MISSION

We share the innate and human desire to explore the unknown. We created DON’T BE A TOURIST to empower conscious urban travel with immersive, socially aware experiences that respect the rich ultra-ecosystems that make every city unique.

OUR STORY

When DON’T BE A TOURIST Editor, Julien Lacheray, visits a new city, he feels caught between his desire to live like a local and the less comfortable reality of being a traveler. Every time he travels, he is presented with the same challenge: how to go from outsider to insider—how not to be a tourist.

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

That’s precisely why Julien forgoes the renowned landmarks, tourist meccas, when he travels. Instead, he seeks out the hidden gems frequented almost exclusively by locals. After multiple travel-oriented media ventures and having been urged by both friends and followers, Julien has decided to share his vision of what it means to travel right. DON’T BE A TOURIST empowers its users with the best addresses and tips for a truly local experience in some of the most iconic cities of the world.