as a quick resource for travelers on how to stay safe and be respectful of others and of the environment when visiting the state.”
The coronavirus crisis has devastated California’s tourism industry, bringing leisure travel to a halt for three months. However, new state public health guidelines, which went into effect June 12, allow counties to open for leisure travel, provided health benchmarks are met and social distancing and sanitizing protocols are adopted.
Plan Ahead
Visitors should always plan ahead for any closures related to the pandemic and check the websites of local tourism boards. While there will be a few new precautions to take, visitors should be excited to travel again and enjoy its diverse communities, natural wonders, and endless coastline that make California like no other destination.
Discover more inspiration on how travelers can #TravelKindly in California and beyond on Kind Traveler and don't forget to #RespectCalifornia by embracing the principles of Visit Calfornia's RESPECT code.
Photo Credit: Visit California, Sonoma County Tourism
Kind Traveler CEO, Jessica Blotter, is a kindness curator who dreams of a world where people, animals, and the environment are treated with love and compassion. Follow her to discover where kindness can take you and insights on what it means to travel kindly.