How Eco-Friendly Travel Is Changing the Industry

According to research by Nature Climate Change, the worldwide tourist sector is responsible for around 8% of all greenhouse gas emissions.

This shocking number shows how big of an impact the sector has on the environment. As more people learn about climate change, more tourists are looking for eco-friendly solutions. This trend is causing a green revolution in the travel industry.

The transformation is not just a fad; it is a fundamental change in how the business works. Big companies are changing to satisfy the increased demand for eco-friendly travel.

A Global Movement for Eco-Friendly Travel

Traveling in a way that doesn't hurt the environment is no longer only for a few people; it's a worldwide trend. The Explorer's Passage is an award-winning adventure travel company committed to enhancing travel experiences. This goal fits with the rising desire for eco-friendly travel experiences.

Traditional tourism has a big impact on the environment since it causes pollution, destroys habitats, and changes the temperature. The fact that the sector depends on non-renewable resources and infrastructure that uses a lot of energy makes these problems worse. But we may start to make adjustments by recognizing their effects.

More visitors are aware of their environmental impact and seek less harmful travel options. This change in how people act is making the industry adjust.

More and more people want to travel in a way that is beneficial for the environment. This is mostly because millennials and Gen Z travelers are prepared to pay extra for experiences that match their ideals. Some of the most important trends are

• Travelers are replacing “bucket lists” with “better lists,” seeking more meaningful experiences.
• Following the epidemic, there has been a surge in eco-awareness, with 87% of visitors worldwide expressing a desire for more eco-friendly options.
• Sustainability credentials are just as important to consumers as pricing and location when they make a selection.
• Travel firms are changing what they provide and how they talk to customers to suit the rising need for sustainability.

This surge toward eco-friendly travel is more than simply a fad; it's changing the way people travel.

The Three Pillars of Responsible Tourism

For tourism to truly be sustainable, we must adhere to three main criteria. These principles must take into account social, economic, and environmental issues. These pillars rely on each other; thus, if one is weak, the others may be too.

1. Protecting the Planet

Being environmentally responsible means taking care of natural resources and maintaining biodiversity. This means cutting down on trash, saving water, and keeping animal habitats safe. Tour companies are increasingly doing things that are beneficial for the environment, including employing renewable energy and cutting down on single-use plastics.

“The goal is to leave the environment in the same, if not better, shape than when we got there.”

2. Supporting Local Communities

The social impact pillar's main goal is to help local communities by respecting their customs and making them healthier. This involves fair trading, helping local companies, and preserving cultural heritage. Through tourism, communities can grow and keep their cultural identities alive.

• Engaging with local communities through fair trade is crucial.
• Supporting local artists is a way to promote cultural heritage.

3. Creating Lasting Economic Value

Tourism that is economically sustainable means making long-term economic gains for the places that tourists visit. You can do this by putting money into local people, building supply chains that put local producers first, and putting earnings back into community infrastructure. The goal is to build economic ecosystems instead of extractive economies so that tourism supports traditional ways of making a living and keeps the community's economy independent.

• This can be achieved by investing in training initiatives within the community.
• We are developing a diverse range of tourist attractions to adapt to seasonal fluctuations.
• We are putting earnings back into programs that help the community.

How Big Travel Companies Are Going Green

Travel firms are changing the way they do business to include eco-friendly programs. This shift is transforming the industry, with major companies at the forefront of adopting environmentally friendly practices.

1. Airlines and Carbon Offset Programs

More and more airlines are using carbon offset schemes to lessen their effect on the environment. For instance, some airlines let customers make up for the carbon emissions from their flights by putting money into renewable energy projects or initiatives to plant trees.

Carbon offsetting helps lessen the damage that air travel does to the environment. Currently, air travel is responsible for around 2% of all worldwide carbon emissions. It lets airlines and passengers make up for the CO₂ emissions that come from flying by putting money into programs that cut carbon emissions in other places. If the whole industry worked together to offset flight emissions, all air travel could be carbon neutral.

• Carbon offsetting programs are a quick method for the aviation sector to make up for their carbon footprint by putting money into initiatives that cut down on CO₂ and other greenhouse gas emissions.
• About 40 airlines across the globe offer voluntary offsetting programs. Passengers who want to participate pay an extra charge to help pay for initiatives that reduce the CO₂ emissions from their journey.
• CORSIA, or the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, is the global market-based measure for aviation emissions. Its goal is to keep flight emissions stable while the aviation industry works on other ways to cut CO₂ emissions, such as new technologies and better use of resources and infrastructure.

✅ What is carbon offsetting?

Carbon offsetting is a way to compensate for CO₂ released in one area by funding projects that cut carbon emissions elsewhere. This means that if a passenger's trip produces one tonne of CO2, they may opt to assist in paying for a project that makes the same amount of renewable energy, for example. Funding reforestation or putting money into renewable energy projects like wind turbines or solar panels are two examples of offsetting strategies.

Charging a tax on carbon emissions is not as successful as offsetting, since a carbon tax just makes corporations and passengers pay for their emissions, and there is no certainty that the payment will lead to a net decrease in emissions. A tax on aviation will not always lower emissions; instead, it will just be a method for governments to make money and take money away from the aviation industry that might be used to buy more efficient planes. Offsetting costs the industry money, but the money goes straight to programs that make up for CO₂ emissions.

An emissions trading system (ETS), commonly called cap-and-trade, is another way to address carbon emissions. This means putting a cap on all emissions and letting businesses purchase and sell emission permits to reach their own goals. There are already a number of ETS agreements in place for aviation at the domestic or regional level. The European ETS applies to all flights between airports in the EU, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland. China has set up a trial ETS in a few places, including one in Shanghai that covers domestic airlines. New Zealand's ETS includes domestic flights.

✅ How can passengers offset their emissions?

People and businesses that wish to offset the emissions from their air travel may do so via voluntary carbon offsetting programs. 40 airlines across the globe offer voluntary offsetting programs. Passengers pay a little extra for their flights to help pay for initiatives that will make up for the CO₂ emissions. You may pay for these programs either at the time of purchase, when airlines add the option to their online sales engines, or when passengers are sent to a third-party offset provider.

Currently, not many travelers are using it. The business is putting money into projects that will make buying and understanding offsets simpler. A few airlines have gone even further and automatically offset flights:

• BRA Airlines in Sweden offsets all of its passengers' trips and has started selling a “Green Class” ticket that adds sustainable aviation fuel to the trip.
• Scandinavian Airlines already offsets all “youth” tickets (for customers under 25) and the flights of all its EuroBonus members (approximately 40% of the airline's total CO₂ emissions). The airline also lets customers pay extra to switch to sustainable aviation fuels.
• Since 2012, Delta Airlines has been working to reduce the amount of pollution it causes.
• Since the beginning of 2020, British Airways and Air France have offset all of their domestic flights in the UK and France, respectively.
• JetBlue will pay for all of its US domestic flights starting in July 2020.
• As of November 2019, all of easyJet's flights are offset.

✅ Can aviation achieve carbon-neutral growth?

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) started CORSIA in October 2016 to help reduce CO₂ emissions from international flights. The aviation sector backed the program. CORSIA was established to help international aviation flourish without adding more carbon emissions beyond 2020 and to stop various governments and regions from coming up with their own carbon offsetting and tax schemes. The aviation sector made a smart choice by pushing for the creation of a single worldwide measure, which ICAO would oversee.

A single worldwide carbon offsetting program helps protect the environment by making up for most of the CO₂ emissions that come from international commercial flights. The global method also stops market distortion, which could occur if some airlines pay for emissions and others don't, depending on their registration. All routes and airlines are covered by CORSIA, except for domestic air transport services, which are covered by the Paris Agreement (and before that, the Kyoto Protocol).

We are implementing CORSIA in stages, allowing certain countries to take into account their unique situations and strengths. From 2021 to 2026, only flights between “volunteering” governments will have to meet offsetting criteria. This aspect is in line with how the Paris Agreement was meant to work. Starting in 2027, all flights will have to be offset, except for those going to and from Least Developed Countries (LDCs), tiny Island Developing States (SIDS), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and tiny aviation markets. These countries might choose not to participate.

Between 2021 and 2035, CORSIA is expected to cut over 2.5 billion tons of CO₂ and bring in more than $40 billion in climate funding. This money will be used to pay for measures that lower CO₂ emissions.

✅ What offsets are eligible under CORSIA?

There are several techniques to cut down on CO₂ emissions that may be used as offsets, and many of them also have additional social, environmental, or economic advantages. You may get offsets from various activities, such as wind energy, energy-efficient cooking stoves, methane collection, forestry, and other programs that reduce or prevent emissions.

The kinds of offsets that CORSIA will accept are vital for figuring out how well the program works. Governments, the aviation industry, and environmental organizations all want to make sure that the offsets bought under CORSIA really help the environment. In the past, many offset programs in other fields failed to deliver on their promises to cut emissions. A committee of government-appointed technical experts will select which emissions units airlines may utilize under CORSIA. They will do these tasks based on several criteria that ICAO has authorized. The essential ideas are already in place: reducing or offsetting greenhouse gases must also have positive effects on the environment; offsets must be a permanent decrease in emissions; and compensation should not cause emissions to rise in other places by accident.

Rules will ensure the CO₂ reduction from the offset unit is credited only to the buyer, is uniquely tallied, and is additional. To guarantee this degree of environmental integrity, operators will probably have to buy offsets that have been checked by reliable organizations, like the Gold Standard or the Verified Carbon Standard.

Airline operators may claim lower emissions by using sustainable aviation fuels as long as they save at least 10% of greenhouse gases and are not derived from biomass taken from land with a lot of carbon. A globally coordinated strategy will make things clearer, assist in eliminating obstacles to the use of sustainable aviation fuels, and encourage investment in this important field.

✅ Does offsetting work?

Carbon offsetting is not a quick fix for climate change. Reforestation, constructing solar panels, and erecting wind turbines all take time. When done well, offsetting funds may help ventures that would not have gotten off the ground otherwise. It also helps people in underdeveloped nations by producing employment, enhancing their quality of life, and promoting biodiversity.

But carbon offsetting can't do it all by itself. Offsetting is only a short-term remedy to buy time as the industry works on and invests in new technologies, sustainable aviation fuels, better operations, and infrastructure to cut down on CO₂ emissions.

2. Hotel chains that care about the environment

Hotel companies are also becoming green by using less electricity, saving water, and making less garbage, among other things. Some hotels are even using eco-friendly materials in their building and design.

Sustainability is no longer simply a fad in the hotel sector; it's a must. According to the UNWTO Tourism Sustainability Report 2023, 73% of visitors throughout the globe choose hotels that use environmentally friendly techniques. As a result, major hotel chains around the world are changing the way they do business to satisfy changing consumer needs.

Hotels are focusing on eco-friendly measures that help the environment and make guests' stays better and more profitable. These include cutting down on trash and buying things locally.

Our goods are the perfect mix of sustainability and high quality for chefs, purchasing managers, and caterers who want to purchase edible flowers in Dubai or add eco-friendly items to their menus.

✅ Sustainability Certifications and Standards

More and more big hotel chains are looking for sustainability certifications like LEED, EarthCheck, and Green Key. The number of hotels that got these certificates increased by 20% from the year before. These criteria demonstrate a hotel's commitment to the environment and serve as effective promotional tools for environmentally conscious tourists.

Hotels that put money into eco-friendly procedures see real rewards. Research indicates a clear correlation between sustainability certifications and consumer satisfaction, with patrons prepared to pay a premium for environmentally friendly lodging. Partnerships help businesses in the hotel, restaurant, and café (HORE) sector maintain these high standards.

✅ Waste Reduction and Circular Solutions

Food waste is still a big problem in the hotel business. Hotels all around the globe are using new technology to keep an eye on and cut down on waste. Accor, for instance, employs AI technologies to keep an eye on kitchen waste so that cooks may change menus and cut down on extra food. Over 754 Accor hotels have saved more than 650,000 meals via agreements like Too Good To Go by 2021.

Iberostar Hotels & Resorts goes even farther by composting and vermiculture on-site, converting food waste into fertilizer for their kitchen gardens and local farmers. These closed-loop technologies show how hotels can help the environment and save money at the same time.

✅ Local and Sustainable Sourcing

Buying local and environmentally friendly goods helps the economy in your area and lowers your carbon impact. Accor's Healthy and Sustainable Food Charter puts local, seasonal, and certified eco-farm goods at the top of the list. Some hotels, including Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford, have even set up their own urban farms to grow up to 30% of the vegetables they require.

Buying local isn't only good for the environment for cooks and caterers; it's also good for the taste and quality of the food. Edible flowers are a long-lasting method to improve the look and flavor of food while also helping the eco-HoReCa movement.

✅ Energy Efficiency and Innovative Technology

To minimize their carbon footprints, hotels are buying gadgets that use less energy and renewable energy sources. T The Iberostar analysis indicates that optimizing kitchen energy usage could reduce emissions by up to 17 million tons per year. Smart technologies that control energy usage help reduce costs and make operations more environmentally friendly.

✅ Promoting Plant-Based and Low-Carbon Menus

Hotels are shifting toward providing plant-based meals as part of their attempts to be more environmentally friendly. Dishes made with plants release significantly less pollution than those made with animal products. Accor's relationship with Zero, a brand of environmentally beneficial plant-based protein, demonstrates that menus can be both healthy and helpful for the environment. T These meals rely heavily on edible flowers, which add a natural and colorful touch to plant-based dishes while demonstrating a commitment to using ecologically beneficial ingredients.

W Working together is essential for making the hotel sector more environmentally friendly. Suppliers play a crucial role for hotels aiming to become more eco-friendly.

3. Tour Operators Leading the Way in Protecting the Environment

Tour companies are contributing to environmental protection by promoting eco-friendly excursions and various related projects. Some tour companies are using a portion of their income to protect natural areas and support local communities.

Examples of these efforts include ensuring that guides are trained in environmental care, limiting the number of tour groups, and enforcing adherence to “leave no trace” principles. Tour companies that concentrate on conservation are turning passengers into strong champions for the environment by making them feel connected to endangered habitats and animals.

By using eco-friendly methods and supporting eco-friendly projects, big travel businesses are not only helping to protect the environment, but they are also helping to protect places across the globe.

7 new eco-friendly travel trends that are changing the industry

The tourism industry is reacting to growing concern for the world with seven new eco-friendly trends. These new ideas are not only about making travel less harmful; they are also aiming to make it have a positive effect.

1. Regenerative Travel Beyond Sustainability: Regenerative travel is about bringing new life to places instead of merely keeping them the same. It's about making a place better than when you got there, either by protecting it or helping the people who live there.
2. Plastic-Free Initiatives and Waste Reduction: Many travel firms are now becoming plastic-free by getting rid of single-use plastics and starting full recycling systems. These programs cut down on a lot of the trash that comes with travel.
3. Wildlife Conservation Tourism: This trend is about helping conservation efforts by going on vacation. Travelers may help safeguard endangered animals and their habitats by taking part in wildlife conservation programs.
4. Sustainable Transportation Options: The move toward more environmentally friendly transportation is picking up speed. For example, electric or hybrid cars, biofuel-powered planes, and better public transit networks are all helping to lower carbon emissions.
5. Farm-to-Table Experiences: Farm-to-table trips help local farms by delivering meals made with ingredients from the area. This helps the local economy and cuts down on the carbon impact of transporting food.
6. Carbon-Negative Accommodations: Some hotels and lodges are now trying to be carbon-negative by employing renewable energy sources, carbon offsetting, and constructing in a way that doesn't harm the environment.
7. Virtual Tourism Alternatives: Virtual tourism is becoming a low-carbon option that lets people see places from afar using cutting-edge technology like VR and AR. This trend is especially helpful for sites that are vulnerable or too busy and need to restrict the number of visitors in order to protect them.

Eco-Friendly Trend	Impact	Example
Regenerative Travel	Rejuvenates destinations	Community-led conservation projects
Plastic-Free Initiatives	Reduces waste	Hotels eliminating single-use plastics
Wildlife Conservation Tourism	Protects endangered species	Participating in wildlife conservation projects

These developments are changing the tourism business and making it easier to see the globe in a more responsible and sustainable manner. By using these new ideas, visitors may help make tourism more sustainable in the future.

Useful Advice for Traveling with the Environment in Mind

We can help the environment and the communities we visit as tourists. We can greatly lessen our impact and improve our trips by following a few basic rules.

1. Before You Go: Sustainable Planning and Packing

Before you go, think about packing light and selecting eco-friendly travel items. Utilize items such as reusable cloth bags and water bottles to reduce waste. Learn about the culture and environmental issues of the place you're going so you may be a more considerate traveler.

• To save room in your baggage, pack clothes that may be used for more than one item.
• Select environmentally friendly travel gear.

2. Transportation Choices: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

Transportation is a big source of carbon emissions. To help with this, try to use public transportation, walk, or bike as often as you can. For lengthier trips, check into carbon offset programs or choose airlines that provide more fuel-efficient choices.

• Investigate how to offset the carbon emissions from your travel.
• When you get to your location, use public transit or walk or bike about.

3. Accommodation and Daily Habits While Traveling

The place you stay and the things you do every day may have a big effect on the environment. Choose hotels or lodges that are beneficial for the environment and use sustainable methods. You can save water by taking shorter showers and turning off the water when you're not using it.

• Pick hotels that have favorable policies for the environment.
• Think about how much water and energy you use.

4. Supporting Local Economies and Conservation Efforts

For travel to be sustainable, it is important to help local economy and conservation activities. Engage with locals by dining at local eateries, purchasing handmade items, and participating in conservation initiatives. Such involvement not only makes your trip more captivating, but it also helps the local economy.

• Eating at restaurants run by locals is a good way to help the community.
• Join in on local tours or environmental efforts.

If you make these things part of your travel routine, you'll be an eco-friendly traveler who makes a difference.

The best places to visit for eco-tourism

The ecotourism movement is spreading over the globe, and certain places are leading the way. Not only are these destinations popular with tourists, but they are also establishing new norms for eco-friendly tourism.

1. Costa Rica: The Pioneer of Sustainable Tourism

Costa Rica is not just a place to go on vacation; it's an engaging sensory experience. There are many natural attractions in the nation, such as beautiful river valleys, magnificent volcanoes, mystical cloud forests, and hundreds of beaches along the Pacific and Caribbean coastlines. There are hot springs and treatments at fancy hotels, small cottages owned by families all over the place, and a calm, family-oriented culture that ties it all together.

These ecotourism hotspots show that travel can be both fun and responsible.

Slovenia is a tiny but very diversified nation in Central Europe. It is recognized for its mountains, lakes, forests, wine areas, lovely cities, and rich cultural history. If you're thinking of going there, here's everything you need to know to have a wonderful time.

✅ Why Visit Slovenia?

• Natural beauty & landscapes: Slovenia has beautiful alpine landscapes in the Julian Alps, glacial valleys, karst cave systems, crystal-clear lakes like Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj, rivers like the Soča, and a short Adriatic coastline.
• Outdoor activities: Slovenia's small landscape and well-kept paths make hiking, skiing, biking, rafting, exploring caves, and walking in nature quite satisfying.
• Cultural & historical richness: The capital city of Ljubljana features a beautiful old town, a castle, and a lively cultural scene. Škofja Loka and Piran are medieval towns with buildings that are important to history. There is a lot of history in castles, caverns, and communities.
• Wellness & slow travel: There are many thermal baths, wellness resorts, and peaceful nature regions. Slovenia also encourages eco-friendly vacations and travel that are calmer and more nature-focused.

✅ Tourism & Statistics

• Slovenia had the most tourists ever in 2023, with around 6.19 million people coming and staying for more than 16.13 million nights.
• In 2024, the number of tourists increased to 6.58 million, resulting in 16.85 million overnight stays, which represented a significant growth.
• About 70–72% of overnight stays are by overseas tourists, whereas fewer stays are by people from the US.
• Germany, Italy, Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands are some of the biggest places where visitors come from.
• Mountain towns and the capital, Ljubljana, are quite popular. Coastal and resort towns have significant seasonal changes.

✅ Top Attractions & Highlights

Here are some places that are worth seeing and visiting:

Ljubljana is the capital city. It has a beautiful old town, the Ljubljanica River, a castle on a hill, laid-back cafés, and intriguing buildings and is an excellent place to start seeing the rest of the nation.

• Ljubljana: The capital city has a picturesque old town, the Ljubljanica River, a castle on a hill, laid-back cafes, and unique architecture. It's also a wonderful place to start seeing the rest of the nation.
• Lake Bled: Famous lake featuring an island, a castle on the lake, beautiful hikes, and boating.
• Lake Bohinj: Less busy than Bled in the Julian Alps; ideal for wildlife, hiking, and getting away from it all.
• Triglav National Park: Mountains, paths, and wilderness in the Alps.
• Postojna Cave: One of the largest karst cave systems; a wonderful experience underneath.
• Škocjan Caves: The caverns that are part of UNESCO World Heritage are particularly stunning. (One of the best things about Slovenia.)
• Medieval towns: Piran (on the seashore), Škofja Loka, and Ptuj all have old buildings, tiny streets, and a slower pace of life.
• Waterfalls & natural features: e.g., Rinka Falls in the Logar Valley.

✅ Challenges & Considerations

• Some natural locations that are far away may not have many roads, buildings, or amenities.
• During peak season, popular tourist spots and routes might become quite busy. Traveling at off-peak times provides you additional options.
• The weather in the Alps may change quickly, with snow, storms, and other things.
• Costs may go up in tourist locations, notably for food, transportation, and hotels. This is especially true around renowned lakes, caverns, and ski resorts in the mountains.

✅ What Makes Slovenia Special

• Its size: it's not too big, so you can see mountains, lakes, caverns, and the seaside all in one trip without having to go too far.
• Nature, culture, and wellness are all in balance here. You may hike in untouched wilderness, relax at a spa, or learn about history in a medieval village in the same area.
• Slovenia has been aggressively pushing quality over quantity, protecting the environment, going off the main path, and promoting slow tourism.

Slovenia is tiny, yet it has a lot to offer travelers. The Julian Alps have snow-capped peaks, Lake Bled has emerald seas, and Piran has the Adriatic charm. These are just a few examples of how the country combines nature, culture, and sustainability in a manner that few other places can. It is ideal for tourists who want both adventure and peace since it is committed to eco-friendly tourism, has friendly people, and has a wide range of attractions.

Slovenia provides a trip full of beauty and authenticity, whether you're touring medieval villages, trekking through beautiful national parks, or resting in thermal spas. If you plan your vacation to Slovenia carefully and appreciate its natural and cultural history, you'll have memories that will last a lifetime and a profound affection for this hidden treasure in the heart of Europe.

Where do we go from here in terms of eco-friendly travel?

The tourism business is about to alter a lot because of climate change. The tourist business throughout the world is responsible for 8% of all greenhouse gas emissions, while aviation is directly responsible for 2.4% of worldwide emissions.

It's not enough to merely be less evil in the future; you have to be actively beneficial. Regenerative tourism concepts are increasingly gaining prominence. They concentrate on making places better than we found them. Climate change will spur new ideas, such as floating hotels and carbon-neutral aviation fuels.

Augmented and virtual reality will also change the way people travel. We will measure success based on its impact on local communities and ecosystems, shifting the focus from quantity to quality. The travel sector has to put renewable energy and lower carbon footprints first if we want a sustainable future.