sustainable travel program

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Position your destination as a sustainability leader by prioritizing environmentally and socially conscious tourism. For 20+ years, we’ve supported destinations in identifying innovative solutions, fostering collaboration and inclusive development, and investing in the nature, people, and culture at the heart of their tourism industry.  

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We’ve worked in over 100 destinations around the world, from tropical islands to mountain escapes. 

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Sustainable Travel Programme

Our sustainable travel programme offers you certification services that will support your sustainable management system and help you achieve your commitment to protect and conserve biodiversity, cultural heritage and improve local communities’ welfare. 

Explore our full range of services below to learn more.

Sustainable Tourism

4-week program

Seamlessly integrate sustainability.

Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a necessity. Create a sustainable foundation for your travel business in only 4 weeks.

• Avoid leaving a negative impact on destinations
• Prevent locals not benefitting from tourism
• Escape the feeling you can't make a difference

In the Sustainable Travel Program you'll learn:

Compelling reasons.

why embracing sustainability is essential.

Sustainable success strategies

at leading businesses in the tourism industry.

To develop experiences

that are unforgettable and sustainable.

Discover the four building blocks of sustainable tourism

In the Sustainable Travel Program you'll discover the four building blocks of sustainable tourism, essential for any ambitious travel business.

Dive deep into a careful selection of real-world success stories of sustainability, revealing the strategies behind their success.

Our program is designed for the busy professional, requiring just 2-3 hours of your time per week, over a span of only four weeks.

Create a sustainable foundation for your travel business

In only 4 weeks, we'll guide you from understanding sustainability benefits to developing unforgettable sustainable travel experiences.

Each week, we introduce you to a new building block of the program. Together, they form the sustainable foundation of your travel business.

By the end, you won't just know why being sustainable is important — you'll be using it in everything your business does.

Without our Sustainable Travel Program

• Risk contributing to overtourism
• Fail benefitting the local economy
• Face losing local culture and traditions
• Struggle to avoid activities that harm wildlife
• Lack of strategy to minimise negative impact

With our Sustainable Travel Program

• Create off the beaten path experiences
• Ensure locals benefit from tourism
• Contribute to preserving local culture
• Offer responsible wildlife activities
• Optimise positive environmental impact

Trusted by top travel organisations

€349,- (excl. VAT)

Start our 4-week sustainable travel program now and get:.

• Lifetime access to the Sustainable Travel Program
• Framework template with assignments
• Real-world case studies of inspirational businesses
• Feedback on your work in the program group
• Community discussion participation
• Premium library access

*Price excludes VAT, depending on where you live and whether you buy as a business.

What other travel businesses say about our programs

Brian amos memba - jomaar explores.

Very informative and encourages critical thinking. Anne & Rik are warm and they are dedicated and timely in their operations.

Immaculate Kemigisha - Terrace Uganda Safaris & Tours

The good tourism course is simply perfect. Keep it up Anne and Rik. The most interesting part for me is Method 8 that requires putting what I have learned directly into practice.The results are amazing and bookings are coming through because of one well single written article.

Harriet Ntege - SITA Tourism Foundation

The course has been very helpful and we’ve learnt a lot in regard to how to position our business, add value, reward and value every stake holder involved.

Dominic Tugume - Wildfriends Africa Safaris

The course is informative, relevant and applicable. I love it! It’s been a wonderful experience, the course method are relevant and applicable, Anne and Rik are friendly and ready to help, and the platform is user friendly.

Annette Bitarakwate - Tides Africa Safaris

Special thanks to Anne and Rik they have been very supportive. The course is very enlightening, I have learnt so so much.

Glorious Tumwesigye - Amazing Cultural Experiences

It is a very good and informative course! The team from Good Tourism Institute is very knowledgeable, courteous and always willing to guide and offer assistance.

Still have questions?

When does the program start.

You can enroll in our program at any time. When you have finalised the payment process, you are all ready to get started with the first building block. After this, every week, a new block of the 4-week program becomes available.

How long does it take me to complete the program?

Our program is designed to complete within 4 weeks. Every week, a new building block of the program becomes available. Each of the four blocks involves around 1 to 2 hours of engaging content, including articles and videos.

In addition to this, you’ll have practical assignments. The time spent on these assignments depends on your commitment and your business’s specific needs. This approach ensures that by the end of the program, you’ll not only have gained valuable knowledge but also made a real blueprint for sustainable foundation of your business.

Dedicating one week to each block, allows you not to rush yourself in the learning process. It gives you time to work on new practices and to reflect on their impact.

How long do I have access to the program?

After payment, you get lifetime access to the program. But, we’ll release a new building block of the 4-week program each week. So, you’ll have everything by the end of week 3 and can keep using it forever.

What does the program feature?

Our program content consists of:

• 4 key steps
• 21 underlying topics
• 11 educative videos
• 14 workbook assignments
• 18 real-world case studies
• 18 supporting reading materials

Do I need to be a tour operator to be benefitting from the program?

You don’t need to be a tour operator to enroll in our program and to benefit from it. Also travel agencies, activity providers, DMCs, tourism professionals and anyone within the tourism industry that operates travel experiences, will profit from the knowledge and tools provided.

Do I receive a certificate after completing the program?

Yes, after you have completed the program, you’ll receive a completion certificate.

Do you provide personal feedback on the program assignments?

No, we don’t assess the individual program assignments which means you won’t receive any personal feedback. However, you are encouraged to post your work in the community. You can discuss your work, ask for feedback and provide other travel businesses with your own feedback as well.

Do you offer coaching?

Yes, if you’re interested in personal guidance by Anne and Rik have a look at our ‘Travel success fast track’.

Explore fast track

Does it matter in what country I am based?

No, you can enroll in our online program from any destination. However, our videos are hosted on Vimeo. In some countries (such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and China) Vimeo is blocked and inaccessible. In this case you’ll need to use a VPN.

What technical requirements do I need to work on the program?

In order to access our online program platform, you’ll need a stable Wi-Fi or internet connection. For the best learning experience, we recommend you using a desktop computer or a laptop.

Does the program include live Q&A sessions?

No, the program does not include live Q&A sessions. We are however available for all your questions and encourage you to ask your questions in our community.

Pricing and payment

How do i purchase the program.

You can easily purchase our program online by following the button.

Start integrating sustainability

How much does the program cost?

The program price is €349,- (excl. VAT)

After payment, you’ll have lifetime access to the program content.

Will I be charged taxes?

Depending on where you live and whether you buy as a business, you may be charged taxes in addition to the program fee. If VAT applies, you will see it stated separately on your emailed invoice. VAT rates are calculated based on your location or the billing information you provided at the time of purchase.

What are acceptable payment methods?

You can pay with PayPal, credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro, PostePay, Cartes Bancaires) and iDeal (Dutch only) to purchase our program.

Do you provide discount vouchers?

We don’t offer individual discounts. However, we are working with tourism associations for special member discounts. If you’re a tourism association and you would like to collaborate, please address [email protected] to inquire about your options.

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How to travel better: a beginner's guide to sustainable travel in 2023 and beyond

Sustainable, green, responsible — planet-friendly ways to explore the world are more popular than ever but how do you start to make better decisions when you travel? The first step is to understand what sustainable travel is and why it’s important.

What’s sustainable travel? Sustainable travel is about travelling in a way that’s sensitive to the climate and nature emergencies while ensuring that the wellbeing of the places we visit gain long-term benefit from us travelling there. It’s a balancing act between maximising the positives of travel while reducing or eliminating the negatives.

What’s happening and why? The concentration of carbon dioxide currently in the atmosphere is well over 400 parts per million higher than at any time in at least 800,000 years — and it’s still increasing, causing global temperatures to rise. The consensus is that a rise of just 1.5C will cause dangerous warming of the planet. The stability of our world’s climate hinges on whether we can keep this small rise in global temperatures in check and time’s running out. This is the decade that counts.

How does this impact the natural world? Commensurate with the climate crisis is the nature emergency: worldwide, 1 million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction due to the intensification of agriculture and forestry, resource extraction, hunting, invasive species, urban sprawl, pollution and climate change. Yet, this is not just about the disappearance of remote rainforests or polar bears at the extremities of the planet – habitat and biodiversity loss are happening on a colossal scale in the UK, to our hedgerows and forests, our garden birds, and the fish in our seas.

What can you do about it? Being a sustainable traveller is not about making grand, one-off gestures, it’s a state of mind, an ongoing attitude to conscious adventure that influences all aspects of how we holiday, including what we pack in our luggage and how we travel out to destinations, as well as the choice of hotels and activities we take part in while we’re there.

How do I even get started? To begin with, consider packing less: travelling lighter will reduce the chances of having to dispose of items; it makes it much easier to travel around, especially on foot, by bike or on public transport; and it’s more fuel efficient — especially noticeable if you’re travelling in an electric car. A useful device for packing economically is to consider the three Rs: Reduce: What can I get away with not taking; are there items that can double up for several uses? Reuse: What can I take that I can reuse over and over again? Recycle: What can I take that can be recycled once I’ve finished using it? Try to avoid taking single-use plastic, such as bottles, bags and straws, which break down over time into tiny microplastics that enter the food chain when they’re consumed by marine wildlife and ultimately cause serious health issues for humans. Instead, pack a refillable water bottle, coffee cup, Tupperware containers for food and toiletries, and a shopping bag — it’ll be handy not just as a replacement for buying a plastic bag at a supermarket, but also when you’re out buying food and groceries at a local market.

What’s the most important change that I can make? The single more significant way to reduce the carbon emissions of travelling is to tackle the transport portion, which is often responsible for at least 70% of the carbon emissions of a holiday. The most effective way to do this is to reduce the distance travelled and to travel in a way that burns less or, even better, no fossil fuels, using more sustainable modes of transport; or by not travelling in a vehicle at all, choosing instead to travel on foot, by bike or under sail. There’s a steep difference in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by aeroplanes compared with most land-based vehicles. There are concerted efforts to decarbonise air travel using alternative fuels and methods of propulsion (such as via electricity and hydrogen), but even the most optimistic predictions support that this change is at least a decade away for most airlines. For the time being, the emissions from just one long-haul flight can be more than those caused by someone driving a standard petrol car for a whole year. Taking the train within the UK emits about six times less than flying and taking the bus emits about nine times less. In Europe, where many trains (including Eurostar) are electric, the emissions from rail travel can be as much as 10 times less than flying.

And what if I do need to fly? If you do fly, bear in mind that there’s quite a large disparity between the carbon emissions of aircraft and the operating procedures of airlines, so do use online tools such as the ‘Greener Choices’ label on the search results provided by the flight search engine skyscanner.net , which flags up those flights that have less than average emissions.

While flying continues to be such a large polluter, consider adopting a more selective approach to flying: just as with the flexitarian approach to food where you eat a mainly plant-based diet and only occasionally eat lean meat and sustainably sourced fish, a similar attitude to flying could be that you mainly travel overland and only occasionally fly, staying for longer, and making the most of the flight by choosing a positive-impact holiday that benefits nature conservation and/or genuinely benefits the wellbeing of local communities.

What does my carbon impact look like once I get to a destination? There are other factors that will affect your carbon emissions when you’re at the destination, including your choice of hotel and the food you eat. The average carbon footprint of a night in a typical hotel in the UK is about 31.1kg CO2, according to the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative, so choosing a hotel that has lower than average carbon emissions can make a significant difference to your holiday’s footprint. Thankfully it’s becoming easier to find green accommodation — keep an eye out for the green filters on specialist accommodation booking sites, such as Airbnb’s ‘off-the-grid’, Sawday’s 'Sustainable stars'   and   i-escape's 'eco rating', there are several online agencies that specialise in green accommodation, such as fairbnb.coop and myecostay.eu , and even the big online agencies, such as Booking.com , TripAdvisor and Google , now flag up eco-certified hotels in their search results. Many of these eco-certified accommodations do much more than reducing their carbon emissions, they’ll also reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill and reduce the use of chemicals and the amount of water they use.

Feasting on local, seasonal food washed down with the local tipple conveys a sense of place better than any travel brochure. It’s also much better for the environment as there are significant emissions of carbon arising from the ‘food miles’ associated with transporting food great distances. Whether it’s freshly baked bread for breakfast, salad from the local market for lunch, or the catch of the day at the nearby restaurant, choosing local isn’t just good for the planet, it’s also healthier and a great way to put money into the local community.

Where to go Some of the most colourful cities in Europe are a great choice for a green break, such as Bristol, Angers, Nantes, Zurich, Ljubljana and Copenhagen. Here, pragmatic local authorities are implementing the circular economy to create sustainable transport, housing and economic development policies that are accelerating their transition to net zero, which has the knock-on effect of improving the experience for sustainable travellers. For example, regenerative wetlands and connected green spaces help manage storm water, air quality and improve biodiversity, but also provide wonderful green sanctuaries that are great for appreciating urban nature or for just chilling out in parks and gardens across urban villages.

And how to get around? Countries that have a modern, high-speed rail infrastructure make it easy to travel with a lower carbon footprint. Switzerland has an extensive public transport network across the country (the Swiss Travel Pass provides free admission to 500 museums as well as unlimited travel on trains, bus, boat and public transport in cities), while France, Spain, Italy and Germany have impressive high-speed rail networks, particularly between major cities.

What about long haul? Further afield, some countries have made concerted efforts to include tourism in their sustainable development goals. Following decades of tree clearing for agriculture and livestock production, in the 1980s the Costa Rican government implemented policies that have halted and reversed this deforestation. Today, over half of Costa Rica’s land is covered by forest, compared to just 26% in 1983, allowing it to make the most of the biodiversity in its rainforests and pioneer the concept of ecotourism, developing small-scale, high-end eco lodges that have contributed to the conservation of its rainforests. Guyana, too, is developing community-based ecotourism to fund the protection of its rainforests. Lodges such as Iwokrama River Lodge , Rewa Eco-Lodge and Surama Eco-Lodge enable visitors to enjoy the country’s incredible biodiversity, while contributing to its conservation and to the livelihoods of remote communities.

Where can I look for more information? Richard Hammond is a sustainable travel expert and founder of Green Traveller and the author of The Green Traveller: Conscious Adventure That Doesn’t Cost the Earth (£18.99, Pavilion).

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Best Practices For A Sustainable Travel Program

5 ways to get sustainability right in your travel program.

As people everywhere become committed to more sustainable leisure and corporate travel, companies are exploring ways to evolve their travel programs to honor the sentiment of their employees and achieve their corporate social responsibility goals.

If the above rings true for your business, you may be asking what next? How does your business start working to leverage employee culture, industry partnerships, and corporate social responsibility programs to shape business travel programs? One place to start: partner with a travel management company (TMC) that reflects your company's values.

At Egencia, we operate as a carbon-neutral company. We offset our entire company footprint through tree planting and our support for sustainable tourism programs. Our own challenging green goals are a big driver for us and help us when it comes to understanding and supporting yours.

Once your TMC is in place, you can start working on creating a more sustainable travel program. Here's how:

5 steps to creating a more sustainable business travel program

• Don't be an island: Create a sustainability team

People across your company have a stake — and likely an interest — in building a more sustainable program. First, make sure you invite people from the following departments to get involved: travel, HR, security, purchasing, and communications. Schedule meetings to work together on deciding short, and long-term goals and work out how you'll hit them.

• Build sustainable travel into your policies

Now, you can reset your travel policies with the help of your sustainability team. Consider your green goals at every turn and ask yourself if your current policies are really getting you closer to them.

Look at the following areas of your program:

• Limit the number of travelers per trip to reduce your carbon footprint and ask for more meetings per trip to help your travelers make the most of their time on the road
• Limit the number of trips per month, per traveler
• Promote the use of public transport
• Encourage the use of e-ticketing and apps to avoid paper waste
• Ask your travelers to pack lighter luggage to reduce their environmental impact
• Air: Encourage travelers to book direct flights
• Hotel: Add custom locations and preferred hotels on your booking tool
• Rail: Ask travelers to consider rail before air for short trips
• Car rental: Encourage the use of hybrid or electric cars

If you're already one of our customers, don't forget to flag the above preferences with a tag on Egencia. That way, you can communicate your policies and help your travelers make more sustainable choices.

• Build the right supplier mix

The right supplier mix can help you smash your business' environmental goals. It's important to ask and understand what your travel suppliers are doing to support sustainable travel. Then consider how they may impact or improve your program's own sustainability aims.

Take these tips:

• Work with the Egencia consulting team to create and implement a Sustainable Hotel Program
• Define a supplier scoring system : Ask targeted questions in your next hotel RFP, or use the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) ranking to identify local transport opportunities
• Map your preferred airlines, accounting for a high DJSI rank, CO2 reporting, and compensation
• Shift to trains and local transport options like trams and subways
• Choose rental car providers with hybrid and electric vehicles
• Focus on reporting

The CO2 dashboards in Egencia Analytics Studio help our customers monitor their travel program's carbon footprint. The dashboard data is key to understanding performance and measuring sustainability success.

"The Egencia CO2 dashboard is brilliant for us. It gives us visibility of our carbon impact, and the footprint we have as a business. It helps us to understand and educate our travelers as well. We want to educate travelers on the impact of flying long haul business class, first-class, or economy. We've all got to play a part in the fight against climate change, and the dashboard gives us data we can use to influence and change behaviors." 

— Michael McSperrin, global head of facilities and support services, Alexander Mann Solutions

Define the KPIs for your program's policies so you can track your progress:

• Travel policy : Use the points from section two (above) to set specific, measurable goals and determine how you'll decide if they've been successful
• Suppliers : Use part three (above) to measure whether your travelers are frequently using the sustainable suppliers you've suggested, shifting from air to rail, and choosing green car rentals
• Traveler well-being: Include features like number of days per trip, night flights taken, and mileage used
• Encourage sustainable traveler and arranger behavior

Inform your travelers about any changes to your travel program and help train them to become eco-responsible travelers. Don't forget to ask for their ideas here too; you could have a passionate sustainability expert in your organization and not even realize.

Follow these tips:

• Promote responsible consumption, e.g., avoid waste, use plastic alternatives, recycle and reuse
• Include and promote sustainable policies within your company's culture
• Monitor and reward sustainability performance

Getting started  

From defining your goals to supporting the right behaviors, you should now have enough information to start creating a more sustainable business travel program. Start by getting your green team together to make the most of everyone's insights and ideas. Then, make sure your partners are working just as hard as you. As McSperrin said, "We've all got to play a part in the fight against climate change." Find out more about Egencia CO2 workspaces , discover the truth behind some common misconceptions about sustainable travel, and learn how avoid them.

Find out more about sustainable business travel

Looking for better business travel solutions? Get in touch with us.

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Sustainable Travel: It’s Not Just About the Environment

A look at tours and programs that address the impact travelers have on the communities they visit.

By Elaine Glusac

The term “ sustainable travel ” has a green glow to it, connoting eco-friendly practices and environmental responsibility. But the human side of sustainability, as defined by the World Tourism Organization , addresses community impact, both social and economic, and is newly gaining traction among travel companies.

Social impact travel aims to ensure money spent on a tour or a trip stays in the community. A vital source of income to developing nations, travel is the first or second source of export earnings in 20 of the 48 least developed countries, according to the W.T.O., yet a 2013 report from the organization noted that just $5 of every $100 spent in a developing country stayed in that destination.

“There’s a lot of people who think ‘eco-tourism’ when they hear ‘sustainable tourism,’ but that’s a piece of the puzzle,” said Kelley Louise, the executive director of the Impact Travel Alliance , an industry nonprofit organization that focuses on sustainable travel. “Sustainability has a positive impact not only on the environment, but the culture and the economy of the destination you’re visiting.”

Among new developments, the Jordan Tourism Board created the Meaningful Travel Map of Jordan in March, highlighting 12 social enterprises in the country, including a Bedouin camp stay, a women’s weaving group and village tours that support local entrepreneurs. Last fall, the tour company Collette launched Impact Travel Tours , which spend half of the time sightseeing and the other half visiting community-based improvement projects. Earlier this year, the safari company andBeyond launched philanthropic-focused itineraries in Tanzania , Kenya and South Africa .

Organizations promoting social impact travel aim to emphasize not just big do-good trips, but to educate travelers about their smallest decisions, such as eating at a locally owned restaurant.

“Every time you have a meal, get accommodations or do activities, you can have a positive impact just by traveling,” said Paula Vlamings, the chief executive of Tourism Cares , a nonprofit organization representing the tourism industry that, among other programs, trains Good Travels advisers, travel agents who specialize in socially responsible travel experiences. “Leaving money in the community is such an important way to have a huge impact. The ripple effect, particularly for women, girls and the environment, demonstrates the power of travel.”

Some sustainable trips are priced like luxury vacations, a fact that prompted the 2015 launch of Giving Way , a platform linking volunteers directly with nongovernmental agencies, cutting out intermediaries that link the two.

“Volunteering should be accessible to everyone, not just a rich man’s privilege,” said Orit Strauss, the founder and chief executive of Giving Way, which now works with nearly 1,900 organizations in more than 115 countries. About half are free and the other half charge nominal fees to cover food and lodging. Activities range from working on an organic farm in Costa Rica to mentoring youth in rural South Africa.

Assessing the claims of a social impact travel company requires asking where the money goes. “That information isn’t readily available now,” said Salli Felton, of the nonprofit Travel Foundation , which tests programs that benefit local communities. “What’s critical is tracing the impact. If customers ask, they’ll start doing it. If they can’t answer that question, that should be a red flag.”

Doing good doesn’t require traveling through multiple time zones or long stays. New initiatives like Kind Traveler , which launched in 2016, aim to make each trip, however short, an opportunity to improve local lives. The hotel booking website offers discounted rooms to users who make a $10 donation to a charity affiliated with the hotel. Hotels are vetted for their sustainable practices, including environmental and community impacts. The company now offers hotels in 30 destinations in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica and the Caribbean and plans to add hotels in Aspen, Colo., Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Va., this spring.

Day trips that take place in communities often give back to them. Ninth Ward Rebirth Bike Tours in New Orleans, for example, donates $5 of its $65 fee to local charities. Oyster hauling or crabbing with Virginia Watermen Heritage Tours provides a secondary source of income to fishermen in a string of coastal communities. The tour booking site Visit.org allows users to search for experiences by interests, including women’s empowerment and human rights.

When it launched its Experiences tours in 2016, Airbnb added social impact programs; 100 percent of the fees go to nonprofits and entrepreneurs highlighted in each tour. They may include an outing in Venice with the founder of a community garden, a LGBTQ history tour of New York with an activist or an experience making notebooks in Prague with the founder of a nonprofit that works with artisans challenged by mental and physical disabilities.

For those who have the time, tour operators offer myriad ways to contribute to social causes.

It’s not uncommon for safari companies in Africa to add community tours to their itineraries, often to show off how they’re spreading the wealth locally via education and health care. This year, andBeyond introduced Travel With Purpose trips, which spend more time visiting conservation and community projects based on the interests of millennial travelers interested in philanthropy.

“Only when you actually get your hands proverbially dirty by rolling up your sleeves and engaging in these projects and initiatives can you really learn and understand the issues and how we can make an impact, however small,” wrote Joss Kent, chief executive of andBeyond, in an email.

Many high-end tour operators such as Audley Travel and Scott Dunn partner with Me to We , the travel arm of the We Charity devoted to sustainable development, to offer social impact trips. African Travel, Inc. offers ME-to-WE Adventure to Kenya (four days from $2,195) in a Maasai Mara community, including learning traditional beading and helping to build a school. Me to We executives say half of its net profits go to the charity.

At Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort in British Columbia, guests can pay to attend its 10-day May guide school alongside resort guides. For each paying traveler, the resort will sponsor training for an indigenous youth from the area. The program, launched this year, is already sold out, but the lodge plans to offer it again in 2019 (5,000 Canadian dollars, or about $3,910).

Village Ways , named best tour operator in the poverty reduction category in 2017 by Responsible Travel , a travel agency that specializes in sustainable travel, guides trips in Bhutan, India and Nepal that focus on village life. New this year, the company will offer trips with the Anwals , migratory shepherds in the Indian Himalayas, walking with them for two days as they drive their sheep to the high meadows. The rest of the time, guests walk from village to village, staying in local guesthouses (10 days from £1,052, or about $1,480).

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Sustainable travel coalition.

U.S. Travel is championing industry actions and uniting industry leaders to advance strategies that enable more sustainable travel. By bridging the travel, transportation and travel technology sectors, we are aligning the industry and fostering greater cooperation to generate meaningful progress on sustainability priorities.

About the coalition.

With more than 70 members, U.S. Travel’s Sustainable Travel Coalition identifies the sustainability issues vital to members’ organizations and destinations and highlights opportunities for travel businesses and consumers throughout the travel ecosystem.

Coalition members help define and shape industry priorities and engage lawmakers at critical moments in public policy debates. By bringing together a broad coalition of travel, transportation, technology and outside industry partners behind a common agenda, the Coalition will strengthen industry advocacy to achieve impactful sustainability policy over the next decade. 

Coalition members were instrumental in the launch of Journey to Clean—Responsible. Sustainable. —a new website from U.S. Travel that champions industry actions shaping a more sustainable future for travel.

PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY

Coalition eligibility: U.S. Travel Chairman's Circle, Board Circle and Association Board Circle member levels. Please contact our membership team for more information on joining the Coalition. 

KEY RESOURCE LINKS

Erik Hansen

Senior Vice President of Government Relations

202-408-2184

Explore the world, sustainably

We travel to satisfy our curiosity. To discover something new and make connections. Our travel experiences are essential to who we are.

TRAVEL IMPACTS OUR CLIMATE

It’s time to think about how our travel impacts the world around us

Greenhouse gas emissions, sometimes called carbon emissions or CO2e (carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas equivalents), include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and others.

From Nature

From Nature and IEA

CLIMATE-FRIENDLY CHOICES

The way we plan our travel has the power to make a change

COLLECTIVE ACTION

50% of travelers are making more climate-friendly travel choices

From Booking.com

Our travel choices, together with changes in the industry, help build a climate-friendly future

Flying for two hours instead of six saves about 65% emissions per passenger

Emissions are calculated per passenger. So the more passengers a flight has, the smaller each passenger’s share of the flight’s emissions.

• Where to go
• How to get there
• Where to stay

Choose where to go

CLIMATE-FRIENDLY DESTINATIONS

Explore nearby

Local adventures

Explore what’s around you. Visit a local museum or park you’ve never been to.

Nearby trips

When planning your next trip, consider traveling shorter distances. Explore a neighboring city, state, or country.

Further away

When visiting somewhere further away, travel direct or go less often to reduce your travel time

Choose how to get there

CLIMATE-FRIENDLY TRANSPORT

Alternatives to flying

When burning fuel, planes produce carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas equivalents (CO2e). Flying less, or not at all, means you avoid these emissions. This reduces the impact that your travel has on the environment.

Catch a train or bus

Short-haul flights are especially inefficient. Consider replacing shorter flights with a train or bus ride. Over a similar distance, trains and buses produce less emissions than planes because they burn less fuel. Electric trains or buses that use carbon-free energy sources are especially climate-friendly because they don’t burn fossil fuels.

Take a road trip

Compared to taking a bus, driving causes more emissions per person because a car carries fewer passengers. Even so, driving with passengers is a more climate-friendly travel choice than flying.

4 kg CO2e 4 kg CO 2 e CO2e stands for “carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas equivalents”. CO2e is a unit of measurement for emissions. It bundles together the impact of all applicable greenhouse gases and non-CO2 effects. × Per passenger traveling 100 km

19 kg CO2e 19 kg CO 2 e Per passenger traveling 100 km

25 kg CO2e 25 kg CO 2 e Per passenger traveling 100 km

From Our World in Data

The less fuel a transport mode burns and the more passengers it carries, the lower its environmental impact per passenger

Compare flight options

When traveling further away, it’s not always possible to avoid flying. but, consider which flights you take – some flights pollute less than others..

Choose Economy

Consider fuel efficiency

Contribute to the climate

Compare emissions for flights

Distance flying shorter distances typically burns less fuel, reducing the flight’s emissions ×, stops making fewer stops typically burns less fuel, reducing the flight’s emissions ×, cabin class the less space your seat takes up, the lower “your share” of the flight’s emissions ×.

Emissions are measured in CO2. CO2 stands for carbon dioxide. Emissions values are representative and do not reflect exact itineraries. Learn more about how emissions are estimated

Tree and electricity conversions from: EPA .

• Electricity

Aircraft features that affect emissions

Aircraft efficiency

Modern planes are more fuel-efficient than older models. Improved fuel-efficiency reduces a flight’s emissions.

Seating density

Seating density varies by plane type and airline. The more seats a plane has, the lower each passenger’s share of the flight’s emissions.

A CLIMATE-FRIENDLY FUTURE

In addition to the choices we make, many travel companies are committing to climate-friendly practices

As train providers invest in new rail infrastructure, expand their routes, or commit to using carbon-free energy, climate-friendly travel becomes easier.

Airlines continue to invest in fuel-efficient aircraft or efficient seating configurations to lower their environmental impact. Some donate to projects that remove carbon dioxide from the air, while others invest in sustainable aviation fuel research.

Travel providers

More and more accommodations and online travel agencies are committing to climate-friendly practices. You can usually find their pledges online.

Choose where to stay

CLIMATE-FRIENDLY PLACES TO STAY

SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES

Sustainability practices & eco certifications

Accommodations identify these practices as opportunities to reduce their environmental impact, energy efficiency.

Water conservation

Waste reduction.

Sustainable sourcing

Recognized eco certifications.

Accommodations can also gain eco certifications. To be recognized as eco-certified on Google, certifications must be verified by independent organizations.

How is Google helping?

SUSTAINABLE WITH GOOGLE

INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTIONS

CLIMATE-CONSCIOUS TRAVEL

GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS

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• Sustainability program evolution FAQs

We’ve always prioritized providing clear, transparent, and easily accessible information for our travelers. Incoming regulations are helping set the framework for sustainability standards and communications, bringing more clarity on sustainability communications and making it easier for travelers to make informed decisions. That’s why, in anticipation of upcoming regulatory changes, we’re adapting our approach to focus more on third-party certification starting March 25.

We understand you might have questions about this change to our sustainability initiatives. We’re here to provide clarity and support as we evolve our sustainability efforts. We remain committed to supporting you, your guests, and the broader industry as we strive to make sustainable travel choices easier for everyone.

Why is Booking.com changing its sustainability program?

Initially, the Travel Sustainable levels were created to help guide and educate you about sustainability and the impact you can have. Now the focus has shifted toward third-party certifications for recognizing an accommodation's efforts to operate more sustainably. Incoming regulations are helping set the framework for sustainability standards, bringing more clarity on sustainability communications and making it easier for travelers to make informed decisions.

We’re removing the Travel Sustainable name and levels to highlight the significance of third-party certifications. This shift ensures consistency and clarity to make it easier for travelers to make informed decisions that are more sustainable.

What will happen to the practices I shared on the Extranet or via my connectivity provider?

Booking.com will still showcase your practices to guests on your property pages. You can still manage these practices on the Extranet or via your connectivity provider, and we encourage you to keep updating your practices. You’ll remain in control of editing and managing the practices you share with us.

What does it mean for me as a partner in practical terms?

While the Travel Sustainable branding and levels will no longer be displayed, your practices will still be visible to guests on your property page. For partners with third-party certifications, we’ll continue to display your certification with a clear label. Plus, travelers will have the option to filter for properties with a third-party certification.

Why is Booking.com keeping a label for properties with a third-party certification?

Third-party certifications signify the highest standard of recognition for a commitment to sustainability. These certifications enhance credibility and ensure confidence in the sustainability efforts of your property. Certifications offer clarity on sustainability communication and make it easier for travelers to make informed decisions.

What is Booking.com doing now to support me on my sustainability journey?

Booking.com remains committed to supporting you on your sustainability journey, making it easier for travelers to make more informed and sustainable decisions. That’s why, in addition to showcasing your practices to guests on your property pages, we’re continuing to invest in education materials and tools, from resources on the Partner Hub to  new online courses developed with UN Tourism.

Why are certifications important?

Becoming third-party certified demonstrates your commitment to sustainability, boosts your credibility, and aligns with travelers’ growing preference for sustainable properties. Certifications will also ensure you follow sustainability practices that can help you conserve resources like energy, water, and waste, helping you save on costs over time.

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Finland – sustainable travel destination

Credits: Mika Ruusunen

We help travel professionals make sustainable choices

Decades of sustainability work lay the foundation for the future.

Finland is highly committed to global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has continuously been ranked number one in an international comparison of sustainable development. The comparison assesses countries’ progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Finland's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, responsible for country’s tourism policy, has identified four priorities  set to facilitate the sustainable growth and renewal of the tourism sector in Finland, with the first priority being supporting sustainable development. 

For example, Finland ranks 3rd on the Social Progress Index 2022, 2nd on the Corruption Perception Index 2022, and 2nd in Euromonitor Sustainable Tourism Index. Commit to a better future and take our Sustainable Travel Finland pledge >>

Vastavalo / Juha Määttä

Finland – world's leading sustainable destination

Visit Finland's vision is to be the world's leading sustainable travel destination and the first choice for mindful travellers. Our strategy puts sustainability in the core of all our activities.

Angeli Reindeer Farm

Finnish travel industry is going carbon neutral

Visit Finland, alongside 70 Finnish tourism organizations, has signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism. We are steering towards being an inclusive and competent industry and a holistically sustainable travel destination, in a country that aims to be fossil-free by 2035.

Sustainable Travel Finland programme

Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) programme, developed by Visit Finland, helps travel professionals to make more sustainable choices when creating travel itineraries to Finland. The programme is designed for tourism companies and destinations in Finland to systematically adapt sustainable practices. Companies and destinations that undergo the entire programme are recognized with the Sustainable Travel Finland label. The label is a definitive symbol of commitment towards sustainable practices and principles. For example, one of the criteria for companies is a mandatory third party audited certification.

Watch video about Sustainable Travel Finland programme >>

STF-labelled companies and destinations

In this section, you can view and filter the companies and destinations that have been awarded the Sustainable Travel Finland label by Visit Finland.

Find STF labelled companies and destinations

Additional Services

STF Destinations

More information about the STF programme

The Sustainable Travel Finland programme is designed to provide companies and destinations with a comprehensive toolkit for effectively adopting responsible practices. It offers a path for sustainable tourism development that is regularly audited by a third party.

The programme is free of charge and open to the entire tourism industry in Finland. This educational programme aligns with global sustainable tourism standards, such as those of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council ( GSTC ). It consists of seven steps and includes digital tools for each step to help implement sustainable practices.

Step 1. Commitment

Step 2. capacity building, step 3. certification, step 4. sustainable tourism indicators, step 5. sustainability communication, step 6. development plan, step 7. verification & auditing, sustainability news, 3 x sustainable activity providers in southern finland.

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Soaring toward a more sustainable future of travel in Seattle

Delta’s commitment to sustainability is more than a statement – it’s a long-term path to secure a more sustainable future for travel.

This commitment has been on full display in Delta’s Seattle hub, with the Port of Seattle recently recognizing Delta through its Sustainable Century Awards program as having the highest percentage of fuel-efficient aircraft in use at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) in 2023.  

The Sustainable Century Awards recognize the Port of Seattle’s customers and partners for a “demonstrated commitment to exceptional sustainability and equity leadership in operations and/or involvement with the Port and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.”

“The Port of Seattle is known for setting ambitious environmental goals for all Port operations and collaborating closely with nearby communities on aviation noise. We know that, while we are a national leader in many of these respects, we still have work to do to reduce our impacts and be the best neighbor possible,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Hamdi Mohamed. “The Commission prioritizes working with our Port partners to innovate and take on programs that move the Port and our region forward on climate action and noise abatement strategies. We’re excited to recognize the work our partners are doing to amplify our Century Agenda goals and Fly Quiet program.”

“It’s important to recognize these early adopters of environmental stewardships measures that also advance competitive economic advantages for our region,” said Fred Felleman, Port of Seattle Commissioner. “Innovative leaders like those being recognized today set an example for how businesses can create collaborations that result in lessoning impacts on the environment and near-port communities, to advance a sustainable economy.”

Driving fuel savings and updating older aircraft with more modern, fuel-efficient fleet additions are two vital levers that can produce an immediate impact on fuel usage and its associated carbon emissions. Delta continues to invest in and modernize its fleet with state-of-the-art, next generation aircraft. Across its domestic and global network, Delta took delivery of 43 new aircraft in 2023 that were on average 28% more fuel-efficient per seat mile than aircraft retired since 2019.

"Delta’s commitment to sustainability is a commitment to our future of connecting the world while making an impact in the communities we serve,” said Joan Wang, Managing Director – Pacific Northwest for Delta Air Lines. “Continuing to develop a fuel-efficient fleet is vital for the future of sustainable aviation in Washington and across the globe. We are honored to serve as a recipient of the Port of Seattle’s Sustainable Century Award and are grateful for their partnership as we work toward net zero emissions by 2050.”

Delta’s global sustainability strategy is presented through short-, medium- and long-term goals, which focus on what we fly, how we fly, and the fuel we use. For Delta, a commitment to sustainability is a commitment to the business.

Delta takes pride in its position as Seattle’s largest premium global airline. SEA serves as a crucial coastal hub for Delta, operating over 150 peak-day departures from SEA to more than 50 destinations worldwide.

Delta flies to more international destinations than any other carrier at SEA, including to popular cities such as Amsterdam, Cancun, Cabo, Paris and London, as well as multiple domestic destinations in Alaska and Hawaii. Seattle also serves as a key gateway for the airline’s operations across the Pacific, which features four non-stop trans-Pacific destinations, inclusive of existing routes to Incheon (ICN), Tokyo (HND), Taipei (TPE) (starting June 7) and Shanghai (PVG).

Delta marked its 90th anniversary in Seattle in December 2023, a history dating back to the start of operations by Northwest Airways (later Northwest Airlines) in 1933. Delta flights began on June 1, 1980, with nonstop service between SEA and Atlanta (ATL), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Portland (PDX).

• Awards , Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)

The Importance of Sustainable Travel and 12 Tips to Be a More Responsible Traveler in 2024

Eco friendly travel has never been more important for our children, for our environment, and for our future, the importance of eco friendly travel and 12 tips to be a more sustainable traveler.

Sustainable travel…it’s so hot right now! Not only is it trendy to travel and live more sustainably, it’s also vital to the future of our children and the future of our planet!

I recently spent the past week at the Study Abroad Summit where we discussed the benefits of study abroad, but we also talked about the state of travel, its impact on cultures and the environment, and the importance of sustainable travel.

As travelers who value sustainability, our goal is to leave the places we visit better than we found them. The “leave no trace” principle is one way to embrace our green values on vacation, but there’s more to it than picking up after yourself.

Disclaimer that I am FAR from a perfect responsible traveler and definitely far from a perfect responsible citizen of Earth, but I am trying to be better every day and continue to learn from my mistakes and from others around me who know better.

The UN declared 2017 the “Year of Sustainable Tourism” in an effort to draw attention to the fact that many tourist destinations were not, in fact, environmentally sustainable. One of the goals of this initiative was to encourage travelers to make a positive impact on the environment, society and local economies.

A study conducted by the University of Sydney found that global tourism accounts for 8 percent of carbon emissions, with the U.S. ranking the highest, followed by China, Germany, and India. The global industry is worth over $7 trillion.

I’m not telling you to stop traveling. I personally believe that the benefits that travel can have (if done properly) can outweigh the damage it does. The ability to expand knowledge and open minds directly results in travelers becoming more likely to advocate for the environment and cultures outside their own.

So how can you travel the world sustainably? We have a few ideas.

1. Choose a Sustainable Destination

Not all places are created equal — is your destination sustainable?

If you need some ideas about which destinations are sustainable, I’ve compiled this great list of alternatives to places suffering from overtourism.

Traveling to a conservation-minded destination is one of the greatest things a traveler can do, according to World Wildlife Fund’s vice president of travel, tourism, and conservation Jim Sano .

There is such a thing as overtourism, according to an article in National Geographic , and places like Amsterdam, Venice, and Barcelona are prime examples. These places have not historically been conservation-minded, but are instead focused on getting as many people as possible to visit and contribute to the local economy.

While that seems like a good thing, overtourism disrupts the local communities’ way of life. It also increases the cost of living, pushing out residents who can no longer afford to live there. Mass travel, according to National Geographic, poses real threats to natural and cultural treasures.

Cruise lines are major offenders when it comes to this mindset, dumping out thousands of people at a time onto islands and other communities. Aside from the fact that cruises are bad for the environment and contribute to a lot of food waste, their labor practices also leave a lot of room for improvement .

Barcelona is one of the world’s busiest cruise ports, and officials there are making changes to the laws surrounding mass tourism. Port cities in other areas of the world are restricting the number of ships that can dock.

And it’s not just cruise destinations. Amsterdam is working on tourist redistribution techniques, and countries in Asia are closing entire islands. Even Reykjavik, Iceland, has banned permits for new hotel construction downtown .

Venice also just disallowed cruise ships from docking as of next year.

So, with that in mind, choose a path less traveled. Look for areas that aren’t as frequently visited by tourists and contribute to economies that don’t benefit from masses of tourists descending on their town.

Visiting places that put effort into being sustainable encourages other towns to do the same.

2. Be Aware of Your Carbon Footprint

Oh, the places you’ll go — but what’s your carbon footprint?

Environmental purists will say that the most sustainable thing a traveler can do is to stay home. That way, there’s no carbon footprint. I’m not suggesting you stay home. As I stated above, I believe the benefits of travel done properly outweigh the damage.

Air travel is often the only way we can reach certain destinations, and flying has a significant impact on air quality. Many airlines, however, are now eco-friendly, including KLM, United, and Qantas, or offset their carbon footprint. The website Atmosfair.de ranks 200 of the largest airlines in the world based on their environmental impact and climate efficiency.

Fly direct when possible to cut down on emissions even further. Take-offs and landings create most of an airplane’s carbon emissions, according to Green Global Travel .

Once you’re in-country, check out high-speed trains. The Eurostar in Europe is an energy-efficient option. Consider slow travel , staying in one place for a longer period of time, rather than traveling from place to place.

Slow travel allows you to absorb the culture in a way that traditional vacationers don’t. Rather than visiting destinations as a checklist, pick a place and stay there. Doing this is cheaper, more environmentally-friendly and creates less stress.

Most people come home from vacation saying they need a vacation from their vacation. A frantic pace while traveling often defeats the purpose of getting away. The slow movement — slow travel, slow food, slow families — creates a chance to connect more deeply to the things that are important.

3. Be Conscious of Where You Stay

Lots of Lodging Options say they’re green — are they greenwashed?

If you’re an eco-conscious traveler, finding a place to stay that’s “green” is appealing. A hotel guest generates around two pounds of waste per day, according to the International Tourism Partnership , so knowing that the environment isn’t worse off for your stay is a good thing!

Because sustainability is becoming more and more important to travelers, most hotels claim that they are environmentally conscious or even “green.” But just because they claim it doesn’t mean it’s true.

A study by Washington State University showed that “greenwashing” is off-putting to customers who value sustainability. Greenwashing means that the hotels say they’re eco-friendly in an effort to draw more customers, but don’t actually do anything to back it up. Encouraging guests to reuse towels, for example, is not enough to really be considered green.

While there are a lot of eco-conscious hotels to choose from, they aren’t the only options. Travelers can stay at hostels, couch surf, use campsites, rent an Airbnb or swap homes.

Airbnbs have their downside, too. Investors have been known to buy up blocks of apartments and rent them out as short-term rentals, elbowing out residents who used to live there. However, there are still plenty of homes or rooms that can be ethically rented.

In some places, like New York City, it’s illegal to rent an entire apartment on Airbnb for less than 30 days . Despite that, it’s one of Airbnb’s hottest markets. Barcelona, Japan, Paris, Berlin and other places all have strict laws regarding the practice, so check the laws before booking your stay.

Wherever you decide to stay, do your homework and check out the reviews of your lodging options before you book them.

4. Do Your Part

It’s All in the Details — Are You Watching Your Own Habits?

No matter where you end up staying, remember to practice the same basic environmentally friendly habits you have at home. Turn the lights off when you leave a room, reuse towels and use reusable containers and bottles instead of disposable products. If there’s an option to use renewable energy, make sure to shift to it instead.

Beyond that, use the “do not disturb” sign on the door to prevent extra vacuuming and changing of linens. If you go on outdoor adventures, remember to stay on the path to avoid disturbing native flora, pick up trash as you go, and don’t feed the wildlife.

And of course, don’t litter, and try to avoid wasting food.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations says that a third of the food in the world gets wasted by rotting during transport or being thrown out.

Food makes up nearly 20 percent of the waste in landfills. As it rots, it produces methane, a gas that has 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. Because of that, the EPA has made it a priority to cut food waste in half by 2030.

If your lodging has a recycling program, use it.

5. Think About Water

By now, everyone knows that plastic water bottles are the bane of the environment! In case you haven’t heard, they’re killing our Earth, so we need to stop using them! But I know that’s not always easy when traveling.

But here is some motivation for you:

• Plastic bottles take up to 700 years to disintegrate
• 90% of bottled water is the bottle itself
• 80% of plastic bottles never get recycled
• 38 million plastic bottles go to landfill each year in America alone!
• 24,000,000 liters of oil is needed to produce these billions of plastic bottles
• The average American consumes 167 bottles of water per year
• Americans purchase about 50 billion water bottles per year
• Bottling water and shipping transport is the least energy-efficient method of water supply in the history of mankind
• Bottled water is the second most popular beverage in the United States

Phew! And that is JUST water bottles, we are not even talking about other single-use plastics, like shampoo bottles, etc.

Reusable water bottles are great in places where water isn’t scarce, but if you’re traveling to a country where it’s unsafe to drink the water or even an area facing a water crisis, you’ll have to think hard about how you’ll handle not just hydration, but hygiene.

Travel blogger Shivya Nath , who travels frequently to India, suggests requesting filtered water refills from restaurants, or asking for a jug of filtered water for your hotel room and using that to refill your bottle. You can purchase water bottles already fitted with a filter, which then allows you to refill with water from anywhere. You can also purchase portable water filters that use ultraviolet technology to purify water.

Water purifying tablets are also available.

Water conservation is another aspect of this issue. Take a shower — limited to 10 minutes —  instead of bathing, and turn the faucets off as you brush your teeth or shave. Filling up a bathtub takes , on average, 30 gallons of water, while a low-flow showerhead uses about 2 gallons a minute.

6. Reduce Single-Use Plastics

Now that I’ve got your attention about water bottles, let’s talk about other single use plastics such as straws, shampoo bottles, plastic utensils, plastic bags, and many many more products we use on a daily basis, probably without even considering the environment.

It’s difficult to reduce the use of these in everyday life and even harder to do while traveling. It seems that almost every hotel has tiny bottles of shampoo that will give my hair one wash.

You can help by trying to staying in green hotels where they have soap dispensers vs. tiny bottles.

You can also help by bringing your own bar shampoo and conditioner, using bamboo toothbrushes, and refusing straws at restaurants.

Bring reusable containers as you travel and bring food back with you to save for lunch the next day. If that isn’t possible, consider sharing meals as you dine, or ask for half portions. Travel with reusable water bottles, travel mugs, cloth shopping bags, metal straws, and utensils.

Efforts are being made all around the world to reduce single use plastics. Paris has recently banned plastic dining ware, like utensils and plastic cups, which is awesome! I’m hoping to see more cities and countries implement these guidelines around the globe. But the change has to start with us, the traveler!

These are small and simple things that add up to make a big impact on the environment while traveling.

7. Pack Wisely

Only bring what you need. This will make your life so much easier while traveling and allow you to use public transportation with ease. This is a great list of zero waste travel essentials.

Also, be mindful of any chemicals that you may be bringing to a destination. This is especially important with vacation hot spots like Hawaii where you’ll be spending a lot of time in the ocean. Be sure to pack reef-safe sunscreen to protect the ocean’s vital ecosystems.

8. Eat Less Meat

You may not know this, I didn’t until recently, but going vegetarian is one of the best things that we can do for the environment! It’s not only good for our bodies but reduces methane emissions and land clearing for livestock use.

9. Use Public Transportation When Possible

This can be a tough one in many destinations, but when possible use economical and environmentally friendly public transit options like trains. I spend 4 months backpacking around Italy with my kids using trains almost exclusively. It was actually great!

10. Be Intentional About Souvenirs

Try to choose souvenirs that you and your loved ones will actually use or treasure, not something made from plastic that will be thrown away the next time you move.

Even better, go for something consumable like local chocolates, spices, or oils.

Check the labels to see that it’s actually a product made in that destination. For example, most of the shell souvenirs you find in Hawaii are made in the Philippines. Go to local markets and find a way to support local artists or craftspeople.

11. Have Respect

R-E-S-P-E-C-T Respect the Culture and Habitat – What Activities Will You Participate In?

Study up on local customs and manners before you visit another country. Avoid taking pictures of locals without asking for permission first. It’s respectful to learn a few important words in the language of the country you’re visiting, and will greatly benefit you when you have questions.

Try to buy locally made items if you purchase souvenirs. Many vendors sell mass-produced items made in another country.

Avoid participating in activities that exploit animals, like riding elephants, drinking civet coffee or even taking selfies with tigers, a common tourist activity in Thailand .

Exercise that same sensitivity when visiting religious or sacred sites. The World Travel and Tourism Council says that even if it’s permissible to take part in an activity, your actions should align with those for whom the site holds a deep significance.

The keyword for all of these things is respect: for the natural environment, the location and the local people who live there.

12. Talk About Sustainable Travel

Possibly the most important thing we can do as sustainable travelers ourselves is to talk about how we are traveling sustainably, what our struggles are, and how we can help ourselves and others to be more mindful when we travel.

Don’t be critical of others not yet traveling sustainably. We can and should lead by example!

Share your stories, efforts, and struggles with your friends and family, and on social media.

If you see a company, hotel, or organization making concerted efforts towards sustainable travel, tell them “thank you” and continue to give them your support.

Practical Tips for Booking your Trip

Book Your Flight s and Car

Find a budget airlines by using  Skyscanner . This is my favorite way to search for flights because they crawl websites and airlines around the globe, so you always know you’re getting the best deal. Learn more tips for finding the best flight deals here.

For cars, I like to use Rental Cars because they have good filters and its easy to search for multiple companies.

Book Your Accommodation

My preferred way to stay around the world is VRBO . I find it usually gives you a unique local experience in any destination. If you want to stay in a hotel, use  Booking , as it consistently gives the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels. I use them both all the time.

Always Get Travel Insurance

Travel insurance protects you and your family against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s peace of mind in case anything goes wrong. I never travel without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for the last few years and love how easy it is to use. I have also used Allianz . Compare rates to see which is best for the coverage you need.

Looking for ways to save money on travel?

Check out my  resource page  for the companies I use for traveling! I share everything I use to save me time and money.

This was written together with Sam Reed, a content writer at PTAC4Less, an online retailer of new and refurbished PTACs , along with a full range of parts and accessories.

The post The Importance of Sustainable Travel and 12 Tips to Be a More Responsible Traveler in 2024 appeared first on Wanderlust Crew .

People are extending their vacations, and eco-travel experts say it could be more sustainable

• Tourists globally are spending an average of one more day at destinations compared to 2019.
• Longer vacations are more sustainable, reducing carbon emissions from fewer flights.
• Sustainability experts recommend fewer, longer trips to minimize environmental impact.

Worldwide, vacations are getting longer.

According to a recent study by Mastercard Economics Institute , tourists around the globe are spending an average of one more day in destinations compared to 2019. In Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, people are extending their trips for two days longer than before the pandemic.

This is good news — not just for vacationers — but for the health of the planet, as travel can be harmful to the environment .

Related stories

"We are in the biggest race of our time — race to net-zero carbon emissions," Paloma Zapata, the CEO of Sustainable Travel International, previously told Business Insider. "And when we travel, we consume a lot of resources."

Fewer, longer trips are more sustainable

Sustainability experts previously told BI that frequent, short trips are more harmful to the environment than fewer, longer trips .

"Fewer but longer trips mean fewer air miles, more money in local hands, and you'll have a more relaxing trip, too," Justin Francis, the cofounder and CEO of the UK-based trip evaluation company Responsible Travel , said.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency , 9% of transportation carbon emissions  in 2022 came from air travel, and 57% came from light-duty vehicles. And according to Zapata, flights make up at least half of a trip's total carbon emissions.

If those extending their vacations are also taking fewer trips, they're ultimately booking fewer flights, reducing carbon emissions in the process.

This is especially true for those traveling long distances, Jessica Blotter, CEO and cofounder of Kind Travel , a public benefit corporation, told BI. She suggests stretching long-distance trips to maximize the experience so you won't crave another journey anytime soon.

"Booking multiple, long-haul trips per year is not sustainable or carbon-friendly," she said.

If you want to be more eco-friendly while at your destination, experts also recommend staying at sustainable hotels , dining at locally-owned restaurants, and shopping for souvenirs crafted by locals.

Watch: Marriott International's Tina Edmundson tells Insider that the travel mindset has changed since the pandemic

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