Done right, travel is an immense force for good. There are many brilliant individuals and small companies leading positive change, using tourism to benefit local communities and help restore nature.
But travellers themselves are also changemakers. Simply choosing responsible experiences drives up demand for them, and the industry responds accordingly.
This World Tourism Day, here are 10 ways our holidays habits are changing travel for the better in 2022.
The 2-in-1 holiday
Simply choosing responsible experiences drives up demand for them, and the industry responds accordingly
We can’t ‘offset’ our way out of the climate crisis. But flying less needn’t mean missing out. In fact, post-pandemic, we want to escape for longer – just minus the hefty footprint.
Your solution? The 2-in-1 adventure: fewer flights, but not fewer holidays. Two back-to-back trips within rail distance, often with a volunteering element.
Think culture in Italy, followed by a hands-on conservation break close by: the fly less, stay longer and make-it-count kind of holiday.
The fast rise of slow travel
There’s been a meteoric spike in demand for ‘slow travel’ this year; but these mindful adventures look different to each of us.
Swap plane for a train for a more sustainable adventure
(Getty Images)
They can be literal – an epic global voyage by rail and sea that sees you cooking your way across Japan or learning to drive a Tuk-Tuk in Thailand.
Whatever shape it takes for you, it’s about forging deeper connections with local communities, nature and culture. Better for the places we visit, and great for us too. Little wonder it’s a post-pandemic favourite.
Pitching in with the locals
Not a volunteering holiday, but volunteering on holiday. Litter-picking and luxury travel may not be traditional bedfellows but that’s quickly changing.
Think afternoon beach-cleans, from Cornwall to the Caribbean. Feel-good holiday bolt-ons are a great way to meet fellow travellers, connect with the locals and have fun while giving back.
Micro-cruises
Mega-liners swamp fragile destinations and contribute little to the communities they dock in, so it’s heartening to see an upswing in a great alternative: micro-cruises.
And there’s a smorgasbord to choose from, including expert-led wildlife expeditions and pocket-sized island-hopping. What they share is a lighter footprint, and a positive local impact. What’s more, micro-cruises can reach into the hidden nooks of a destination – where their…
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