Sustainable Travel and Tourism
Pam here today, with a post about sustainable travel. Many of you know that I have a passion for sustainable strategy and have even completed a course in the same subject from Harvard Business School. We are also a member of Sustainable Travel International.
What is Sustainable Tourism?
It all boils down to this: a conscientious and sustainably-responsible traveler will leave a place in the same condition – or better – than when he or she arrived.
Sustainability focuses on three core areas:
- Environmental Impact
- Economic Impact
- Social Impact
Sustainable tourism is defined by the United Nations World Tourism Organization as “tourism that satisfies the requirements of current visitors and host communities while preserving and enhancing potential for the future”. It’s an idea that supports all tourism-related activities rather than being a specific kind of product. As a result, it’s not an optional component but rather a necessary part of all elements of tourist growth and management.
The goal of sustainable tourism is to maintain the positive economic and social effects of the tourism industry while minimizing or mitigating any negative effects on the natural world, human history, culture and society. By balancing the demands of the destination with those of tourists, this can be accomplished.
Understanding what it is one thing, now…
How Do You Practicing Sustainability in Your Own Adventures?
We came across a post by Bankrate called, “Guide to Green Travel: Planning and Financing a Sustainable Vacation” that provides insight to this question, from planning your trip and selecting your destination, to deciding what transportation and housing to choose. (And yes, we focus on slow travel here at Adventurous Life — did you know it’s also a form of sustainable travel? — but these tips are applicable for us too – don’t dismiss it because vacation is in the title.)
We’d love to hear your thoughts about how you practice sustainable travel and the ways you are planning to be a more sustainably conscious traveler in the future. We’re always looking for new ideas to implement to be a greener, more sustainably-responsible company.