Sustainable travel is a popular buzzword in 2022, but what does it mean?  In a nutshell, sustainable travel focuses on protecting and respecting the destinations you visit as well as the people who live there. Here’s how you, and your clients, can make a difference:

Before you travel – Minimize the impact of your flight by taking direct flights and/or flying at off-peak hours. Pack only what you need. Choose eco-friendly accommodations and support businesses recognized for sustainable tourism. Learn some key phrases of the language. Research the history, culture, traditions, and legends of your destinations so you can blend into the local community when you arrive.

During your stay – Walk, bicycle, or take local buses, trains, subways, and trams. Give back to the community by supporting local businesses, restaurants, farmers, musicians, and artists. Local guides know the insider secrets of their surroundings and the off-the-beaten-path surprise and delight experiences. Reduce, re-use and recycle as much and as often as possible. Leave local wildlife, flora, and fauna undisturbed. Respect local traditions, cultures, and customs.

After you leave – Keep your sustainability focus going by calculating your trip’s carbon footprint using sites like Go Carbon Neutral (https://www.gocarbonneutral.ie/), Vita (https://vita.ie/product/carbon-calculator/) and South Pole (https://market.southpole.com/individual).  Then, offset your emissions by sponsoring reforestation initiatives, purchasing water wells or efficient stoves for those in need or supporting women’s empowerment through business co-operatives in developing countries.

Each action you take helps to preserve what makes each destination special and ensures it will be there for future generations to enjoy.

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds, cannot change anything.   George Bernard Shaw