Hello month two of 2026!

Since TRAppe. went global, one of the most inspiring parts of our days has been speaking with local businesses around the world.

Hearing these stories first-hand is a reminder that real change in travel is
already happening on the ground. We just have to be willing to support it and do
things a little differently.

So the question is: are you willing to come get TRAppe-d with us? 😏

xoxo,
Gabby & The TRAppe. Team

In this episode of Unpacked by TTG, explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping the travel industry and questions whether AI is a threat or a powerful ally.

🎧 Share your go-to travel playlist or podcast with us. Whether it's road trip anthems or deep-dive travel stories, we want to hear and feature what fuels your adventures.

🌹 Oh la la: Paris’ Musée de la Vie Romantique is reopening on Valentine’s Day, just in time for art, literature and a dose of old-school romance.

🌲 Quiet corners: Here are some unexpected places to find peace beyond the city buzz and escape the urban noise.

🌍 Context matters: Sustainable travel isn’t one size fits all. Travelling better starts with understanding local realities, not ticking boxes.

💼 For job seekers: Cool Earth is looking for a 100% remote (UK) Digital Officer to help accelerate brand awareness in supporting Indigenous peoples and local communities in the fight against the climate crisis.

📍Algarve, Portugal
Website | Instagram | Google Maps

Ever wanted to go kayaking with biologists, environmental engineers and nature-based tourism professionals guiding the way? Benagil Eco Tours makes that possible along Portugal’s Algarve coast.

Founded in 2001 by Vítor Lopes, a local who grew up exploring these waters long before they appeared on postcards, Benagil Eco Tours was created in response to the growing pressure mass tourism places on the caves and marine life around Benagil.

Instead of speeding past on crowded motorboats, you explore sea caves and cliff-lined coastlines by kayak, learning about marine life, geology and the delicate ecosystems that shape this area. Every tour is led by certified local guides, many with scientific and environmental backgrounds, so the experience comes with real context.

The kayak tour takes travellers beyond the viewpoints and into caves, beaches and hidden corners you can only reach by sea, offering rare access most travellers miss.

In a region known for viral hotspots, Benagil Eco Tours shows that exploring with knowledge, care and respect makes all the difference.

Discover more travel businesses around the world that are kind to the planet and good to its people on our Explore page.

In this week’s What’s Hot & What’s Not, meet Erica, a full-time digital nomad, responsible travel advisor and content strategist specialising in sustainable tourism.

With firsthand experience across 45+ countries, Erica crafts personalised itineraries that prioritize authentic cultural connections and community impact while helping sustainable travel brands communicate their stories effectively. Through her work, Erica bridges the gap between conscious travelers and ethical tourism experiences, ensuring every journey leaves a positive mark on the places and people visited.

🔥 What’s Hot

Slow travel has inspired mainstream travelers and digital nomads to embrace longer stays in fewer destinations for more conscious travel. People are trading whirlwind itineraries for month-long immersions, housesitting opportunities and co-living spaces that foster genuine cultural connections, immersive experiences rather than superficial ones, and reduce environmental impact.

❄️ What’s Not

Check-list Mentality. Now, I’m not saying don’t have places you’d like to experience, but the "check the box" approach to travel, visiting destinations just to say you've been there, is giving way to intentional travel that prioritizes depth of experience over breadth of passport stamps and perpetuates a colonial mindset. Host countries are not grocery list items. Travelers want transformation and genuine cultural experiences, not just transactions. The shift is clear: travelers are rejecting surface-level, extractive tourism models in favor of meaningful engagement that respects destinations, supports communities, and creates positive impact.

Want to get featured too? Drop your details here.

Hook your friends up with Help! I’m TRAppe-d and score a free copy of our Bali e-guide! Just refer 10 people, and the guide is yours ✌🏻

Psst… want to see what all the hype’s about? Flip through the Bali e-guide preview, to get a little taste of what’s inside: 100+ curated stays, eats, and experiences that are kind to the planet and good to its people ✌🏻

Or refer just 1 buddy and gain access to our weekly updated TRAppe Travel Cheat Sheet.