How to Support Local Businesses While Traveling

Travel gives you the opportunity to see new places, experience different cultures, and take a break from your usual routine. It also gives you the chance to make a positive impact on the communities you visit. Where you eat, shop, stay, and spend your time can directly support the people who call your destination home.

Choosing local businesses doesn’t mean you need to completely change how you travel. Small decisions throughout your trip can help you discover places you might otherwise miss while putting more of your travel budget into independent restaurants, shops, attractions, and service providers.

Here are some simple ways to support local businesses on your next trip.

Stay At Locally Owned Accommodations

Where you stay can account for a significant portion of your travel budget, making accommodations a good place to start. Look beyond large hotel chains and consider locally-owned hotels, inns, bed-and-breakfasts, cabins, or other independent accommodations.

Smaller properties can also offer a different experience than a standard hotel. Owners and staff may be able to recommend restaurants, attractions, and activities that aren’t as heavily advertised to tourists.

Before booking, research the property to determine whether it is independently owned and operated. Booking directly through the property’s website may also help the business avoid some of the fees associated with third-party booking platforms.

Eat At Independent Restaurants

Trying local food is one of the easiest—and most enjoyable—ways to experience a destination. From independent restaurants to neighborhood markets, there are plenty of ways to explore local cuisine while traveling and discover flavors that reflect the area.

Instead of relying solely on familiar chains, make room in your itinerary for independently owned restaurants, cafés, bakeries, coffee shops, and food trucks. Look for establishments that use regional ingredients or serve dishes associated with the area. You might discover a neighborhood breakfast spot, family-owned restaurant, or local bakery that becomes one of the highlights of your trip.

You can also ask residents where they like to eat. Hotel employees, shop owners, tour guides, and other locals can often point you toward worthwhile options that don’t necessarily appear at the top of popular travel guides.

Shop For Locally Made Products and Souvenirs

Souvenirs can be more meaningful when they have a connection to the place you visited. Seek out independent stores, artisan markets, farmers markets, galleries, and specialty shops rather than purchasing only mass-produced souvenirs. Depending on your destination, you may find locally made artwork, pottery, jewelry, clothing, home goods, specialty foods, or handmade gifts. These purchases support local makers while giving you something distinctive to remember your trip by.

Pay attention to where products were actually made. A shop may be locally owned without necessarily selling locally produced goods, so ask about an item’s origins if supporting local makers is important to you.

Choose Local Tours and Experiences

Your activities are another opportunity to direct your travel spending toward the local community. Look for independent guides and businesses offering walking tours, outdoor excursions, cooking classes, workshops, historical tours, and other experiences.

Supporting local businesss through food and drink experiences can be especially useful for learning more about a region. Depending on where you’re traveling, you might visit a local farm, brewery, distillery, or vineyard. A vineyard wine tasting, for example, can introduce you to locally produced wines while providing an opportunity to learn more about the people, land, and processes behind them. If you’re considering one, learning more about why you should visit a local vineyard for a wine tasting can help you understand what the experience can offer beyond simply sampling wine.

These types of activities can add variety to your itinerary while helping you connect more closely with your destination.

Visit Farmers Markets and Community Events

Before your trip, check local calendars for farmers markets, craft fairs, festivals, concerts, and community events happening during your stay. These events often bring numerous small businesses, artists, farmers, and vendors together in one place.

Supporting local businesses at farmers markets are particularly easy to incorporate into a trip. In addition to fresh produce, you may find baked goods, prepared foods, handmade products, flowers, and regional specialties. Even if you don’t have access to a kitchen, you can pick up snacks for the day or packaged products to bring home. Community events can also introduce you to neighborhoods and traditions you might not encounter by sticking exclusively to major tourist attractions.

RELATED: Farmers Market Etiquette

Explore Beyond the Main Tourist Areas

Popular tourist districts are convenient, but they aren’t always representative of the entire destination. If it’s practical and safe to do so, spend some time exploring other neighborhoods and nearby communities.

You may find independent bookstores, boutiques, restaurants, coffee shops, galleries, and entertainment venues away from the busiest attractions. Exploring different areas can also give you a broader perspective on your destination.

Research neighborhoods beforehand and consider public transportation, walking routes, or local transportation services when deciding where to go.

Book Directly When Possible

Third-party travel and booking websites can be convenient, but booking directly with a local business may be beneficial when that option is available. Once you’ve found a hotel, tour, rental, or activity you’re interested in, check whether the company accepts reservations through its own website or by phone. Direct booking can also make it easier to communicate special requests or ask questions about your reservation.

The same principle can apply to food. If you’re ordering takeout from a local restaurant, see whether the restaurant offers its own online ordering system before automatically using a third-party delivery platform.

Leave Helpful Reviews to Support Local Businesses

Supporting a local business doesn’t have to end when you leave. If you had a positive experience, consider leaving an accurate review on a platform that potential customers are likely to use.

Instead of simply saying that you enjoyed your visit, mention specific details that could help other travelers. You might highlight a dish you enjoyed, helpful service, an interesting tour, or a product you purchased. You can also follow the business on social media or recommend it to friends and family who are planning to visit the area. These actions don’t cost anything, but they can help other travelers discover businesses you’ve enjoyed.

Make Supporting Local Part Of Your Travel Routine

You don’t have to spend your entire trip avoiding national or international companies to make a difference. Supporting local businesses can be as simple as making a few intentional choices each day.

Have breakfast at a neighborhood café. Buy a gift from a local artist. Book an afternoon with an independent tour operator. Visit a farmers market or try a regional food. These small choices can also lead to some of the most memorable parts of a trip.

By intentionally supporting local businesses as part of your travel plans, you can experience more of what makes a destination unique while directing some of your travel spending toward the people and businesses that contribute to its character. The next time you’re planning a trip, look beyond the major attractions and familiar names. You may find that going local gives you a better story to bring home.