Friday 10 June 2022

Ecotourism and Responisble Travel

In plain words, Ecotourism is a form of travelling that is sustainable and organised with respect to the surrounding environment and the well-being of the local people. Its purpose is to benefit the economic development of a local community and to foster cultural and human rights. In its essence, Ecotourism stands for a travel experience to a destination that is relatively untouched by humans, to focus on educating the traveller with an eye to ecological conservation. 


Today, Ecotourism is a term used to describe socially responsible travelling. The popularity of Ecotourism is fueled by greater public awareness of the negative impacts of tourism be it on the destination or natural environment. 

As the entire world is focusing to find alternative sustainable means of energy, transporation, and production; so is the sector of tourism moving towards a new 'green' era. More and more tourism destinations and operators are adopting ecological best practices and many tourists are becoming aware of their ecological impact when they visit natural areas. 


We've outlined a few ways that you can reduce your carbon footprint while travelling and make your holiday greener. Green travel is about making smart choices and keeping the environment in mind at each twist and turn. First and foremost, plan in advance. The more time you spend planning and researching options the better the chances of enjoying a smooth, sustainable empowering holiday. 

 


Travelling by plane

Air travel is not sustainable, and even though we can never tell what type of scientific and technological breakthroughs there will be in the future, sustainable air travel is not projected to become eco-friendly anywhere in the forseeable future. The only way that we can make travelling by plane more responsibly, is to choose short routes. Exotic, faraway loctions are a thrill however choosing a destination closer to home is much kinder to the planet. Alternatively, you can compensate for your flight's CO2 on an online carbon offsetting site or app.

Travelling by boat

Cruise liners are not eco-friendly at all. They dump toxic waste into the ocean, run on giant diesel engines that fill the planet with carbon dioxide and kill marine wildlife. However, today many cruise line companies are incorporating green technologies into newly built ships, inclusive of solar panels, a cooking oil conversion system and energy-efficient appliances. Many liners are also removing single use plastic, recycle more effectively and donate unwanted furniture and linen to charities instead of being sent to landfills. The cruise liner industry is getting greener. Choose one of the cruise liner companies who are implementing sustainable practices. For instance, Carnival ships plug into electrical power when docked, eliminating noise and air pollution while idle; while Costa launched a new ship that runs on LNG, utilizing the world's cleanest-known fossil fuel. 


Travelling by train

Trains are the ultimate environmentally-friendly mode of tranport. They allow you to travel long distances in a relatively short amount of time. They can carry large volumes of passengers which makes them far more sustainable than other modes of transport. Travelling by train is easy, comfortable, picturesque, with fewer chances of delays; you can read, sleep and eat or do whatever you want!

Waste

Food and packaging waste accounts for as much as half of what is thrown away in a day, especially when you are far from home. There are some easy ways for you to reduce your packaging whilst travelling; such as: keep reusable bags and containers and don't be shy to say no to more bags when shopping; choose zero-waste toiletries; go paperless. 


Fairtrade

Sustainable tourism is kind tourism. The concept of fairtrade ensures that preference is given to locally sourced products and the workers get fair compensation in good conditions. In tourism, fairtrade ensures that the benefits and income are rightly distributed amongst the local people who are involved in that product or service. How to support fair trade as a traveller? Be mindful and make conscious shopping choices by avoiding mass-produced products and instead favour local artisans and certified Fairtrade stores. 


Accommodation

An eco-friendly accommodation refers to a place that is built or operated in such a way as to minimize both the carbon footprint of the business operation as well as the carbon footprint of those who work and stay there. You might have heard of Eco Hotels or Eco Resorts. But what does that really mean? It means that the administration is taking measures that may include reducing energy and water consumption, aiming for zero waste generation, handle the waste in the proper way, and using environmentally-sound products. 


Live the local experience

Homestays, local guides and programs that give back to the community are an excellent way to enjoy your destination with purpose. Check out ecobnb for a network of sustainable accommodation, where you can see in real time the number of CO2 avoided every day, the number of trees and liters of water saved every day.


Need inspiration of where to go this summer? Check out these top 10 eco-friendly cities and countries in the world!


Top 10 most eco-friendly cities in the world

* Copenhagen, Denmark

* Amsterdam, Netherlands

* Stockholm, Sweden

* Berlin, Germany

* Portland, Oregon 

* San Francisco, California

* Cape Town, South Africa

* Helsinki, Finland

* Vancouver, Canada 

* Reykjavik, Iceland


                                    

Top 10 most eco-friendly countries in the world

* Denmark 

* Luxembourg

* Switzerland

* United Kingdom

* France

* Austria

* Finland

* Sweden

* Norway

* Germany