Holidays in 2023 – should you go eco-friendly?

Story:

According to research by booking.com, 42% of people said that recent news about climate change had influenced them to make more sustainable travel choices. More than half (57%) said they wanted to travel more sustainably in the next 12 months!

In this episode of 'Sustainability Solved', we're discussing eco-friendly holidays and how to travel more responsibly. Our guests Maudie Tomlinson from The Conscious Travel Foundation and writer and journalist Holly Tuppen explain what sustainable travel looks like, and how to make informed decisions when booking your next holiday.

Highlights:

·      The Conscious Travel Foundation is a global community, initially set up by a group of industry friends during the covid-19 pandemic, uniting members of the travel industry the impact of tourism on the world.

·      Holly was inspired to write about sustainable travel after travelling around the world using slower and more environmentally friendly modes of transport such as trains, sailing, or cycling. As a result, she experienced and saw a lot more than if she had gone by plane!

·      Holly highlights that tourism can play a huge role in financing conservation efforts and nature restoration; she worked for an organisation called The Long Run who works with over 40 different lodges and travel experiences around the world to protect 23 million acres of ecosystems.

·      Maudie discusses if being more sustainable means higher costs for businesses; she highlights that reducing your organisation’s carbon footprint will save you money in the long run.

·      Holly’s book Sustainable Travel provides an array of advice for travellers looking to be more environmentally-friendly and how to make informed choices when booking a holiday.

·      The more people ask questions about sustainable travel and have this as a priority when booking a holiday, the more travel organisations will be likely to take action.

·      Holly addresses that a lot of businesses are nervous to start their sustainability journey in fear of not doing it 100% correctly and getting caught up in greenwashing claims.

·      Maudie and Holly tell us of their own eco-friendly travel plans for 2023 and give some fantastic suggestions for solo and family holidays!

Resources:

The Conscious Travel Foundation

Booking.com sustainable travel research

Green Traveller

Sustainability Hospitality Alliance

The Long Run

Holly’s book Sustainable Travel

B Corp Certification

EarthCheck

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