Friday, June 21, 2024 Sustainability in travel presents a complex challenge. While global exploration fosters understanding and transformation through exposure to diverse cultures, the environmental impact of air travel and tourist activities often contradicts efforts toward environmental preservation. Consequently, there is no straightforward fix for enhancing the sustainability of travel; the issue is multifaceted.
“When talking about a sustainable destination, different factors come into play,” explains Roi Ariel, General Manager at The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) , an organization that sets global standards for sustainability in travel and tourism. “The management teams at destinations considered sustainable understand that ‘sustainability’ is a journey that is never complete.” Therefore, a dynamic approach is surely the way forward, with considerations stretching from sustainable management and socioeconomic implications to cultural and environmental impacts.
“I think what makes a hotel obviously sustainable from a guest perspective is conscious communication regarding all their initiatives to make their operations more sustainable,” says Few & Far co-founder Sarah Dusek , adding that “if a hotel isn’t talking about their initiatives, chances are they don’t have any.” There are baseline considerations that should already be put in place, such as minimizing (or eliminating) single-use plastics and the implementation of eco-friendly pr.
