As world consciousness of environmental concerns rises, there has been a growing shift towards sustainable travel. Consumers are now searching for more eco-friendly tourism options. According to Forbes, a survey found that almost six out of ten travelers prefer to stay in a hotel with environmentally friendly practices, such as eliminating single-use plastics.
Furthermore, 30% of surveyed travelers will pay more to stay at hotels with green amenities.
As part of this global shift towards sustainable travel, more businesses and travel organizations are searching for eco-friendly vacationing methods. Traveling can pose many difficulties to environmental practices due to plastic waste and high-CO2 yield transport. However, responsible travel can benefit both environmental conservation and cultural preservation.
Environmental Sustainability in Tourism
There is a rising trend in efforts worldwide to reduce waste in travel and hospitality. The World Travel and Tourism Council has announced initiatives towards sustainable tourism, with partnerships with leading associations and organizations.
Some of these efforts have been focused on hospitality, with hotels taking measures to reduce energy use, water consumption, and carbon emissions. Plastic waste has also been a focus, with many organizations eliminating single-use plastics. Other strides towards sustainability include reducing food waste in restaurants, offering vegetarian options, and providing low-impact accommodations and transport.
Cultural and Community-Based Sustainability
Tourism has the potential to support local economies and preserve cultural heritage. Part of the movement towards sustainable travel has focused on the impacts on the communities that experience tourism.
According to the World Economic Forum, cultural and heritage tourism has the potential to create employment opportunities and stimulate the local economy. However, these benefits can come with challenges, including displacing residents by increasing property values. Waste from tourists can also impact the environment in these communities.
However, responsible tourism can benefit these communities while providing an immersive experience respecting local customs. The World Economic Forum website lists several programs that have used sustainable tourism to improve the lives of local communities.
Challenges Facing the Travel Industry in Implementing Sustainable Practices
While some local projects have succeeded in obtaining sustainable travel practices that boost local economies, there are still challenges in implementing these initiatives globally. Scaling these efforts across multiple locations will be a complex task involving various organizations and countries worldwide.
To improve tourism’s sustainability, more education for travelers, staff, and partners will be required. These efforts must balance cost and convenience with sustainability to garner widespread commercial success.
Contribution to the Sustainable Travel Movement
Despite the challenges, many travel organizations have elected to meet the increasing demand for sustainable travel. One such organization is Road Scholar, a non-profit that provides educational travel experiences. Road Scholar formed a sustainability group in 2023, leading to the creation of a full-time sustainability role. Their focus areas include reducing plastic waste, managing food waste, auditing vendors, and providing cultural authenticity through education.
In addressing scalability obstacles, Road Scholar takes a holistic approach to its initiatives, focusing on the “human element.” Bryn Geddes, a spokesperson with Road Scholar, states, “We’re coming from a very holistic view to assess where we are with our programs, where we are starting, every base so that we can set these goals that are more ambitious.”
How Travelers Can Contribute to Sustainability
These efforts towards sustainability are separate from travel organizations and businesses. Vacationers who wish to travel more eco-friendly can minimize their environmental impact.
Sustainable travel can start before a trip is planned by choosing a travel provider that offers eco-friendly accommodations. The destination is also important, as some areas have experienced adverse effects from high tourism loads. Avoiding these locations can help lighten the impact. Travelers can also contribute more to local economies by supporting businesses. After the trip has started, using reusable items helps to minimize resource consumption.
The Future of Sustainable Travel
As demand for eco-friendly travel grows, more initiatives for sustainable travel have been spreading to destinations across the globe. While this trend contributes to vacationing styles that have less detrimental effects on the environment and economic benefits to local communities, these initiatives face scalability and long-term viability challenges.
To achieve sustainability goals will require collaboration between travelers, companies, and local communities. By making conscious and educated travel plans, travelers can contribute to this new global effort.
