More than 1 billion people travel the world every year.
While travel itself is a life-changing experience, the way we travel matters. The choices we make along the way can affect both the people and the places we visit.
If you consider the numbers behind this fact, it becomes clear that we should strive for responsible travel practices and be a force for positive change.
“Education is the first step for people to gain the knowledge, critical thinking, empowerment and skills they need to make this world a better place.”
Every new adventure is an opportunity to benefit local communities and protect the environment of our destinations. But the first step is always an education.
So what exactly is sustainable tourism?
What is Sustainable Tourism?
Sustainable tourism is a concept that may include the entire travel experience, but we can focus our efforts toward the following three pillars of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental issues.
This term is directly linked to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the goal is to reduce the negative impact of tourism, one of the fastest-growing industries, on the environment and local communities.
The UNWTO defines sustainable tourism as:
“…tourism that leads to the management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems.”
Or in other words:
“…development which meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future.”
Similar terms such as responsible tourism, eco-tourism, humane tourism, and green tourism, refer to the practices that lead to sustainable tourism.
Responsible tourism: Responsible Tourism is about "making better places for people to live in and better places for people to visit." It requires everyone involved to take responsibility and implement actions to make tourism more sustainable.
Eco-tourism: The International Ecotourism Society defines eco-tourism as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserve the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education”. It is often seen as the alternative for mass tourism.
Humane tourism: Humane tourism is another branch of responsible tourism that includes the local population of tourist destinations. It empowers local communities of developing countries through travel-related businesses.
Green tourism: Green tourism is the oldest of these terms. It has gained a somewhat bad reputation over the years, because it can often enable hospitality businesses to market themselves as environmentally friendly without practicing sustainability.
All these terms have been used interchangeably and have similar, short-term goals that promote the sustainable development of the travel industry.
Sustainable tourism is a broader and better-defined concept with long-term goals to emprove our travel practices and meet sustainable development goals.
Post Pandemic Travel Trends/Sustainable Tourism Boost
Dubrovnik, Croatia/Venice, Italy
Before the pandemic, the mass tourism trend exploited popular travel destinations. Valuable architectural and natural sites degraded to Instagram spots, and local communities, businesses, and infrastructure suffered.
An average of 1.4 billion people travel across the globe every year, and this number is growing exponentially. Such a large number of people focusing on a few popular destinations is causing problems in those areas. The obvious example of this phenomenon is Venice, with an incredible 20 million visitors per year. This is a devastating number of visitors for such a fragile city with undeniable cultural importance.
Flora and fauna are usually the first to suffer, which in some cases leads to the destruction of entire ecosystems, such as coral reefs, and uncontrolled accumulation of waste. This created an environmental problem we have to deal with now and long into the future.
In some cases, the impacts of mass tourism were so influential that it forced residents to leave their homes and find more peaceful places to live. As a Dubrovnik native, I witnessed these events firsthand that turned the Adriatic beauty into a ghost town abandoned by locals.
The Covid-19 pandemic opened our eyes to these problems as we experienced relief from over-tourism. This short, quiet period provided a glimpse of what the world would look like without fossil fuels and with more space for the natural world to thrive.
Due to the reduction in travel during the pandemic, our footprint softened so much that seismologists detected lower vibrations from cultural noise. People with respiratory conditions experienced reduced symptoms, the smog belts over some places reduced significantly, and global green gas discharges were reduced by 7%, the biggest annual fall ever recorded.
But once lockdown measures eased down and traffic surged back, so did the air pollution. It is now more important than ever to address these problems and take action.
The latest travel trends reports show a positive shift in the attitude toward the sustainability of travel.
According to Sustainable Travel Report by Booking.com, 83% of those surveyed think sustainable travel is vital, with 61% saying the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably in the future. 72% of global travelers believe that people have to act now to save the planet for future generations.
It looks like the pandemic has been the tipping point for travelers to commit to their sustainable journey.
How to Travel Sustainably
Understanding what sustainable tourism means is the first step toward better travel. More important is our ability to translate this knowledge in to better practices.
Let’s explore how we can travel in more meaningful ways.
Unknown Destinations
It is easy to google the top 10 trending destinations and choose one of them for your next trip. However, by doing more thorough research, it is possible to find lovely, hidden spots and avoid over-visited tourist traps.
“Planning and anticipating a trip can be almost as enjoyable as going on the trip itself.” National Geographic
In reality, many ‘bucket list’ destinations don’t live up to expectations. Especially not during high seasons when these places are overcrowded and overpriced, and opportunists are looking for unsuspecting tourists to take advantage of. This way of travel usually lowers the quality of the experience and leaves people with mixed feelings about the value of their trip.
By visiting less-known places, such as smaller towns or rural areas, you can avoid crowds and spread the benefits of tourism to other communities that might need it more. Remember that sustainable travel is not only concerned with the environment, but also with leaving leaving a positive impact on the cultures, economies, and communities of your destination.
Visiting less-known destinations contribute to a more authentic, meaningful, and fulfilling travel experience.
Another great way to travel responsibly but still visit your favorite locations is by traveling outside of the busy season.
Slow Travel
Instead of planning shorter trips to several different locations, consider taking one long vacation.
Hopping around from one place to another doesn’t allow you to get to know the destination, and it can be stressful, as well. Sure, you may check one more box on your bucket list and take some great Instagram pics, but you won’t experience the charm of the place, or its people and culture.
Slow travel provides a more meaningful travel experience, benefits the local community, reduces your carbon footprint, creates deeper connections, and lets you rest and reset more completely.
Better Transportation
Transportation makes up a substantial part of tourism’s carbon footprint, so the way we travel
between places matters.
Compared to other forms of transport, flying produces the most carbon per passenger. If you have to take a flight to get to your destination, always try booking direct flights since they’re more efficient and save your time as well.
Driving beats flying from a carbon footprint perspective, but it also has obvious environmental impacts.
Once you arrive at your destination, walk or bike whenever possible. These options are not only most sustainable, but they are also beneficial to your health.
Using public transport instead of flying or driving is also a better choice. That said, the best transport options will vary from one destination to another. For example, trains in the Netherlands are powered by 100% wind energy. Research different transportation options at your destination to make informed decisions and travel sustainably.
According to booking.com, these are the world’s best cities for sustainable transport.
Water and Energy Efficiency
In addition to the transportation needs, demand for electricity and water, also puts a lot of pressure on the local infrastructure.
Tourists typically consume more water and energy than locals, and many destinations struggle to keep pace with the demand.
As a traveler, you can reduce your footprint by simply turning off the lights, electronics, and AC when not in use. You can also take shorter showers instead of baths to help save the water supplies of your destination.
Support Local Businesses
After the negative impact the pandemic had over the past years, supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs is more relevant than ever.
By spending your money locally, you help small businesses to recover and grow. The money stays in the local economy, which benefits the entire community.
Here are some of the ways to keep your money in the local economy:
Stay in locally owned accommodations, and book them directly
Visit local restaurants and cafes
Eat local cuisine
Shop in local farmers' markets
Buy locally made gifts to take home as souvenirs
Buy art from local artists
Leave reviews for accommodations you have stayed at
Interact with and support local businesses on social media
Book Sustainable Accommodations
Consider the following factors when looking for sustainable accommodations:
Supports the local economy
Has minimal environmental impact
Takes care of its community
Many businesses label themselves as green, eco, sustainable, etc. but do little to implement it in practice.
This phenomenon has been around since the 1980s when environmentalist Jay Westerveld named it ’greenwashing’. In his critical essay inspired by the irony of the save the towel movement, he criticized the hotel industry for promoting the reuse of towels as part of their ‘environmental strategy’.
If a self-proclaimed ‘sustainable’ accommodation business doesn’t offer proof of its sustainable practice, those claims are probably false.
The legitimate, sustainable accommodations will provide detailed information of their sustainable practices on their websites and in their booking information.
Some of the most sustainable options out there don’t even market themselves as such. Usually, these are places in small towns, islands, and rural areas where sustainability is the lifestyle rather than a concept that needs to be emphasized.
Search for accommodations that contribute to sustainable tourism, whether they market themselves as such or not.
You can go beyond marketing and look for specific information about their practices. Communicate directly with your future hosts, ask questions and get to know them better.
This way, you will show that you factor sustainability into your booking decision and maybe even influence another person to care about the subject more.
Immerse Yourself in the Local Community
Immerse yourself in the local community by learning about your destination first. Study the history and culture of the place, learn basic phrases in the local language (Duolingo is a great resource!), and explore the local customs and the ways of life.
One of the fun ways to learn is to read posts by travel bloggers who have already visited the place.
Travel blogs exist thanks to travel enthusiasts who have put a lot of effort and love into sharing their travel stories with you. They are all different, deeply personal, and diverse in writing style. But most importantly, they offer honest, first-hand perspectives on the destination you are researching.
Another wonderful thing about travel blogs is that you can contact the writer, and they might want to connect and help.
My favorite travel blogs are the ones that go beyond sharing lists of must-have travel amenities or comparing prices of the bars and restaurants and take a more personal approach for writing. They combine travel and life stories to make the reading experience seamless, enjoyable, and educational.
“The first step in an adventure is learning about a place. But I’ve found the next (for most people) is knowing someone else who has done it. Once someone you know has done whatever it is, it’s a lot less scary, and it seems a lot more doable. After all, it’s one thing to read about a place and another to know someone who’s actually been there that’s when it becomes tangible. It’s cool to hear about the prettiness of Prague, but completely different when your best friend is the one telling you about it. I wanted to inspire people to go and see for themselves.” Of Whiskey & Words
There are many other resources to study destinations before you travel: travel forums and communities, guidebooks, social media, documentary movies, magazines, and podcasts to name a few.
There are many other resources to study destinations before you travel: travel forums and communities, guidebooks, social media, documentary movies, magazines, and podcasts to name a few.
Tripadvisor is one of the well-known travel companies that offers travel insights, recommendations, user reviews, and places and experiences to book.
In the words of one of the founders:
"We started as a site where we were focused more on those official words from guidebooks or newspapers or magazines. We also had a button in the very beginning that said, 'Visitors add your own review', and boy, did that just take off." Stephen Kaufler
Always remember that the destination you are visiting is someone’s home. By learning about it, you will understand the place and its ways better, make friends more quickly, and your travel experience will be profound.
Avoid Plastic and Single-Use Products
The slow but positive trend of rejecting single-use plastic products by companies, consumers, and governments stopped abruptly due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
As tourism slowly recovers, many travel services use disposable plastic products as a hygiene precaution. At the same time, countries lack waste management infrastructure to dispose and recycle plastic waste. Consequently, this waste ends up dumped in the environment. The results of our unsustainable use of single-use plastic products are devastating, as 12.7 million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans, each year.
Traveling offers a first-hand glimpse of how devastating the world's plastic problem is, which is why it is up to all of us to embrace sustainable travel habits (and lifestyle) and reduce our plastic footprint.
The simplest way to immediately address this problem (and look stylish while doing it) is to use your reusable water bottle while traveling. You can have the bottle with a built-in purifier for safety.
Other easy ways to avoid single-use plastic are:
Using refillable toiletry bottles
Bringing your reusable shopping bag
Using a bamboo or wooden toothbrush
Using your own headphones and blanket while flying
Bringing your own lunch box
We have to understand that the possibility to travel around the world is a privilege. With that privilege comes the responsibility to incorporate the concept of sustainability in our travel practices and raise awareness along the way.
Visit Protected Areas
Mount Rainier, Washington State, US
National parks and nature reserves receive around 8 billion visits per year generating potentially $600 billion in spending. This money funds and protects valuable areas as well as provides income to local communities.
The pandemic created problems in this sector of tourism as well. It cut the revenue stream, which placed protected areas in a delicate position. At the same time, the rise in poverty inevitably brought more illegal activities such as poaching and deforestation.
When you start planning your next trip, add at least one protected area in your destination to your list of places to visit. Be a mindful and responsible visitor and contribute by paying fees.
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