What is sustainable travel and why does it matter?

In recent years, sustainability has become the buzzword on everyone’s lips. Among its various applications, travel is a fascinating field where sustainable practices have taken root. But what is sustainable travel, and why does it matter? In this guide, we’ll explore these questions, diving deep into the concept of sustainable travel and uncovering how it helps create better tourism practices, preserve our environment, and support societal growth.

At TravelLocal, we are committed to sustainable travel. Not only are we a certified B Corp company, but we also donate 1% of our revenue to four charities under our Fund for Good initiative. And we strive every day to be a force for good in travel, one that will help reimagine travel.

What is sustainable travel?

Let’s start with the basics: what is sustainable travel? It’s about travelling in ways that balance the joys of tourism with the necessity of preserving our environment and respecting the cultures and economies of local communities. Sustainable travel is more than just enjoyment; it’s about respecting nature and promoting prosperity for locals.

The essence of sustainable travel is captured by the Three Pillars of Sustainability: economic balance, environmental health, and sociocultural respect. At its core, sustainable travel promotes positive impacts through responsible tourist behaviour. Every decision, from choosing transportation and accommodation to shopping habits and tour activities, contributes to this broad idea of making your travels enjoyable and ethical.

The three pillars of sustainability

To fully grasp the potential of sustainable travel, it’s essential to understand its foundational structure, known as the Three Pillars of Sustainability:

• Economic sustainability: supports local earnings through tourism. Choosing locally-owned accommodations and supporting small businesses during travels ensures your spending boosts local economies.
• Environmental sustainability: travellers’ choices significantly affect ecosystem health worldwide. Practices like minimising waste, reducing water usage, and not littering help maintain environmental integrity.
• Social/cultural sustainability: promotes respect for local traditions and customs while fostering cross-cultural understanding. Travel with an open mind and heart, appreciating different cultures while leaving only footprints behind.

Integrating these three pillars ensures we uphold the essence of sustainable travel – respecting destinations from their people and culture to their flora and fauna.

The differences between sustainable tourism, ecotourism, and responsible travel

Navigating the green vocabulary can be quite a maze. All these terms – sustainable tourism, ecotourism, responsible travel; they may sound similar, but have differences in their core principles.

Sustainable tourism

Sustainable tourism has been well-defined by the World Tourism Organisation as satisfying current tourist demands while taking care of future generations’ needs. This holistic approach involves social equity, economic viability, and environmental protection. It is about striking a balance between profitability for the industry and conserving our planet’s natural resources. From hotels implementing water-saving strategies to cities improving public transportation to lessen carbon footprint – all come under the hood of sustainable tourism.

Ecotourism

Derived from ‘Ecological Tourism’, ecotourism is a subset of sustainable tourism but with a sharper focus on nature-centric experiences. The International Ecotourism Society labels it as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of local people, and involves interpretation and education”. Consequently, many national parks or wildlife sanctuaries that promote flora and fauna conservation fall into this category.

Responsible travel

Responsible travel goes beyond ecological preservation and dives deep into respecting different cultures while aiding socio-economic growth of local communities. Travellers are encouraged to form heartwarming human connections by directly contributing to locals’ welfare rather than big corporations. Buying handcrafted souvenirs from artisans or opting for homestays hosted by residents positions responsible travel as an empathetic exercise towards more meaningful journeys.

While each term carries its unique emphasis (either on environmental aspect or cultural respect or industry development), they all share one common thread: enhancing travel sustainability in their meaningful way.

The environmental issues of tourism

Conventional tourism can significantly damage natural resources, wildlife, and habitats exploited for commercial purposes. Issues include deforestation from infrastructure development, soil erosion from high foot traffic, and ecosystem degradation from noise pollution.

Air travel is another contributor. Unregulated carbon emissions from flights have been concerning for years. Sustainability encourages eco-friendly choices, like selecting direct flights to minimise fuel consumption and using public transport at destinations.

Statistics show 77% of young tourists consider sustainability principles when planning their travels, with 43% willing to pay extra for eco-friendly options. This shift towards conscious travel decisions highlights the collective push towards a greener travel future.

How does sustainable travel help?

Why consider travelling sustainably? The answer lies in its enormous potential benefits for you as an individual, communities across the globe, and our planet.

Travelling sustainability is about being mindful of your impact on the places you visit and minimising any detrimental effects. This mindset helps conserve natural resources, maintain biodiversity, and promote environmental health through thoughtful choices.

Embracing sustainable travel also means supporting local economies directly. By choosing locally-owned businesses or community-based tours instead of massive group excursions run by global corporations, we contribute to more evenly distributed wealth within these regions.

Sustainable travel nurtures cultural exchange and understanding. It encourages us to genuinely experience new cultures while respecting their unique customs, rather than treating them as exotic spectacles. Such an approach enhances transparency not just in environmental matters, but also socioeconomic ones. Understanding how each travel decision impacts local economies and global environmental challenges is crucial.

Building better practices

Sustainable travel may appear like a daunting challenge at first glance. Yet, by making small contributions towards responsible choices, we can make a significant impact on the environment, local economies and communities.

Because it’s such a multi-layered issue, we need coherent strategies with defined objectives that involve all stakeholders – governments, businesses and individuals – in contributing towards minimising negative impacts and maximising positive influences. That way, we will have an efficient system that increases awareness about responsible tourism and encourages people to adopt more sustainable options when travelling. How? By focusing on the following aspects:

• Green certifications, to motivate businesses in improving their sustainability portfolio while providing clear indicators for consumers looking for eco-friendly options.
• Policy interventions: governments need robust policy interventions to regulate business activities ensuring compliance with global sustainability standards.
• Awareness initiatives aimed at educating tourists about their individual responsibility, and how they can contribute positively towards sustainability during travel.

A few ways to be a sustainable traveller

Curious about integrating sustainable travel into your journeys? There are many more, but here are 25 ways to tweak your habits and travel sustainably:

Travel style:

• Research the environmental impact of different destinations
• Opt for longer stays instead of multiple short trips to reduce carbon footprints
• Travel during off-peak periods to minimise over-tourism

Transport:

• Choose direct flights to save fuel
• Use public transport, like buses or trains, over private cabs
• Hire bicycles for eco-friendly exploration

Accommodation:

• Stay in green-certified hotels or eco-lodges
• Reuse towels and sheets to save water and energy
• Turn off lights and appliances when not in use

Tours and activities:

• Join tours by local operators who respect their environment, like our wonderful local experts
• Follow park rules, avoiding animal feeding or encroachment

Local environment:

• Respect protected wildlife areas
• Dispose of waste properly, carrying it back until facilities are available

Shopping:

• Buy locally-made souvenirs to support artisans
• Use reusable bags instead of plastic ones

Packing:

• Pack light to reduce airplane fuel consumption
• Use reusable containers for toiletries and water

Advocacy:

• Share your sustainable travel experiences
• Promote properties and experiences that follow good practices
• Be mindful of social media posts, avoiding sharing untouched nature spots

Remember, each responsible choice contributes to making travel both enjoyable and a force for positive change.

Make it happen

To start planning your own sustainable trip, get in touch with one of our locally-based travel experts. They will be the best person to help you build your perfect sustainable trip itinerary.