Sustainable travel — sexy and comfortable

Walking by the tables filled with food, I get more and more annoyed. It is not that I am totally picky when it comes to breakfast. But when I see a buffet full of meat, milk, eggs and other animal products, I wonder why so many accommodations worldwide are still not ready to provide a healthy breakfast suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Food is not the only topic that I notice when travelling. Unsustainable water management, non-renewable energy supply, no easy-to-access information about the EV-charging station, … the list is long.

Although 75 % of travellers aim to travel more sustainably, according to the booking.com sustainable travel report, the market is not adopting it properly. “Didn’t I see green labels last time I booked a trip? Yes - you might remember correctly, but those labels may be the problem rather than the solution. Over 150 sustainability labels exist in the tourism market. Many travel enthusiasts feel overwhelmed or cannot dive deeply into the different criteria. Which hotel is sustainable and which one is Green Washing?

What can individual travellers do?

Be conscious.

First, try to get an overview of the label jungle. Some of the certifiers offer detailed insights into their criteria. Be careful, as many labels are available in different degrees and provide bronze, silver and gold certificates. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council provides insights into several existing standards.

Take a look at the sustainable “dreamcatcher” from ChargeHolidays. This diagram transparently displays how well hotels adhere to specific sustainability criteria.

Be loud. 

The impact of your voice is bigger than you think! By critically asking questions during your stay, you show the accommodation how important their sustainable management is. Asking whether the fruits come from a local vendor or if the towels are produced in a sustainable friendly supply chain using recycled, plant-based material, without child labour e.g. nudges the hotel owner to operate more sustainably.

Act sustainably.

Your choices make an impact too. 5-8% of global CO2 emissions are derived from the tourism sector. Reducing your impact should always come before compensating.

Start by calculating the CO2 footprint of your stay to get a feeling of the most impactful actions. Reduce what you can and offset what you can’t (yet) reduce.

The mode of transport has one of the largest impacts. If possible, plan enough time before and after your stay to choose adventurous tracks by train or bus instead of taking a flight or single car.

Tourists, for instance, produce a lot of waste. For example, in the Maldives, 3.5 kg of waste is produced per tourist per day. Use only what you need and reduce single-use packaging, like plastic bags.

Climesumer’s ever growing list of plastic free products, travel equipment and digital tools will help you.

Water is also a resource which is scarce in many regions. Use as little as possible, for instance, by taking a shorter shower.

Additionally, taking a bike or walking in the place of your stay may be more adventurous than renting one car per person.

Lastly, it is important not to overstep local restrictions. Never bring plants or animals from remote areas, and respect habitats forbidden for human beings.

Be flexible

Mass tourism is especially harmful because many people travel to the same regions in the same period. More people than ever are enjoying the freedom to decide where and when to go on vacation. If you are not bound to school holidays or university exams, try to find times when fewer people are on the road. It does not only help the environment but also increases the chance for you to experience an exclusive and adventurous trip. Get inspired by different landscapes away from typical tourist locations. That way, your attention is drawn to areas you have not thought about yet. Embrace the surprise and experience!

If you want to learn more about sustainable travel behaviour, check out the attentive traveller page on ChargeHolidays.

What accommodations can do

Keep in mind: being sustainable does not require a certificate. Every change you make to improve is an excellent contribution to the well-being of your guests, staff members and the environment. Still, orienting yourself in the label jungle to decide which standard suits you best may attract new conscious travellers.

Don’t get overwhelmed by all the possibilities to improve. Instead, see them as an opportunity for innovation.

Focusing on some particular areas first and using the learnings collected during the transformation process for the other sectors is good practice. Listen to the customers and their sustainability needs, exchange learnings or collaborate with different accommodation providers. No one is alone. Finding inspiration from hotels and hostels that already operate sustainably will drive the movement forward.

Travelling has many positive aspects:

Travelling holds a significant place in our lives, continuously enriching our experiences. It fosters intercultural dialogue, cultivates global understanding, and widens our horizons. Tourism plays a vital role in many countries economies, generating employment opportunities and even contributing to nature-preservation. The interest of tourists in visiting cultural and natural sites can inspire decision-makers to revitalise and protect these areas. Moreover, it has the potential to generate funds for essential projects that support the environment and cultural initiatives. By collectively embracing sustainable practices, we take a significant stride towards a more responsible and globally beneficial approach to travel. Together, we complete another essential piece of the puzzle.

About ChargeHolidays: 

ChargeHolidays is THE sustainable mobile booking platform which makes trip planning fun. Enabling accommodations to communicate their sustainability management transparently in our Dreamcatcher diagram provides the traveler with an enjoyable booking experience. Additionally, we include features like CO2-compensation, payment with Social Cashback and the display as well as filter option according to the own electric vehicle. 

The author: Lilith Diringer, Co-Founder of the social start-up ChargeHolidays, which enables sustainable travel.

This blog post is part of a series of partner blog posts from products, resources and companies listed on Climesumer.com. ChargeHolidays is the first, and we are super happy about that!