What Is Sustainable Travel? A Realistic Guide to Travelling Better
One of the wonderful things about travel is its ability to broaden our perspective. Travel takes us beyond the familiar, introduces us to different cultures and communities, and gives us the opportunity to experience landscapes, wildlife and ways of living that we may otherwise never encounter.
Travelling can have very positive impacts on the places we visit by creating jobs, supporting incomes, boosting the economy, and providing vital funds needed to protect those regions. However, the reality of travel is not all positive.
Flights produce emissions. Hotels use energy and water. Roads, airports and tourism infrastructure occupy land. Popular destinations can experience overcrowding and both wildlife and natural local environments can be negatively affected by increased human activity and waste.
What Does it Mean to Travel Sustainably?
Unfortunately, the answer is much more complicated than simply choosing an eco-friendly hotel or avoiding plastic bottles. Some may argue that the only real option is not to travel, but that is unrealistic in our modern world and ignores all the positive impacts delivered by tourism globally.
Perhaps the best definition for sustainable travel is finding ways to enjoy and benefit from travel while minimising the harm it causes and maximising the positive contribution it can make to people, places and the natural world.
What Is Sustainable Travel?
Sustainable travel is generally understood as travelling in a way that considers the environmental, social and economic impacts of tourism, both now and into the future.
This means looking beyond our own experience and considering the destination as a whole. A sustainable approach to travel aims to:
Reduce environmental damage and resource consumption
Protect natural environments and biodiversity
Respect local communities, cultures and traditions
Support local economies and businesses
Encourage responsible wildlife tourism &
Preserve destinations for future generations.
A locally owned hotel might provide valuable employment and keep tourism income within a community. Choosing a local guide can provide livelihoods while giving visitors a deeper understanding of a destination. Travelling to see wildlife and natural landscapes can fund the critical conservation projects needed to protect them.
The Reality of Greenwashing
One of the biggest challenges facing travellers is knowing whether sustainability claims are genuine. Tourism businesses increasingly use terms such as eco-friendly, green, sustainable, carbon neutral and responsible but these terms don't always tell the whole story. When an organisation, product or activity is presented as more environmentally responsible than it really is, it's called greenwashing.
All activities that improve outcomes are positive and should be encouraged, but when you are wanting to make the most sustainable travel choices possible look for evidence to support your decision making, such as:
Does the business explain its environmental practices?
Does it employ local people?
Does it source products locally?
How does it contribute to conservation?
Does it measure or report its environmental impact?
Does it have recognised sustainability certification where appropriate?
The more transparent a business is, the easier it is to make an informed decision.
Choosing Quality Over Quantity
One of the ways to make travel more sustainable can be travelling more slowly and intentionally. Instead of trying to see ten destinations in two weeks, you could consider spending more time in fewer places. Slow travel can reduce the need for multiple flights and allow you to explore by walking, cycling or public transport.
Spend Your Money Where It Matters
Tourism is an economic force, and where travellers spend their money can make a genuine difference. Where possible, consider supporting locally owned accommodation, restaurants, tour operators, guides, artists and producers. Buying directly from local businesses helps keep more tourism revenue within the destination. It can also encourage communities to see the value in protecting the natural and cultural assets that attract visitors.
In some destinations, tourism revenue helps fund conservation, habitat protection and community programs. When choosing a wildlife experience or conservation organisation, look for clear evidence of where your money goes. Quality wildlife encounter and eco-tours should ideally contribute to the welfare and protection of the animals and ecosystems you are there to see and the local community.
Be Thoughtful Around Wildlife
Wildlife tourism can be a powerful force for conservation but only when animal welfare comes first.
Be very cautious about experiences that allow visitors to touch, feed, ride or closely interact with wild animals, particularly where animals appear stressed, restrained or habituated purely for tourist entertainment. Responsible wildlife experiences should prioritise natural behaviours and appropriate distances, for both the animal's safety and yours.
Never chase wildlife for a photograph, encourage an animal to move for a better shot or interfere with feeding, nesting or breeding behaviour. Always remember that wildlife are wild animals and treat all animals with respect. Often, the most responsible wildlife encounter is observing from a distance.
Protect the Places You Visit
When visiting natural areas, follow local rules and leave the environment as you found it. Stay on designated tracks where required. Take rubbish with you. Don't remove rocks, shells, plants or other natural objects. Keep dogs and other animals only where permitted. Avoid entering restricted areas and respect seasonal closures.
These behaviours might seem obvious, but they become increasingly important as more people seek out nature-based experiences and popular destinations face overwhelming pressure from visitors.
Consider the Impact of Your Transport
Transport is one of the biggest considerations when planning a lower-impact trip. Where practical, choose trains, buses, walking, cycling or shared transport over private vehicles. Once you're at your destination, consider whether you really need to hire a car or whether you can explore using local transport.
When flying is necessary, avoid unnecessary connections and combine multiple purposes into the one trip where possible. There is no perfect solution for every traveller or destination. Remote locations may have no practical alternative to flying, and accessibility, family commitments, time and cost all matter.
Pack With Purpose
The products we take travelling also make a difference. Reusable water bottles, refillable toiletries, reusable shopping bags and durable travel products can reduce unnecessary waste. Products that are biodegradable, including natural personal care products, are also kinder to the environment.
Choose products that are appropriate for your destination and consider what happens to products as you use them. Choosing grey-water-friendly products for example, can be particularly important when staying somewhere without conventional wastewater treatment systems.
Don't Aim for Perfect, Focus On Progress
Sustainable travel can sometimes feel like a list of rules that feel impossible and give the impression that all travel is bad e.g. Don't fly. Don't drive. Don't use plastic. Don't stay in hotels. Don't visit popular destinations. This approach is counter-productive as people will only consider making different choices if they believe those choice make a difference.
Realistically, travel happens within the realities of people's lives, budgets, family circumstances, accessibility needs and available leave. If you want to embrace more sustainable travel but aren't sure how, think about where you have influence.
Sustainable travel isn't about eliminating every impact. It is about becoming more conscious of the consequences of our choices and looking for opportunities to make them better. The goal isn't to see the world without leaving a footprint. It's to make sure the impact we have is as light, respectful and positive as possible.
When it comes to improving global outcomes, travel can be a powerful part of the solution. There are millions of tourists travelling the world each year and if we all keep making better choices, the impacts for our planet will be profound.
