Why sustainable travel matters
Sustainable travel basically means travel that seeks to meet the social, economic and environmental needs of present and future generations. It isn’t just about reducing your carbon footprint when you travel. Sustainable decisions can be woven into every part of your travel plans, not just your airline and hotels.
But why is sustainable travel so important? What impact does travel really have on the world?
WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY IN TRAVEL?
Sustainable travel is all about finding a way that global tourism can be maintained long-term without harming natural cultural environments. That means everything from the environment, the plants and creatures in it, the people and their native cultures too. It’s a way to allow tourists to travel and enjoy new places, while still protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future. More than that, sustainable travel is about valuing the environment. Looking after our natural resources and respecting local communities and cultures.
As travellers, we need to be more aware of the pollution levels caused by travel, how tourism affects local people, businesses and native culture, and what we can do to make a positive difference. The realities of climate change have inspired people to take better care of the planet we live on, and to transform their impact from a negative into a positive one. Surprisingly, the travelling that’s done sustainably is often more enjoyable too!
WHY IS SUSTAINABILITY SO IMPORTANT?
Because only by acting sustainably can we protect the world around us and keep it beautiful for centuries to come. By travelling more responsibly, we can all contribute towards the improvement of sustainability in the travel industry. At present, the travel industry, for all of it’s positives, has also paved the way for a lot of damage to the world. It’s one of the largest contributors to CO2 and greenhouse gasses producing around 5% of all global emissions. It’s also fuelled overtourism, which has wreaked havoc on the environments, culture and ecologies of popular destinations, as well as using up huge amounts of natural resources along the way.
As I mentioned earlier, sustainable travel isn’t just about the carbon footprint. It’s also about the impact travel has on the destination, its communities and culture. That’s why every sustainable choice you make is important.
WHAT CAN I DO?
Glad you asked!
Sustainable travel is an important issue for everyone to address, even if you don’t spend a lot of your own time travelling. By making more conscious travel decisions, we can all continue to experience new cultures, meet new people and see amazing places without causing harm. So, here are my top tips:
1. Plan your route:
Some destinations are more sustainable than others. I’m not saying you shouldn’t book your dream, bucket-list trip, but sometimes there are alternatives that give you the same (or a better) experience, and less affected by overtourism. Consider what’s important to you when choosing a destination so that you can find the best fit – it isn’t always the most well-known destination. Once you have your destination, it’s time to work out how to get there. Depending on where you’re going, you may have the option to fly, drive, take a train or a coach. I can help you weigh up your options and see which one is the best fit for both you and the environment.
2. Pack considerately:
Believe it or not, the weight of your luggage adds up to the carbon emissions. Packing lightly will help cut your carbon footprint, especially if you choose eco-friendly essentials when you’re packing as well. Bring your own refillable water bottle to save you money and cut down on single use plastics, and pack a canvas style shopping bag so you don’t end up with dozens of plastic bags at the end.
3. Support local:
You’ve carefully chosen your destination, so why not enjoy it to the fullest? Staying in a locally-owned eco-certified accommodation like guesthouses, B&Bs doesn’t mean you need to compromise on luxury! At the same time, it gives you the chance to really immerse yourself in the local culture. Stay local, eat local, and shop local. Buy locally made artisan gifts to take home as souvenirs that are truly unique to the place you’re visiting, instead of the same tat you can buy anywhere.
So you see, it’s all about making small changes and meaningful choices, and my job is to help you make them, and make your experience as enjoyable as possible.
As a travel agent myself I face a dilemma. On the one hand, without any efforts to stop it, global warming will mean places like New York, the Maldives and Dubai will be underwater. I’m desperate to do what I can to stop that from happening, and keeping our world safe. On the other hand, I feel a lot of guilt, since travel is a huge part of the problem, and my work does, in some way, contribute to it.
That’s why I made my goal to run a sustainable travel business, help my clients make responsible travel choices and offset the impact of their travel with other ethical decisions. The latest step in that journey is partnering with TreeSisters which I’m very excited about! Since the beginning of 2024, I have donated a percentage of every holiday sale to this incredible charity to support restoring diverse forest ecosystems and habitats, protecting critically endangered species, and funding ethical, community-led planting projects with women & community at their core.
If you would like to know more about travelling responsibly, or the impact your choices really have, give me a call and I’ll be happy to assist you in planning your next holiday that has a positive impact on the environment without compromising on luxury, and without inflating the cost.
