TRAVEL NEWS
SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL
Q&A Red Sea Global: The Future of Tourism is Sustainable
RSG manages an impressive 32,000 km² of breathtaking natural landscapes, with a firm commitment to preserving and enhancing these environments. Our goal is to achieve a 30% net conservation gain for the ecosystem by 2040.
Tourism, one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing industries, contributes over 9% to global GDP. Given its significant influence, the sector plays a key role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by adopting sustainable and responsible practices that harmonize economic growth, social welfare, and environmental stewardship.
Why Luxury Travel in Bhutan Is Also Sustainable
the hydro-powered, carbon-neutral country always indexes high among the most sustainable in the world.
2027 International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism
The United Nations has declared 2027 the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism. The goal is to promote tourism that is environmentally and socially responsible, and that contributes to the development of local communities.
How this Portuguese island is leading the way in eco-tourism
Madeira: Known as the ‘Hawaii of Europe’, the island looks straight out of Jurassic Park, with Atlantic waves slapping against the sharp rocks of its beaches and hot African air creating a sub-tropical climate.
- Sustainable hotels
- Low-impact tours on (and off) the island
- Local dining experiences
Japan Airlines Joins Global Sustainable Tourism Council Spearheading Eco-Friendly Travel Initiatives
As of September 1, 2023, Japan Airlines (JAL) made history by becoming the inaugural airline group to align with The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), an entity dedicated to setting and overseeing international benchmarks for sustainable tourism practices.
JAL commits to furthering the advancement of responsible tourism, fostering regional revitalization, promoting economic growth, and bolstering related communities. pic
4 Sustainable Travel Innovations Shaping the Future of the Tourism Industry
- Resorts are shoring up fragile ocean ecosystems for both visitors and locals
- Aviation fuels are becoming carbon negative
- Cruise lines are setting a new standard
- Tourists are committing to protect the places they explore
“More than anything, be humble” Surf activist Belinda Baggs on how to connect with nature
For the next 30 years, I traveled the world, surfing different waves. And I started to see things change over time. I’d visit reef breaks and see these flourishing marine ecosystems, bright coral everywhere. The next year, I’d come back, and they’d be slightly bleached. The year after that, some of them would be gone completely. All that’s left is a desert underwater. pic
Embracing ethical tourism: Do's and dont's when interacting with animals
Rogue acts that involve exploiting animals for human entertainment, such as riding elephants, taking pictures with sedated tigers, or intruding on an animal’s personal space cause physical and psychological torture to animals.
Sustainable travel: Do tourism pledges work to change the way we travel?
In 2017, Palau, a protected UNESCO World Heritage site, initiated a compulsory tourism pledge, with fines of up to US$1 million. pic
But while pledges ask visitors to step up, it’s hard not to wonder if they’re just another form of greenwashing or an opportunity for slacktivism. And then there’s the other issue: no one knows if they really work — at least not yet.
Dartmoor National Park could welcome wild campers again but they should consider paying an overnight fee
The park’s vision is to remain the largest open space in southern England with its varied habitats in optimum condition, and to be accessible to all parts of society.
Travel positive: Is this the sustainable tourism blueprint of the future?
How can the travel industry survive in a decarbonising world? pic
The facts: to preserve a liveable planet and keep global warming to no more than 1.5C, as called for in the Paris Agreement, the UN has reported that global carbon emissions need to be halved by 2030 and must reach net zero as soon as possible, but no later than 2050.
- Nearer, longer trips
- Exotic doesn’t mean far-flung
- Stop glamorizing frequent flying
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The Rise of Non-Flight Itineraries
Cat Jones
“We have this vision for the world, where it’s really normal to be traveling off the beaten path and to be traveling flight free. Where you think about getting on a train to travel, as easily as you think about using a car or a plane for your holiday,”
Picture Martin Péchy
Only 1 in 10 Companies Are Prioritizing Sustainable Travel
Companies are making little effort to track and reduce the carbon emissions within their travel programs, according to two reports published this week.
(Research from industry body Global Business Travel Association and campaign group Transport & Environment)
The UK’s Institute of Travel Management last week launched a taskforce to help travel buyers tackle the challenges of delivering on their organization’s sustainability targets, giving them practical guidance for shaping a responsible travel program.
The World’s Most Outstanding Places Where You Can Travel Responsibly
Botswana is one of the world’s top wildlife destinations with huge areas of the Kalahari uninhabited by humans, and a massive 37% of the entire country set aside as a conservation area.
There are 10 national parks and scores of private reserves.
Picture Taken in the wild from an underground hide in Botswana by Geran de Klerk
Hawaii May Soon Pass a $50 Green Fee for Visitors
The pristine beaches, dramatic peaks, stunning waterfalls, and thriving wildlife that draw visitors to Hawaii are the exact elements that are impacted by tourism the most.
So a bill currently going through the state’s legislature is proposing a new Hawaii Green Fee: an annual $50 per person fee to visit the state’s natural wonders in order to help protect them for generations to come.
New Zealand tourism operators reducing their carbon footprint
While tours are offline, the canyon guides are busy working their second jobs – fixing the track network.
Its focus is on education, providing visitors with the knowledge to return to explore independently, because the more people know, the more they’ll grow to cherish the forest and strive to see it protected.
USA holidays: Meet the Kiwi winemaker working in Sonoma, California’s sustainable wine region
California’s Sonoma County, the world’s most eco-conscious wine region, more than 425 wineries flourish over 70,000 vino-producing acres, and 99 per cent of them have been certified sustainable.
Will fewer flights be available in future? Stark new report lays out reality of decarbonising travel
Until the aviation sector is fully able to decarbonise, long distance flights should be capped to 2019 levels, the report urges.
This includes return trips of over 16,000 km. While these represent just two per cent of air travel, they are by far the most polluting – accounting for 19 per cent of total tourism emissions. picture
How to explore the world’s first Unesco trail responsibly and sustainably
Scotland’s Unesco Trail is a world-first of its kind. Created to encourage tourists to stay longer, visit year-round and enjoy the country responsibly.
New sleeper train will connect Barcelona and Amsterdam
set to launch in 2025
The news comes after the European Commission announced in January that the new Barcelona to Amsterdam was just one of 10 pilot projects it would be supporting as part of a bid to improve cross-border rail travel throughout the continent.
Move over, Maldives: Saudi Arabia’s luxury Sheybarah Island resort wants be the world’s next eco-tourism destination, complete with dazzling overwater pod villas suspended above the Red Sea
Who would’ve thought Saudi Arabia would become a hyper-luxury marine eco-tourism destination? Dubai-based architectural firm Killa Design conceived these futuristic modular villas on Sheybarah Island
Part of the Red Sea Project, Sheybarah Hotel promises guests unrivalled coral reef and marine wildlife views – but will eco-tourists really take to the oil-rich nation?
Can tourism be nature-positive?
Mismanaged wildlife tourism can do more harm than good. Long before the pandemic, construction of infrastructure for tourists was a major cause of habitat loss. pic
The conservation conundrum: Should Antarctica be on the ‘no’ list?
More than 100,000 tourists will head to Antarctica this summer. Should we worry about damage to the ice and its ecosystems?
Ireland Selected as the 7th Safest European Country for Tourists
The recent survey was conducted by analysing nine metrics that reveal how safe an area can be, including assaults, homicides, natural disaster risk, road facilities as well as global peace index.
How Spanish islands like Ibiza and Mallorca aim to become a model of sustainable tourism
The Balearic authorities have taken a pioneering role in Spain by introducing a raft of new responsible tourism measures to become ‘the world’s first circular destination.’
Picture of a Ibiza local gov campaign to clean up beaches.
How To Explore Japan on the Country’s Bullet Trains
Japan’s Shinkansen trains are the pinnacle of the country’s rail industry and has become an iconic symbol of the country itself. In 1964, just in time for the first Tokyo Olympics, officials cut the ribbon on the first train of the high-speed Shinkansen, or “New Trunk Line.”
Sustainable Tourism In Chile: Eco-Friendly Travel Tips & Ideas
Eco-tourism in Chile is now a priority
Policymakers, tourists look beyond ecotourism
A conservation-minded look at treading lightly – and responsibly – in some of the world’s most mesmerizing, vulnerable places.
The Great Barrier Reef
“Marine scientists need all the support they can get from the public in this endeavor,” says AIMS coral biologist Cathie Page, when asked how tourists impact the reef. picture
Iceland’s Most Surprising Tourist Attraction? Power Plants.
Geothermal and hydroelectric power plants, which supply the island nation with energy, fuel many of the stops on travelers’ itineraries—and have themselves evolved into unlikely visitor destinations.
In the end, she and I agree that we’ve both brought home the ultimate souvenir: hope that a green-energy future is indeed a possibility, having now glimpsed it firsthand.
The new rules of travel
Our travel leaves a mark. Here’s how to make sure it’s a positive one.
As a result of increased bookings, crowds returned at big tourist destinations and bad behavior reared its ugly head again.
Cyprus Makes a Shift Towards Sustainable Tourism Following Sharp Decline of Russian & Ukrainian Tourists
The number of tourist arrivals from Russia and Ukraine has dropped to zero and losses are estimated to have reached €655 million.
Tourism in Cyprus might experience another boost rather than tourists visiting for the country’s natural beauty as Paphos, a Cypriot city has been awarded as the EU Smart Tourism Capital for 2023
Sheikh Hamdan says Dubai to lead the world in tourism, as new figures show boost
The city wants to “lead the world” in tourism and hospitality, as new figures showed it came close to hitting pre-pandemic visitor figures last year.
‘Leave No Trace’ ethics feel obvious. So why do we still struggle with them?
Turns out, nature doesn’t stay unpolluted for long once human presence comes into play.
Leave No Trace practices have aimed to change that, but haven’t quite yet caught on the globe over.
Little known LNT fact: biodegradable waste (such as orange peels or apple cores) is still pollution and shouldn’t be left on the ground. The overarching rule here is:
“pack it in, pack it out.”
Skiing and sustainability go hand in hand on an invigorating trip to Andermatt
“Andermatt is lucky in that 100 per cent of our electricity is already carbon neutral,” she says. The company’s properties get all their energy from the region’s hydroelectric power stations, plus there are four wind turbines on the resort’s Gütsch mountain. picture
10 ways to lower your flying footprint in 2023
What Are Travel Companies Doing To Be More Sustainable?
When making travel plans, speak with your wallet and ask hard questions: is the company I am booking with B-Corp accredited, or does it have another travel ?
What is my hotel of choice doing to alleviate its impact on the planet?
The Most Luxurious Eco-Friendly Hotels to Book Now
If sustainability is important to you when looking for a luxury hotel, here is a list of the top options.
The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Iceland
UK must be clearer about the carbon cost of flights, says aviation body
Where there is carbon labelling or transparency about the impact of aviation’s damage to the environment, it can be unclear to the average traveller, and difficult to compare journeys.
The CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) is calling for a UK-wide, clear, standardised and regulated system for labelling air travel options at the booking stage
69% of Travellers Want to Travel Sustainably This Year, New Report Shows
A new report from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the Trip.com Group has revealed that 69 per cent of travellers are actively seeking sustainable travel options for 2023.
Combining Sustainability With Luxury In The South Pacific Island Of Fiji
The Manta Restoration Project is aimed at preserving, protecting, and conserving manta rays in the South Pacific.
The Mangrove Reforestation Project has doubled the capacity of the mangrove nursery and have transplanted over 1,200 mangroves into the neighboring village shores. picture
Fodor's Travel put Maui on its 'No List' of places tourists may want to avoid in 2023. Here's why.
10 regions ranging from Antarctica to Italy that are threatened by environmental damage caused by overtourism and climate change.
Maui is one of the destinations “suffering from water crises.”
3 lessons on sustainable growth from the Dominican Republic
The pandemic has yielded three lessons that can serve as a blueprint for delivering sustainable, inclusive growth.
Can Cambodia become Southeast Asia’s sustainable travel capital?
This Southeast Asian nation is hoping to do for the region what Costa Rica did for Central America – become a shining beacon of sustainability. pic
Positive travel: From new sleeper trains to phasing out domestic flights, sustainable trips are here to stay
One of the elements allowing for more sustainable trips that’s really getting its groove back is the humble sleeper train.
Rail travel is clearly much better, emissions-wise, than hopping on a jet
Sustainable travel: Where to go in 2023
Swap Switzerland for Kyrgyzstan
The mountain valleys of Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia, are about as off-track as you can get.
National park in Malawi, southern Africa, sets benchmark for reducing human-animal conflict and restoring habitat for wildlife, and safari tourism grows
Lions, elephants and other wildlife are thriving in Liwonde National Park, seven years after international managers were hired to engage with local villagers.
Travel better in 2023 with these top 10 sustainable holiday destinations
Nazareth, Palestine
The Palestinian Initiative for Responsible Tourism encourages tourists to visit both destinations, to give people in each place the chance to share their culture and tell their own stories in an effort to foster tolerance and greater understanding.
5 ways to become an eco-tourist in 2023
We all aspire to be responsible tourists and minimise any negative impacts on the environment and cultural heritage when exploring destinations on our bucket lists:
- Choose wisely when it comes to location
- Support local and visit local
- Respect local cultures and traditions
and more:
5 of the biggest travel trends coming in 2023, from train rides to wellness retreats
Sustainable travel will be on the rise in 2023, making train travel more popular.
train travel is expected to be booming in 2023 since it can be more aesthetic, comfortable, and eco-conscious than air travel.
6 trends that will shape sustainability in 2023
No. 6. Travelers seeking socially and eco-conscious tourism.
“Regenerative tourism”, a term dubbed for a kind of experience where travelers are given the opportunity to leave a place in better condition than it was before, will become more popular among globetrotters.
Forget Google Maps. Digitally enabled experiences are transforming cultural tourism
Through a mix of creativity and digital technologies, small local communities across Europe are seeking to develop socially inclusive experiences and innovative sustainable tourism models built on their cultural heritage. pic
Guyana’s New Eco Tours Are Giving Indigenous People a Say
But the troubled waters of neighboring Venezuela, largely a blueprint of how not to approach sustainability, swayed Indigenous communities of Guyana to explore the economic viability of ecotourism.
Travelling sustainably isn’t enough: Here’s why it’s time to give back to the places we visit
Regenerative tourism also involves investing in projects that will improve the environment, rather than just restoring it to how it was found.
Sustainable travel: How do you choose an ethical wildlife encounter
“Don’t feed the animals” is advice that still holds true. Jessica Wynne Lockhart finds ways to ensure your next animal encounter is ethical
How to see Peru’s Machu Picchu the sustainable way
Home to 84 of the world’s 103 ecosystems, Peru is one of the planet’s most biodiverse countries.
Taking a lesser-hiked trail that disperses visitors more widely across the Andes – as well as offering opportunities to locals – is one way to minimise your impact. pic
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