What You Need to Know About Sustainable Travel
Sustainability, responsible tourism, eco-friendly travel, green travel … these have become more than buzzwords of late, and there is a growing number of consumers who opt for travel experiences that tick off the boxes of sustainability. They want to “be nice to the planet while discovering it,” as stated in an advertisement from one travel supplier, which seems to be resonating with travelers.
可持续旅游业包括许多方面,从航空公司飞行或与正在积极努力零排放的品牌进行巡游到选择支持当地社区所参观的真实旅行体验。
Travel industry is waking up
The World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities."
Practically speaking, the foundation of sustainability lies in the fact that the travel industry has been waking up to its impacts on the Earth. More suppliers have put comprehensive programs in place to take charge of their carbon footprint and address the chain of effects that their fleets (airlines, cruise lines, car rentals), properties (hotels and resorts), and travel experiences (tour companies and attractions) have on the environment. It is about protecting and conserving the environment while limiting waste and other negative impacts.
除了成为地球的好管家外,旅行供应商还必须考虑他们对资源和管理实践的使用程度有助于最大程度地利用社会,文化和经济利益对当地社区的发展。不可否认,这是一项艰巨的任务。但是它可以以小步骤进行解决。
Travel advisors also play an important role in educating travelers about which suppliers are more in line with today’s sustainability expectations. “I had this very conversation with clients a few days ago,” says Diane Manson, CTC, of Mountain City Travel, based in Kimberley, British Columbia. “Explaining/enlightening that, although a ship may burn clean fuel, the number of passengers integrating into the community for a day, has an enormous cultural impact. For this reason, I recommend, and sell only small- to mid-ship cruise experiences.”
Individual traveler choices do make a difference
尽管更大的可持续性努力掌握在旅行供应商的手中,但单个旅行者的每一个选择也有所作为。
Many people are eager to travel again, after the past few difficult and restricted years, and they are looking to do things a little differently. They want to try out new experiences and fresh ways of traveling. In these cases, eco-friendly travel is especially appealing.
虽然对绿色旅行的兴趣很高,但教育和鼓励是将其推向前进的关键。曼森(Manson)指出,“花时间教育和提供[客户]的观点,这与客户的意图“做正确的事”的意图不同。”
她继续举一个最近的例子:“‘我应该在旅行中为孩子们拿铅笔,蜡笔,着色书和糖果吗?’是一个准备出发前往厄瓜多尔的客户的问题。我建议向旨在保护当地文化和自然资源的非营利组织Planeterra捐款。像这样的项目支持可持续性,并提供手头而不是讲义。”
Other travel advisors do suggest a form of hands-on voluntourism to their clients as a way to assist with sustainability on the most local level. Shayla Northcutt, CEO & owner, Northcutt Travel Agency, LLC, in Houston, Texas, explains: “[Imagine] if you were able to pack a suitcase full of clothes, books, and school supplies, and book the tour to drop them off with a local school, so that you see the children in Jamaica that it is actually going to help.”
至于支持当地的工匠和经济体,诺斯库特说:“如果您能够在墨西哥的Sayulita街头走去,进入制作手工艺品的旧市场,当地艺术家正在稳步努力,以每天的工资,所有这些,所有人当他们的孩子睡在他们旁边的污垢上的垫子上时,他们制作珠宝……您还记得您购买的那件珠宝。”更不用说您会回馈艺术家和当地经济。
德克萨斯州欧文的Iantosca Travel的所有者Ralph Iantosca分享了他对他如何的看法有助于客户通知和教育使responsible tourism choices: “There are many different ways to participate and support sustainability. I try to promote and support in ways that make sense to the traveler. I let them know that some countries have banned plastic, like Rwanda, and that visiting lodges in Volcanoes National Park offer the opportunity to stay in an Eco Lodge that relies upon solar power for electricity, has gardens to grow their own food, or supports the local community who has gardens which grow the fresh produce. Or, on a Lindblad expedition, they do not offer any type of fish that is on the endangered list.”
Iantosca补充说,出售负责任的旅行“是旅行顾问的有意识的努力”。“我是积极主动的,销售旅行的社区可以通过为客户提供旅行机会而积极主动来发挥自己的作用。我们可以引导它们以帮助促进可持续性。”
如果我们所有人都努力团结起来 - 旅行供应商,旅行顾问和旅行者 - 也许我们可以将旅游业进一步转变为永久的力量,以推动地球及其人民迈向可持续的未来。
FROM THE SPONSOR:
加拿大航空是加拿大最大的航空公司,该国的旗帜航空公司,也是星际联盟的创始成员。该航空公司致力于到2050年所有全球运营中所有全球运营的净零温室气体排放的雄心勃勃的目标,并继续留下更少的事情。
该航空公司已将以下温室气体排放量减少目标作为其一部分气候行动计划:
- 到2030年,与2019年的基线相比,到2030年,空中运营减少了20%的温室气体。
- 与2019年的基线相比,到2030年,地面运营减少了30%的净热情率。
- 5000万美元用于可持续航空燃料(SAF)以及降低碳和去除量的投资。
加拿大航空公司Leave Less Travel Program为企业客户提供减少与商务旅行相关的碳足迹的机会。加拿大航空跟踪并计算与客户商务旅行相关的温室气体排放;然后,公司可以选择通过购买可持续航空燃料(SAF)和/或碳偏移来减轻温室气体排放。